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1994

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Financial performance[]

Highest-grossing arcade games[]

The best-selling arcade printed circuit board (PCB) worldwide in 1994 was SNK's Neo Geo MVS system.[1]

Japan[]

The following titles were the top ten highest-grossing arcade games of 1994 in Japan.

Rank Gamest[2] Game Machine[3]
Title Manufacturer Title Type Points
1 Super Street Fighter II X: Grand Master Challenge Capcom Virtua Fighter PCB / Deluxe 5857
2 Virtua Fighter Sega Super Street Fighter II / X PCB 5003
3 Garō Densetsu Special (Fatal Fury Special) SNK Puyo Puyo PCB 3466
4 Vampire: The Night Warriors (Darkstalkers) Capcom Ridge Racer Deluxe 3265
5 The King of Fighters '94 SNK Super Real Mahjong PIV PCB 2909
6 Super Street Fighter II Capcom Shanghai III PCB 2794
7 Gokujo Parodius Konami Raiden II PCB 2718
8 Ridge Racer Namco Lethal Enforcers Dedicated 2713
9 Daytona USA Sega Tetris (Sega) PCB 2686
10 Puyo Puyo Compile OutRunners 2P cabinet 2676

United Kingdom[]

In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the highest-grossing games of each month in 1994.

Month Dedicated arcade cabinet Printed circuit board (PCB) Ref
February Ridge Racer [4][5]
March Ridge Racer Super Street Fighter II Turbo [6]
April [7]
May Daytona USA [8]
June [9]
July Daytona USA [10]
August [11]
September [12]
October Daytona USA Gunbird [13]

Virtua Fighter by Sega AM2 was also one of the UK's most popular coin-ops of the year.[14]

United States[]

In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1994.

Rank Play Meter AAMA[15][16] AMOA[17][18]
Title Award Dedicated arcade cabinet Arcade conversion kit
1 Daytona USA,
Mortal Kombat II[19] 		Daytona USA (Twin)
Cruis'n USA,
Killer Instinct,
Mortal Kombat II,
Neo Geo MVS 		Diamond Mortal Kombat II
2 Lethal Enforcers,
Mortal Kombat,
NBA Jam,
NBA Jam: Tournament Edition,
Virtua Fighter 		NBA Jam: Tournament Edition,
Raiden II,
Super Street Fighter II,
Samurai Shodown
3 Unknown
4
5
6 Unknown NBA Jam: Tournament Edition Platinum N/A
7 Unknown Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors,
Raiden II,
Revolution X 		Gold N/A
8
9
10 Unknown Alien vs. Predator,
Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom,
Super Street Fighter II Turbo 		Silver
11
12

Best-selling video game consoles[]

Rank Manufacturer Game console Type Generation Sales
Japan USA Europe Elsewhere Worldwide
1 Nintendo Game Boy Handheld 8-bit 1,140,000[20] Unknown Unknown Unknown 7,500,000+[21]
2 Sega Mega Drive / Genesis Home 16-bit 500,000[22] 4,000,000+[23] 1,540,000[22] 1,000,000[22] 7,040,000+
3 Nintendo Super NES Home 16-bit 2,200,000[22] 2,058,000[24] 1,060,000[22] 900,000[22] 6,218,000
4 Sega Sega CD / Mega-CD Home 16-bit 150,000[22] 550,000[22] 205,000[22] N/A 905,000[22]
5 Sega Game Gear Handheld 8-bit 350,000[20] 500,000+[23] Unknown Unknown 850,000+
6 Sega Sega Saturn Home 32-bit 840,000[20] N/A N/A N/A 840,000
7 Sega 32X Home 32-bit 270,000[25] 500,000[23] 65,000[22] N/A 835,000
8 Panasonic 3DO Home 32-bit 450,000[20] 160,000[22] 15,000[22] 5,000+[22] 630,000+
9 Sony PlayStation Home 32-bit 600,000[20] N/A N/A N/A 600,000
10 Nintendo NES / Famicom Home 8-bit 280,000[20] 268,000[24] Unknown Unknown 548,000+

Best-selling home video games[]

The following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games (console games or computer games) worldwide in 1994.

Rank Title Platform(s) Sales
Japan[26] USA[27] Worldwide
1 Donkey Kong Country (Super Donkey Kong) Super NES 956,000 2,057,006 6,000,000[28]
2 Street Fighter II Multi-platform 941,000+ 989,178+[n 1] 3,709,090+[n 2]
3 Final Fantasy VI (Final Fantasy III) Super NES 2,550,000+[33] 275,952 2,825,952+
4 Mortal Kombat II Multi-platform Unknown 1,929,494+ 2,500,000+[34]
5 NBA Jam Sega Genesis, Super NES Unknown 2,313,526 2,313,526+
6 Sonic 3 & Knuckles Mega Drive/Genesis Unknown 1,473,730 1,473,730+
7 Madden NFL 95 Sega Genesis, Super NES N/A 811,568 811,568+
8 Super Metroid Super NES 531,000 256,262+[35] 787,262+
9 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Sega Genesis, Super NES N/A 731,910 731,910+
10 J.League Excite Stage '94 (Capcom's Soccer Shootout) Super Famicom 714,000 Unknown 714,000+

Japan[]

In Japan, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1994.

Rank Title Platform Publisher Genre Sales Ref
1 Final Fantasy VI Super Famicom Squaresoft RPG 2,550,000+ [33]
2 Super Donkey Kong (Donkey Kong Country) Super Famicom Nintendo Platformer 956,000 [26]
3 Super Street Fighter II Super Famicom Capcom Fighting 941,000
4 J.League Excite Stage '94 (Capcom's Soccer Shootout) Super Famicom Epoch Co. Sports 714,000
5 Super Bomberman 2 Super Famicom Hudson Soft Maze 713,000
6 Super Momotarō Dentetsu III Super Famicom Hudson Soft Simulation 610,000
7 Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden 3 Super Famicom Bandai Fighting 595,000
8 Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo (Mystery of the Emblem) Super Famicom Nintendo Tactical RPG 563,000
9 Super Metroid Super Famicom Nintendo Metroidvania 531,000
10 Mother 2: Gīgu no Gyakushū (EarthBound) Super Famicom Nintendo RPG 518,000

United States[]

In the United States, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1994.[36]

Rank Title Platform(s) Publisher(s) Genre Sales Ref
1 NBA Jam Sega Genesis, Super NES Acclaim Entertainment Sports 2,313,526 [27]
2 Donkey Kong Country Super NES Nintendo Platformer 2,057,006
3 Mortal Kombat II Sega Genesis, Super NES Acclaim Entertainment Fighting 1,929,494
6 Sonic 3 & Knuckles Sega Genesis Sega Platformer 1,473,730 [27]
4 Street Fighter II Sega Genesis, Super NES Capcom Fighting 989,178+ [n 1]
6 Madden NFL 95 Sega Genesis, Super NES EA Sports Sports 811,568 [27]
7 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Sega Genesis, Super NES Sega, Bandai Action 731,910
8 The Lion King Sega Genesis, Super NES Virgin Interactive Platformer 619,399
9 NBA Live 95 Sega Genesis, Super NES EA Sports Sports 542,758
10 Disney's Aladdin Super NES Capcom Platformer 421,996+ [36][27]

United Kingdom[]

HMV, a British entertainment retailer, released a monthly list of the chain's highest-selling home video game titles. The following titles topped the monthly all-formats charts, as reported by Computer and Video Games.

Month Title Platform(s) Publisher Genre Ref
January Sensible Soccer Mega Drive Sony Sports (football) [37]
February SimCity 2000 PC, Mac Mindscape City-building [38]
March NBA Jam Mega Drive, SNES, GG Acclaim Sports (basketball) [39]
April Doom PC Id Software FPS [40]
May World Cup Striker SNES U.S. Gold Sports (football) [41]
June World Cup USA '94 Mega Drive, SNES, GG U.S. Gold Sports (football) [42]
July Star Wars: TIE Fighter PC Virgin Interactive Space combat [43]
August Super Street Fighter II Mega Drive Sega Fighting [44]
September Mortal Kombat II SNES, SMD, SMS, GG, GB Acclaim Fighting [45]
October Doom II PC Virgin Interactive FPS [46]
November FIFA Soccer 95 Mega Drive EA Sports Sports (football) [47]
December [48]

Top game rentals in the United States[]

Blockbuster Video, an American chain of video rental shops, released a monthly list of the chain's highest-renting console titles. The following titles topped the monthly charts, as reported by GamePro.

Month NES Super NES Sega Genesis Sega CD Ref
January Tecmo Super Bowl Disney's Aladdin Eternal Champions Sonic CD [49]
February Mortal Kombat Sonic Spinball [50]
March Kirby's Adventure NBA Jam Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Mad Dog McCree [51]
April Mega Man 6 NBA Jam Mortal Kombat [52]
May [53]
June [54]
July Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters [55]
August The Jungle Book Super Street Fighter II Super Street Fighter II Star Wars: Rebel Assault [56]
September Mario's Time Machine Mortal Kombat II Mortal Kombat II [57]
October The Jungle Book [58]
November Donkey Kong Country Sonic & Knuckles Lethal Enforcers 2 [59]
December Wario's Woods [60]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 222,224+ Street Fighter II Turbo and Special Champion Edition sales up until August.[31] 341,728 Super Street Fighter II sales up until September.[32] 448,452 Street Fighter II, Turbo and Special Champion Edition sales in December.[27]
  2. ↑ 1.9 million worldwide sales during January–March 1994.[29][30] 77,910+ Street Fighter II Turbo and Special Champion Edition sales in the US during April–August.[31] 941,000 Super Street Fighter II sales in Japan during June–December.[26] 341,728 Super Street Fighter II sales in the US during July–September.[32] 448,452 Street Fighter II, Turbo and Special Champion Edition sales in the US during December.[27]

References[]

  1. ↑ "Letter From Europe". RePlay. Vol. 20, no. 7. April 1995. p. 36, 38.
  2. ↑ "第８回 ゲーメスト大賞" [8th Gamest Awards]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 136 (January 1995). December 27, 1994. pp. 40–59. alternate url
  3. ↑ "Best Videos '94: "Puyo Puyo", "Ridge Racer" DX" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 487. Amusement Press, Inc. 1–15 January 1995. p. 36.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  4. ↑ "Arcade Action" (PDF). Computer and Video Games. No. 149 (April 1994). United Kingdom: Future Publishing. 15 March 1994. pp. 82–6.
  5. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 8. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-03-31). May 1994. pp. 90–1. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  6. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 9. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-04-28). June 1994. pp. 86–7. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  7. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 10. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-05-26). July 1994. pp. 84–5. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 11. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-06-30). August 1994. pp. 80–1. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  9. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 12. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-07-28). September 1994. pp. 82–3. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  10. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 13. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-08-25). October 1994. pp. 80–1. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 14. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-09-29). November 1994. pp. 88–9. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  12. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 15. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-10-27). December 1994. pp. 90–1. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  13. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Edge. No. 16. United Kingdom: Future Publishing (published 1994-11-24). January 1995. p. 98. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  14. ↑ Patterson, Mark; James, Steve; Lawrence, Eddy (Radion Automatic); Lord, Gary (15 December 1994). "Sega Saturn exclusive! Virtua Fighter: fighting in the third dimension" (PDF). Computer and Video Games. No. 158 (January 1995). United Kingdom: Future plc. pp. 12–3, 15–6, 19.
  15. ↑ "Coin Machine: ACME Show Honors Six Firms For "Product Excellence"" (PDF). Cash Box. April 29, 1995. p. 30.
  16. ↑ "ACME Awards". RePlay. Vol. 20, no. 7. April 1995. pp. 68–9.
  17. ↑ "AMOA Awards Banquet". RePlay. Vol. 20, no. 1. October 1994. pp. 149–50.
  18. ↑ "AMOA Jukebox And Game Awards Nominees Announced" (PDF). Cash Box. July 23, 1994. p. 30.
  19. ↑ "1994". Play Meter. Vol. 20, no. 13. December 1994. p. 92.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 小川 (Ogawa), 純生 (Sumio) (2010-12-14). "テレビゲーム機の変遷 —ファミコン、スーパーファミコン、プレステ、プレステ2、Wiiまで—" [Recent Developments in Video Game Technology in Japan — Famicom, Super Famicom, Play Station, Play Station 2 and Wii —] (PDF). 経営論集 (Keiei Ronshū) (in Japanese) (77) (published March 2011): 1-17 (2). ISSN 0286-6439. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-07-25. Retrieved 2021-12-06 – via Toyo University Academic Information Repository (Toyo University).
  21. ↑ Market Research International. Vol. 2. Euromonitor. 1995. p. 82. In the hand-held games market, the company launched Game Boy, which currently leads the field with sales surpassing 7.5 million units.
  22. ↑ 22.00 22.01 22.02 22.03 22.04 22.05 22.06 22.07 22.08 22.09 22.10 22.11 22.12 22.13 "Finance & Business". Screen Digest. March 1995. pp. 56–62. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "Sega threepeat as video game leader for Christmas sales; second annual victory; Sega takes No. 1 position for entire digital interactive entertainment industry". Business Wire. January 6, 1995. Archived from the original on 2013-10-14. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Clements, Matthew T.; Ohashi, Hiroshi (October 2004). "Indirect Network Effects and the Product Cycle: Video Games in the U.S., 1994–2002" (PDF). NET Institute. pp. 12, 24. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 14, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Showtime at the Nintendo Booth for the Winter Consumer Electronics Show". Free Library. January 5, 1994. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 "1994年のコンシューマーゲームソフトの売上" [1994 Consumer Game Software Sales]. Dengeki Oh (in Japanese). MediaWorks. Archived from the original on 20 September 2001. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 27.6 "December 1994 - U.S. Top 40". The NPD Group. August 26, 2006. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-07. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |authors= (help)
  28. ↑ Parish, Jeremy (21 November 2019). "Donkey Kong Country Turns 25: Gaming's Biggest Bluff". USGamer. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  29. ↑ Pollack, Andrew (6 September 1994). "Market Place; Pummeling A Warrior of Video Games (Published 1994)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2021. Capcom sold 6.5 million copies of the game for the Nintendo machine in the fiscal year that ended in March 1993, and an additional 5.4 million for the Nintendo and Sega machines combined in the year that ended last March.
  30. ↑ Japan Economic Almanac. Japan Economic Journal. 1994. p. 90. ISBN 978-4-532-67504-2. As for video-game software, accumulated sales of Capcom Co.'s Street Fighter II series reached 10 million units in 1993, compared with 15 million units of Enix Inc.'s Dragon Quest series and 100 million units of Nintendo's Super Mario series.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "January-August 1994". The NPD Group. June 2006. Archived from the original on June 5, 2019. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "October 1994". The NPD Group. July 11, 2006. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Final Fantasy III". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 63. Ziff Davis. October 1994. p. 172.
  34. ↑ "Shelf Talk: Soaring Sales". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 44. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 29 October 1994. p. 80. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  35. ↑ "September 1994: Top 40". The NPD Group. June 30, 2006. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Famighetti, Robert, ed. (1995). "Top-Selling Video Games, 1994". The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1996. World Almanac Books. p. 259. Source: The NPD TRSTS Video Game Tracking Service, The NPD Group, Inc., Port Washington, NY; ranked by units sold
  37. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 148 (March 1994). EMAP. 15 February 1994. p. 9.
  38. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 149 (April 1994). EMAP. 15 March 1994. p. 12.
  39. ↑ "Charts" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 150 (May 1994). EMAP. 15 April 1994. pp. 114–115.
  40. ↑ "All the Charts on All the Formats" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 151 (June 1994). EMAP. 15 May 1994. pp. 126–128.
  41. ↑ "Chart Attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 152 (July 1994). EMAP. 15 June 1994. pp. 126–128.
  42. ↑ "Chart Attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 153 (August 1994). EMAP. 15 July 1994. pp. 126–128.
  43. ↑ "Chart Attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 154 (September 1994). EMAP. 15 August 1994. pp. 112–113.
  44. ↑ "Chart Attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 155 (October 1994). EMAP. 15 September 1994. pp. 128–129.
  45. ↑ "Chart Attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 156 (November 1994). EMAP. 15 October 1994. p. 113.
  46. ↑ "Chart Attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer & Video Games. No. 157 (December 1994). EMAP. 15 November 1994. p. 145.
  47. ↑ "Chart attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer and Video Games. No. 158 (January 1995). EMAP. 15 December 1994. p. 115.
  48. ↑ "Chart attack with HMV" (PDF). Computer and Video Games. No. 159 (February 1995). EMAP. 15 January 1995. p. 95.
  49. ↑ "Blockbuster Video Top 10 Video Game Rentals" (PDF). GamePro. February 1994. p. 188.
  50. ↑ "Blockbuster Video Top 10 Video Game Rentals" (PDF). GamePro. March 1994. p. 188.
  51. ↑ "Blockbuster Video Top 10 Video Game Rentals" (PDF). GamePro. April 1994. p. 178.
  52. ↑ "Blockbuster Video Top 10 Video Game Rentals" (PDF). GamePro. May 1994. p. 170.
  53. ↑ "Blockbuster Video Top 10 Video Game Rentals" (PDF). GamePro. June 1994. p. 188.
  54. ↑ "Blockbuster Video Top 10 Video Game Rentals" (PDF). GamePro. July 1994. p. 170.
  55. ↑ "Blockbuster Video August Hot Sheet!" (PDF). GamePro. August 1994. p. 156.
  56. ↑ "Blockbuster Video September Hot Sheet!" (PDF). GamePro. September 1994. p. 162.
  57. ↑ "Blockbuster Video October Hot Sheet!" (PDF). GamePro. October 1994. p. 179.
  58. ↑ "Blockbuster Video November Hot Sheet!" (PDF). GamePro. November 1994. p. 275.
  59. ↑ "Blockbuster Video December Hot Sheet!" (PDF). GamePro. December 1994. p. 286.
  60. ↑ "Blockbuster Video January Hot Sheet!" (PDF). GamePro. January 1995. p. 212.
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