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1992 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Dragon Quest V, Final Fantasy V, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, and Super Mario Kart, along with new titles such as Art of Fighting, Lethal Enforcers, Mortal Kombat and Virtua Racing.
The year's highest-grossing video game worldwide was Capcom's arcade fighting game Street Fighter II for the second year in a row, while also being the year's highest-grossing entertainment product. The year's best-selling home system was the Game Boy for the third year in a row, while the year's best-selling home video games were Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and the Super NES port of Street Fighter II, which were both also the year's highest-grossing home entertainment products.
The following titles won Game of the Year awards for 1992.
Awards | Game of the Year | Publisher | Genre | Platform | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago Tribune | Street Fighter II | Capcom | Fighting | Super NES | [1] |
Electronic Gaming Awards | [2] | ||||
Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM) | [3] | ||||
European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) | [4] | ||||
GameFan Golden Megawards | [5] | ||||
Game Informer | [6] | ||||
Golden Joystick Awards | [7][8] | ||||
Gamest Awards | Street Fighter II Dash (Champion Edition) | Capcom | Fighting | Arcade (CP System) | [9] |
Chicago Tribune | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | Action-adventure | Super NES | [1] |
GameFan Golden Megawards | Cybernator (Assault Suits Valken) | Masaya Games | Run and gun | Super NES | [5] |
Streets of Rage 2 | Sega | Beat 'em up | Sega Genesis | [5] | |
Wonderdog | JVC Musical Industries | Platform | Sega CD | [5] | |
PC Engine Fan | Far East of Eden II: Manji Maru | Hudson Soft | Role-playing | PC Engine CD-ROM² | [10] |
The following video game releases in 1992 entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receiving Famitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40.[11]
Title | Developer | Publisher | Score (out of 40) | Genre | Platform |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome | Chunsoft | Enix | 36 | Role-playing | Super Famicom |
Shin Megami Tensei | Atlus | Atlus | 36 | ||
I Love Mickey & Donald: Fushigi na Magic Box (World of Illusion) | Sega AM7 | Sega | 36 | Platformer | Sega Mega CD |
Street Fighter II | Capcom | Capcom | 35 | Fighting | Super Famicom |
Mario Paint | Nintendo R&D1 | Nintendo | 35 | Art |
The year's highest-grossing game worldwide was Street Fighter II, which alone accounted for an estimated 60% of the global arcade game market, according to Coinslot magazine.[12][13] The following table lists the year's top-grossing arcade games in Japan, the United Kingdom, United States, and worldwide.
Market | Title | Coin drop revenue | Inflation | Manufacturer | Genre | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior | Unknown | Unknown | Capcom | Fighting | [14][15][16] |
United Kingdom | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior | $456 million | $990 million | Capcom | Fighting | [12] |
United States | Street Fighter II / Champion Edition | Unknown | Unknown | Capcom | Fighting | [17][18] |
Worldwide | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior | Capcom | Fighting | [12] |
The following titles were the top ten highest-grossing arcade games of 1992 in Japan, according to Gamest, Game Machine and Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) magazines.
Rank | Gamest[14] | Game Machine[15] | Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu)[16] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Title | Type | Points | |||
1 | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior | Street Fighter II / Dash | Software kit | 7795 | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior |
2 | Street Fighter II Dash (Champion Edition) | Final Lap 2 | Standard/deluxe | 3821 | Final Lap 2 |
3 | Captain Commando | F1 Exhaust Note | Dedicated | 3464 | Street Fighter II Dash |
4 | Garō Densetsu: Shukumei no Tatakai (Fatal Fury) | Tetris (Sega) | Software kit | 3402 | F1 Exhaust Note |
5 | Final Lap 2 | Columns | Software kit | 3218 | Final Lap |
6 | Knights of the Round | Super Volley '91 (Power Spikes) | Software kit | 3140 | Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours |
7 | Sonic Wings (Aero Fighters) | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Dedicated | 2937 | Super Monaco GP |
8 | F-1 Grand Prix | Clutch Hitter | Software kit | 2748 | Driver's Eyes |
9 | WWF WrestleFest | Garō Densetsu: Shukumei no Tatakai | Software kit | 2401 | Tetris (Sega) |
10 | Hacha Mecha Fighter | Super Monaco GP | Standard/deluxe | 2347 | Virtua Racing |
In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1992.
Rank | RePlay[17] | Play Meter | Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA)[19][20][21] | AMAA[22] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dedicated arcade cabinet | Arcade conversion kit | ||||
1 | Street Fighter II / Champion Edition | Street Fighter II[18] | Street Fighter II: Champion Edition | WWF WrestleFest | Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Mortal Kombat, Neo Geo MVS, Terminator 2: Judgment Day |
2 | World Heroes, Art of Fighting, X-Men, Lethal Enforcers, Mortal Kombat, Steel Talons, Space Lords, Final Lap 2 / Final Lap 3, Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours, Virtua Racing |
Unknown | Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Race Drivin', X-Men |
Captain America and The Avengers, Road Riot 4WD, Sunset Riders, Super High Impact | |
3 | |||||
4 | |||||
5 | Suzuka 8 Hours | ||||
6 | Unknown | — | — | ||
7 | |||||
8 | |||||
9 | |||||
10 |
On Australia's Timezone monthly arcade charts published in the June 1992 issue of Leisure Line magazine, Capcom's Street Fighter II: Champion Edition was the top-grossing arcade conversion kit and Konami's X-Men was the top-grossing dedicated arcade cabinet.[23]
Rank | System(s) | Manufacturer | Type | Generation | Sales | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | USA | Europe | Korea | Worldwide | |||||
1 | Game Boy | Nintendo | Handheld | 8-bit | 1,910,000[24] | 4,000,000[25] | 6,000,000[26] | Unknown | 11,910,000+ |
2 | Super NES / Super Famicom | Nintendo | Console | 16-bit | 3,580,000[24] | 5,600,000[27] | 2,030,000[28] | 20,000[29] | 11,230,000+ |
3 | Mega Drive / Genesis | Sega | Console | 16-bit | 400,000[24] | 5,100,000[27] | 2,660,000[28] | 76,000[29] | 8,236,000+ |
4 | Nintendo Entertainment System | Nintendo | Console | 8-bit | 820,000[24] | 2,700,000[25] | 3,030,000[28] | 110,000[29] | 6,660,000+ |
5 | IBM PC | IBM | Computer | — | — | — | — | — | 3,400,000[30] |
6 | Macintosh | Apple Inc. | Computer | — | — | — | — | — | 2,500,000[31] |
7 | Master System | Sega | Console | 8-bit | — | < 50,000[32] | 2,235,000[28] | 180,000[29] | 2,415,000+ |
8 | Compaq Computer (PC) | Compaq | Computer | — | — | — | — | — | 1,500,000[30] |
9 | Game Gear | Sega | Handheld | 8-bit | 250,000[24] | 800,000[32] | 320,000+ (UK)[33] | Unknown | 1,370,000+ |
10 | NEC PC-88 / PC-98 | NEC | Computer | — | 1,120,000[34][35] | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 1,120,000+ |
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Street Fighter II each sold 5 million units worldwide in 1992,[36][37] making them the year's highest-grossing entertainment products.[38] The following home video games sold more than 1 million units worldwide in 1992.
Rank | Title | Platform | Sales | Revenue | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | United States | Europe | Worldwide | Nominal | Inflation | |||
1 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Mega Drive/Genesis | Unknown | 2,000,000[39] | 1,750,000+[40][41] | 5,000,000[36] | $450 million[38] | $980 million |
Street Fighter II | Super NES | 2,000,000+[42][43] | 2,000,000[44] | 200,000+[45] | 5,000,000[37] | Unknown | Unknown | |
3 | Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome | Super Famicom | 2,800,000[46][47] | — | — | 2,800,000+[48] | $200 million+[49] | $430 million+ |
4 | Super Mario Kart | Super NES | 2,000,000+ | < 1,000,000[39] | — | 2,000,000+ | Unknown | |
Final Fantasy V | Super Famicom | 2,000,000+ | — | — | 2,000,000+ | |||
6 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Super NES | Unknown | 1,000,000[39] | Unknown | 1,000,000+ |
The following table lists the year's top-selling home video game releases in several markets, including Europe, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.
Market | Title | Platform | Sales | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
Europe | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sega Mega Drive | 1,750,000+[40][41] | [50] |
Japan | Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome | Super Famicom | 2,800,000[46][47] | [51][52] |
South Korea | Street Fighter II | Super Comboy | Unknown | [50] |
United States | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sega Genesis | 2,000,000 | [39] |
Street Fighter II | Super NES | 2,000,000 | [44] |
In Japan and South Korea, according to Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) magazine, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video game releases of 1992.
Rank | Japan[51] | South Korea[50] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Title | Platform | Sales | Title | Platform | |
1 | Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome[52] | Super Famicom | 2,800,000[46][47] | Street Fighter II | Super Comboy |
2 | Final Fantasy V | Super Famicom | 2,000,000+[43][53] | Final Fantasy V | |
3 | Super Mario Kart | Super Famicom | 2,000,000+[43] | Dragon Quest V | |
4 | Street Fighter II | Super Famicom | 2,000,000+[42][43] | Arang Jeonseol (Fatal Fury) | |
5 | Romancing SaGa | Super Famicom | < 1,170,000[54] | Ranma ½: Hard Battle | |
6 | Super Mario Land 2: 6-tsu no Kinka | Game Boy | Unknown | — | |
7 | Mario Paint | Super Famicom | |||
8 | Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu | Super Famicom | < 730,000[55] | ||
9 | Hoshi no Kirby (Kirby's Dream Land) | Game Boy | Unknown | ||
10 | Super Famista (Super Batter Up) | Super Famicom |
The following titles were the top three best-selling home video game releases of 1992 in Europe and the United Kingdom.
Rank | Europe[50] | United Kingdom[45] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Title | Platform | Sales | Title | Platform | Sales | |
1 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Mega Drive | 1,750,000+[40][41] | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Mega Drive | 1,000,000+[40][56] |
2 | Road Rash II | Mega Drive | Unknown | Street Fighter II | Super NES | 200,000 |
3 | Mario Paint | Super NES | Unknown | Amiga | Unknown |
In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the top-selling home video games of each month in 1992.
Month | Game consoles | Home computers | Ref | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mega Drive | Super NES | Master System | NES | Game Boy | Amiga | Spectrum | ||
January | WWF WrestleMania (home computers) | [57] | ||||||
February | Robocod | — | Sonic the Hedgehog | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Super Mario Land | Grand Prix 1 | Unknown | [58][59] |
March | QuackShot | — | Asterix | 1st Division Manager | Unknown | [60][61][62] | ||
April | Desert Strike | Unknown | Project-X | Unknown | [63][61][64] | |||
May | Unknown | Super Kick Off | John Madden[65] | Unknown | [66] | |||
June | Unknown | Champions of Europe | Rescue Rangers | Sensible Soccer | Italia '90 | [67][68][69] | ||
July | Taz-Mania | Unknown | Wimbledon | [70][71][72] | ||||
August | Olympic Gold[61] | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Rainbow Islands | [73][74] | |
September | Alien 3[61] | WWF Super WrestleMania | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | [75][76][77] | ||
October | Street Fighter II (Super NES) | [45][78] | ||||||
November | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive) | [45][61][79] | ||||||
December | [80][81][82] |
In the United States, the following titles were the top three best-selling home video games of 1992.
Rank | Title | Publisher | Genre | Sales | Platform | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sega | Platformer | 2,000,000 | Sega Genesis | [39] |
Street Fighter II | Capcom | Fighting | 2,000,000 | Super NES | [44] | |
3 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Nintendo | Action-adventure | 1,000,000 | Super NES | [39] |
The following titles were the best-selling home video games of each month for video game consoles (home consoles and handheld consoles) in 1992.
Month | NES | Super NES | Sega Genesis | TurboDuo | Game Boy | Atari Lynx | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
June | Unknown | Final Fantasy II | Unknown | — | Unknown | Unknown | [83] |
August | Yoshi | Street Fighter II | Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Boxing | — | Super Mario Land | Batman Returns | [84] |
September | Turtles in Time | — | [85] | ||||
October | Tecmo Super Bowl | Street Fighter II | NHLPA Hockey '93 | Cosmic Fantasy 2 | Kirby's Dream Land | NFL Football | [78][86] |
November | John Madden Football '93 | Air Zonk | Super Mario Land 2 | [87][88] | |||
December | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Batman Returns | [89] |
The following titles were the top-selling personal computer games on the monthly PC Research charts in 1992, as reported by Electronic Games magazine.
Month | MS-DOS games | MS-DOS educational games | Amiga | Macintosh | CD-ROM | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May | Hardball III | — | — | — | — | [90] |
June | Aces of the Pacific | Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? | — | — | — | [91] |
July | — | — | — | [92] | ||
August | Links | — | — | — | [93] | |
September | Falcon 3.0: Operation Fighting Tiger | — | — | — | [94] | |
October | King's Quest VI | Civilization | Prince of Persia | Battle Chess | [95] |
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