Shifters get sloppy - not tighter - with age. The '88 very likely has an aftermarket shifter. Not surprising on a 13-year-old car.
To test a clutch; In an empty space, put the car in fourth gear and let the clutch out slowly. Watch the tach. The sooner the engine stalls the better the clutch. If the tach goes way up before a stall, the clutch is slipping. Generally, if it grabs at 2" and 'feels' good; it's O.K.
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