1989 was another important year for the video game industry, marked by the release of several landmark games and the continued growth of the console market. Here are some key events that took place:
Game Boy: Nintendo released the Game Boy handheld console in 1989, which would become one of the most successful gaming platforms of all time. The console featured a monochrome display and long battery life, making it perfect for portable gaming.
SimCity: “SimCity” was released for the PC in 1989 and would become one of the most influential simulation games of all time. The game allowed players to build and manage their own virtual cities, and its success would spawn many sequels and imitators.
Prince of Persia: “Prince of Persia” was released for the PC in 1989 and would become one of the most iconic platformers of all time. The game featured fluid animations and challenging gameplay mechanics.
Sega Genesis: The Sega Genesis continued to gain popularity in 1989, with several classic games released for the console, including “Phantasy Star II” and “Golden Axe”.
Atari Lynx: Atari released the Lynx handheld console in 1989, but it would struggle to compete with the popularity of the Game Boy.
Nintendo vs. Blockbuster: Nintendo sued Blockbuster in 1989 over the rental of NES games, claiming that the rental service was violating copyright law. The lawsuit would ultimately be settled out of court.
Overall, 1989 was a year of continued growth and innovation in the video game industry, with several landmark games and consoles further establishing video games as a major entertainment medium. The release of the Game Boy and the ongoing console wars between Nintendo and Sega would also shape the future of the industry.
Video Games Released in 1989:
Here is our enormous collection of video games released in 1989 and detailed information on each. As always, new games are added to this collection regularly.
Click on a game listing to find out much more about it.