/vr/ - Retro Games

>>2321710
>shooter
>shooter
>TETRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!
>fighterfighterfighterfighterfight...


>captcha
wat. this part of Google's April Fools fun?

Shocked by Psychic Force 2012. Really liked that game but trying to think what else came out in 1998. Off the top of my head I'd say Daytona 2 by a wide margin but I guess Gamest only really gave a crap about fighters and shmups.

>>2321723
>What is a trend?
Sauce if you're curious.
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A1%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E5%A4%A7%E8%B3%9E
>>2321727
I personally would've chosen Shadows Over Mystara as GOTY 1998 instead of Psychic Force.

Also awarding Champion Edition after World Warrior won the previous year seems kinda redundant to me, but I don't know what other game I would've chosen. Captain Commando perhaps.

>>2321710
>Psychic Force 2012
What were they thinking? I get that 98 was not a great arcade year, but still...

87 should be Double Dragon, it defined a genre and has an amazing soundtrack (although Final Fight redefines it again later)

I would be interested in the genre specific lists, since there are so many arcades with so many genres that only one per year is pointless (save for groundbreaking games like SF2, Final Fight and VF2)

>>2321746
>87 should be Double Dragon, it defined a genre and has an amazing soundtrack (although Final Fight redefines it again later)
I would argue Renegade was more groundbreaking, since it laid out the formula for Double Dragon, but there was no best overall game award in '86.

>I would be interested in the genre specific lists, since there are so many arcades with so many genres that only one per year is pointless (save for groundbreaking games like SF2, Final Fight and VF2)

Best STG
1987: Darius
1988: Gradius II
1989: Area 88 (aka U.N. Squadron)
1990: Parodius Da!
1991: Detana!! TwinBee
1992: Xexex
1993 Sengoku Ace
1994: Gokujou Parodius
1995: TwinBee Yahho!
1996: RayStorm

Best Action Game
1989: Strider Hiryu
1990: Final Fight
1991: Street Fighter II (the FTG Award wasn't invented yet)
1992: Street Fighter II Dash
1993: Puyo Puyo!
1994: Alien vs. Predator
1995: Puyo Puyo 2
1996: Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara

The Best Fighting Games are not worth listing, since everything in this category won GOTY as well. I'm not sure why they never had a Best Puzzle Game award, since the Puyo Puyo games shouldn't belong in the Action Game category.

>>2321758
Sure Renegade was key in beat em ups, but so was Double Dragon since it introduced a more complex level design and left-to-right stages rather than just arena fighting. Also the urban setting and cliches like saving the girl was better developed and more interesting/memorable in DD, it's just a damn stylish game even when it has some serious problems like slowdowns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-FwEJymGZ0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBOeFElnITA

>>2321758
Puyo Puyo are more about quick action than solving puzzles, particularly when you consider multiplayer.
Why is there no award for Mah Jong games?

>>2321770
Oh and i forgot, it introduced co-op in beat em ups too.

>>2321738
>I personally would've chosen Shadows Over Mystara as GOTY 1998 instead of Psychic Force.
Whoops. Forgot Shadow Over Mystara was a '96 release.

>>2321758
Left out two more years.

Best Action Games
1997: Densha de GO!
1998: Metal Slug 2

Best STG
1997: DonDonPachi
1998: ESP Ra.De.

>>2321774
>Why is there no award for Mah Jong games?
'cause they all literally play the same. The only difference are the A.I. routines and the artwork you get for beating the game.

>>2321781
>Densha de GO!
>action game

>>2321920
I'm surprised they never had a driving game award either.

Would like to see Best Soundtrack; are these staff-curated lists or did they have readers vote?

>>2322347
They're mostly staff-curated, but there's a reader's choice award and an award for the highest grossing game.

Best Soundtrack/VGM
1987: The Genji & Heike Clans (Namco)
1988: The Ninja Warriors (Taito)
1989: The Legend of Valkyrie (Namco)
1990: Gradius III (Konami)
1991: Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (Capcom)
1992: Xexex (Konami)
1993: Samurai Shodown (SNK)
1994: Darkstalkers (Capcom)
1995: Night Warriors (Capcom)
1996: Virtual On (Sega)
1997: G-Darius (Taito)
1998: Beatmania: 2nd Mix (Konami)

Best Graphics:
1987: After Burner (Sega)
1988: Forgotten Worlds (Capcom)
1989: Darius II (Taito)
1990: R-Type II (IREM)
1991: Star Blade (Namco)
1992: Xexex (Konami)
1993: Samurai Shodown (SNK)
1994: Darkstalkers (Capcom)
1995: Virtua Fighter 2 (Sega)
1996: Virtua Fighter 3 (Sega)
1997: Street Fighter III: New Generation (Capcom)
1998: SoulCalibur (Namco)

Best Ending/Cutscenes
1987: Darius (Taito)
1988: Gradius II (Konami)
1989: Strider Hiryu (Capcom)
1990: Parodius Da! (Konami)
1991: Street Fighter II (Capcom)
1992: Art of Fighting (SNK)
1993: Samurai Shodown (SNK)
1994: The King of Fighters '94 (SNK)
1995: The King of Fighters '95 (SNK)
1996: The King of Fighters '96 (SNK)
1997: The King of Fighters '97 (SNK)
1998: Tech Romancer (Capcom)

1998 had a Best Deluxe Cabinet Award and these are the games they've considered.
01. Beatmania 2nd Mix (Konami)
02. Beatmania 3rd Mix (Konami)
03. Beatmania (Konami)
04. Let's Go By Train! 2: 3000 Conductors (Taito)
05. Let's Go By Train! 2 (Taito)
06. Techno Drive (Namco)
07. Get Bass (Sega)
08. Hyper Bishi Bashi Champ (Konami)
09. Panic Park (Namco)
10. Handle Champ (Konami)

Source:http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/mest.html

I've never heard of Psychic Force 2012 before this thread. Worth a play?

>>2322494
Yeah its pretty cool. There is a ps1 & dreamcast version. You fight on a 2d field but can fly in any direction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmcY0rwc-2U

>>2321710
Picks for the early 80s would be interesting. That list seems to indicate that SF2 was the last big innovation.

Challenge for you guys: make a plausible case for a western game to be on this list.

Biggest Incomes
1987: Outrun for deluxe cabinets and R-Type for standard release.
1988: No award for this year, just a general Top 100, which I might post later on.
1989: Tetris
1990: Final Fight
1991: Another Top 100.
1992: Street Fighter II
1993: Street Fighter II′ Turbo
1994: Super Street Fighter II Turbo
1995: Virtua Fighter 2
1996: Street Fighter Alpha 2
1997: Virtua Fighter 3
1998: Tekken 3

The most popular games by players tend to overlap with the ones with the biggest income. The only exception was 1996, where Virtua Fighter 2 was still popular that year, despite Alpha 2 having a greater income. Outrun was the most popular in '87, followed by Darius, After Burner, R-Type and Dragon Spirit.

>>2321710

>1997: Vampire Savior (Capcom)

I very much agree

>there will never be another Darkstalkers game

>>2322534
Gamest started publication in 1986. They had some weird awards for that year, but no actual GOTY. This is what they awarded.

Gold Award: None in particular.
Silver Awards: Fantasy Zone (Sega), Arkanoid (Taito), Bubble Bobble (Taito), Rygar (Taito)
Most Polished: Wonder Boy (Sega)
Most Flashy: Out Run (Sega)
Best Successor: Salamander (Konami)
AV Award: The Genji & Heike Clans (Namco)
Best Atmosphere: Gauntlet (Atari)
Best Stress Reliever: Ikari Warriors (SNK)
Best FX: Darwin 4078 (DECO)

>>2322579
>>there will never be another Darkstalkers game
Don't remind me. No more DFC Lilith, T_T

They didn't even make her an alternate costume for Morrigan in the newer MvC.

>>2322594

A-at least she appears in TvC briefly during Morrigan's darkness illusion hyper... ;_;

>>2322627
>>2322594
>>2322579
Samefag

>>2322628

>he still doesn't know how to check for samefag

newfag.

>>2322639
>Defending waifu faggotry.

>>2322642

There's a whole thread dedicated to "PS1 girls" or something. Go vent your anger there.

>>2322643
I don't mind waifu faggotry is its contained in its own thread, just don't spam it here.

The 100 Biggest Arcade Hits of 1988. This seems to be a list of the highest grossing arcade games of that year and not necessarily the best ones, since some of the older more popular games on this list are outranked by newer, but more obscure releases.

1. After Burner
2. World Stadium
3. Gradius II
4. Out Run
5. Final Lap
6. R-Type
7. Super Hang-On
8. Street Fighter
9. Twin Cobra
10. Rainbow Island
11. Assault
12. Bravoman
13. Forgotten Worlds
14. Pac Mania
15. Mr. Heli
16. Operation Wolf
17. Shanghai
18. Super Dodge Ball
19. Ninja Warriors
20. Heavyweight Champ
21. Galaxy Force
22. Ordyne
23. Continental Circus
24. Tied between Super League and A-Jax
26. Power Drift
27. Dragon Spirit
28. Galaga '88
29. Thunder Blade
30. Rabio Lepus
31. Marchen Maze
32. Darius
33. Battlefield
34. Shinobi
35. Jigoku Meguri
36. Double Dragon
37. Hot Rod
38. Monster Land
39. Silk Worm
40. China Gate
41. Ninja Spirit
42. Ace Attacker
43. P-47
44. The Main Event
45. Stadium Hero
46. Wonder Planet
47. Altered Beast
48. Kageki
49. Tatsujin
50. Vigilante
51. 1943
52. Cloud Master
53. Gemini Wing
54. Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja
55. Wardner
56. Terra Force
57. Full Throttle
58. Tiger Road
59. Kickle Cubicle
60. Sonic Boom
61. SRD: Super Real Darwin
62. Assault Plus
63. Tied between F1 Dream, Sky Soldier, Scramble Spirits
66. Black Tiger
67. WEC Le Mans 24
68. Thunder Cross
69. Thundercade
70. Tied between Passing Shot and Kuri Kinton
72. World Cup
73. Chase H.Q.
74. Family Stadius
75. Tower of Druaga
76. Baraduke 2
77. Chelnov
78. Metal Hawk
79. Cobra Command
80. Tied between New Zealand Story, The Hustler, and Super Contra
83. Tied between Beach Volley and Space Harrier
86. Tied between Dr. Toppel Tankentai and Salamander
88. Guerrilla War
89. Gold Medallist
90. Syvalion
91. The Deep
92. Fantasy Zone
93. World Court
94. Butasan
95. Heavy Barrel
96. Family Tennis
97. Tied between Gradius and Devastators
99. Paddle Mania
100. Excite League

>>2322594
Why are her wings floating disconnected?

>>2322731
OutRun was doing well even in 1988!

>>2322649

You might aswell leave 4chan. Too much sand in your vagina.

>>2322774
Top 100 Arcade Hits of 1989
1. Tetris
2. Image Fight
3. Power Drift
4. Winning Run
5. Dynasty Wars
6. Super Monaco GP
7. Ghouls 'n Ghosts
8. Final Lap
9. World Stadium
10. Chase HQ
11. Legend of Valkyrie
12. Gain Ground
13. Turbo Outrun
14. U.N. Squadron
15. Flash Point
16. Tatsujin
17. Metal Hawk
18. Golden Axe
19. World Stadium '89
20. Phelios
21. Willow
22. Strider Hiryu
23. Outrun
24. Operation Thunderbolt
25. Crime Fighters
26. Splatterhouse
27. Jumbo Ozaki's Supermasters
28. Shanghai II
29. Volfied
30. RoboCop
31. Gradius II
32. Ninja Gaiden
33. X Multiply
34. Wrestle War
35. Dragon Breed
36. Thunder Cross
37. Legend of Hero Tonma
38. Crackdown
39. Ordyne
40. Tied between Daisenpu (Japanese version of Twin Hawk) and Match It
42. Super Volleyball
43. Saint Dragon
44. Darius II
45. WWF Superstars
46. Champion Wrestler
47. Hard Puncher
48. Omega Fighter
49. Monster Lair
50. Plus Alpha
51. Afterburner II
52. Hard Driving
53. Don Doko Don
54. Tied between Rompers and Dirt Fox
56. P.O.W.: Prisoners of War
57. Forgotten Worlds
58. Syberion
59. Hippodrome
60. Mirai Ninja
61. Blast Off
62. Top Landing
63. Street Fighter
64. Final Blow
65. Tied between Night Strike and Prehistoric Isle
67. Quarth
68. Master of Weapon
69. Phelios
70. Super Hang-On
71. Act-Fancer
72. Darius
73. Finest Hour
74. Zero Wing
75. Street Smart
76. Galaxy Force II
77. Heavy Unit
78. World Court
79. World Cup '90
80. Fighting Hawk
81. Shanghai
82. Hellfire
83. Double Dragon II: The Revenge
84. Ninja Spirit
85. Tied between Superman and Wild Fang
87. Plotting
88. Scramble Spirits
89. Continental Circus
90. Task Force Harrier
91. Gang Wars
92. Sky Adventure
93. Tied between Dokaben and The Ninja Warriors
95. Robo Kid
96. World
97. Tied between DJ Boy and E-Swat
99. Tied between Capcom Bowling and Tough Turf

>>2321745

Just what are *YOU* thinking? PF2012 is easily among the best fighting games of the 90s. This list is solid all around.

KOF94 was the worst in the series I think. and PF2012? lol.

The rest of the list is on point.

>>2321745
King of Fighters '98 came out in 1998, and is widely regarded to be the best title in the series. REALLY weird fucking choice.

>>2323270
>KOF94 was the worst in the series I think.
And your point? That merely means that the sequels refined the formula.

>>2323278
my point is even when '94 came out no one thought highly of it. people thought it was cool but no one was falling over themselves to play it.

>>2323283
KOF94 had plenty of coverage back in the day. The game attracted attention just for the huge (at the time) character roster alone.

Great thread just for the arcade income lists.

I'll post Shmuplation's latest here, an interview with Yoji Ishii about Fantasy Zone: http://shmuplations.com/fantasyzone/

>>2321723
I dunno, it must be, but I remember that when they first rolled out the revamped captcha system as well.

>>2322427
I already knew Darkstalkers won best graphics for its year, but I was surprised both it and Night Warriors won best soundtrack for their respective years.

>Tfw the recent soundtrack box is Japan-exclusive and hella expensive

>>2323442
That's a pretty bitchin' lunchbox

>>2321723
and if you went back further it would probably be platformers and before that games with space in their name, trends you know.

>>2322427
>Best Soundtrack/VGM
>1990: Gradius III (Konami)
Gradius III's soundtrack CD was also the first game soundtrack CD to make the music sales charts, standing amidst the popular music of the day. It was a pretty big deal back then.

Top 100 Arcade Hits of 1990
1. Final Fight
2. Tetris
3. Columns
4. Super Monaco GP
5. Parodius Da!
6. Gradius III
7. Raiden
8. Bloxeed
9. Magic Sword
10. G-Loc
11. Capcom World
12. Super Formula
13. Final Lap 2
14. Final Lap
15. Darius II
16. Winning Suzuka GP
17. R-Type II
18. Marvel Land
19. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
20. 1941
21. Trigon
22. WWF Superstars
23. Quarth
24. Hatena Hatena no Daibouken
25. MVP
26. Beast Busters
27. Neo-Geo MVS
28. Bonanza Bros.
29 World Stadiums '90
30. Jumbo Ozaki's Super Masters
31. World Cup '90
32. Cadash
33. Hammering Harry
34. Fire Shark
35. Outrun
36. Line of Fire
37. Dangerous Zone
38. Quiz H.Q.
39. S.C.I.
40. WGP
41. World Stadium '89
42. Cameltry
42. Burning Force
44. The Combatribes
45. Air Buster
46. Michael Jackson's Moonwalker
47. Buster Bros.
48. Snow Bros.
49. Columns II
50. Air Duel
51. Mega Twins
52. Midnight Resistance
53. Ashita no Joe
54. Champion Wrestler
54. Klax
56. Carrier Air Wing
57. Dark Seal
58. Mercs
59. U.N. Squadron
60. Quiz Torimonochou
61. Super Volley Ball
61. Winning Run
63. Volfied
64. Kyukai Dochuki
65. Outzone
66. Pipe Dream
67. Night Striker
68. Task Force Harrier
69. Dynasty War
70. Alien Storm
71. Two Crude Dudes
72. Crime Fighters
73. Vapor Trail
73. Four Trax
75. Rod Land
76. Violence Fight
77. Major Title
78. Aliens
79. Chase H.Q.
80. Mustang
81. X Multiply
82. Power Drift
83. Block Out
84. Racing Hero
85. Flashpoint
86. Turbo Outrun
87. RyuKyu
88. Hard Driving
89. Ninja Combat
90. Legend of Valkyrie
91. Rough Racer
92. Thunder Fox
93. Cal. 50
94. Golden Axe
95. Darius II
96. Air Inferno
97. Pistol Daimyou no Bouken
98. Shadow Dancer
99. Mega Blast
100. Trio the Punch

>>2323483
>Trio the Punch at the very bottom

>>2323484
I'm more surprised that licensed titles are not ranked as highly. People in the west tend to act all nostalgiafaggy over the TMNT arcade game, but in Gamest it ranked only No. 19 in 1990.

>>2323504
It wouldn't be until a few years later that the dubbed TMNT cartoon started airing in Japan, so most people over there probably didn't have much of an attachment to the franchise at the time.

>>2323517

Ironically, I believe TMNT was animated in japan, I believe by Toei.

>>2323523
Everything was animated in Japan back in the '80s.

>>2323524
Especially by Toei, too. It was just cheap outsourcing. That being said, I think only the first season and the intro of TMNT was animated by Toei, and that's only like four or five episodes. They're the only episodes animated relatively well, and even they have their slew of problems, but that's neither here nor there, let alone /vr/ material.

>>2321723
What else do you think? Gamest is an arcade magazine.

>>2323560
I know. I had a subscription to it from the early 90s right up to the end.

>>2323191
>26. Splatterhouse
*slow clap*

Top 100 Arcade Hits of 1991
1. Street Fighter II
2. Final Fight
3. Final Lap 2
4. Quiz Nobunaga no Yabou
5. Raiden
6. Dragon Saber
7. Clutch Hitter
8. Detana! TwinBee
9. Super Volley '91
10. Super Monaco GP
11. GP Rider
12. Carrier Airwing
13. Punk Shot
14. Columns
15. 3 Wonders
16. Tetris
17. Death Brade
18. Quiz Sangokushi
19. The King of Dragons
20. Hat Trick Heroes
21. Parodius Da!
22. Rad Mobile
23. Golfing Greats
24. Mobile Suit SD Gundam: The Menace of Psycho Salamander
25. Gals Panic
26. Yuuyu no Quiz de Go! Go!
27. Ultraman
28. Crime Fighters 2 (Vendetta)
29. Columns
30. Magic Sword
31. Steel Gunner
32. Quiz Shukudai o Wasuremashita!
33. Cotton
34. Gun Frontier
35. Bomberman
36. Pound for Pound
37. Neo-Geo
38. Pipe Dream
39. Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone
40. King of the Monsters
41. Thunder Dragon
42. Space Gun
43. WWF Wrestlefest
44. Runark (aka Growl)
45. Xexex
45. Vimana
47. Thunder Cross II
48. D.D. Crew
49. Outrun
50. Star Blade
51. World Stadium '90
52. Super World Stadium
53. Quiz Quest
54. Blood Brothers
55. Winning Run '91
56. Quiz Gakuen Paradise
56. Crossed Swords
58. Super Formula
59. Racing Heat
60. Thunder Force AC
61. G-Loc
62. Super Pang
63. League Bowling
64. Kengo
65. Champion Wrestler
66. Pit Fighter
67. Cross Blades!
68. Driver's Eye
69. Sky Smasher
70. Street Fighter
71. Thunder Zone
72. Rampart
73. Gradius III
74. E.D.F.
75. Rolling Thunder 2
76. Majestic Twelve
77. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
78. Raiga (Strato Fighter)
78. Gun Force
80. Bio-ship Paladin
81. The Ninja Kids
82. Edward Randy: Cliff Hanger
83. Phantasm
84. Drift Out
85. Burning Fight
86. Escape Kids
87. Sonic Blast Man
88. Nemo
88. Night Striker
90. Karate Blazers
91. Spider-Man: The Video Game
91. ASO II
93 S.T.G.
94. Gallop
95. Dynasty Wars
96. Winning Suzuka GP
97. Out Zone
98. Rad Rally
99. Laser Ghost
100. Bravoman

>>2323517
Even after the movie and cartoon were localized, the Turtles games still didn't do all that well in Japan. The AC version of Turtles in Time underwent location testing in Japan and it performed poorly and only the reworked SFC version got localized. I think the first AC Turtles game did as well as it did due to the novelty of being a 4P beat-'em-up (the JPN Crime Fighters was only 2P).

I realized Gamest had a Best Hits of 1987, but there's only 12 games and they're divided by deluxe and tabletop cabinets, rather than having them grouped together.

Top 5 Deluxe Cabinets of 1987
1. Outrun
2. After Burner
3. Darius (due to its triple monitor setup)
4. Super Hang-On
5. Tied between Street Fighter and Thunder Cepter II

Top 5 Standard Cabinets of 1987
1. R-Type
2. 1943
3. Double Dragon
4. Dragon Spirit
5. Tied between Flying Shark and Shadowland

Most Popular Among Players in 1987
1. Outrun
2. Darius
3. Afterburner
4. R-Type
5. Dragon Spirit

>>2323504
That's because all it really has going for it is the license, 4 players, and maybe the music.
In the grand scheme of beat em ups, it's pretty plain.

>>2323964
I just get annoyed by all the nostalgia faggotry surrounding Konami beat-'em-ups when some of the more casual retro gamers tend to speak of them highly.

Top 100 Arcade Hits of 1992
1. Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
2. Street Fighter II′: Champion Edition
3. Captain Commando
4. Fatal Fury
5. Aero Fighters
6. Knights of the Round
7. Final Lap 2
8. F1 Grand Prix
9. WWF Wrestlefest
10. Xexex
11. Truxton II
12. World Heroes
13. Tank Force
14. Capcom World 2
15. Undercover Cops
16. Star Blade
17. Cosmo Gang: The Video
18. Hacha-Mecha Fighter
19. Art of Fighting
20. Final Lap 3
21. Varth
22. Wolf Fang
23. F1 Exhaust Note
24. Super World Stadium '92
25. Super Shanghai
26. Coca Cola's Suzuka 8 Hours
27. Bomberman World
28. King of Dragons
29. SD Gundam: The Menace of Psycho Salamander
30. Super Dimension Fortress Macross
31. Super Monaco GP
32. Super Volley '91
33. Tetris
34. Super World Stadium
35. Hat Trick Hero
36. Clutch Hitter
37. Thunder Blaster
38. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
39. Arabian Fight
40. Raiden
41. Mystic Riders
42. Grand Prix Star
43. Metal Black
44. Quiz Ma-Q Daibouken
45. F/A
46. Steel Gunner 2
47. Where's Wally?
47. Captain America & The Avengers
49. Quiz Chikyu Bouei Gun
50. Sunset Riders
51. Bomberman
51. TV Gasshuukoku Q&Q
53. Seibu Cup Soccer
53. Ninja Commando
55. Tumblepop
55. Fixeight
57. Dark Seal II
58. Final Fight
59. GP Rider
60. Power Wheel
60. Neo-Geo
62. Columns
63. Last Resort
64. Virtua Racing
65. King of the Monsters 2
66. Saboten Bombers
67. Solvalou
67. Vendetta
69. Soccer Brawl
70. Fujiyama Busters
71. Slash Rally
72. Hexion
73. Warrior Blade: Rastan Saga Episode III
74. Sonic Boom
75. Gawks
75. Sonic Blast Man
77. Death Brade
78. X-Men (Konami)
79. Thunder Dragon
80. Rail Chase
81. Blazeon
82. Quiz Rouka ni Tattenasai!
83. Gun Buster
84. Legionnaire
85. Outrun
86. Spider-Man
87. Quiz DNA no Hanran
88. Detana! TwinBee
89. Drift Out
89. Ultraman Club
91. Quiz Sangokushi
92. Super World Stadium '92: Gekitou-ban
93. Gals Panic
94. G.I. Joe
95. Block Block
96. Football Frenzy
97. Parodius Da!
98. Quiz Gakuen Paradise!
99. Golden Axe II: The Revenge of Death Adder
100. Soldam

>>2324209
Notice that Revenge of Death Adder ranked pretty low on the list, but only because it was still pretty recent and didn't had the chance to make a huge profit. It ranked 21 in the following year's list.

>>2323964
>>2323981
My niggas, they just suck gameplay-wise and were only liked because of presentation/music, Violent Storm is easily the high point point of Konami brawlers, followed by Vendetta and maybe the Japanese version of Metamorphic Force (US version is health-draining garbage)

Great info here, keep it coming.

>>2324209
>87. Quiz DNA no Hanran
That reminds me, one of Gamest's many infamous typos involved printing the name of this game as "Quiz DAN no Hanran".

Top 100 Arcade Hits of 1993
1. Street Fighter II′ Turbo: Hyper Fighting
2. Fatal Fury 2
3. Warriors of Fate
4. Puyo Puyo
5. Street Fighter II′: Champion Edition
6. Samurai Shodown
7. World Heroes 2
8. Virtua Racing
9. Fatal Fury Special.
10. Art of Fighting
11. OutRunners
12. Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
13. Super Street Fighter II
14. Samurai Ace
15. Fighter's History
16. Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle
17. Saturday Night Slam Masters
18. Final Lap
19. Lethal Enforcers
20. Tanto-R
21. Golden Axe II: Revenge of Death Adder
22. R-Type Leo
23. Sorcer Striker
24. Capcom World 2
25. Emeraldia
26. Hat Trick Hero '93
27. Premier Soccer
28. Numan Athletics
29. Martial Champion
30. V-V (Vee Five)
31. Aero Fighters
32. Cadillacs & Dinosaurs
33. F/A
34. Dogyuun!!
35. Super Dimension Fortress Macross II
36. Quiz Gakumon no Susume
37. Super Dimension Fortress Macross
38. Gaiapolis
39. Knuckle Heads
40. World Heroes
41. Super Shanghai
42. In the Hunt
43. Coca Cola's Suzuka 8 Hours
44. Mobile Suit Gundam
45. The Punisher
46. Truxton II
47. Bomberman World
48. Mobile Suit SD Gundam: Neo Battling
49. Gussun Oyoyo
50. Super World Stadium '92
51. 3 Count Bout
52. Super Sidekicks
53. Super World Court
54. Dark Edge
55. Tetris
56. Hook
57. Super World Stadium '92: Gekitou Hen
58. Quiz Jinsei Gekijoh
59. Super Real Mahjong P IV
60. Grid Seeker
61.Quiz Crayon Shin-chan
62. Final Star Force
63. Super World Stadium '93
64. Seibu Cup Soccer
65. Quiz F1: 1,2,Finish
66. Quiz Channel Quest
67. Diet Go! Go!
68. Undercover Cops
69. Air Rescue
70. Quiz Cocology
71. Daioh
72. Burning Rival
73. Toride
74. Gunnail
75. World Rally
76. Night Slashers
77. Shadow Force
78. Major Title 2
79. Cyber Sled
80. Shisen-sho II
81. Super World Stadium '93: Gekitou-hen
82. Raiden
83. Cybattler
84. Soldam
85. Columns
86. Sonic the Hedgehog
87. Fixeight
88. Night Striker
89. Nettou! Gekitou! Quiz-tou
90. Captain Commando
91. Exvania
92. Dino Rex
93. Varth
94. Ultra Toukon Densetsu
95. The King of Quiz

>>2324625
The Last Five
96.Oishii Puzzle ha Irimasenka
97. Wolf Fang
98. Boogie Wings
99. Zero Team
100. Gun Buster

>>2324625
>no D&D tower of doom
Why

>>2324634
>1994 game
>In a 1993 list.
Gee, I wonder why.

>>2324625
I always questioned Japanese players' obsession with Warriors of Fate. Even before seeing this, it always seemed pretty highly regard among Japanese sites. Maybe I'm just missing something, but it never really quite grabbed my attention like Punisher or Cadillacs did.

>>2322427
>Best Ending/Cutscenes
>1992: Art of Fighting (SNK)
>1993: Samurai Shodown (SNK)
>1994: The King of Fighters '94 (SNK)
>1995: The King of Fighters '95 (SNK)
>1996: The King of Fighters '96 (SNK)
>1997: The King of Fighters '97 (SNK)
RIP SNK

>>2324745
SNK fighters are the few fighting games I actually play for the plot.

Gamest didn't had a Top 100 in 1994. Instead, they published two Top Tens (one ranked by income and the other by popularity), plus a Top 20 of the Year.

Top 10 by Income
1. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
2. Virtua Fighter
3. Fatal Fury Special
4. Darkstalkers
5. The King of Fighters '94
6. Super Street Fighter II
7. Gokujo Parodius
8. Ridge Racer
9. Daytona USA
10. Puyo Puyo

Top 10 by Popularity
1. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
2. Virtua Fighter
3. Fatal Fury Special
4. Gokujo Parodius
5. Darkstalkers
6. The King of Fighters '94
7. Super Street Fighter II
8. Art of Fighting 2
9. Puyo Puyo
10. Daytona USA

Top 20 of the Year
1. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
2. Virtua Fighter
3. Fatal Fury Special
4. Darkstalkers
5. Gokujo Parodius
6. The King of Fighters '94
7. Super Street Fighter II
8. Ridge Racer
9. Daytona USA
10. Puyo Puyo
11. Art of Fighting 2
12. Karnov's Revenge
13. Alien vs. Predator
14. Ridge Racer 2
15. World Heroes 2 Jet
16. Taisen Puzzle Dama
17. Samurai Shodown
18. Slam Dunk
19. Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom
20. Raiden II

>>2325047
Interesting to see Darkstalkers that high since to this day you still have detractors who claim it was never popular.

>>2325318
Darkstalkers was pretty popular in Japan, but 'murricans were too busy playing the latest Mortal Kombat clones and the occasional licensed beat-'em-up to notice.

>>2325318
Murricah hates anything not called Street Fighter.

The 1995 Gamest Awards had two Top 10s and a Top 50.

Top Ten Best By Popularity
1. Virtua Fighter 2
2. Night Warriors
3. Street Fighter Alpha
4. The King of Fighters '95
5. Tekken 2
6. Tekken
7. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
8. Samurai Shodown II
9. X-Men: Children of the Atom
10. Puzzle Bobble

Top Ten Best By Income
1. Virtua Fighter
2. Street Fighter Alpha
3. Night Warriors
4. Tekken
5. The King of Fighters '94
6. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
7. X-Men: Children of the Atom
8. Samurai Shodown II
9. Tekken 2
10. Puzzle Bobble

Top 50 of the Year
1. Virtua Fighter 2
2. Night Warriors
3. Street Fighter Alpha
4. Tekken
5. The King of Fighters '94
6. Tekken 2
7. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
8. X-Men: Children of the Atom
9. Samurai Shodown II
10. The King of Fighters '95
11. Puzzle Bobble
12. World Heroes Perfect
13. Strikers 1945
14. Fatal Fury 3
15. Ridge Racer 2
16. Rave Racer
17. Samurai Shodown III
18. Darius Gaiden
19. TwinBee Yahhoo!
20. Virtua Striker
21. DonPachi
22. Puyo Puyo 2
23. Puzzle Bobble 2
24. Daytona USA
25. Sega Rally Championship
26. Ace Driver
27. Virtua Striker
28. Soccer Superstar
29. Point Blank
30. Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash
31. Viper Phase 1
32. Marvel Super Heroes
33. Mach Breakers
34. Virtua Fighter 2.1
35. Stakes Winner
36. Cyberbots
37. Virtua Cop
38. Galaxy Fight
39. Aero Fighters 3
39. Ultra X Weapons
41. Quiz Nobunaga no Yabou 2
42. Magical Drop
43. Double Dragon '95
44. The Outfoxies
45. Namco Classic Collection Vol. 1
46. Taisen Puzzle Dama
47. Super Slam
48. Gunbird
49. Darkstalkers
50. Raiden DX

I always got the impression that light gun shooters were popular back in the '90s, but the only ones I've seen thus far are Point Blank, Virtua Cop, T2 and Gunbuster, and none of them ranked really high.

>>2325629
Looks like beat 'em ups lost popularity too, damn you fighting games.

>>2325894
Shadow Over Mystara did ranked highly in the following year's list though.

>>2324697
People liked this game because is related with romance of three Kingdons books?

>>2325914
It was based on the Tenchi o Kurau manga by Hiroshi Motomiya, although I don't think it was really that popular. Most of the nostalgia seems to revolve around the games Capcom made (Destiny of an Emperor was based on the same manga). Incidentally, Motomiya's studios helped produced Strider.

>>2325629

>Gunbuster
>it's actually not a Top wo Nerae Gunbuster arcade lightgun shooter

My heart is breaking.

>>2325629
I had heard that Night Warriors actually did better than the original Darkstalkers, nice to see some numbers to back that up. Interesting since usually it's the first installment of a fighting series that sells the most, then each successive upgrade/sequel does less.

>>2325950
For Darkstalkers, the popularity in Japan kept increasing with each installment. Vampire Savior was number 1 in 1997 as seen in the OP.

Gamest's 1996 Top Lists

Top Ten By Popularity
1. Street Fighter Alpha 2
2. Virtual On
3. The King of Fighters '96
4. Virtua Fighter 3
5. Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara
6. Psychic Force
7. RayStorm
8. X-Men vs. Street Fighter
9. Real Bout Fatal Fury
10. Battle Garegga

Top Ten By Income
1. Virtua Fighter 2
2. Street Fighter Alpha 2
3. Virtual On
4. Tekken 2
5. The King of Fighters '96
6. Real Bout Fatal Fury
7. Virtua Fighter 3
8. Street Fighter Alpha
9. X-Men vs. Street Fighter
10. Street Fighter Zero 2 Alpha (this was a minor upgrade of Alpha/Zero 2 that had new moves for certain characters and all the extra characters from the US version)

Top 50 of the Year
1. Virtua Fighter 2
2. Street Fighter Alpha 2
3. Tekken 2
4. Virtual On
5. The King of Fighters '96
6. Real Bout Fatal Fury
7. Virtua Fighter 3
8. Street Fighter Alpha
9. Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara
10. Battle Garegga
11. Street Fighter Zero 2 Alpha
12. X-Men vs. Street Fighter
13.DecAthlete
14. Tokimeki Memorial: Taisen Puzzle Dama
15. Last Bronx
16. Rave Racer
17. RayStorm
18. 19XX
19. The King of Fighters '95
20. Soul Edge
21. Samurai Shodown IV
22. Sexy Parodius
23. Fighting Vipers
24. Kosodate Quiz: My Angel
25. Virtua Striker
26. Night Warriors
27. Magical Drop 2
28. Marvel Super Heroes
29. Quiz Nanairo Dreams
30. Puzzle Bobble 2
31. Psychic Force
32. Strikers 1945
33. Sengoku Blade
34. Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
35. Raiden Fighters
36. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
37. Die Hard Arcade
38. Terra Diver
39. Alpine Racer
40. Dancing Eye
41. Time Crisis
42. Salamander 2
43. Game Tengoku
44. Art of Fighting 3
45. Prop Cycle
46. Magical Drop
47. Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2
48. Slam Dunk 2
49. Sega Rally Championship
50. Ninja Masters
50. Metal Slug

I'm surprised at Metal Slug ranking so low. It's not like it was late release, since this issue was published on December 27, 1996 and Metal Slug was a May/June release.

>>2325964
The OP is the Gamest award, not its actual performance in arcade, although it did ranked No. 5 in the most profitable of 1997.

>>2325976
The Gamest of the Year 1996 video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9ER_CamCPY

>>2325976
Wonder how VF2 is the highest ranking for income even though it's less popular. I'm guessing regulars kept paying during VF3 hype.

>>2326171
Virtua Fighter 2 was pretty big in Japan. It was treated like the second coming of Street Fighter II, so its profitability carried over following the year until VF3 was finally released. Gamest's popularity poll was most likely conducted at the end of year, after VF2's presence started to waned away.

>>2321710
>nothing but fighters after 91
I can't take this seriously.

>>2326503
What do you expect? It's an arcade-only magazine. Fighters were the most popular genre in arcades during the 90s.

>>2326503
They did nominated various types of game in their Best Action category. In fact, I might argue that it's too varied since it mixes actual action games with racing, sports and puzzles.

Gamest dropped the Top 50 for 1997 and simply had two Top 20s.

Top 20 By Popularity
1. Virtua Fighter 3
2. Tekken 3
3. X-Men vs. Street Fighter
4. Vampire Savior
5. Do Don Pachi
6. Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
7. Street Fighter III
8. Samurai Shodown IV
9. Street Fighter EX
10. Battle Garegga
11. The King of Fighters '97
12. Virtual On
13. The King of Fighters '96
14. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
15. Raiden Fighters
16. G-Darius
17. Street Fighter Zero 2 Alpha
18. Red Earth
19. Dead Or Alive
20. RayStorm

Top 20 By Income
1. Virtua Fighter 3
2. Tekken 3
3. X-Men vs. Street Fighter
4. Street Fighter III
5. Vampire Savior
6. Samurai Shodown IV
7. Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
8. Virtual On
9. The King of Fighters '97
10. DoDonPachi
11. Street Fighter Zero 2 Alpha
12. The King of Fighters '96
13. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
14. Street Fighter EX
15. Raiden Fighters
16. Virtua Striker
17. Dead or Alive
18. Battle Garegga
19. Kosodate Quiz: My Angel 2
20. G-Darius

>>2326753
Forgot the cover.

>>2326753
>Red Earth that low
Ouch.

>>2326801
It was a December 1996 release too, so it had plenty of chance to gain a following and make some money too. I'm guessing the limited character selection (for a one-on-one fighting game released in '96-97) and weird-ass 1P campaign drove away potential players.

I'm surprised they didn't attempt to salvage it with a sequel that made all the enemies playable.

The last two Top 20s from Gamest for their 1998 awards. The magazine ceased publication at the end of 1999, but most of its staff moved to Arcadia. Unfortunately the Arcadia Awards hadn't been posted online that I'm aware of.

Top 20 By Popularity
1.Tekken 3
2. Street Fighter Alpha 3
3. The King of Fighters '98
4. Marvel vs. Capcom
5. The King of Fighters '97
6. Virtua Fighter 3tb
7. Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram
8. Street Fighter EX2
9. Virtua Striker 2
10. Last Blade
11. Virtua Striker 2 Ver. '98
12. Street Fighter III 2nd Impact
13. Real Bout Fatal Fury 2
14. SoulCalibur
15. Rival Schools
16. ESP Ra.De
17. Beatmania: 2nd Mix
18. Armed Police Batrider
19. Striker 1945 II
20. Raiden Fighters

Top 20 By Income
1. Tekken 3
2. Street Fighter Alpha 3
3. Marvel vs. Capcom
4. The King of Fighters '98
5. Virtua Fighter 3tb
6. The King of Fighters '97
7. Virtua Striker 2
8. Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram
9. Street Fighter EX2
10. Virtua Striker 2 Ver. '98
11. Last Blade
12. Street Fighter III 2nd Impact
13. Real Bout Fatal Fury 2
14. SoulCalibur
15. Rival Schools
16. Beatmania 2nd Mix
17. ESP Ra.De.
18. Armed Police Batrider
19. New Japan Pro Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden 3
20. Time Crisis

Funny seeing Alpha 3 at No. 2 at both lists, while 2nd Impact didn't even reach the Top 10 (even EX2 outranked it). I heard it took awhile until 3rd Strike for the III series to gain a following.

I forgot I haven't listed the full list of nominees for each of Gamest's yearly awards.

Gamest's Best Games of 1987
1. Darius
2. Afterburner
3. R-Type
4. Outrun
5. Dragon Spirit
6. The Genji & Heike Clans
7. Street Fighter
8. Shadowland
9. Ninja Kid II

Best Graphics of 1987
1. Afterburner
2. Darius
3. The Genji & Heike Clans
4. R-Type
5. Outrun
6. Street Fighter
7. Rabio Lepus
8. Shadowland
9. Alien Syndrome
10. Side Arms

Best Endings of 1987
1. Darius
2. Dragon Spirit
3. The Genji & Heike Clans
4. Shadowland
5. Outrun
6. Afterburner
7. Psycho Soldier
8. Monster Land
9. R-Type
10. 1943

Best Soundtrack Composition of 1987
1. The Genji & Heike Clans
2. Psycho Soldier
3. Wonder Momo
4. Victory Road
5. Life Force (the enhanced version of Salamander)
6. Street Fighter
7. Darius
8. Afterburner
9. Combat School
10. Ginga Ninkyouden

Best VGM of 1987
1. Darius
2. Outrun
3. Dragon Spirit
4. Afterburner
5. Super Hang-On
6. The Genji & Heike Clans
7. Life Force
8. Rock 'n Rage
9. WEC Le Mans 24
10. Shadowland
10. R-Type

They also had a yearly "Best Character" poll.
Best Overall Characters
1. Athema Asamiya (Psycho Soldier)
2. Tarosuke (Shadowland)
3. Taira no Kagekiyo (Genji & Heike)
4. Momo (Wonder Momo)
5. Sayo (Kikikaikai)
6. Silver Hawk (Darius)
7. Ninja Kid
8. Bub (Bubble Bobble)
9. Paopao (probably a type of Opaopa)
10. Mobichan (Side Arms)

Best Females
1. Athena Asamiya
2. Momo
3. Sayo
4. Ki (Return of Ishtar)
5. Princess Alicia (Dragon Spirit)
6. The Blonde Passenger of the Testarossa (Outrun)
7. Shoko (Super Real Mahjong PII)
8. Stella (Alex Kidd in The Lost Stars)
8. Katsuko Nanno (no idea who she is)
8. Tiat (Darius)

Best Males
1. Tarosuke
2. Taira no Kagekiyo
3. Ninja Kid
4. Yoshitsune (Genji & Heike)
5. Yacchan (Ginga Ninkyouden)
6. Ryu (Street Fighter)
7. Alex Kidd
8. Gill (Return of Ishstar)
9. Amul (Dragon Spirit)
10. Benkei (Genji & Heike)
10. Joe (no fucking idea, could be Musashi or the shirtless guy from Street Fighter)

>>2327510
Best Mechas of 1987
1. Silverhawk
2. Opaopa
3. Vic Viper (Life Force)
4. Glico Ratanus (no idea)
5. The Great Thing (Darius)
6. F-14 (Afterburner)
7. Testarossa (Outrun)
8. Red Rabbit (Rabio Lepus)
9. R-9 (R-Type)
10. Tenuki Chaud (Rabio Lepus)

Best Non-Human Characters
1. Bub
2. Mobi-chan
3. Yashichi (Capcom trademark)
4. Blue Dragon (Dragon Spirit)
5. Daruma
6. Mini Dragon
7. Moai
8. Montaro
9. Pac-Man
10. Hugger

Gamest's Nominees for 1988
Best Game
1. Gradius II
2. Forgotten Worlds
3. Bravoman
4. Ninja Warriors
5. Power Drift
6. Ordyne
7. A-Jax
8. Syberion
9. Galaxy Force
10. Ninja Spirit
10. Final Lap

Special Recognition:
Afterburner
Forgotten Worlds

Best Graphics
1. Forgotten Worlds
2. Galaxy Force
3. Gradius II
4. Power Drift
5. Ordyne
6. Ninja Warriors
7. Marchen Maze
8. Syberion
9. Ninja Spirit
10. Haunted Castle (the Castlevania arcade game)
10. Assault

Best VGM
1. Ninja Warriors
2. Gradius II
3. A-Jax
4. Power Drift
5. Galaxy Force
6. Ordyne
7. Haunted Castle
8. Marchen Maze
9. Forgotten Worlds
10. Syvalion

Best STG
1. Gradius II
2. Forgotten Worlds
3. Ordyne
4. Twin Cobra
5. A-Jax
6. Galaxy Force
7. Sky Soldiers
8. Assault
9. Rabio Lepus
10. Sonic Boom

Best Ending
1. Gradius II
2. Ninja Warriors
3. Forgotten Worlds
4. Ninja Spirit
5. Bravoman
6. Rainbow Island
7. Ordyne
8. Assault
9. Syvalion
10. A-Jax
10. Chelnov

Best Characters (not going to transcribe the full list, just the Top 1 in each category).
Overall: Bravoman
Protagonist: Bravoman
Girl: Alice (from Marchen Maze)
Enemy: Princess Waya (from Bravoman)
Sidekick: Packet (no idea what game he is from)
Best Cast: Bravoman

Special Editorial Awards
Best Sports Game: World Stadium
Frontier Spirits Award: Sybalion
Most Challenging Award: Ninja Spirit
Pure Shooting Award: Twin Cobra

>>2327510
>Best Soundtrack Composition of 1987
>Best VGM of 1987
Does your source clarify the difference between these categories?

>>2327803
http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/gamest/v017.html
It doesn't. My best guess is that the soundtrack award is purely about the in-game music, while VGM refers to albums. I think the two categories were merged later on due to VGM soundtracks becoming more commonplace in later years.

>All this Darius love

Absolutely beautiful. STGs are clearly the one area Japan has excellent taste in.

>>2321758
>1995
TwinBee over DonPachi?

>>2327856
>But muh pink-haired animu waifu
At least DonPachi came in second place though. I remember GameFAN really shitting over TwinBee Yahhoo in their review of the PS port.

Gamest's Nominees of 1989

Best Game
1. Tetris
2. Legend of Valkyrie
3. Darius II
4. Strider Hiryu
5. Gain Ground
6. Dynasty Wars
7. U.N. Squadron
8. Night Striker
9. Image Fight
10. Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Special Recognition Award
The CP System

Gamest Editor's Choices
Gain Ground
Image Fight
Winning Run
Super Monaco GP

Best STG
1. U.N. Squadron
2. Darius II (this ranking makes no sense, since Darius II outranked U.N. Squadron on the main list)
3. Image Fight
4. Truxton
5. Phelios
6. Plus Alpha
7. Night Striker
8. Thunder Cross
9. X-Multiply
10. Metal Hawk

Best Action Game
1. Strider Hiryu
2. Tetris
3. Legend of Valkyrie
4. Dynasty Wars
5. Crime Fighters
6. Ghouls 'n Ghosts
7. Splatterhouse
8. Gain Ground
9. Golden Axe
10. Super Monaco GP

Best VGM
1. Legend of Valkyrie
2. Darius II
3. Strider Hiryu
3. Night Striker
5. Turbo Outrun
6. Thunder Cross
7. Splatterhouse
8. Phelios
9. Metal Hawk
10. Tetris

Best Graphics
1. Darius II
2. Ghouls 'n Ghosts
3. Phelios
4. Splatterhouse
5. Strider Hiryu
6. Night Striker
7. Winning Run
8. Legend of Valkyrie
9. Super Monaco GP
10. U.N. Squadron

Best Cutscenes
1. Strider Hiryu
2. Legend of Valkyrie
3. Splatterhouse
4. Phelios
5. Dynasty Wars
6. Night Striker
7. Darius II
8. U.N. Squadron
9. Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Best Individual Character (out of 50): Valkyrie
Best Group of Characters (out of 10): The Tetrominoes

>>2327935
I seriously wonder what they saw in Crime Fighters to rank it above Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Golden Axe and Splatterhouse. Even though the JPN version isn't the cheap quarter muncher that the US releases was, I still didn't think it was that great of a game.

Gamest's Nominees of 1990

Best Game
1. Final Fight
2. Parodius Da!
3. Gradius III
4. Magic Sword
5. Marvel Land
6. Columns
7. Cameltry
8. Raiden
9. G-Loc
9. Dark Seal

Special Recognition
Scitron (video game music record company)
Neo-Geo

Editor's Choice Award
Cameltry
Raiden
Magic Sword
Capcom World
Columns

Best STG
1. Parodius Da!
2. Raiden
3. Gradius III
4. Air Buster
5. 1941
6. Vapor Trail
7. Trigon
8. Gigandes
8. G-Loc
8. Fire Shark
8. Out Zone

Best Action Game
1. Final Fight
2. Magic Sword
3. Marvel Land
4. Cameltry
5. Columns
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
7. Bonanza Bros.
8. Moonwalker
8. Cadash
10. Dark Seal

Best VGM
1. Gradius III
2. Parodius Da!
3. Moonwalker
4. Final Fight
5. Marvel Land
6. Vapor Trail
7. Burning Force
8. Dark Seal
9. G-Loc
10. Trigon

Best Graphics
1. R-Type II
2. Magic Sword
3. Bonanza Bros.
4. Gradius III
5. G-Loc
6. Air Duel
7. Parodius Da!
8. Marvel Land
9. Final Fight
10. Dark Seal

Best Cutscenes
1. Parodius Da!
2. Final Fight
3. Cadash
4. Trio the Punch
5. Gigandes
6. Marvel Land
7. Moonwalker
8. Magic Sword
9. Nam 1975
9. Bonanza Bros.

Best Albums
1. Darius II
2. Gradius III
3. Parodius Da!
4. Game Music of the Year
5. Final Fight
6. Final Lap 2
7. Namco Game Sound Express Vol. 2
8. Marvel Land
9. Symphonic Poem: Gradius III
9. Area 88

Best Character (out of 50): Mike Haggar (with Guy in second place)

Haggar and his posse took prisoners that year.

>>2326503
fighting games were crazy popular at the time in arcades

although how anyone would put KOF94 as best of the year is beyond me
and is Psychic Force 2012 actually that good?
rest of the list seems fine (other than one more thing, who the actual fuck would put Darius as best of the year -- the triple screen thing is cool as fuck, but it's not exactly particularly great)

>>2322427
this is a pretty interesting list

>Best Soundtrack/VGM
>1992: Xexex
>1996: Virtual On (Sega)
aww yeah

they seem to have taken Sega's scaling games out of the running after 87 though, I can think of a fair few games with better graphics than Forgotten Worlds (this game just looks okay, even for the time), Darius II (relatively valid contender -- that triple screen effect is still cool as fuck), and R-Type II (although, it quite is pretty) from the time

rest of the list is good

>>2328616
>other than one more thing, who the actual fuck would put Darius as best of the year -- the triple screen thing is cool as fuck, but it's not exactly particularly great
What's wrong with Darius? It's a pretty decent STG by 1987 standards and the multi-monitor setup makes it stand out even more.

>>2328625
Not to mention, over two dozen fucking levels.
Yeah, basically palette swaps of helmets and fish, but still pretty huge for the era. And yes, I know this is the Darius 2 map.

>>2328625
>>2328632
b-but R-type!

It was strange to see Bravoman 3rd for 1988, i will take a look

>>2328625
>>2328632
b-but R-type!

It was strange to see Bravoman 3rd for 1988, i will take a look. Also impressed with A-Jax, looks like a quite underrated game today.

Gamest's Nominees of 1991

Best Game
1. Street Fighter II
2. Dragon Saber
3. Detana!! TwinBee
4. Starblade
5. Cotton
6. Edward Randy
7. Gun Frontier
8. Death Brade
9. Steel Guner
10. Carrier AirWing
10. Roosters (from 3 Wonders)

Special Recognition Award
System 32 (Sega hardware)
The Coin-Op Journal (a newsletter dedicated to arcade machines)

Editor's Choice Awards
Dragon Saber
Clutch Hitter
Gun Frontier
Death Brade

Best STG
1. Detana! TwinBee
2. Dragon Saber
3. Carrier AirWing
4. Cotton
5. Gun Frontier
6. Starblade
7. Chariot (from 3 Wonders)
8. Thunder Cross II
9. ASO II
10. Steel Gunner

Best Action
1. Street Fighter II
2. The King of Dragons
3. Edward Randy
4. Roosters (from 3 Wonders)
5. Death Brade
6. Crossed Sword
7. The Simpsons
8. Kengo
9. Ultraman
9. Thunderzone

Best VGM
1. Street Fighter II
2. Dragon Saber
3. Detana!! TwinBee
4. Cotton
5. Death Brade
6. Thunder Cross II
7. Starblade
8. Gun Frontier
9. Edward Randy
10. Rolling Thunder 2

Best Graphics
1. Starblade
2. Street Fighter II
3. Gun Frontier
4. Detana!! TwinBee
5, Rad Mobile
6. Blade Master
7. Roosters (from 3 Wonders)
8. The King of Dragons
9. Dragon Saber
10. Chariot (3 Wonders)

Best Cutscenes
1. Street Fighter II
2. Edward Randy
3. Starblade
4. Cotton
5. Gun Frontier
6. Steel Gunner
7. Dragon Saber
8. Ultraman
9. The King of Dragons
10. Roosters (from 3 Wonders)

Best Album
1. Street Fighter II
2. Namco Game Sound Express Vol. 4
3. Detana!! TwinBee
4. Dark Seal
5. Cotton
6. Scitron Video Game Music Best of the Year 1990
7. Runark/Gun Frontier (double album)
8. Kukeiha Club
9. STT Band Live
9. Zuntata Live

Best Character (out of 50): Chun-Li

>>2329180
They really took pity on SEGA that year by recognizing System 32. Seems like Rad Mobile's only got one award, and little if anything else for the company that year, lol.

Gamest's Nominees of 1992
1. Street Fighter II′: Champion Edition
2. Wolf Fang
3. Undercover Cops
3. Xexex
5. Art of Fighting
6. Metal Black
7. Captain Commando
8. Aero Fighters
9. World Heroes
10. Fatal Fury

Special Recognition Award
The Making of Virtua Racing
Banpresto

Editor's Choice Awards
Undercover Cops
Captain Commando
Metal Black
World Heroes

Best STG
1. Aero Fighters
2. Xexex
3. Metal Black
4. Super Dimension Fortress Macross
5. Truxton II
6. Varth
7. Wolf Gang
8. Cosmo Gang: The Video
9. Last Resort
10. Hacha Mecha Fighter

Best Action Game
1. Street Fighter II′: Champion Edition
2. Undercover Cops
3. Captain Commando
4. Art of Fighting
5. Wolf Fang
6. World Heroes
7. Fatal Fury
8. Virtua Racing
9. Purilula
10. Warrior Blade: Rastan Saga Episode III

Best VGM
1. Xexex
2. Metal Black
3. Street Fighter II′: Champion Edition
4. Undercover Cops
5. Art of Fighting
6. Galactic Storm
7. Wolf Fang
8. Fatal Fury
9. Truxton II
10. Captain Commando

Best Graphics
1. Xexex
2. Virtua Racing
3. Art of Fighting
4. Solvalou
5. Metal Black
6. Street Fighter II′: Champion Edition
7. Undercover Cops
8. Purilula
9. Arabian Fight
10. Last Resort
10. Capcom World 2

Best Cutscenes
1. Art of Fighting
2. Metal Black
3. Wolf Fang
4. Undercover Ops
5. Street Fighter II′: Champion Edition
6. Xexex
7. Steel Gunner 2
8. Dark Seal II
9. World Heroes
10. Virtua Racing
10. Purilula

Best Album
1. Street Fighter II: Image Album
2. Metal Black
3. Xexex
4. Nouevelle Vogue (Zuntata album)
5. Captain Commando
6. Fatal Fury/Last Resort (dual album)
7. Street Fighter II Drama CD
7. Starblade
9. Darius
10. Rap-a-de-lic (DECO album)

Best Character (out of 50): Rosa Felmond
The huge following Undercover Cops makes more sense now. Such a shame they botched the world releases.

>>2330068
Aw yeah Undercover Cops and Wolf Fang, japs sure had good tastes.

Gamest's Nominees of 1993
1. Samurai Shodown
2. Fatal Fury Special
3. Super Street Fighter II
4. Fatal Fury 2
5. Puyo Puyo
6. Street Fighter II′ Turbo
7. World Heroes 2
8. Outrunners
9. Gaiapolis
10. Warriors of Fate

Special Recognition Award: Street Fighter II′ Turbo
Editor's Choice Awards: Outrunners, Gaiapolis, In the Hunts, Cosmo Gang: The Puzzle, Super Dimension Fortress Macross II, Warriors of Fate, Sorcer Striker, World Heroes 2
Best STG
1. Samurai Ace
2. Sorcer Striker
3. Super Dimension Fortress Macross II
4. V-V (Vee Five)
5. R-Type Leo
6. F/A (Fighting & Attacker)
7. In the Hunt
8. Viewpoint
9. The Great Ragtime Show
9. Dogyuun
Best FTG
1. Samurai Shodown
2. Fatal Fury Special
3. Super Street Fighter II
4. Fatal Fury 2
5. Street Fighter II′ Turbo
6. World Heroes 2
7. Dark Edge
8. Fighter's History
9. Knuckle Heads
10. Saturday Night Slam Masters
Best Action Game
1. Puyo Puyo
2. Warriors of Fate
3. Numan Athletics
4. Gaiapolis
5. Outrunners
6. The Punisher
7. Tant-R
8. Gussun Oyoyo
9. Golden Axe II: Revenge of Death Adder
10. Cadillacs & Dinosaurs
Best Graphics
1. Fatal Fury Special
2. Samurai Shodown
3. Super Street Fighter II
4. Dark Edge
5. Outrunners
6. In the Hunt
7. Viewpoint
8. Gaiapolis
9. Air Combat
10. Puyo Puyo
Best VGM
1. Samurai Shodown
2. Fatal Fury Special
3. Super Street Fighter II
4. Outrunners
5. Fatal Fury 2
6. World Heroes 2
7. Gaiapolis
8. F/A
9. Puyo Puyo
10. Grid Seeker
Best Cutscenes
1. Samurai Shodown
2. Fatal Fury Special
3. Gaiapolis
4. The Great Ragtime Show
5. Fatal Fury 2
6. Warriors of Fate
7. Super Street Fighter II
8. World Heroes 2
9. Dark Edge
10. Puyo Puyo
10. Golden Axe II: Revenge of Death Adder
Best Albums
1. Samurai Shodown
2. Fatal Fury 2
3. World Heroes 2
4. Art of Fighting
5. Nesshou Street Fighter II (featuring vocal renditions of the game's themes)
6. Valkyrie Story For Orchestra
7. Fatal Fury: Image Album
8. F/A
9. Night Striker: Complete Album
10. Konami Amusement Sound '93: Summer

>>2330852
As you can see, the fighting game boom was now in full force in 1993, getting its own award category after being lumped with action games the previous year. SNK was threatening to dethrone Capcom as the King of the Fighters (hurr durr) with Samurai Shodown and Fatal Fury Special. They even nominated the favorite character polls with Nakoruru, Mai Shiranui, Geese Howard and Terry Bogard taking the top four spots in that order.

It was nice to see Gaiapolis getting some love too (a criminally underrated action RPG-style game by Konami), even if it didn't win any awards.

>>2330874
I had heard that Super SF2 didn't perform as well as was hoped and was outshined by SNK fighters. This is supposedly one of the reasons that Super SF2 Turbo was made.

>>2330917
New Challengers still won third place in the Gamest awards, but it was a bit of a step back from Hyper Fighting due the reduced play speed, which really was the top earner that year.

I always wondered to this day why Capcom didn't just make a Street Fighter III from the get-go when they switched from CPS1 to CPS2 instead of remaking II again. They could have easily just used up all the ideas they had for Super into the new game.

>>2330953
From what I've read, it seems like they were sort of ambivalent toward the whole concept of a "Street Fighter 3" from the beginning. From around the time SF2 Champion Edition came out, they were working on Darkstalkers and X-Men. Street Fighter Alpha 1 was a rushed, spur of the moment thing that was probably prompted by the fact that the two aforementioned games' success was divided between regions (Darkstalkers did well in Japan but not so well abroad, whereas X-Men did well abroad but not so well in Japan). Akiman himself recently said on Twitter that what became the Street Fighter 3 we know now was originally in development as a new fighting IP, but was reworked into Street Fighter 3 partway through development.

>>2327901
>>2327856
TwinBee Yahho is legit better than the first Donpachi though. And way more relevant after DoDonpachi completely obsoletes what amounted to a lesser Toaplan game.

>>2331008
Makes sense. Capcom's arcade division didn't really became sequel crazy until Street Fighter II. The only sequels they made prior to that were Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Mercs (which barely even resembles the original Commando) and the 1942 series. They didn't even make a real Final Fight sequel and that was their biggest hit in 1990.

Really need to check Akiman's Twitter more often too.

Where the hell is the best Konami Beat 'em up? AKA Violent Storm.

>>2331073
>Where the hell is the best Konami Beat 'em up?
But Gaiapolis already got mentioned.

But in all seriousness, I'm guessing Violent Storm didn't do that well. It got covered for two issues (Vol. 103 and 104) and doesn't seem to had ever been mentioned again after that.

>>2331073
>>2331097
Violent Storm also came out pretty late in 1993 (Gamest Vol. 103 and 104 were both December issues), so it didn't had much of a time to make a last impression and was already lost in the shuffle among by the end of 1994.

Gamest's Nominees of 1994
1. The King of Fighters '94
2. Darkstalkers
3. Virtua Fighter
4. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
5. RayForce
6. Gokujou Parodius
7. Darius Gaiden
8. Daytona USA
9. Power Instinct
10. Ridge Racer

Special Recognition Awards:
Sega
Namco

Editor's Choice Awards:
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Virtua Fighter
RayForce
Darius Gaiden
Ridge Racer
Dungeons & Dragon: Tower of Doom

Best STG
1. Gokujou Parodius
2. RayForce
3. Darius Gaiden
4. GunWing
5. Aero Fighters 2
6. Batsugun
7. Raiden DX
8. Wing War
9. Kingdom Grandprix
10. Virtua Cop

Best FTG
1. The King of Fighters '94
2. Darkstalkers
3. Virtua Fighter
4. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
5. Power Instinct
6. Art of Fighting 2
7. World Heroes 2 Jet
8. Aggressors of Dark Kombat
9. Blood Warrior
10. Ring of Destruction: Slam Masters II

Best Graphics
1. Darkstalkers
2. Darius Gaiden
3. Daytona USA
4. Ridge Racer
5. The King of Fighters '94
6. Virtua Fighter
7. Galaxian: Assault of Zolgear
8. RayForce
9. Ridge Racer 2
10. Art of Fighting 2

Best Cutscenes
1. The King of Fighters '94
2. Power Instinct 2
3. Darkstalkers
4. RayForce
5. Art of Fighting 2
6. Gokujou Parodius
7. Darius Gaiden
8. Alien vs. Predator
9. Monster Maulers
10. Blood Warrior

Best VGM
1. Darkstalkers
2. Power Instinct 2
3. The King of Fighters '94
4. Darius Gaiden
4. RayForce
6. Gokujou Parodius
7. Daytona USA
8. Ridge Racer
9. Monster Maulers
10. Art of Fighting 2

Best Characters: The Top Ten were Koitsu (stick figure guy from Parodius), Morrigan Aensland, Athena Asamiya, Kyo Kusanagi, Felicia, Kulala Hanakoji, Yuri Sakazaki, King, Sasquatch, Mai Shiranui

>>2332568
I expected Darkstalkers to be number 2 for the Gamest award given how well it did in other categories.

>>2332619
I'm surprised at Blood Warrior/Oedo Fight outranking Slam Masters II. I understand Slam Masters II was pretty lackluster, but Blood Warrior is just a shitty Mortal Kombat clone.

Were the Mortal Kombat arcade games even officially released in Japan. I understand Taito distributed the first game there, but I always got the impression they just imported the cabinets from America.

>>2332568
I left out the Best Action Game of '94 category, which went as follow.

1. Alien vs. Predator
2. Daytona USA
3. Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom
4. Monster Maulers
5. Taisen Puzzle Dama
6. Ridge Racer 2
7. Ridge Racer
8. Top Hunter
8. Flying Power Disc
10. Ichidant-R

I don't liked how Gamest always lumped all the racing and puzzle games into the Action category. I'm sure there were enough releases a year to have its own category.

Gamest's Nominees of 1995
1. Virtua Fighter 2
2. Night Warriors
3. The King of Fighters '95
4. Street Fighter Alpha
5. Samurai Shodown II
6. Tekken
7. Cyberbots
8. X-Men: Children of the Atom
9. Fatal Fury 3
10. Kabuki Klash

It's nothing but fighting games as far GOTY nominees are concerned. Strangely enough, there's a slight inconsistency with their Best FTG Nominees. It's practically the same until 9th place, which was given to Kabuki Klash, while 10th place went to Galaxy Fight. I'm guessing a different department was in charge of the nominees.

I'll transcribe the other categories later on.

>>2333895
Best Action Game
1. Puyo Puyo 2
2. Rave Racer
3. Outfoxies
4. Powered Gear
5. Puzzle Bobble
6. Elevator Action Returns
7. Mach Breakers
8. Sega Rally Championship
8. Puzzle Bobble 2
10. Magical Drop

Best STG
1. TwinBee Yahhoo!
2. DonPachi
3. Strikers 1945
4. Ultra X Weapons
5. Pulstar
6. Cyber Commando
7. Viper Phase 1
8. P47 Aces
9. Space Invaders '95: Attack of the Lunar Loonies
10. Sega NetMark

Best Graphics
1. Virtua Fighter 2
2. Night Warriors
3. The King of Fighters '95
4. Tekken 2
5. Rave Racer
6. Street Fighter Alpha
7. Pulstar
8. Samurai Shodown II
9. Sega Rally Championship
10. Cyberbots

Best Cutscenes
1. The King of Fighters '95
2. Street Fighter Alpha
3. Samurai Shodown II
4. Cyberbots
5. Night Warriors
6. Virtua Fighter 2
7. TwinBee Yahhoo!
8. Fatal Fury 3
9. Tekken 2
10. X-Men: Children of the Atom

Best VGM
1. Night Warriors
2. The King of Fighters '95
3. Virtua Fighter 2
4. RayForce
5. Samurai Shodown II
6. TwinBee Yahhoo!
7. Street Fighter Alpha
8. Cyberbots
9. Power Instincts Legend
10. Ultra X Weapons

Top Ten Characters (out of 50)
1. Iori Yagami
2. Genjuro Kibagami
3. Kyo Kusanagi
4. Devilotte
5. Dan Hibiki
6. Nakoruru
7. Hsien-Ko
8. Amanda (the little girl on Donovan's side)
9. Athena Asamiya
10. Guy

>>2334147
Wow, didn't expect Devilotte to be that high. Amanda/Anita is a bit of surprise too.

>>2334295
She was in Puzzle Fighter for a reason.

>>2333895
>>2334147
I left out the Editor's Choice Awards, which were as followed.

Alpine Racer
X-Men: Children of the Atom
Sega Rally Championship
Tekken 2
DonPachi
Virtua Striker

Thanks for posting, very interesting. I'm suprised to see that Daytona hasn't dominated these lists, they seemed to be everywhere in the west during the mid to late nineties, and into the noughties too.

Gamest's Nominees of 1996
1. Street Fighter Alpha 2
2. Virtual On
3. The King of Fighters '96
4. Virtua Fighter 3
5. Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara
6. Psychic Force
6. RayStorm
8. X-Men vs. Street Fighter
9. Real Bout Fatal Fury
10. Battle Garegga

Editor's Choice Awards
Game Tengoku
Psychic Force
The King of Fighters '96
Virtua Fighter 3
Prop Cycle
Marvel Super Heroes
Metal Slug
Real Bout Fatal Fury

Special Awards
Print Club
Tokimeki Memorial Goods

>>2335645
Doesn't mean much. Every single place with Arcade games had a Turtles in Time, Simpsons, and MK cab. Those aren't dominating either. Because they are kind of mediocre.

>>2336060
Keep in mind that these are Japanese rankings, so they're going to be very different from American and European rankings due to different gaming taste. Licensed beat-'em-ups and FTGs like X-Men and TMNT are going to perform better overseas. Also notice the blatant lack of the Mortal Kombat series in these rankings.

>>2336051
Best Action Game
1. Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara
2. Metal Slug
3. Tokimeki Memorial: Taisen Puzzle Dama
4. Quiz Nanairo Dreams
5. Die Hard Arcade
6. Magical Drop 2
7. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
8. Prop Cycle
9. Decathlete
10. Kosodate Quiz: My Angel

Best STG
1. RayStorm
2. Battle Garegga
3. 19XX
4. Sengoku Blade
5. Terra Driver
6. Game Tengoku
7. Virtua Cop 2
8. Sexy Parodius
9. Gunblade N.Y.
10. Aero Fighters 3

Best FTG
1. Street Fighter Alpha 2
2. The King of Fighters '96
3. Virtual On
4. Psychic Force
5. Virtua Fighter 3
6. Real Bout Fatal Fury
7. X-Men vs, Street Fighter
8. Marvel Super Heroes
9. Last Bronx
10. Samurai Shodown III

Best Graphics
1. Virtua Fighter 3
2. RayStorm
3. Virtual On
4. Metal Slug
5. X-Men vs. Street Fighter
6. Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara
7. Samurai Shodown III
8. The King of Fighters '96
9. Street Fighter Alpha 2
10. Quiz Nanairo Dreams

Best VGM
1. Virtual On
2. The King of Fighters '96
3. RayStorm
4. Street Fighter Alpha 2
5. Samurai Shodown III
6. Terra Driver
7. Psychic Force
8. Soul Edge
9. Battle Garegga
10. Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara

Best Cutscenes
1. The King of Fighters '96
2. X-Men vs. Street Fighter
3. RayStorm
4. Virtual On
5. Terra Driver
6. Street Fighter Alpha 2
7. Metal Slug
8. Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara
9. Samurai Shodown III
10. Psychic Force

Best Characters
1. Dan Hibiki
2. Iori Yagami
3. Sakura Kasugano
4. Tooru Kurosawa
5. Emilio Michaelov
6. Nakoruru
7. Richard Wong
8. Geese Howard
8. Kyo Kusanagi
10. Magic User
10. Saki Omokane

>>2336092
I'm surprised Dan beat Sakura for best character. Alpha 2 being best fighting game and GOTY was expected though, since I remember that game being a big thing back when it came out. To the point they even ported it to the SNES.

>>2336138
I'm surprised at the Magic User being at the Top Ten. I always assumed the Thief or the Elf to be more popular.

>>2336143
Thief and Elf are just waifushit. If you've played the game, you know that Magic U is the best.

Not surprised at Psychic Force actually. That game had a sizeable scene in Japan.

>>2336670
It even had an OVA and a few Drama CDs.

Gamest's Nominees of 1997
1. Vampire Savior
2. The King of Fighters '97
3. Let's Go By Train!
4. Dodonpachi
5. G-Darius
5. Tekken 3
7. Street Fighter III
8. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
9. (N/A)
10. Twinkle Star Sprites
11. Samurai Shodown IV
12. Pocket Fighter
13. Street Fighter EX
13. Breakers
15. Virtua Fighter 3tb
16. Waku Waku 7
17. Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
18. The House of the Dead
19. Dead or Alive
20. Top Skater

Special Editor Awards
The House of Dead
Street Fighter EX
Twinkle Star Sprites
Dead or Alive
Top Skater

Editor's Top Choice
Tekken 3

Best Advertising Award
Solar Assault
Dancing Eye

>>2337363
Best Action Game
1. Let's Go By Train
2. The House of the Dead
3. (N/A)
4. Red Earth
5. Battle Circuit
6. Magical Drop 2
7. Dancing Eye
8. Puyo Puyo Sun
9. Tokimeki Memorial: Oshiete Your Heart
9. Final Furlong

Best STG
1. Dodonpachi
2. G-Darius
3. Twinkle Star Sprites
4. (N/A)
5. Sol Divide
6. Raiden Fighters
7. Solar Assault
7. Sonic Wings Limited
9. Super Dimension Fortress Macross Plus
10. Tobe! Polystars
11. Shienryu

Best FTG
1. Vampire Savior
2. The King of Fighters '97
3. Tekken 3
4. Street Fighter III
5. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
6. (N/A)
7. Waku Waku 7
8. Pocket Fighter
9. Samurai Shodown IV
10. Street Fighter EX

Best Graphics
1. Street Fighter III
2. G Darius
3. Virtua Fighter 3tb
4. Vampire Savior
5. (N/A)
6. Tekken 3
7. Dodonpachi
8. Let's Go By Train!
9. Red Earth
9. Dead or Alive

Best VGM
1. G Darius
2. (N/A)
3. Vampire Savior
4. The King of Fighters '97
5. Street Fighter III
5. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
7. Samurai Shodown IV
8. Tekken 3
9. Let's Go By Train!
9. Dodonpachi

Best Cutscenes
1. The King of Fighters '97
2. G Darius
3. Pocket Fighter
4. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
5. Let's Go By Train!
6. Vampire Savior
7. The House of the Dead
8. Dodonpachi
9. (N/A)
10. Samurai Shodown IV

Top Ten Characters
1. B.B. Hood
2. (N/A)
3. Dan Hibiki
4. Lilith
5. Hibachi (the Ultimate Weapon of Mass Destruction from Dodonpachi)
6. Iori Yagami
7. Jeda Dohma
8. Shingo Yabuki
9. Norimaro
10. Pielle Montario
10. Tesse Ronbllozo

>>2338127
Surprised Red Earth was so low and Vampire Savior was so high on best graphics. I mean, as much as I like Darkstalkers, Vampire Savior wasn't really any more graphically impressive than the previous two games, which were a few years old by that point.

>>2338127
>Densha de Go! over HotD
What a strange voting bloc.

>>2338198
To be fair, Desha De Go! was a pretty unique game for its time and it looked really fun based on that one GCCX episode. House of the Dead, while a fun light gun game, is not really that much different from Virtua Cop mechanically speaking.

Gamest's Nominees of 1998
1. Psychic Force 2012
2. The King of Fighters '98
3. Street Fighter Alpha 3
4. SoulCalibur
5. Virtual On: Ontario Tangram
6. Beatmania 2nd Mix
7. Street Fighter III 2nd Impact
8. Last Blade
9. ESP Ra.De
10. Radiant Silvergun
11. Metal Slug 2
11. Marvel vs. Capcom
13. Beatmania: 3rd Mix
14. Strikers 1945 II
15. Rival Schools
16. Street Fighter EX2
17. TechRomancer
18. Beatmania
19. Spikeout
20. Puchi Carat

Editor's Top Choice
The Beatmania Series

Best Advertising Award
The Sonnan Arika ad campaign

Editor's Choice Awards
SoulCalibur
SpikeOut
Tetris The Grandmaster
Virtua Striker 2 Ver. 98

>>2321710
Best mag ever, read so many as kid

>>2339308
Best Action Game
1. Metal Slug 2
2. Spikeout
3. Puchi Carat
4. Dynamite Cop (aka Dynamite Deka 2)
5. Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad

Best STG
1. ESP Ra.De
2. Radiant Silvergun
3. Strikers 1945 II
4. Armed Police Batrider
5. Blazing Star
6. Raiden Fighters Jet
7. Dangun Feveron
8. Space Bomber
9. Raiden Fighters II
10. G-Darius Ver. 2

Best FTG
1. Psychic Force 2012
2. The King of Fighters '98
3. Street Fighter Alpha 3
4. SoulCalibur
5. Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram
6. Street Fighter III 2nd Impact
7. Last Blade
8. Marvel vs. Capcom
9. Rival Schools
10. Street Fighter EX2

Best Graphics
1. SoulCalibur
2. Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram
3. Psychic Force 2012
4. Metal Slug 2
5. Street Fighter III 2nd Impact
6. Last Blade
7. Sega Rally 2: Championship
7. Radiant Silvergun
9. Star Gladiator
10. Daraku Tenshi

Best VGM
1. Beatmania 2nd Mix
2. Beatmania 3rd Mix
3. Psychic Force 2012
4. SoulCalibur
5. Radiant Silvergun
6 The King of Fighters '98
7. Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram
8. Last Blade
9. Beatmania
10. Street Fighter Alpha 3

Best Cutscenes
1. Tech Romancer
2. Psychic Force 2012
3. The King of Fighters '98
4. Metal Slug 2
5. Rival Schools
6. Last Blade
7. SoulCalibur
8. Radiant Silvergun
8. Street Fighter Alpha 3
10. ESP Ra.De.

Best Deluxe Cabinets
01. Beatmania 2nd Mix (Konami)
02. Beatmania 3rd Mix (Konami)
03. Beatmania (Konami)
04. Let's Go By Train! 2: 3000 Conductors (Taito)
05. Let's Go By Train! 2 (Taito)
06. Techno Drive (Namco)
07. Get Bass (Sega)
08. Hyper Bishi Bashi Champ (Konami)
09. Panic Park (Namco)
10. Handle Champ (Konami)

Top Ten Characters
1. Karin Kazuki
2. Emilio Michaelov
3. Iori Yagami
4. Uncle Jam (was there an Anpanman game released that year or this just a nickname for a certain character?)
5. Cody
6. Inufuku
7. Irori Mimasaka
8. The President (no idea from which game)
8. Ivy
10. Nakoruru

That's about it for the Gamest awards, unless you want me to transcribe the favorite company polls or the full top character lists for every year.

>>2340081
>spikeout
I still need to try it, is the xbox "sequel" any good?

>>2340098
I wasn't even aware it came out on consoles.

>>2339715
You're a jap?

bump

Gamest's Top Companies By Year
1987
1. Sega
2. Namco
3. Taito
4. Konami
5. Capcom
6. SNK
7. DECO
8. IREM
9. Jaleco
10. Tecmo

1988
1. Namco
2. Konami
3. Taito
4. Sega
5. Capcom
6. IREM
7. SNK
8. Seta
9. DECO
10. Video System
10. Nichibutsu

1989
1. Namco
2. Capcom
3. Taito
4. Sega
5. Konami
6. IREM
7. Toaplan
8. UPL
9. DECO
10. Nichibutsu
11. Seta

1990
1. Namco
2. Capcom
3. Konami
4. Sega
5. Taito
6. DECO
7. IREM
8. Toaplan
9. Jaleco
10. Kaneko
10. Seibu Kaihatsu

1991
1. Capcom
2. Namco
3. Konami
4. DECO
5. Sega
6. Taito
7. UPL
8. IREM
9. SNK
10. Toaplan

1992
1. Capcom
2. DECO
3. SNK
4. Konami
5. Namco
6. Taito
7. IREM
8. Sega
9. Alpha Denshi
10. Toaplan
11. UPL

1993
1. SNK
2. Capcom
3. Namco
4. Sega
5. Konami
6. DECO
7. ADK
8. IREM
8. Taito
10. Psykyo
11. Toaplan
12. Raizing
13. Mitchell
13. Compile
15. Banpresto

>>2341806
1994
1. SNK
2. Capcom
3. Sega
4. Taito
5. Konami
6. Namco
7. Toaplan
8. ADK
9. Atlus
10. Psykyo
11. DECO
12. IREM
13. Seta

1995
1. Capcom
2. SNK
3. Sega
4. Namco
5. Konami
6. Taito
7. Psykyo
8. Atlus
9. ADK
9. DECO

1996
1. Capcom
2. SNK
3. Sega
4. Taito
5. Namco
6. Raizing
7. Konami
8. DECO
9. ADK
10. Atlus

>>2341808

very interesting.

what arcade games are by Atlus? I can't think of any

>>2341813
The Power Instinct series and that Kulala game are the only things that come to my immediate mind.

>>2341813
>>2341843
Atlus mostly distributed games for smaller developers like Cave and Raizing, much like what Taito did.

>>2341813
Princess Kurara Daisakusen is by ATLUS

no mortal kombat?? GTFO

>>2340098
Belt-scroller fans like it. SpikeOut was Nagoshi's take on beat-em-ups alongside the Dynamite Deka games Makoto Uchida made, and I've heard nothing but praise for the arcade versions (and its fantasy counter-part SlashOut). The XBOX version's not as colorful but is the same game for the most part.

>>2342102
Mortal Kombat is casualshit played only by edgelords. But in all seriousness, only MK1 was distributed in Japanese arcades by Taito and I think they just imported the cabinets from the US without any changes like they did with T2 and NBA Jam.

>>2338217
>House of the Dead
>not really that much different from Virtua Cop mechanically speaking.

>>2342721
House of the Dead is basically Virtua Cop with zombies. Nothing wrong with that, but Densha De Go! is a more unique play experience with a much more complex control system. I'm not saying one game is better than the other, but from the perspective of a group of gaming writers that played dozens of arcade games a year, I can understand why Densha De Go! would seem like a more appealing game.

>>2342751
>House of the Dead is basically Virtua Cop with zombies
VC is barely an improvement over simple games like Lethal Enforcers which also relied on novelty gimmicks... HoTD has lots of good ideas streamlined and implemented nicely and little details that make it stand out from the light gun bunch.

>>2342751
>but from the perspective of a group of gaming writers that played dozens of arcade games a year, I can understand why Densha De Go! would seem like a more appealing game.
Now that's a great point. Also the Japanese sure love their trains.

For ordinary activity simulator I'd rather play Power Shovel though, haha.

>>2341808
Top Companies of 1997
1. Capcom
2. SNK
3. Taito
4. Namco
5. Sega
6. (N/A)
7. Atlus
8. Konami
9. Psykyo
10. ADK
11. Raizing
12. Cave
13. DECO
14. Visco
15. Sun Electronics Corp.
16. Arika
17. Tecmo
18. Compile
19. Seibu Kaihatsu
19. Hudson Soft
19. Warashi
22. Seta
22. Video System
24. East Technology
24. Jaleco
24. Banpresto
24. Face
28. NMK
28. IREM
28. Kaneko
28. Sammy Corp.
28. Nazca
28. Banwave
28. Hirose Shoji
28. Metro

It's interesting how some companies that were in the top spots one year gradually became less relevant as time went on.

>>2343269
Top Companies of 1998
1. Capcom
2. SNK
3. Taito
4. Sega
5. Namco
6. Konami
7. Psykyo
8. Cave
9. Arika
10. Treasure

I already translated the best characters of '87 here (>>2327510), so here's the top ranking from '88, which is divided in six categories. It took me some googling to figure which character was from which game (since some of the characters had pretty generic names like Emily).

Best Overall Character
1. Bravoman
2. Alice (from Marchen Maze)
3. Princess Waya
4. The Pig Family (from Butasan/Pig & Bombers)
5. Silphy (shopkeeper from Forgotten Worlds)
6. The Unknown Soldier (from Forgotten Worlds)
7. Miyuki-chan (from Ordyne)
8. Kunoichi (from The Nina Warriors)
9. Vic Viper
9. Syvalion
11. Gofer (final boss from Gradius II)
12. Hitoshi Nakamura (Bravoman's alter-ego)
13. Chelnov
14. Yuichiro Tomari and Sunday Chin (from Ordyne)
15. Tiki (from New Zealand Story)
16. Paccet (from Baraduke)
17. Dr. Bakuda (from Bravoman)
18. Emperior Bios (from Forgotten Worlds)
19. Tsukikage (from Ninja Spirit)
19. Benjamin Oobuku Tadataka (From Bravoman)
21. Simon (from Haunted Castle)
22. Moai
22. The Pac-Man Ghosts
24. Emily (Power Drift)
25. Pistoru Daimyou
26. Pac-Man
27. Ninja (from The Ninja Warriors)
28. Mr. Heli
29. The Hero from Altered Beast
30. Nancy (from Chase H.Q.)
30. Lucy (from Power Drift)

Best Protagonist
1. Bravoman
2. Alice
3. Butasan
4. The Unknown Soldier
5. Kunoichi
6. Vic Viper
6. Syvalion
8. Chelnov
9. Dr. Tomari and Chin
10. Tiki
11. Tsukikage
12. Simon
13. Emily
14. Pac-Man
15. Ninja
16. Mr. Heli
17. Altered Beast guy
18. Lucy
19. Kinton (from Kuri Kinton)
20. Bubby and Bobby (from Rainbow Island)

Best Girl
1. Alice
2. Prince Waya
3. Silphy
4. Miyuki-chan
5. Kunoichi
6. Emily
7. Lucy
7. Nancy
9. Kana Aibara (from Ordyne)
10. The Kitashirasawa Sisters (from Rabio Lepus)
Honorable Mentions
Rika Midorikawa (from Raimais)
Yoko-chan (from UFO Senshi Yoko-chan)

Best Enemies
1. Princess Waya
2. Gofer
3. Dr. Bakuda
4. Emperor Bios
5. Benjamin
6. Pac-Man Ghosts
7. Moai
8. Pistoru Daimyou
9. Option Hunters (from Gradius II)
10. Black Bravoman

>>2344281
Best Supporting Character/Power-Up
1. Paccet
2. Pistoru Daimyou
3. The Extra-Large Frozen Manju (from Bonze Adventure)
4. Tenuki Chaud (from Rabio Lepus)
5. Option (from Gradius II)
6. Mobi-chan (from 1943 Kai and Capcom World)
7. The Cheerleaders (from World Stadium)
8. Satellite (from Forgotten Worlds)
9. The Rabbit King (from Rabio Lepus)
10. The 10,000 Zenny Coin (from Forgotten Worlds)
10. Homing Laser (from Forgotten Worlds)
10. Dog from The Ninja Warriors
10. Bunny Barrier (from Rabio Lepus)
10. The Paramecium (from Forgotten Worlds)

Best Character Game
1. Bravoman
2. Marchen Maze
3. Butasan
4. Ninja Warriors
5. Rainbow Island
6. New Zealand Story
7. Ninja Spirit
8. Power Drift
9. Syvalion
10. Ordyne

>no Guardians/Denjin Makai II
Why, it's better than Shadow over Mystara.

>>2344825
Guardians only got covered in one issue: a preview in Vol. 157. Two if you count the ad in Vol. 159. I don't think it got wide distribution or performed all that well, which explains why the PCB is so expensive in this age.

The first Denjin Makai got a bit more coverage though, as did Gundhara (Banpresto's overhead shooter), but I don't think either games were big hits.

Best Characters of 1989
1. Valkyrie
2. Artemis (Phelios)
3. Hiryu (Strider)
4. Sandra (Valkyrie)
5. Monkey (Tetris)
6. Red Block (Tetris)
7. Rick (Splatterhouse)
8. Silver Hawk (Darius II)
9. Inter-Gray (Night Striker)
10. Little Devil Boy (Valkyrie)
10. Jennifer (Splatterhouse)
12. Mickey Simon (U.N. Squadron)
13. Tong Poo (Strider)
14. Selia (Plus Alpha)
15. Knight Arthur (Ghouls 'n Ghosts)
15. Tyris Flare (Golden Axe)
17. Pretty (no idea)
17. Shin Kazama (U.N. Squadron)
17. Mobi-chan (recurring Capcom mascot)
20. Signas (Quarth)
21. Zhao Yun (Dynasty Wars)
21. Mushroom Droid (Strider)
23. Yamato (Darius II)
23. Zhang Fei (Dynasty Wars)
25. Grand Master (Strider)
25. Hiyoko Manju (no idea. which 1989 game had a steambum shaped like a baby chick?)
25. Robo Kid (Atomic Robo Kid)
25. RoboCop
25. Bahamut (Dragon Breed)
30. Chap (Rompers)
30. Gilius Thunderhead (Golden Axe)
30. Uroboros (Strider)
30. Light Blue Block (Tetris)
30. The X-002's Tentacles (X-Multiply)
35. Ninja (no idea, the guy from Ninja Gaiden I'm guessing)
35. Piggy Man (Splatterhouse)
35. Shiranui (Mirai Ninja)
35. Mother Hawk (Darius II)
39. Helper (Twin Hawk)
39. Strobaya (Strider)
41. Killer Higia (Darius II)
41. Soulful Old Lady (no idea)
41. Tonma (Legend of Hero Tonma)
41. Familiars (Rompers)
45. Colonel Cloud (Sky Adventure)
45. Piggy Man (no idea why he's on the list twice)
45. Ferrari F-189 (Super Monaco GP)
45. Cyber (no idea)
49. Guan Yu and Liu Bei (Dynasty Wars)
49. Greg Gates (U.N. Squadron)
49. Water Knight (Gain Ground)
52. Tomcat (U.N. Squadron)
52. Willow
52. Demon Kogure (D.J. Boy)
52. Queen (no idea. Willow and X-Multiply both have a queen)
52. Crazy (no idea)
57. Rumina (Rompers)

Wish they had disambiguated some of the characters a bit better.

>>2345675
Best Group of Characters
1. The Tetrominoes
2. The Heroes from Dynasty Wars
3. The Foreign Legion from U.N. Squadron
4. Giant Warship Armada (could refer to any STG)
5. Weirdo Gang (no idea either)
6. The Liu Brothers and their friend from Dynasty Wars
7. Uroboros
8. Helpers
9. The Players from World Stadiums
10. Dinosaurs (the ones from Striders I guess)

>>2346642
>3. The Foreign Legion from U.N. Squadron

Best Characters of 1990
1. Mike Haggar
2. Guy
3. Chichi Binta Rika (sub-boss from Parodius)
4. Prince Paco (Talmit from Marvel Land)
5. The Bonanza Brothers
6. Tako (the octopus from Parodius)
7. Cody
8. Michael Jackson (from Moonwalker)
8. Zakkun Boppu (manga artist who contributed to Gamest)
10. Penguin (from Parodius)
11. Hiromi Tengenji (from Burning Force)
12. Girl with the underboob (from Parodius I guess)
13. Vic Viper
13. Magic Gems (from Columns)
15. The Turtles (I'm guessing they're the ones that are Teenage Mutant Ninjas)
16. Genzo Tamura (aka Hammerin' Harry)
17. Tough Guy (from Trio the Punch)
17. Honey Mikayo (from Parodius)
19. Canine Ninja Pochi (from Shadow Dancer)
20. Wizard (from Cadashl)
20. Amazon (from Magic Sword)
22. Kurt (no idea from which game)
22. Dragon Laser (from Trigon)
24. Hipopo (from Liquid Kids)
25. Scooter (from Alien Storm)
26. Poison
26. Triple Core
26. Nancy (from S.C.I.)
26. Troubadour (from Dark Seal)
30. Moai
30. Priest (from Cadash)
32. The Snow Brothers
33. Sodom
34. Blue Ball (no idea)
34. Miss Kyoko (from Burning Force)
36. TwinBee
36. Sweetie (from Marvel Land)
36. Cyborg Warrior (from Out Zone)
36. Chuck'n
40. Jessica
40. The Tarosuke Gang
40. R-9 Enhanced (from R-Type II)
43. Sheep
43. Cat-Faced Ship
43. Dark Knight (Dark Seal)
43. Old Master (Trio the Punch)
43. Silphy (not sure if it's the one from Forgotten Worlds or the fairy from Marvel Land)
48. *censored* robot (I'm guessing the penis-bots from Moonwalker)
48. R-37
48. Joe Yabuki
51. Silphy (ditto)
51. Chris Helper (from NAM 1975)
51. Princess Sarasa (from Cadash)
51. Knight
51. Dog

I really wish they were more specific with some of the characters. Not sure if they were published that way originally or whether the transcriber was too lazy to do it himself.

Bumping until I get to the next list.

This has been a great thread OP, thanks for translating and compiling all this stuff.

Best Characters of 1991
1. Chun-Li
2. Cotton
3. Ryu
4. Guile
5. Dhalsim
6. Zangief
7. WinBee
8. E. Honda
9. Ken
9. Blanka
11. Siria (Dragon Saber)
12. Edward Randy
13. M. Bison (Dictator)
13. Roosters (from 3 Wonders)
15. Queen Melora
16. Vega (Claw)
17. TwinBee
18. Cindy (Death Brade)
19. Goddess Arlia (Dragon Saber)
19. The Simpson Family
21. Fairy from Cotton
22. Golem (Death Brade)
22. Sagat
24. Yuuyu (from Yuuyu no Quiz de Go! Go!)
24. Sonic the Hedgehog
26. Pickpocket Gang (doesn't specify which game)
26. Dragons from Dragon Saber
26. Hinawa (from Pistoru Damyou no Bouken)
29. Eliza (Ken's girlfriend)
29. GwinBee
31. Emilia (from Blade Master)
32. Cleric (King of Dragons
32. Bomberman
32. Ultraman
35. Beast (no idea from which game)
36. The Characters from Escape Kids
37. Ganho
38. Minotaur (Death Brade)
39. Gundam
39. Old Man
39. The President (I'm guessing its Gorbachev)
39. Kato
43. Cliff
43. GeoSword (Star Blade)
43. Bioship Paladin
46. Enemy Commander Ship
46. Man on a ledge
46. Garcia
46. Elephant from Dhalsim's stage
50. Chicken
50. Ghost
50. The homosexual man
50. The girl doing the monkey dance in Guile's stage
50. The king who dislikes curry (from Pistoru Daimyou)

>>2350408
>1. Chun-Li
Damn right.

Best Characters of 1992
1. Rosa Felmonde
2. Ryo Sakazaki
3. Chun-Li
4. Janne D'Arc
4. Flint (ship from Xexex)
6. Mao Mao
7. King
8. Rasputin
9. Robert Garcia
10. Captain Commando
11. Armored Soldier (Wolf Fang)
12. Mel (Purilula)
13. Terry Bogard
14. Mack the Knife
15. Ken
16. Vega (Claw)
17. Madca (the Scissorsman from Undercover Cops)
18. M. Bison (Dictator)
19. Irene (Xexex)
20. The Lolicom Prince (seems to be a nickname for the unnamed bad guy in Xexex)
21. Zangief
22. Joe Higashi
22. Pure the Mage
24. Sagat
25. Ryu Eagle
26. Guile
27. Brokken
27. Zan Takahara
29. Balrog (Boxer)
30. Kotaro Fuma
31. Dhalsim
32. Otter (Hache Mecha Fighter)
32. Dog's paw
32. Ryu
35. Lee Pai Long
35. Andy Bogard
37. Operator
38. Blanka
38. The Saboten Bombers
40. Edmond Honda
41. Hanzo Hattori (World Heroes)
42. Cosmo Gang
43. Hien (Aero Fighters)
43. Vision
43. Matt Gables
46. Wally/Waldo
46. Emina
48. Kappa (Shogun Warriors
49. Black Fly (Metal Black)
50. Geigi (Shogun Warriors)
50. Aardvark (Hachamecha Fighter)

Nice to see a poll where I can recognize more than half of the names.

>>2321746
Double dragon that was my game bl then.

>>2351372
> Mao Mao
> King
> Captain Commando
Neat

Best Characters of 1993
1. Nakoruru
2. Mai Shiranui
3. Geese Howard
4. Terry Bogard
5. Cammy
6. Haohmaru
7. Chun-Li
8. Jubei Yagyu
9. Kim Kaphwan
10. Puyo Puyo
11. Ukyo Tachibana
11. Galford
11. Poppy
14. Ryoko (World Heroes)
15. Janne
16. Charlotte
16. Duck King
18. Kuroko
19. Piyoko and P-chan
19. Ryu
19. Carbunkl
22. Tam Tam
22. Hanzo Hattori (Samurai Shodown)
24. Gussun
24. Mudman
26. Sharon Les Halles
27. Billy Kane
27. Rachael
29. Gen-an Shiranui
30. Makoto Mizoguchi
31. Arle Nadja
32. Ryo Sakazaki
32. Vega (Claw)
34. Tung Fu Rue
35. Ken
36. Dee Jay
37. T. Hawk
38. Wolfgang Krauser
39. Frank Castle
40. Hanzou (World Heroes)
40. Koyori Togashi
40. Zangief
43. Ken-ohmaru
43. Andy Bogard
45. Mike Haggar
45. Jubei Yamada
45. Wang-Fu
45. Ryoko Kano
45. Tengai Kano
45. Guile
45. M. Bison (Dictator)

You can literally count the non-FTG characters with your hands.

Bumping

Best Characters of 1994
1. Koitsu
2. Morrigan
3. Athena Asamiya
4. Kyo Kusanagi
5. Felicia
6. Kulala Hanakouji
7. Yuri Sakazaki
8. King
9. Sasquatch
10. Mai Shiranui
11. Taro
11. Geese Howard
13. Anakaris
13. Marion (GunBird)
15. Lord Raptor
16. Sie Kensou
17. Heidern
18. Makoto Mizoguchi
19. Ralf Jones
20. Demitri
21. Linn Kurosawa
22. Akira Yuki
23. Ikkyu (Blood Warrior)
24. Ryo Sakazaki
25. J. Talbain

>>2354739
cont'd.
26. Goro Daimon
27. Bishamon
27. Chun-Li
29. Rikuo
29. Kotetsu (Mounster Maulers)
31. Otane Gouketsuji
32. Kanji Kokuin
33. Sarah Bryant
34. Katsuo
35. Aitsu
36. Robert Garcia
36. Iceman
38. Clark Still
39. Victor Jurgens
40. X-Ray
40. Ken
40. Cammy

>>2354743
43. RayForce pilot
44. Kim
44. Predator Warrior
44. Dutch Schaefer
44. Pai
48. Rugal
48. Koehan
50. Vega (Claw)
50. Kisara

Have trouble posting this, because I triggered 4chan's retarded spam filter. I don't know which was the banned word.

>>2354749
TESTING Bernstein

>>2354739
>6. Kulala Hanakouji

That's Kurara, aka Clara. From Power Instinct. Didn't knew it was that popular over there in japan... I wish they'd make a proper sequel, instead of non-stop re-cycling Matrimelee. It took them 10 years to make proper balance changes, and that was on an arcade-only release (one of those which downloaded the game on every boot, so it's not even possible to dump it).

and lol at Koitsu being #1. Parodius rules.

>>2354778
For some reason I always assumed it was spelled "Kulala" with l's instead of r's.

>>2354739
>>2354743
Big chunk of the Darkstalkers roster made it to that list.

Best Characters of 1995
1. Iori Yagami
2. Genjuro Kibagami
3. Kyo Kusanagi
4. Devilotte
5. Dan
6. Nakoruru
7. Hsien Ko
8. Anita
9. Athena
10. Guy
11. Akira Yuki
12. Morrigan
13. Donovan
14. Lion Rafale
15. Heihachi Mishima
16. Ryu
17. Terry Bogard
18. Ken
18. Jacky Bryant
20. Rave Reiko (unofficial name for the Rave Racer girl)
21. Mai Shiranui
21. Pastel
21. Akuma
21. Felicia
25. Sarah Bryant
26. Old man
27. Kuma
28. Jun Kazama
30. Gin-kun (from Ganbare Gin-kun)
30. Yuri Sakazaki
32. Sie Kensou
33. Geese Howard
34. Haohmaru
35. Yagumo (Kabuki Klash)
35. Ryuji Yamazaki
35. Chun-Li
35. Bishamon
39. Ukyo Tachibana
39. Captain Sawada
41. Kagemaru
42. Pai Chan
42. Rose
44. Hanzo Hattori (Samurai Shodown)
44. Charlie (aka Nash)
44. Sasquatch
47. Kim Kaphwan
47. Shun-Di
47. Rasputin
50. Super 8

Best Characters of 1996
1. Dan Hibiki
2. Iori Yagami
3. Sakura Kasugano
4. Tooru Kurosawa
5. Emilio Michaelov
6. Nakoruru
7. Richard Wong
8. Geese Howard
8. Kyo Kusanagi
10. Magic User
11. Saki Kanebo (later known as Saki Omokane)
12. Rimururu
13. Ryu
14. Viper II
15. Gambit
16. Basara Kubikiri
17. Shizumaru Hisame
18. Mature
18. Zangief
20. Juggernaut
21. Raiden
22. Ain
23. Leon
24. Terry Bogard
24. Vice
26. Guy
27. The enemy soldiers from Metal Slug
28. Athena Asamiya
29. Temjin
29. Mai Shiranui
31. Honey
32. Chun-Li
33. Cammy
34. Genjuro Kibagami
34. Apharmd
36. Wendy Rian
37. Akuma
37. Jacky Bryant
37. Shuma Gorath
40. Clark Still
40. Bal-Bas-Bow
42. Yoko Kono
42. Keith Evans
42. Sarah Bryant
45. Elf
45. Rolento
47. Aoi Umekouji
47. Yuri Sakazaki
49. Kim Kaphwan
49. Ken
49. Joe Higashi

Best Characters of 1997
1. B.B. Hood
2. (No Candidate)
3. Dan Hibiki
4. Lilith
5. Hibachi (the Ultimate Weapon of Mass Destruction from Dodonpachi)
6. Iori Yagami
7. Jeda Dohma
8. Shingo Yabuki
9. Norimaro
10. Pielle Montario
10. Tesse Ronbllozo
12. Ryu
13. Nakoruru
14. Ibuki
15. Yashiro Nanakase
16. Tessa
17. Morrigan
18. The Embryon (boss from G-Darius)
18. Ling Xiaoyu
20. Shermie
21. Kyo Kusanagi
22. Ryuji Yamazaki
22. Alex
24. Sakura Kasugano
25. Darun Mister
25. Marurun
27. Elena
28. Blue Mary
29. Patorako (Lil' Patra)
29. Leona
29. Cecil
32. Felicia
32. Hsien-Ko
32. Kasumi Todo
35. Chun-Li
36. Rimururu
37. The Great Thing (G-Darius)
37. Skullomania
37. Necro
37. Hwoarang
41. Tetsu-chan (mascot from Densha De Go!)
41. Jin Kazama
43. Mai-Ling
43. Jiro Utsuki (Dancing Eye)
43. Chris
43. Athena Asamiya
43. Metal Zangief
48. Shinobu
48. Really Till
48. Q-Bee

So much 90s nostalgia in those character lists. Makes me think of all the time I spent searching for doujinshi scans at dialup speeds. :3

Best Characters of 1998
1. Karin Kazuki
2. Emilio Michaelov
3. Iori Yagami
4. Uncle Jam (was there an Anpanman game released that year or this just a nickname for a certain character?)
5. Cody
6. Inufuku
7. Irori Mimasaka
8. The President (no idea from which game)
8. Ivy
10. Nakoruru
11. Akari Ichijo
12. Keith Evans
13. Dan Hibiki
14. Keiichiro Wachizuka
15. Angelan
15. Ryu
17. Chun-Li
17. Richard Wong
17. Patty (I thinking this is Patricia Myers from Psychic Force 2012)
17. Kyo Kusanagi
21. Morrigan
21. Strider Hiryu
21. Ms. Garra
21. XIGA
25. Rainbow Mika
26. Hideo Shimazu
26. Urien
26. Jin Saotome
26. Wendy Rian
30. Sakura Kasugano
30. Setsuna
30. Shiki (Samurai Shodown 64)
30. Kaede
30. Ryu

Not sure why Ryu is twice on the list. I'm guessing they're counting the different incarnations of him as separate characters, since he was in four games that year (2nd Impact, Alpha 3, EX2, and MvC)

>>2344982
What a shame, they are the epitome of post-Final Fight brawlers imo.

>>2358768
I prefer the original Denjin Makai over Guardians and I think both games (alongside those IGS brawlers) tend to be overrated a bit by beat-'em-up enthusiasts due to their obscurity and niche appeal. I personally don't think there many belt-scrollers that match the appeal of Capcom's, aside from the two Streets of Rage sequels, Undercover Cops, Sengoku 3 and maybe Double Dragon Advance.

>>2359567
Capcom's early brawlers like Final Fight and Cadillacs were really good, but after that they experimented too much and stayed away from the original concept with games like Shadow over Mystara or Knights of the Round, which aren't exactly my cup of tea.

Denjin Makai and Guardians feel like direct spiritual sequels to those early Capcom titles such as Final Fight, with tons of added movements and variety in characters, great visuals and gimmicks like branching paths, Guardians especially is really big in content for the time. SoR games and Undercover Cops are great too, Sengoku 3 and Double Dragon Advance are fun but not on par with those games imo.

>>2357446

>BB Hood on 1st and not Lilith

well, Bulleta is pretty bonkers too, I guess.

And what's up with the 2nd place?

>>2359567
Capcom's early brawlers like Final Fight and Cadillacs were really good, but after that they experimented too much and stayed away from the original concept with games like Shadow over Mystara or Knights of the Round, which aren't exactly my cup of tea.

Denjin Makai and Guardians feel like direct spiritual sequels to those early Capcom titles such as Final Fight, with tons of added movements and variety in characters, great visuals and gimmicks like branching paths, Guardians especially is really big in content for the time, the only problem with Guardians is that it's a bit easy, but Denjin Makai is quite challenging.

SoR2/3 and Undercover Cops are great too, they are pretty much Final Fight ripoff with great production/execution and some variety in gameplay that separated it from other games in the genre. Sengoku 3 and Double Dragon Advance are fun but not on par with those games imo.

>>2327935
>Dynasty Wars

First time I've ever seen this game mentioned on /vr/, it's fucking awesome. My personal favorite of all San Guo Zhi related games and my personal favorite beatemup.

>>2357446
>Norimaro above all of the Street Fighter 3 characters
Damn.

>>2359626
Still annoyed he was removed from the NA version.

>>2359638
Yeah, he's a fun character. I've heard conflicting stories on why he was removed outside Japan, ranging from Marvel being annoyed at their heroes getting beaten by this little freak, to more mundane things like he simply wasn't part of the contract.

>>2359638

Good thing they had the japanese arcade where I live.

He was one of the most memorable characters from the game. First time I saw that kind of joke character in a fighting game, it was pretty surreal.

>>2359615
Capcom's early brawlers like Final Fight and Cadillacs were really good, but after that they experimented too much and stayed away from the original concept with games like Shadow over Mystara or Knights of the Round, which aren't exactly my cup of tea.

Denjin Makai and Guardians feel like spiritual sequels to those early Capcom titles such as Final Fight, with tons of added movements and variety in characters, great visuals and gimmicks like branching paths, Guardians especially is really big in content for the time, the only problem with Guardians is that it's a bit easy, but Denjin Makai is quite challenging. Honestly i don't see how Guardians is overrated with that giant moveset and player selection with awesome controls, great level design with unique quirky characters and tons of shit going on the screen, great combat and cool juggle system unlike the broken (and actual overrated) mess that is Shadow over Mystara.

SoR2/3 and Undercover Cops are great too, they are pretty much Final Fight ripoff with great production/execution and some variety in gameplay that separated it from other games in the genre. Sengoku 3 and Double Dragon Advance are fun but not on par with those games imo.

>>2359614
The '97 Gamest Awards allowed voters to choose "no candidate" if they felt that none of them deserved to win any award.

>>2360101
>

hah, really? that's harsh, lots of people disliked 97 characters then, weird.

>>2360236
It wasn't just the characters category, just any award that they felt like that didn't deserve a winner.

>>2359657
He was created and owned by a japanese comedian, so I guess it was a copyrights issue.

>>2359626
SF III didn't perform that well until 3rd Strike. I always found the roster to be too bland with a couple of freaks thrown in.

Old Game Mags have some issues of Gamest (and Arcadia) scanned for their archive.
http://www.oldgamemags.com/consoles/arcade/gamest/

>>2362427
Neat, thanks for the link.

Strategy Video for Street Fighter I
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm103000

>>2366824
So the English Hadouken voice clip was "Psycho Fire", huh? I could never quite make out what the first word was.

There's more on Nico Nico.
http://www.nicovideo.jp/search/%E3%82%B2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A1%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%93%E3%83%87%E3%82%AA?f_range=0&l_range=0&opt_md=