This Day in Video Game History: October 29
This Day in Video Game History
1988
In Japan, Sega released the Mega Drive video game console, which will later be known as the Sega Genesis in the U.S. The fourth generation console featured a 32-bit Motorola 68000 CPU with a 16-bit bus, 16 MB of addressable memory, 64 KB RAM, 2 KB of Boot ROM, and a a Zilog Z80 sound processor. The system was Sega’s most popular console, with twenty-nine million sale before its discontinuation, and its the near cult-following would give the console an unprecedented fourteen year lifespan.
2001
Rockstar San Diego released the racing game Smuggler’s Run 2 for the Playstation 2 in the U.S. The game casts players in the role of a smuggler delivering illegal cargoes to a variety of destinations in different vehicles under given time limits. During development, the game was originally set in Afghanistan, but following the nine-eleven attacks on the World Trade Center and the U.S. military’s invasion of Afghanistan, the game’s setting was changed to the deserts of Georgia. (ESRB: T)
SNK Playmore of Japan closes its doors. The company was best known for its NeoGeo arcade system and its game franchises, which included Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters, and Samurai Shodown.
2002
Activision released the X-Men: Next Dimension versus fighting game for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in the U.S. It was the third game in the X-Men fighting series. While the game wasn’t based on the films, it was narrated by Patrick Stewart, who reprized his role in the films as Professor Xavier. (ESRB: T)
Konami released the DDRMAX: Dance Dance Revolution music game for the PlayStation 2 in the U.S. It was the fourth home version of Dance Dance Revolution to be released in the U.S. (ESRB: E)
Sega released the Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II roleplaying game for the GameCube in North America. The game features an offline in single-player mode and an online multiplayer mode that required a nine dollar a month subscription fee. (ESRB: E)
Ubisoft released the Pro Rally 2002 racing game for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in Europe. (ESRB: E)
2003
Activision released the Call of Duty first-person shooting game for Mac OS and Windows in North America. The game was built on the Quake III: Team Arena engine. It cast plays in the role of an infantry trooper during World War II. The game was critically acclaimed, earing “Game of the Year” from several popular game reviewers and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. (ESRB: T)
LucasArts released Gladius for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in the U.S. (ESRB: T)
Kemco released the single-player Rogue Ops stealth game for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in the U.S. While it was favorable likened to such popular series as Metal Gear and Splinter Cell by reviewers, it was a commercial failure. (ESRB: M)
Konami released Frogger’s Adventures: The Rescue for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in the U.S. (ESRB: E)
THQ released the Hot Wheels World Race racing game, based on the television series of the same name, for the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, and PlayStation 2 in North America. (ESRB: E)
2004
Capcom released the versus fighting game compilation Street Fighter Anniversary Collection for the Xbox in Europe. The compilation included Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.
O~3 Entertainment announced that its 2D side-scrolling platform shooter Alien Hominid had gone Gold.
THQ released The Incredibles for Mac OS and Windows in North America. It was based on the animated film of the same title. (ESRB: T)
2006
THQ released the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade expansion pack for the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War real-time strategy game for personal computers in Australia. It was the second expansion for the game, however, unlike its predecessor, Winter Assault, it can also be played as a standalone game. It included two new races, the Tau Empire and the Necrons.
2007
Rockstar Games released the single-player Manhunt 2 psychological horror game for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii in North America. The game failed to achieve its predecessors, but it also wasn’t as controversial. GameSpot said that the game was “not as shocking as you’d expect, but Manhunt 2 still satisfies your primal instincts.” (ESRB: M)
