The NPD Group. People in the industry pay this group to collect data on what games are sold in the United States. The TRSTS data, NPD's bread and butter, is a highly-valued tool for advertisers, gamemakers, and retailers alike, showing those industry people what's selling. While this may not seem exciting, it shapes our gaming future more than we realize. So it is important when the TRSTS data is released, as it tells the monetary winners and losers of 1998's struggle for video game dominance. This year, it was no different.

The sales of retail games has reached yet another all-time high, up 22% from 1997. Retail sales remained strong throughout 1998. So far there are 26 million units of PlayStation and N64 systems installed in the United States. Because of this huge base, software units went up 53% in units and 38% in dollar sales. Even portables were sold at an outstanding pace, up 50% in dollar sales from a year ago. Pokemon and the Game Boy Color are mostly attributable for this upswing in sales. Of 56 new portable items released, 22 were for Game Boy Color.

"The video game business remains as hit-driven as ever, with 14 of the top 20 titles introduced during that same year," said Mary Ann Porreca, senior project director of the NPD's Leisure Activities Tracking Service. However, the number one game was released the year before.

Interestingly enough, GoldenEye 007 was the number-one selling game for all of 1998. With a nice $40 price tag and enough gameplay to choke a mule, it's not surprising that this was the best seller of the year, at 2.1 million units. Narrowly defeated by GoldenEye 007 was another Nintendo 64 hit, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which also sold about 2.1 million units. Gran Turismo rounds out the top 3 with its fast action and authentic cars. Here is the entire list, from the press release distributed today by the NPD Group.

1. GoldenEye 007 - Nintendo 64
2. Zelda: Ocarina Of Time - Nintendo 64
3. Gran Turismo - PlayStation
4. Banjo-Kazooie - Nintendo 64
5. Super Mario 64 - Nintendo 64
6. Resident Evil 2 - PlayStation
7. WCW/NWO Revenge - Nintendo 64
8. WWF War Zone - PlayStation
9. Crash Bandicoot 2 - PlayStation
10. Madden NFL 99 - PlayStation
11. Mario Kart 64 - Nintendo 64
12. Tekken 3 - PlayStation
13. Crash Bandicoot: Warped - PlayStation
14. NFL GameDay '99 - PlayStation
15. Metal Gear Solid - PlayStation
16. Yoshi's Story - Nintendo 64
17. 1080 Snowboarding - Nintendo 64
18. Tomb Raider - PlayStation
19. Crash Bandicoot - PlayStation
20. NASCAR 99 - PlayStation

Editor's Note: It is estimated that the TRSTS data accounts for approximately 75% of game market.