- March 7
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit makes a ruling in favor of Nintendo, allowing Nintendo to sue retailers who buy unauthorized video game cartridges. [174.D5]
- March
- Nintendo hosts the start of the Nintendo World Championships contest in Los Angeles. The competitions will take place in thirty cities in the US. and Canada, with finals in Orlando in the fall. [816.12]
- March 31
- Unit sales of Nintendo Game Boy game systems over the past twelve months: about 2.8 million. [271.D4]
- April 3
- Namco releases the Splatterhouse video game for the PC Engine in Japan. [1255.81]
- April
- Ultra Games releases the Snake's Revenge video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. The game is a sequel to Metal Gear. [471.51] [1262.127]
- Square releases the Final Fantasy III video game for the Famicom in Japan. (Total sales over its lifetime: about 1.5 million.) [556.98] [1340.29]
- April 16
- Nintendo files four copyright infringement suits in the US and Canada against retailers and distributors accused of selling counterfeit video game cartridges. [175.D4]
- May 8
- Lewis Galoob Toys introduces the Game Genie cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The Game Genie allows players of Nintendo Entertainment System games to make them easier to play. [178.D3] (June [674.36])
- May
- Tecmo releases the Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [304.132] [514.28] [1159.95]
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- Hi-Tech releases the Remote Control video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [514.28]
- Nintendo notifies Lewis Galoob Toys that its Game Genie product infringes copyrights on Nintendo games, and demands that the product be abandoned. [178.D3]
- Nintendo releases the Final Fantasy video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [412.87] [514.28] [1159.93] [1161.79] [1413.69] (July 12 [869.19] [1181.113]) (August [556.98])
- Nintendo begins an eight-month, thirty-city, nation-wide video game competition in the US. [124.191]
- May 17
- Lewis Galoob Toys seeks a court declaration that the Game Genie does not infringe on Nintendo's copyrights. [178.D3]
- (month unknown)
- Unit sales of the Turbografx-16 system in Japan to date: 2.1 million. [319.46]
- Unit sales of the Genesis system in Japan to date: 1 million. [319.46]
- Unit sales of 8-bit Nintendo video game systems worldwide to date: 40 million. [319.46]
- June 3
- Nintendo sues Lewis Galoob Toys to try to prevent the Game Genie from being sold. (A preliminary injunction prevents Lewis Galoob Toys from producing or marketing the product.) [124.287] [178.D3] [192.33] [1460.391]
- June 11
- A U.S. District Court judge in San Francisco declines Nintendo's request to issue a temporary restraining order against Lewis Galoob Toys selling the Game Genie product. [179.D20]
- June
- California Assembly member Sally Tanner tables a bill to ban video games featuring alcohol or tobacco. [1505.226]
- Capcom releases the Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [715.93] [1159.99]
- Duo Computers announces the Duo FC, incorporating a PC-AT compatible and a Nintendo game system in one case. [30.10]
- (month unknown)
- INTV Corp. discontinues production of the Intellivision and files for bankruptcy. [12] [1444.231] [1447.94]
- NEC releases the Devil's Crush video game for the TurboGrafx-16 in the US. [304.138]
- Nintendo establishes a subsidiary company in Frankfurt, Germany. [313.136]
- Sega releases the Herzog Zwei video game for the Genesis in the US. [304.140]
- Commodore introduces the 64 Games System, in Europe. It is a Commodore 64 computer without the keyboard, with the cartridge slot on top. [40.G-18]
- Capcom releases the Adventures in the Magic Kingdom video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Code Name: Viper video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Destiny of an Emperor video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Mega Man 3 video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Yoi Noid video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [715.93]
- Capcom releases the Duck Tales video game for the Game Boy in the US. [715.93]
- Amstrad releases the GX4000 video game system in the UK. [1091.90]
- NEC releases the PC-Engine GT handheld video game system in Japan. [1091.93]
- The TV series The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 debuts. (A total of 13 shows are aired.) [1391.176]
- Russian cosmonauts take Nintendo Game Boy handheld video game systems into space with them. [1131.99]
- NEC releases the NEC PC Engine SuperGrafx video game system in Japan. The system features a 68516 processor and twice the memory of the original PC Engine. [1255.76]
- July
- Konami releaes the Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake video game for the MSX system in Japan. [577.62] [1262.126]
- SNK releases the Crystalis video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1159.96] [1419.84]
- Nintendo releases the Snake, Rattle & Roll video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.43]
- Capcom releases the Gargoyle's Quest video game for the Game Boy in the US. [715.93] [1135.116] [1159.101]
- July 27
- Nintendo releases the Dr. Mario video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [871.38]
- NEC releases the Ghouls 'n Ghosts video game for the PC Engine in Japan. [1255.81]
- August
- Sega releases the OutRun video game for the Sega Mega Drive in the United Kingdom. [1343.36]
- NEC introduces the TurboExpress hand-held video game system in the US. It features 8-bit 7.6 MHz NEC 6820 processor, 2.7-inch diagonal 238x312-pixel 512-color LCD display, six sound channels, and ability to play the same TurboChip cards as the TurboGrafx-16. The system operates on six AA batteries for about three hours. Size is 4.3 x 7.3 x 1.8 inches; weight is one pound; price is about US$250-300. [318.92] [516.64] [545.22] [674.36] [685.133] [1093.60]
- August 17
- Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film My Blue Heaven to theaters in the USA. The game The Goonies II is played on a Nintendo Entertainment System, with the sound of Pac Man on the Atari 2600. [926]
- September
- Square Soft releases the Final Fantasy Legend video game for the Game Boy in the USA. [1159.98]
- Nintendo releases the Dragon Warrior II video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. The game had been previously released in Japan for the Famicom as Dragon Quest II. [298.48]
- Konami releases the Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [304.140] [1161.79] [1413.62]
- Electronic Arts world premieres Skate or Die 2: The Search for Double Trouble at the National Skateboard Association's "Back to the City Streetstyle and Freestyle Skateboard Competition" in San Francisco, California. [1130.88]
- IREM releases the MetalStorm video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.41]
- The second Nintendo television show, Captain N: The Game Master debuts in the US, Saturdays on NBC. (The show airs for three seasons, a total of 34 episodes.) [124.192] [1161.79] (1989 [1391.176])
- October 3
- Nintendo sends letters to its licensees, informing them that they are now free to manufacture their own game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and to publish games on competitors' consoles. [180.D5] [1460.389]
- October 6
- Sega launches the Game Gear handheld video game system in Japan. Price is 19800 yean. Launch titles include Columns, Pengo, Super Monaco GP. (Total sales of the Game Gear worldwide: 11 million.) [1483.48,50]
- October 11
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show. One scene takes place in a video game arcade. [757]
- October
- IREM releases the Kickle Cubicle video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.42]
- Tradewest releases the Solar Jetman video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [713.42]
- The first issue of Mean Machines magazine is released, in the UK. [1391.251]
- October 25
- The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show. A video monitor shows the Pong video game which aliens declare to be a "crowning achievement in amusement technology". [758]
- November
- Capcom releases the Mega Man III video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US. [420.68]
- November 21
- In Japan, Nintendo releases the Super Family Computer (Super Famicom) game system. The system uses a 16-bit processor, has 512 kB RAM, displays graphics in over 32,000 colors, and includes the Super Mario World video game. Price is 25,000 yen. (300,000 units ships on the first day of release; four million ship within the first year.) [124.360] [189.36] [313.136] [318.93] [674.36] [1092.14] [1460.431] [1494.125] [1505.220]
- Nintendo releases the F-Zero video game for the Super Famicom in Japan. [298.40] [1092.14]
- Nintendo releases the PilotWings video game for the Super Famicom in Japan. [298.40]
- (month unknown)
- Nintendo announces it will release the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA in September 1991. [1131.94]
- F.A.O. Schwarz in New York City premieres the video game Solar Jetman for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [1131.94]
- Market share of US home video game industry: Nintendo 93%, Sega Enterprises 3.8%, NEC Home Entertainment 1.3%, Atari 1.1%. [181.35]
- Sega releases the OutRun video game for the PC-Engine in Japan. [1343.36]
- According to "Q" ratings, the Nintendo character Mario is more recognized by American children than Mickey Mouse. [124.9] [959.79] [1161.79]
- December 1
- Nintendo releases the Dr. Mario video game for the Game Boy in the US. [401] [543.9] [1159.94]
- December 7
- At Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California, Nintendo holds the Nintendo PowerFest grand finale to their nation-wide video game competition, over three days. [124.191] [1130.94] [1132.7] [1161.79]
- December
- FCI releases the Ultima: Quest of the Avatar for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1159.101]
- Natsume releases the Shadow of the Ninja for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1265.80]
- Nintendo releases the Star Tropics video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [513.11] [713.43] [1159.96]
- Nintendo releases the Nintendo World Cup Soccer video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in the USA. [1157.18]
- SNK Home Electronics releases the NeoGeo 24-bit video game system in the US. Price is US$649, with software titles costing about $200 each. [326.70] [595.26] [674.36]
- December 31
- To date, Nintendo has sold 4.4 million Disk Systems for the Famicom. [124.75]
- Unit sales to date of Nintendo Entertainment System game systems: about 27.5 million. [189.35]
- Year
- Unit shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System game systems in the US during the year: 7.2 million. [183.D4] [189.36]
- Unit shipments of game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System game system in the US during the year: 60 million. [185.D9]
- Sales of Nintendo game systems and cartridges in the US during the year: US$3.4 billion. [183.D4] [185.D9] [188.48]
- Total sales of video game systems and cartridges in the US during the year: US$4.1 billion. [188.48]
- Market share of US video game industry: Nintendo 80%, Sega 12%. [349.35]
- Total sales of video game systems and cartridges worldwide during the year: US$13 billion. [375.60]
- Market share of worldwide video game industry: Nintendo 90%. [375.60]
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