Codex Gamicus
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Console Hardware Releases[ | ]

Game Releases[ | ]

  • The first commercial versions of Tetris are released.[1]
  • Namco releases World Stadium, Assault, which is the first game to use sprite scaling and massive sprite rotation, Assault Plus, Berabow Man, Marchen Maze, Bakutotsu Kijuutei, which is the sequel to Baraduke, Ordyne, Metal Hawk, World Court, Splatterhouse, which is the first game to get a parental advisory disclaimer, Mirai Ninja, Face Off and Phelios.
  • Electronic Arts releases John Madden Football for the Apple II, starting its highly successful line of American football games. It is also the first major football game to feature full 11-man teams.
  • Capcom releases Mega Man 2 in Japan, the highest-selling installment to date (August 2006) in the entire Mega Man franchise with a total of 1.5 million copies sold. It was honored in Nintendo Power's Top 200 Nintendo Games Ever list, coming in at number 33. As well, it is considered by many fans as the best game in the Classic series.
  • Pool of Radiance (SSI), the first of the "Gold Box" games, the first computer RPG based on Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
  • Origin Systems releases Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny. This was the first game in the Ultima series to implement a time-of-day system with day/night cycles and daily schedules for non-player characters.
  • Altered Beast (SEGA, arcade), later ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis where it was packaged with the console in North America and Europe.
  • SEGA releases Phantasy Star for the Master System, the first in the company's most successful series of RPGs.
  • Nintendo releases Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Famicom in Japan.

Key Events[ | ]

Video game releases[ | ]

Name Release Date Category Region(s) Platform(s)
1943: The Battle of Midway October, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
32 in 1 Game Cartridge 1988 Bundle Europe Atari 2600
4th & Inches January 1, 1988 Video Game International Microsoft Windows
Action Fighter 1988 Video Game United Kingdom Amiga
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons: Heroes of the Lance 1988 Video Game North America DOS
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons: Pool of Radiance 1988 Video Game North America DOS
Adventure Island September, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
After Burner March, 1988 Video Game International Master System
After Burner 1988 Video Game Europe Commodore 64
After Burner 1988 Video Game North America Commodore 64
Ai Sensei no Oshiete: Watashi no Hoshi March 26, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Aighina no Yogen: From the Legend of Balubalouk 1988 Video Game Europe Commodore 64
Aighina no Yogen: From the Legend of Balubalouk 1988 Video Game North America Commodore 64
Akira December 24, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars 1988 Video Game Europe Master System
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars March 10, 1988 Video Game Japan Master System
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars July, 1988 Video Game North America Master System
Alien Crush September 14, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Alien Fires: 2199 AD 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Alien Syndrome 1988 Video Game Europe Atari ST, CPC, MSX, Master System
Alien Syndrome March, 1988 Video Game North America Amiga, Commodore 64, Master System, Nintendo Entertainment System
Alien Syndrome December 2, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Altered Beast 1988 Video Game Europe MSX, ZX Spectrum
Altered Beast 1988 Video Game North America Arcade
Altered Beast 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Amagon December 2, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Anacreon 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Anticipation 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Apache 3 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Appare! Gateball December 22, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Area 51: Site 4 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Armed Formation F 1988 Video Game North America Arcade
Assault (1988) April, 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Athletic World June 15, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
Bad Dudes 1988 Video Game North America Amiga, Apple II, Commodore 64, Arcade, MS-DOS
Bad Dudes 1988 Video Game Europe Amiga, Commodore 64
Bad Dudes 1988 Video Game United Kingdom ZX Spectrum
Bakushou!! Jinsei Gekijou 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Bakutotsu Kijūtei 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Bases Loaded July, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Bases Loaded II: Second Season August 10, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Batman: The Caped Crusader 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Bionic Commando December, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Bionic Commando 1988 Video Game Australia Nintendo Entertainment System
Bionic Commando July 20, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Birdie Try 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Blades of Steel July 22, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Blaster Master 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Blaster Master June 17, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Bloody Wolf 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Body Slam: Super Pro Wrestling 1988 Video Game North America Intellivision
Bombuzal 1988 Video Game North America Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64
Bonze Adventure 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Bravoman 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Bubble Bobble November, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Bubble Bobble July 2, 1988 Video Game Japan Master System
Bump 'n' Jump December, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Cabal 1988 Video Game International Arcade
California Games 1988 Video Game Europe Amiga, Master System
California Games 1988 Video Game North America Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System
Captain Comic January 5, 1988 Video Game North America DOS
Castlevania December 19, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest December 1, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Chelnov 1988 Video Game North America Arcade
Chelnov January, 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Chopper I 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
City Connection 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
Cobra Command (1988) 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Cobra Command (1988) October 21, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Commando 1988 Video Game North America Atari 2600
Contra 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Contra February 9, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Crazy Climber 2 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Crime Buster 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Crossbow (1983) 1988 Video Game North America Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit, Atari 7800
Dark Chambers 1988 Video Game North America Atari 2600
Defender II July, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Déjà Vu November 22, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Demon Sword March 29, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Desert Commander April 28, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Devastators June 23, 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Donkey Kong 1988 Video Game International Atari 7800
Donkey Kong April 8, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer Disk System
Donkey Kong Classics 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Donkey Kong Jr. 1988 Video Game North America Atari 7800
Donkey Kong Jr. July 19, 1988 Video Game Japan Famicom Disk System
Double Dragon June, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Double Dragon April 8, 1988 Video Game Japan Famicom
Double Dunk 1988 Video Game North America Atari 2600
Dr. Chaos November, 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde April 8, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Dragon Power March, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Dragon Power 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
Dragon Quest III February 10, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Dragon Spirit December 16, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Dynamite Dux 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
EGA Trek: The Final Frontier 1988 Video Game North America MS-DOS
Fantasy Zone 1988 Video Game North America TurboGrafx-16
Final Blow 1988 Video Game International Undefined
Final Fantasy II December 17, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Fire Bam February 1, 1988 Video Game Japan Famicom Disk System
First Expedition 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
First Queen 1988 Video Game Japan NEC PC-9801, Sharp X68000
Food Fight 1988 Video Game North America Atari 8-bit
Freedom Force April, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Friday the 13th April, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Galaga '88 July 15, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Ghostbusters 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Godzilla: Monster of Monsters! December 9, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Gradius November 30, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
Gradius 2 March 24, 1988 Video Game Japan Undefined
Gun.Smoke December 23, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Gun.Smoke January 27, 1988 Video Game Japan Famicom Disk System
Haunted Castle September 22, 1988 Video Game North America Arcade
Haunted Castle February, 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Hot Rod 1988 Video Game North America Arcade
Ice Hockey April 15, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
Ice Hockey March, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Ice Hockey January 21, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road April, 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road April 16, 1988 Video Game Japan Undefined
Iron Tank: The Invasion of Normandy July, 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
John Madden Football (1988) 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Jordan vs Bird: One on One 1988 Video Game North America DOS
JTrek June 23, 1988 Video Game International Java
Karate Champ July 22, 1988 Video Game Japan Famicom
Karnov January, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Keith Courage in Alpha Zones August 30, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Kid Kool 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Konami '88 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Kung Fu Heroes March, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Last Duel 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Legendary Axe September 23, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Legendary Wings July, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking for Love (In Several Wrong Places) 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Life and Death 1988 Video Game North America DOS
Live and Let Die 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
MagMax October, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Maniac Mansion September 13, 1988 Video Game Japan Famicom
Marchen Maze 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Mega Man 2 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Metal Gear June, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Metal Hawk 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Mirai Ninja 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Missing in Action November 14, 1988 Video Game International Arcade
Mountain Madness: Super Pro Skiing 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Mugen Senshi Valis 1988 Video Game Japan Sharp X1
NARC 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Netrek 1988 Video Game International Unix
Ninja Gaiden December 9, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Ninja Spirit 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Parodius April 28, 1988 Video Game Japan MSX
Pole Position 1988 Video Game North America Intellivision
Power Drift August, 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Pro Yakyuu World Stadium May 20, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
R-Type March 25, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine (Part 1)
R.C. Pro-Am April 15, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
R.C. Pro-Am February, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Rad Racer January 15, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
Rally Bike 1988 Video Game International Arcade
Rambo III 1988 Video Game Europe Commodore 64
River Raid II July 28, 1988 Video Game North America Atari 2600
Rygar March 25, 1988 Video Game Japan Master System
Sadakichi Sebun: Hideyoshi no Ougon November 18, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Saint Seiya: Ougon Densetsu Kanketsu Hen May 30, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Salamander August 1, 1988 Video Game North America Undefined
Samurai Sword November 15, 1988 Video Game Japan Famicom Disk System
Sengoku Mahjong July 8, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Snatcher November 13, 1988 Video Game Japan NES PC-8801
Solomon's Key April 17, 1988 Video Game Japan Master System
Solomon's Key 1988 Video Game Europe IBM PC
Space Harrier July 25, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-8801
Space Harrier 1988 Video Game North America Atari ST
Space Harrier 1988 Video Game Europe Atari ST
Splatterhouse 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Sprintmaster 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Stadium Mud Buggies 1988 Video Game North America Intellivision
Star Trek: First Contact 1988 Video Game North America MS-DOS
Star Trek: The Last Generation 1988 Video Game North America MS-DOS
Super Baseball 1988 Video Game North America Atari 2600
Super Dodge Ball July 26, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
Super Football 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Super Mario Bros. 2 October 9, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Thunder Blade October 29, 1988 Video Game Japan Mega Drive
Superman (NES) December, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Syvalion 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
T & C Surf Designs February, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Taboo: The Sixth Sense 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Tetris: The Soviet Mind Game 1988 Video Game North America Arcade
The Adventures of Bayou Billy August 12, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
The Battle of Olympus March 28, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
The Black Bass October 18, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
The Goonies II December 19, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
The Guardian Legend February 5, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
The Last Ninja 2: Back with a Vengeance 1988 Video Game North America Undefined
The Main Event 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
The New Zealand Story 1988 Video Game North America Undefined
Thunder Cross 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Thunder Force II November, 1988 Video Game Japan X68000
Tomcat: The F-14 Fighter Simulator 1988 Video Game North America Atari 2600
Toobin' 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
U.S. Championship V'Ball October, 1988 Video Game North America Arcade
Universal Chaos 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Vigilante February, 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
Vindicators 1988 Video Game North America Arcade
Wheel of Fortune 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Who Dunit 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
Wild Gunman February 15, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
World Class Baseball June 24, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
World Class Track Meet August, 1988 Video Game Undefined Undefined
World Court 1988 Video Game Japan Arcade
World Court Tennis August 11, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Xevious 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System
Xexyz August 26, 1988 Video Game Japan Family Computer
YouYou Jinsei April 22, 1988 Video Game Japan PC-Engine
Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished 1988 Video Game Europe Genesis
Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished 1988 Video Game North America Genesis
Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished August 26, 1988 Video Game Japan Famicom
Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished – The Final Chapter June 24, 1988 Video Game Japan NEC PC-8801, NEC PC-9801
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link September 26, 1988 Video Game Europe Nintendo Entertainment System
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link December 1, 1988 Video Game North America Nintendo Entertainment System


Hardware releases[ | ]

Name Release Date Category Region(s)
Family Computer Network System September, 1988 Peripheral Japan
Mega Drive October 29, 1988 Home Console Japan
Mega Drive Controller October 29, 1988 Controller Japan
MSX2+ 1988 Home Computer International
PC-Engine CD-ROM² December 4, 1988 Peripheral Japan


References[ | ]

  1. New Software Game: It Comes From Soviet. The New York Times (1988-01-29).
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