Games Released in August 1997

87 new games debuted in August 1997, with PlayStation being the most active platform. August 31 was the busiest day, with 22 releases. GoldenEye 007 was the most popular release of the month.

Which days had the most releases?

August 31 saw the most activity with 22 releases.

22 releases

August 31

17 releases

August 8

16 releases

August 28

15 releases

August 1

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat

Fri, Aug 1

15 releases

Sat, Aug 2

1 release

Sun, Aug 3

3 releases

Mon, Aug 4

No releases

Tue, Aug 5

No releases

Wed, Aug 6

1 release

Thu, Aug 7

12 releases

Fri, Aug 8

17 releases

Sat, Aug 9

No releases

Sun, Aug 10

1 release

Mon, Aug 11

1 release

Tue, Aug 12

1 release

Wed, Aug 13

1 release

Thu, Aug 14

1 release

Fri, Aug 15

7 releases

Sat, Aug 16

No releases

Sun, Aug 17

No releases

Mon, Aug 18

2 releases

Tue, Aug 19

1 release

Wed, Aug 20

No releases

Thu, Aug 21

5 releases

Fri, Aug 22

9 releases

Sat, Aug 23

1 release

Sun, Aug 24

1 release

Mon, Aug 25

4 releases

Tue, Aug 26

2 releases

Wed, Aug 27

3 releases

Thu, Aug 28

16 releases

Fri, Aug 29

8 releases

Sat, Aug 30

2 releases

Sun, Aug 31

22 releases

How did each week compare?

The fourth week of August was the busiest with 36 releases.

Week 1 (August 1–7)

32 releases

Most popular release in Week 1

Mega Man X4

Mega Man X4, known as Rockman X4 in Japan, is the fourth game from the Mega Man X series. It was the second game in the series to be released on the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation (although it is the first original game; Mega Man X3 was ported to the systems), released in 1997 (and also re-released onto PlayStation as part of its greatest hits in 2002). It was later ported to the PC in 1998 and then re-released as part of the Mega Man X Collection

Week 2 (August 8–14)

22 releases

Most popular release in Week 2

Tetrisphere

Tetrisphere is a variant on Tetris in which various shapes are shifted across a wrapped three-dimensional grid resembling a sphere, and then destroyed. The objective of the game changes depending on the mode, but generally consists of removing layers of shapes to reach the playing field's core. Despite very little domestic advertising, Tetrisphere enjoyed moderately good sales and a mostly favorable critical reception. Reviewers praised the game's originality and the musical score composed by Neil D. Voss.

Week 3 (August 15–21)

15 releases

Most popular release in Week 3

Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout

After achieving cult hit status around the globe, Dragon Ball GT has finally arrived in the U.S. This polygon rendered fighting game features 10 of the best warriors from the animated television series going head-to-head in a no-holds-barred tournament. Each player has devastating finishing moves, including the infamous "Meteor Smash", which can be countered by an opponent, resulting in some of the most incredible power struggles you'll ever see! There are also 8 playable hidden characters and a practice mode that lets you build up the skills of each fighter. Now, you can find out what gamers around the world already know -- Dragon Ball GT is the ultimate fighting game!

Week 4 (August 22–28)

36 releases

Most popular release in Week 4

GoldenEye 007

GoldenEye 007 is a first-person shooter based on the 1995 James Bond film. The game features a single-player campaign with 20 missions across multiple difficulty levels, emphasizing stealth, varied objectives and mission-based progression. Players can use a range of weapons and gadgets while navigating diverse environments inspired by the movie. The local split-screen multiplayer mode supports up to four players and offers competitive scenarios such as deathmatch, team modes and character selection from the James Bond universe. The multiplayer component became widely recognized for its influence on console FPS design and is considered a landmark feature of the game.

Week 5 (August 29–31)

32 releases

Most popular release in Week 5

Dark Reign: The Future of War

Dark Reign narrowly beat Total Annihilation as the first RTS to incorporate 3D movement and positioning. This increases the strategic advantage of hills and mountains. Each mission puts you in the role of commander of either the Imperial army or the Freedom fighters in a campaign to undermine and eventually destroy the opposing force. This game has many unusual features for the RTS genre. AI patterns you to simply give a unit the order "Search and Destroy" and it would drive off towards the enemy's last known location, in search for something to kill. There is also "explore" mode which let your units do all the map exploring for you. A mission/campaign editor is also provided.

Which platforms saw the most releases?

PlayStation received 36 new titles in August 1997. The runner up was Sega Saturn with 29 new titles.

PlayStation36 releases

Sega Saturn29 releases

PC26 releases

Satellaview13 releases

Game Boy8 releases

Nintendo 647 releases

Mac6 releases

DOS4 releases

Arcade3 releases

PC-9800 Series2 releases

What genres were most popular?

Shooter was the dominant genre in August 1997 with 25 titles. Adventure followed closely with 23.

Shooter25

Adventure23

Sport17

Puzzle16

Arcade15

Simulator15

Strategy14

Fighting12

Racing10

Point-and-click9

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