1990 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Dr. Mario, Dragon Quest IV, Final Fantasy III, Phantasy Star II, and Super Mario World, along with new titles such as Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light and Magic Sword. The year's highest-grossing arcade video games were Final Fight in Japan and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the United States. The year's bestselling system was the Game Boy, while the year's best-selling home video game was Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Financial performance
Highest-grossing arcade games Japan In Japan, the following titles were the top ten highest-grossing arcade video games of 1990.
RankGamest alternate url Game Machine Title Manufacturer Dedicated arcade cabinet Software conversion kit 1 Final Fight Capcom Super Monaco GP (deluxe) Tetris (Sega) 2 Tetris Sega Final Lap Final Fight 3 Super Monaco GP Sega Winning Run: Suzuka GP (deluxe) Tecmo World Cup '90 4 Columns Sega Special Criminal Investigation (S.C.I.) Columns 5 Parodius Da! Shinwa kara Owarai e Konami Big Run Adventure Quiz: Capcom World 6 Raiden Tecmo Beast Busters Super Formula: Chijou Saisoku no Battle 7 Bloxeed Sega Hard Drivin' Volfied 8 Final Lap Namco Out Run (deluxe) Adventure Quiz: Capcom World 2 9 G-LOC: Air Battle Sega Operation Thunderbolt Parodius Da! Shinwa kara Owarai e 10 Gradius III Konami G-LOC: Air Battle (deluxe) M.V.P.
United Kingdom and Australia In the United Kingdom and Australia, the following titles were the top-grossing arcade video games of each month.
Month United Kingdom Australia (Timezone) Dedicated cabinet Conversion kit January Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tecmo World Cup '90 Super Masters Line of Fire rowspan="3" rowspan="3" February March July Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tecmo World Cup '90 August Magic Sword
United States In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1990.
Rank AMOA Play Meter Dedicated arcade cabinet Conversion kit Title Manufacturer 1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Final Fight Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Konami 2 Super Off Road, Turbo Outrun, Mercs Capcom Bowling, Big Event Golf, Cyber Police ESWAT, Badlands colspan="2" rowspan="4" 3 4 5
The following were the top-grossing arcade video games on the monthly RePlay arcade charts in 1990.
Month Title Type Points January Golden Axe Software conversion kit FebruaryTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Dedicated cabinet March April May June July August September October November December
Hong Kong In Hong Kong, these were the top-grossing arcade video games of each month on the Bondeal charts.
Month Dedicated arcade cabinet Arcade conversion kit January Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pang Burning Force Lady Frog February Hard Drivin'Big Run Roulette March Big RunHard Drivin' Roulette Crude Buster April Hard Drivin' Big Run Final Fight Crude Buster May Big Run Rough Ranger June Big Run Hard Drivin' Alien Storm Mustang July Big Run Lightning Fighters CombatribesSmash TV August Hard Drivin' Big Run Smash TV Magic Sword September Big Run Hard Drivin' Magic Sword Smash TV October Big Run Smash TVPit-Fighter November Big Run Hard Drivin' Pit-Fighter Hydra Pit-Fighter December Four Trax Cisco Heat Double Dragon 3 Pit-Fighter Super Pang
Best-selling home systems RankSystem(s)ManufacturerTypeGenerationSalesJapanUSAEuropeKoreaWorldwide1Game BoyNintendoHandheld8-bit3,100,0005,000,000 10,000,0002Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendoConsole8-bit1,360,0007,200,000< 655,00080,0008,640,000+3IBM PCIBMComputer16-bit 2,840,0004Sega Mega Drive / GenesisSegaConsole16-bit900,0001,000,000193,00043,0002,136,000+5PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16NECConsole16-bit1,300,000 1,750,000+6MacintoshApple Inc.Computer16-bit 1,300,0007Master SystemSegaConsole8-bit 300,000725,000180,0001,205,000+8NEC PC-88 / PC-98NECComputer8-bit / 16-bit 1,100,000+9AmigaCommodoreComputer16-bit 750,00010Commodore 64 (C64)CommodoreComputer8-bit 700,000
Best-selling home video games
Japan In Japan, according to Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) magazine, the following titles were the top ten best-selling 1990 releases, including later sales up until 1992.
Rank Title Developer Publisher Genre Platform Sales 1 Super Mario World Nintendo EAD Nintendo Platformer SFC < 3,550,000 2 Dragon Quest IV: Michibikareshi Monotachi Chunsoft Enix RPG Famicom 3,000,000 3 Final Fantasy III Squaresoft Squaresoft RPG Famicom < 1,400,000 4 Dr. Mario Nintendo R&D1 Nintendo Puzzle Famicom rowspan="2" 5 Game Boy 6 Final Fight Capcom Capcom Beat 'em up SFC < 860,000 7 SD Gundam: SD Sengokuden Bandai Bandai TBT Game Boy rowspan="4" 8 F-Zero Nintendo EAD Nintendo Racing SFC 9 SD Hero Sōkessen: Taose! Aku no Gundam Interlink Banpresto Platformer Famicom 10 Qix Minakuchi Nintendo Puzzle Game Boy
The following titles were the best-selling home video games on the Japan game charts published by Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) and Family Computer Magazine (Famimaga) in 1990.
Month Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Makai Toushi SaGa (Game Boy) Dragon Quest IV (Famicom) Dragon Quest IV (Famicom) Mōryō Senki Madara (FC) Dragon Quest IV (Famicom) Final Fantasy III (FC) Final Fantasy III (Famicom) Tetris (Game Boy) Tetris (Game Boy) Dragon Quest IV (Famicom) Tetris (Game Boy) Dr. Mario (Famicom) Dr. Mario (Famicom) Dr. Mario (Famicom) Famista (Game Boy) colspan="2" Dragon Ball Z: Kyôshū! Saiyan (FC) F1 Race (Game Boy) Super Mario World (Super Famicom) Super Mario World (Super Famicom) colspan="2"
United States In the United States, Super Mario Bros. 3 was the best-selling home video game of 1990. The following titles were the best-selling home video games of each month in 1990.
Month Standalone Bundle Sales Revenue Weeks 1-2 Weeks 3-4 Nominal Inflation Tetris (Game Boy / NES) Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) 250,000+++ MaySuper Mario Bros. 3 (NES) Tetris (Game Boy) rowspan="5" rowspan="5" rowspan="5" Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) Tetris (Game Boy) Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt (NES) Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) DecemberSuper Mario Bros. 3 (NES)Tetris (Game Boy) 1990 Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) 8,000,000
United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the best-selling home video games of each month in 1990, for various home computer and game console platforms.
Month Home computers Master System NES Mega Drive PC Engine Chase H.Q. California Games Super Mario Bros. 2 Paperboy Ghouls 'n Ghosts Chase H.Q. Fantasy World Dizzy Wonder Boy III New Zealand Story PC Kid Final Blow Atomic Robo Kid Italy 1990 Thunder Force III Formation Soccer Ghostbusters Don Doko Don Pro Boxing Simulator Golden Axe Super Mario Bros. 2 Batman Super Star Soldier Shadow Warriors Super Monaco GP Devil Crash Guardian Angel Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles Strider Splatterhouse Out Run Devil Crash Teenage Mutant Hero TurtlesGolden AxeAero Blasters
Top-rated games
Major awards Japan Award 4th Gamest Awards (Japan, December 1990) alternate url 5th Famitsu Best Hit Game Awards (Japan, February 1991)ArcadeConsole Game of the Year Final Fight Dragon Quest IV (Famicom) Handheld Game of the Year SaGa 2 (Game Boy) Coin-Op Translation / Conversion Gradius III (Super Famicom)PC-to-Console Translation Populous (Super Famicom) Best Scenario / Story Final Fantasy III (Famicom) Best Graphics R-Type II Castle of Illusion (Mega Drive) Best BGM / Sound Gradius III Dr. Mario Best Album Darius II Best Production Parodius! From Myth to Laughter Special Award / Most Talk Neo Geo Super Famicom Best Game Company / Manufacturer Namco Best Character / Character Design Mike Haggar (Final Fight) Yoshi (Super Mario World) Best Action Game Final Fight F-Zero (Super Famicom) Best Shooting Game Parodius! From Myth to Laughter Super Star Soldier (PCE) Best RPG Megami Tensei II (Famicom) Dragon Quest IV (Famicom) Best Action RPG Ys II (Famicom) Sorcerian (Mega Drive) Best Adventure Game Urusei Yatsura: Stay With You (PCE) Best Simulation / Strategy Game Fire Emblem (Famicom) Best Puzzle Game Dr. Mario Best Sports Game Formation Soccer (PCE)
United Kingdom Award 8th Golden Joystick Awards (United Kingdom, April 1991)8-bit computer16-bit computer8-bit console16-bit console Game of the YearRick Dangerous 2Kick Off 2 Best Console Game Mega Man (NES)John Madden Football (MD)PC Game of the YearRailroad Tycoon Best Coin-Op ConversionRainbow IslandsGolden Axe Best GraphicsMidnight ResistanceShadow of the Beast 2 Best Soundtrack RoboCop 2Speedball 2 Hardware Manufacturer of the YearSegaSoftware House of the YearOcean Software Best SimulationF19 Stealth Fighter
United States Award Electronic Gaming Monthly (United States, October 1990) VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (United States, February 1991)Console Console Computer Game of the Year Strider (Sega Genesis) Phantasy Star II (Genesis) It Came from the DesertGame of the Year (Nintendo) Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (NES) Game of the Year (TurboGrafx) Ninja Spirit (TurboGrafx-16) Handheld Game of the Year Blue Lightning (Atari Lynx) Coin-Op Translation / Conversion Columns (Genesis)N.Y. Warrior Best Graphics Strider (Sega Genesis) Phantasy Star II (Genesis) Mean Streets Best BGM / Sound Ys I & II (TurboGrafx-CD) Loom Best System Sega Genesis Best New System TurboExpress Game Company / Manufacturer Natsume, Sega, Capcom, Konami, Nintendo Software House of the Year Best Sequel to an Existing Game Mega Man 3 Innovative Game / New Theme Bonk's Adventure Super Glove Ball DragonStrike Best Action Game Bonk's Adventure (TG16) Prince of Persia Best RPG Ys I & II (TurboGrafx-CD) Best Adventure Game Ys I & II (TG16) Phantasy Star II (Genesis) Conquests of Camelot Best Simulation Game Devil's Crush (TG16) LHX Attack Chopper Best Strategy Game Populous (Genesis) Spot: The Video Game Best Military-Strategy Game Herzog Zwei (Genesis) Military Madness (TG16) Battles of Napoleon Best Action-Strategy Game Klax Pipe Dream Best Sports Game Super Monaco GP (Sega Genesis) TV Sports: Football (TG16) TV Sports: Basketball Best Sports Simulation PGA Tour Golf Best Board Game Clue: Master Detective Best Science-Fiction Game Whip Rush (Genesis) Star Control Most Challenging Video Game Phantasy Star II (Sega Genesis) Best Peripheral of the Year Game Genie Best Movie to Game Gremlins 2: The New Batch Best Ending in a Game Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
Critically acclaimed titles Famitsu Platinum Hall of Fame The following video game releases in 1990 entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receiving Famitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40.
Title Platform Score (out of 40) Developer Publisher Genre Dragon Quest IV: Michibikareshi Monotachi Family Computer 37 Chunsoft Enix Role-playing F-Zero Super Famicom 37 Nintendo EAD Nintendo Racing Final Fantasy III Family Computer 36 Squaresoft Squaresoft Role-playing
English-language publications Notable video game releases in 1990 that have accumulated overall critical acclaim from at least three contemporary English-language sources include: