Chronology of tactical role-playing video games: 1980s to 1994

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RPG video games
See Lists of video games for related lists.

This is a comprehensive index of commercial tactical role-playing games for all platforms, sorted chronologically. Information regarding date of release, developer, publisher, platform and notability is provided when available. The table can be sorted by clicking on the small boxes next to the column headings.

See also: Chronology of turn-based tactics video games
Contents

1980s-1994  · 1995-1999  · 2000-2004  · 2005-2009  · 2010-2014  · Unreleased


Legend

Video game platforms
AMI Commodore Amiga
AMI32 Commodore Amiga CD32
APPII Apple II
ATR Atari 8-bit family
C64 Commodore 64
CROSS Cross-platform
DOS DOS / MS-DOS
FMT FM Towns
GB Game Boy
GBC Game Boy Color
GEN Sega Genesis / Sega Mega Drive
GG Sega Game Gear
MAC Macintosh / Mac OS
MSX MSX
MSX2 MSX2
NES Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom
PC88 NEC PC-8801
PC98 NEC PC-9801
PCD TurboGrafx-CD / PC Engine CD
SAT Sega Saturn
SCD Sega Mega-CD
SMS Sega Master System
SNES Super NES / Super Famicom
ST Atari ST
WIN Microsoft Windows
WS WonderSwan
WSC WonderSwan Color
X1 Sharp X1
X68K Sharp X68000
XBOX Xbox
Types of releases
Rerel The game was re-released on the same platform with no or only minor changes.
Port The game first appeared on a different platform and a port was made. The game is like the original, with few or no differences.
Remake The game is an enhanced remake of an original, released on the same or different platform, with changes to graphics, sound and/or gameplay.
Compl A compilation, anthology or collection of several titles, usually (but not always) belonging to the same series.
Limit A special release (often called "Limited" or "Collector's Edition") with bonus collector's material. Often provided to people who pre-order a game.

List

Year Title Developer Publisher Setting Platform Notes
1983 (JP)
 Bokosuka Wars Koji Sumii ASCII Fantasy X1
MSX (Port)
NES (Port)		 RTS/RPG.
1983 (JP)
 Nobunaga's Ambition Koei Koei Historical PC88
MSX
NES (Port)		 Grand strategy.
First title in the series.
1985 (JP)
 Romance of the Three Kingdoms Koei Koei Historical PC88
MSX
NES (Port)		 Grand strategy.
First title in the series.
1985 (NA)
 Wizard's Crown SSI SSI Fantasy DOS
1986 (NA/UK)
 Wizard's Crown SSI SSI Fantasy APPII (Port)
ATR (Port)
C64 (Port)		 Port of Wizard's Crown for DOS.
1987 (NA)
 Eternal Dagger, The SSI SSI Fantasy APPII
ATR		 Sequel to Wizard's Crown.
1987 (JP)
 Tir-nan-og
ティル・ナ・ノーグ		 Alfa System Fantasy PC98 Series debuts.
1987 (NA)
 Wizard's Crown SSI SSI Fantasy ST (Port) Port of Wizard's Crown for DOS.
1987 (INT)
 Xconq Stan Shebs, et al. N/A N/A CROSS Open source.
General purpose turn-based strategy engine with several Master of Monsters-like modules created using it after 1987.
1988 (NA)
 BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception Westwood Infocom Sci-Fi APPII
AMI
C64
DOS
ST
1988 (NA)
 Eternal Dagger, The SSI SSI Fantasy C64 (Port) Port of The Eternal Dagger for APPII.
Sequel to Wizard's Crown.
1988 (JP)
 Silver Ghost Kure Software Koubou Kure Software Koubou Fantasy PC88
1988 (JP)
 Tir-nan-og II
ティル・ナ・ノーグII		 SystemSoft Fantasy PC98 Sequel to Tir-nan-og for PC98.
1989 (JP)
 Master of Monsters SystemSoft SystemSoft Fantasy MSX
1990 (JP)
 Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Ken[1] Intelligent Nintendo Fantasy NES Series debuts.
1990 (JP)
 Mōryō Senki MADARA Konami Konami Fantasy NES
1990 (JP)
 Tir-nan-og: The Forbidden Tower
ティル・ナ・ノーグ 禁断の塔		 SystemSoft Fantasy MSX2 (Port) Port of Tir-nan-og for PC98.
1991 (JP)
 2nd Super Robot Wars Banpresto Banpresto Sci-Fi NES Sequel to Super Robot Wars.
1991 (JP)
 Bahamut Senki Sega Sega Fantasy GEN
1991 (JP)
 Chaos World Natsume Fantasy NES
1991 (JP)
1992 (NA)
 Crystal Warriors Fantasy GG
1991 (JP/NA)
 Master of Monsters SystemSoft SystemSoft Fantasy GEN (Port)
PCD (Port)		 Port of Master of Monsters for MSX.
1991 (JP)
 Super Robot Wars Banpresto Banpresto Sci-Fi GB Series debuts.
1991 (JP/NA)
 Warsong[2]
Langrisser
ラングリッサー		 CareerSoft NCS
Treco		 Fantasy GEN Series debuts.
1992 (JP)
 Farland Story[2] TGL TGL Fantasy DOS Series debuts.
1992 (JP)
 Fire Emblem Gaiden Intelligent Nintendo Fantasy NES
1992 (JP)
 Just Breed
ジャストブリード		 Enix Enix Fantasy NES
1992 (JP)
 Little Master 2[2]
リトルマスター2 雷光の騎士		 Zener Works Tokuma Shoten Fantasy GB Sequel to Little Master.
1992 (JP)
 Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible
女神転生外伝 ラストバイブルシリーズ		 MIT Atlus Fantasy GG Series debuts.
1992 (JP)
 Shining Force Gaiden Sonic! Sega Fantasy GG
1992 (JP)
1993 (NA/EU)
 Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention[2][3]
Shining Force
シャイニング・フォース 神々の遺産		 Sonic! Sega Fantasy GEN Series debuts.
1993 (JP)
 3rd Super Robot Wars Banpresto Banpresto Sci-Fi SNES Sequel to 2nd Super Robot Wars.
1993 (JP)
 Albert Odyssey Sunsoft Sunsoft Fantasy SNES Series debuts.
1993 (JP)
1994 (NA)
 Dark Wizard Sega Sega Fantasy SCD
1993 (JP)
 Farland Story Denki: Arc Ou no Ensei[2]
Farland Story 2		 TGL TGL Fantasy DOS Sequel to Farland Story.
1993 (JP)
 Little Master[2] Tokuma Shoten Fantasy GB
1993 (JP)
1995 (NA)
 Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen[2] Quest Quest
Enix		 Fantasy SNES
1993 (JP)
1994 (EU/NA)
 Shining Force II: Ancient Sealing[2]
Shining Force II
シャイニング・フォースII 古えの封印		 Sonic! Sega Fantasy GEN Sequel to Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict.
1993 (JP)
1994 (NA)
 Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya[2] Sonic! Sega Fantasy GG Sequel to Shining Force Gaiden.
1993 (JP)
 Super Barcode Wars
バーコードバトラー戦記 スーパー戦士出撃せよ!		 Epoch Epoch Sci-Fi SNES and BBARII
1993 (JP)
 Langrisser: The Descendants of Light
ラングリッサー ～光輝の末裔～		 Fantasy PCD (Port) Port of Warsong for GEN.
Series debuts.
1994 (JP)
 Albert Odyssey 2: Jashin no Taidou Sunsoft Sunsoft Fantasy SNES
1994 (JP)
 Dragon Knight IV
ドラゴンナイト4		 ELF ELF Fantasy DOS (Port) Eroge.
Port of Dragon Knight IV for PC98.
Sequel to Dragon Knight III.
1994 (JP)
 Dragon Knight IV
ドラゴンナイト4		 ELF ELF Fantasy FMT (Port)
PC98
X68K (Port)		 Eroge.
Port of Dragon Knight IV for PC98.
Sequel to Dragon Knight III.
1994 (JP)
 Farland Story: Shirogane no Tsubasa
Farland Story 4		 TGL TGL Fantasy DOS Sequel to Farland Story: Tenshi no Namida.
1994 (JP)
 Farland Story: Tenshi no Namida
Farland Story 3		 TGL TGL Fantasy DOS Sequel to Farland Story Denki: Arc Ou no Ensei.
1994 (JP)
 FEDA: Emblem of Justice[4] Yanoman Fantasy SNES
1994 (JP)
 Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo[2] Intelligent Nintendo Fantasy SNES
1994 (NA)
 Jagged Alliance[2][5][6][7] Madlab Sir-Tech Modern DOS Series debuts.
1994 (JP)
 Langrisser II[2]
Der Langrisser
デア ラングリッサー		 CareerSoft NCS Fantasy GEN Sequel to Warsong.
1994 (JP)
 Little Master: Niji Iro no Maseki[2] Tokuma Shoten Fantasy SNES
1994 (JP)
 Majin Tensei
魔神転生		 Atlus Atlus Fantasy SNES
1994 (??)
 Power of the Hired[2] Fantasy WIN (Port) Port of Power of the Hired for SNES.
1994 (??)
 Red Crystal[2] QQP Fantasy DOS
1994 (JP)
1995 (NA/EU)
 Shining Force CD[2] Sonic! Sega Fantasy SCD (Remake) Remake of Shining Force Gaiden and Shining Force Gaiden 2: Sword of Hajya for GG.
1994 (JP)
 Super Robot Wars EX Banpresto Banpresto Sci-Fi SNES
1994 (NA/EU)
 X-COM: UFO Defense MicroProse MicroProse Sci-Fi DOS Series debuts.
1994 (EU)
1995 (NA)
 X-COM: UFO Defense[2][5][8] Mythos MicroProse Sci-Fi AMI (Port)
AMI32 (Port)		 Port of X-COM: UFO Defense for DOS.
Series debuts.

References

  1. ^ Weir, Gregory (May 4, 2009). "Column: 'The Interactive Palette' - Layered Gameplay in Disgaea". GameSetWatch. http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/05/column_the_interactive_palette_12.php. Retrieved 2010-02-07. "Disgaea is a game in the tactical RPG style first pioneered by 1990's Fire Emblem. ... Battles occur on a grid, with each character maneuvering and attacking." 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Strategy RPG Games". allgame. http://www.allgame.com/style.php?id=414&tab=games&sort=date_asc. Retrieved 2010-02-01. 
  3. ^ Cunningham, Michael. "What Kind of RPG Are You?". RPGamer. http://www.rpgamer.com/editor/2008/q2/061008mc.html. Retrieved 2010-02-04. "The subbranch of Tactical RPGs is not immune to diversity either. ... These were the days of Shining Force and later on Final Fantasy Tactics. ... Not only do we have what could be dubbed the traditional Tactical RPG, we now have games featuring real-time combat such as Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings and the upcoming Blue Dragon Plus. ... Also newer games are trying to blend the tactical side with traditional RPG elements as seen in Archaic Sealed Heat. ... Throw in some Tactical RPGs featuring mechs such as Front Mission and Zoids Assault as well as off-the-wall titles like Operation Darkness, that stars Vampires, Werewolves, Army soldiers, and Nazis." 
  4. ^ "FEDA: Emblem of Justice". RPGamer. http://www.rpgamer.com/games/feda/feda/feda.html. Retrieved 2008-06-16. 
  5. ^ a b S., Dennis. "Paradise Cracked Review". GamersHell. http://www.gamershell.com/pc/paradise_cracked/review.html. Retrieved 2007-11-26. 
  6. ^ Thompson, Mike (2006-06-22). "Night Watch". Game Helper Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-12-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20071228055845/http://www.gamehelper.com/magazine/previews/night-watch. Retrieved 2007-11-26. 
  7. ^ "Jagged Alliance 2 Expansion Pack Announced". RPG Vault. 1999-11-27. http://rpgvaultarchive.ign.com/archive/19991121.shtml. Retrieved 2007-11-26. 
  8. ^ "PC Preview: UFO: Aftershock". Computer and Video Games. 2005-01-13. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=113824. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
Role-playing video games
Tactical role-playing games
Other subgenres
See also