References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 26.

1995 January GTE Interactive Media and Nintendo of America agree to collaborate in working on new video games for arcades. [676.D2] In Las Vegas, Nevada, the Winter Consumer Electronics Show is held, over four days. Nintendo shows the Virtual Boy video game system, featuring a red color 3-D world. Price is to be under US$200. [677.C2] Capcom releases the Mega Man X^2 game for the Super NES in the US. [420.70] January 22 The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A bowling alley shows arcade video game Time Waister. [802] (month unknown) Nintendo officially drops the Nintendo Entertainment System from its product line. [12] [611.28] February Nintendo releases the Kirby's Avalanche video game for the Super NES in the US. [304.130] [543.9] Acclaim Entertainment releases the NBA Jam - Tournament Edition video game for the Super NES in the US. [410.9] (month unknown) Activision releases the Atari 2600 Action Pak Volume 1 for Windows-based personal computers. It includes fifteen games previous released as Atari 2600 game cartridges: Pitfall!, Kaboom!, Grand Prix, Seaquest, Chopper Command, Freeway, H.E.R.O., Boxing, Frostbite, Fishing Derby, Cosmic Commuter, Crackpots, and River Raid. Price is US$29.95. [539.81] [540.108] [575.282] March 1 Sega releases the Knuckles' Chaotix video game for the Sega 32X in the US. [779.39] March Taito releases the Bust A Move video game for the Super Nintendo in the USA. [543.9] [1159.101] Square releases the Chrono Trigger video game for the Super Famicom in Japan. Price is 11,400 yen. (2 million copies sell in the first two months.) [341.249] [747.94] (February [543.36]) Nintendo releases the Mario's Picross video game for the Game Boy in the US. [543.9] March 17 Sega releases the Sonic Drift 2 video game for the Game Gear in the US. [396.24] [779.39] March 23 In Reno, Nevada, the American Coin Machine Exposition is held. Williams Bally/Midway unveils the Mortal Kombat 3 arcade game. [637.22] [736.27] [1093.34] March 31 Unit sales of Nintendo Game Boy game systems over the past twelve months: about 5.5 million. [271.D4] (month unknown) In Olympia, United Kingdom, the European Computer Trade Show is held, over three days. 8500 people attend. Sony previews the PlayStation video game system. [736.14] At Sega company headquarters in London, England, Sega officially unveils the Saturn video game system, showing Virtua Fighter and Daytona USA games. [736.15] NEC unveils the R4300 processor, a 64-bit chip developed by MIPS Technologies for use in Nintendo's next home video game system (Ultra-64, Project Reality). The 100 MHz processor performs at about 125 MIPS. [69] April 10 Midway Amusement Games releases the Mortal Kombat 3 video game Version 1.0 to arcades in the US. [808] April Konami releases the Metal Warriors video game for the Super NES for US$59.99 to US$69.99. [488.140] [972.94] Nintendo pays about US$39.5 million to acquire 25% ownership of Rare Toys and Games of Britain, the maker of the Donkey Kong Country video game. This is Nintendo's first investment in a video game developer outside Japan. [251.D7] [350.91] (month unknown) Unit sales of Atari Jaguar game system to date: 150,000. [251.D7] May 1 Midway Amusement Games releases the Mortal Kombat 3 video game Version 2.0 to arcades in the US. [808] May 2 3DO demonstrates M2 3-D technology for the Interactive Multiplayer video game system. [351.52] May 6 Nintendo of America announces its Ultra 64 game machine. It uses a 93.75 MHz MIPS R4300i processor manufactured by NEC with 16 kB instruction cache, 8 kB data cache, 64-bit integer and floating-point units, and 32-bit system interface. A 62.5 MHz Reality Coprocessor chip handles audio/video processing. Release target date is April 1996. [70] [250.34] [382.63] (May 11 [672.150]) May 11 Sega of America begins shipping the Saturn video game system in the US. Price is US$349, or US$399 with the VirtuaFighter game. 30,000 units are available for the initial launch, with ten game titles available. Sega begins a US$50 million marketing campaign to promote the system. (Total sales in North America over its lifetime: 1.3 million.) [28.34] [70] [247.D9] [262.D1] [597] [643.35] [672.150] [674.26] [734.26] [867.120] [1188.36] (May 10 [483.66,119]) (April 27 [1091.46]) The first Electronic Entertainment Expo is held in Los Angeles, over three days. The show takes its name from Electronic Entertainment magazine. 350 game companies show 1300 games for video game systems and personal computers. Total attendance is 28,000. Sony introduces the PlayStation in a US$4 million booth, including an appearance by Michael Jackson. Sony announces the launch date of the PlayStation as September 9, with a retail price of US$299. Atari announces a price cut to US$149 for the Jaguar system, and demonstrates its Virtual Reality product for the Jaguar. SNK shows the $500 NeoGeo CD system. [244.C8] [488.140] [526.24] [672.150] [674.26] [736.31] [1094.28] (264 companies [1028.38]) May 14 The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A child says "I'll kick your butt... at Nintendo". [803] May Enix releases the Ogre Battle video game for the Super NES in the USA. [747.214] [1159.100] [1161.80] May (month) Top selling video game for the month in the US: Donkey Kong Country by Nintendo for the Super NES. [674.26] (month unknown) Unit sales of the Sony PlayStation in Japan to date: 800,000. [338.76] June Nintendo releases the EarthBound video game for the Super NES in the USA. [637.9] [1071.90] [1159.96] Catapult releases the XBand modem for the Super NES in the USA. The dial-up modem allows game play versus other players. [726.111] [1161.80] Midway Amusement Games releases the Mortal Kombat 3 video game Version 2.1 to arcades in the US. [808] June 16 Sega Enterprises cuts the price of the Saturn game system in Japan from 44,800 yen to 34,800 (US$419), including the game Virtua Fighter free for the first month of sales. [243.D6] [308.68] June 30 The video game Arc the Lad is released for the PlayStation in Japan. [630.50] (month unknown) Capcom releases the Street Fighter II video game for the Game Boy in the US. [458.29] Sega releases the Virtua Fighter 2 video game for the Saturn. [304.138] [308.68] SNK releases the NeoGeo CD video game system in the US. Price is US$350. Price for game is US$50-75. [595.26] Sega ceases manufacturing the Sega CD video game accessory. [432.44] Namco releases the Soul Edge arcade video game. [477.16] Casio releases the Casio Loopy video game system in Japan. [1091.92] Universal Studios releases the film Ski School 2 to theaters in the USA. The arcade game Pole Position appears. [1104] July 8 Sega releases the Saturn video game system in Europe. Price with Virtua Fighter in the UK is 399 pounds. [1091.46] July Nintendo launches the Virtual Boy video game at Tokyo Toy Show in Japan. [1095.28] Sony introduces a new version of the PlayStation in Japan, for 29,800 yen (US$359), down from 39,800 yen for the old version. [243.D6] July 28 Columbia Pictures releases the film The Net to theaters in the USA. A scene takes place in an amusement park, showing several arcade video games. [1121] August 11 Square Soft releases the Chrono Trigger video game for the Super NES in the USA. [304.146] [401] [412.87] [452.35] [556.106] [543.37] [1159.91] August Time Warner releases the Primal Rage video game for the Super NES in the US. [410.9,80] [609.9] August 18 The film Mortal Kombat is released to theaters in the USA. (Total American theater ticket sales: US$70 million.) [496.40] [736.27] [1096.28] [1161.80] August 21 Nintendo of America introduces the Virtual Boy portable video game system in the US. It features 32-bit 20 MHz RISC processor, a special headset that creates a stereoscopic 3-D environment with two RTI mirror-scanning 384x224 pixel LED arrays, 8- or 16-Megabit ROM Game Paks, digital stereo sound, double-grip controller with dual directional control buttons, and powered by six AA batteries. An optional Playlink cable is available to connect two systems. The game Mario's Tennis is included in the hardware. Price is US$179.95. (About 770,000 units are sold worldwide in total.) [245.D7] [253.D5] [451.10] [453.42] [543.73] [674.42] [1096.28] (August 14 [962.101]) August 30 Nintendo releases the Killer Instinct video game for the Super NES in the USA. [246.C2] [410.9] [543.53] [609.9,104] [1159.98] (month unknown) Unit sales of Sony PlayStation video game systems in Japan to date: 1 million. [247.D9] Unit sales of Sega Saturn video game systems worldwide to date: 1.4 million. [247.D9] Unit sales of 3DO Interactive Multiplayer game systems worldwide to date: 700,000. [247.D9] September 2 Sega of America announces nationwide availability of the Saturn game system in the US, including the Virtua Fighter game. Price is US$399. [246.C2] [249.D17] [351.52] September 9 Sony Electronics introduces the 32-bit CD-ROM game system, PlayStation, in North America. Price is US$299. (100,000 units sell in the first two days.) [28.34] [246.C2] [247.D9] [262.D1] [340.158] [342.145] [483.107] [560.14] [591.22] [611.28] [630.50] [674.42] [732.22] [987] [1097.30] [1151.28] [1188.36] September 15 United Artists releases the film Hackers to theaters in the US. A prototype of the PlayStation game Wipeout is played in a nightclub. The PlayStation logo appears in the game. A Nintendo Powerglove appears. The Atari Virtuality SU2000 virtual-reality arcade system is shown. A character says "A wake-up call for the Nintendo generation". [897] September Williams Entertainment releases the Doom video game for the Super NES in the US. (This is the first Super NES game released with a "Mature" rating.) [609.29] The television show Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm first airs in the US. [808] Mortal Kombat: The Live Tour debuts at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. [732.22] Capcom releases the Mega Man VII video game for the Super NES in the US. [410.78] [420.70] September 17 The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A character says he got arthritis in his fingers from playing Space Invaders in 1977. [804] September 24 The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. An actor's trailer has two video arcade machines, one with dual joysticks, the other with dual trackballs. [805] September 30 Total unit sales of the PlayStation in the US to date: 120,000. [732.22] September (month) Top selling video game title for the month in the US: Killer Instinct by Nintendo for the Super NES. [732.22] October 1 Square releases the Secret of Evermore video game for the Super NES in the US. The game is a sequel to Secret of Mana. [341.249] [401] [412.87] [429.105] [451.9] [452.35] [543.37] [972.94] October 4 Nintendo releases the Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island game for the Super NES in the US. (Total sales: 4.12 million.) [304.148] [401] [410.80] [412.24] [871.38] [1159.91] [1161.80] October Sega drops the price of the Saturn video game system in the US from US$399 to US$299. [597] Matsushita Electric Industrial purchases 3DO's M2 technology for US$100 million. [733.38] Nintendo reduces the price of the Virtual Boy from US$179.95 to US$159.95. [733.38] Nintendo announces the official release name of the Ultra 64: Nintendo 64. [733.38] Sega debuts the Nomad portable video game system. It features 7.68 MHz 16-bit Motorola 68000 processor, 4 MHz Z80 sound coprocessor, 320x224 pixel 64-color LCD display (512 color palette), 64 kB RAM, video port for television connection, port for adding a second controller, and compatibility with all 16-bit Genesis game cartridges. Price is US$180-200. [253.D5] [483.56] [545.23] [685.133] [1093.59] Acclaim Entertainment releases the Mortal Kombat 3 video game for the Super NES in the US. [410.9] [429.104] (June 15 [808]) October (month) Top selling video game for the month in the US: Mortal Kombat 3 by Williams Entertainment for the Super NES. [733.38] (month unknown) Video game magazine Play is first published in the United Kingdom. [811.39] November 1 Acclaim releases the Mortal Kombat 3 video game for the PlayStation in the UK. [808] Sega releases the Tails Adventures video game for the Game Gear in the US. [779.39] November Enix closes the Enix America company. [1150.58] Playmates releases the Earthworm Jim 2 video game for the Super NES in the USA. [1159.96] Acclaim releases the Mortal Kombat 3 video game for the Game Boy in the US. [808] November 17 Sega releases the Sonic Labyrinth video game for the Game Gear in the US. [779.39] November 24 At the Shoshinkai show in Chiba, Japan, Nintendo displays the 64-bit cartridge-based Nintendo 64 video game system. Target ship date is April 21, for 25,000 yen (US$250). Games demonstrated are Super Mario 64 and Kirby's Air Ride. Nintendo gives details of the 64DD add-on for the Nintendo 64, with a 64 MB hard drive. [252.46] [262.D2] [597] [674.42] [1150.21] November (month) Top selling video game in the US for the month: Madden NFL 96 for Genesis by EA Sports. [768.34] (month unknown) Unit sales of Nintendo Virtual Boy game systems in the US to date: 350,000. [253.D5] Unit sales of Nintendo Game Boy systems in the US to date: 18 million. [253.D5] December 4 At the Personal Computer Outlook conference in California, Apple Computer shows the Pippin multimedia device. Bandai has a license to make and sell the systems, initially in Japan. [254.D4] Nintendo releases the Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest video game for the Super NES game system in the USA. [246.C2] [401] [1159.92] [1161.80] December 6 Sony announces sales of the PlayStation video game system in the US to date: 300,000 units. Sales of the Sega Saturn video game system in the US to date: 130,000. [597] (800,000 PlayStation [377.62]) December 9 Miramax Films releases the film Four Rooms to theaters in Japan. The game Rambo 3 is played on a Sega Genesis. [924] Enix releases the Dragon Quest VI video game for the Super Famicom in Japan. (3.2 million copies are sold.) [298.51] [1201.28] December 17 The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. Two children play a home video game, showing a martial arts fighter fighting a tank. Another game is advertised as "Bonestorm". Another character refers to the games costing up to $70. Animated characters resembling Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, and Sonic the Hedgehog appear. Several video game titles in a store are shown, including "Save Hitler's Brain". [831] December 31 Squaresoft releases the Final Fantasy IV video game for the PlayStation. [411] December (month) Top selling video game in the US for the month: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest by Nintendo for the Super NES. [826.30] Year Unit sales of video game machines in the US during the year: 14.3 million. [43.51] [353.24] (9.6 million [355.73]) Total sales of video game hardware and software in the US during the year: US$3.1 billion. [42.45]