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1987 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Castlevania II: Simon's Quest , Dragon Quest II , Final Lap , and Zelda II , along with new titles such as After Burner , Contra , Double Dragon , Final Fantasy , Mega Man , Metal Gear , Operation Wolf , Phantasy Star , Shinobi , Street Fighter and The Last Ninja . The Legend of Zelda was also introduced outside of Japan.
The year's highest-grossing arcade game worldwide was Sega's Out Run . The year's best‑selling home system was the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom) for the fourth year in a row. The best-selling 1987 home video game release in Japan was Dragon Quest II: Akuryō no Kamigami , while the year's best-selling home video games in Western markets were The Legend of Zelda in the United States and Out Run in the United Kingdom.
The year's highest-grossing arcade game worldwide was Sega's Out Run .
The following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1987 in Japan, according to the annual Gamest and Game Machine charts.
Rank | Gamest [1] | Game Machine [2] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Title | Cabinet | Points | Title | Cabinet | Points | |
1 | Out Run | Large | 33 | Out Run | Deluxe | 3734 |
2 | R-Type | Table | 26 | Arkanoid | Table | 3118 |
3 | After Burner | Large | 20 | Hi Sho Zame (Flying Shark) | Table | 2434 |
4 | 1943: The Battle of Midway | Table | 12 | Major League | Table | 2285 |
5 | Double Dragon | Table | 10 | World Cup (Tehkan World Cup) | Table | 2210 |
6 | Darius | Large | 8 | Bubble Bobble | Table | 2041 |
7 | Dragon Spirit | Table | 7 | Super Hang-On | Ride-on | 1901 |
8 | Hi Sho Zame (Flying Shark) Yokai Dochuki | Table | 5 | Double Dragon | Table | 1890 |
9 | Table | 5 | 1943: The Battle of Midway | Table | 1778 | |
10 | Super Hang-On | Large | 4 | Side Pocket | Table | 1744 |
In the United Kingdom, Out Run was the most successful arcade game of the year. [3] [4] The following titles were the top-grossing games on the monthly arcade charts in 1987.
Month | Title | Manufacturer | Genre | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
February | Out Run | Sega | Racing | [5] [6] |
March | ||||
April | Bubble Bobble | Taito | Platformer | [7] |
May | ||||
June | ||||
July | Double Dragon | Taito | Beat 'em up | [8] |
August | [9] | |||
September | After Burner | Sega | Combat flight sim | [10] |
October | Operation Wolf | Taito | Light gun shooter | [11] |
November | 1942 | Capcom | Scrolling shooter | [12] |
December | Operation Wolf | Taito | Light gun shooter | [13] |
1987 | Out Run | Sega | Racing | [3] [4] |
In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1987.
Rank | Play Meter | AMOA [14] [15] | |
---|---|---|---|
Dedicated cabinet | Conversion kit | ||
1 | Out Run [16] | Out Run | Arkanoid |
2 | Unknown | Contra , Double Dragon , Rolling Thunder | Ikari Warriors , Rastan , Top Gunner , World Series |
3 | |||
4 | |||
5 | Unknown | Unknown |
The following titles were the top-grossing games on the monthly RePlay arcade charts in 1987.
Month | Upright cabinet | Software kit | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
January | Out Run | Gauntlet II | [17] |
February | Championship Sprint | [18] |
Rank | System(s) | Manufacturer | Type | Generation | Sales | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | USA | EU | Worldwide | |||||
1 | Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom | Nintendo | Console | 8-bit | 1,780,000 [19] | 3,000,000 [20] | 300,000 [21] | 5,080,000+ |
2 | Commodore 64 (C64) | Commodore | Computer | 8-bit | — | — | — | 1,500,000 [22] |
3 | Sega Mark III / Master System | Sega | Console | 8-bit | 280,000 [23] | 500,000 [21] | 155,000 [21] | 935,000 |
4 | IBM PS/2 (Model 30 / 50) | IBM | Computer | 16-bit | — | Unknown | Unknown | 658,000 [24] |
5 | PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) | NEC | Console | 16-bit | 600,000 [19] | — | — | 600,000 |
6 | Apple Macintosh | Apple Inc. | Computer | 16-bit | — | — | — | 550,000 [22] |
7 | NEC PC-88 / PC-98 | NEC | Computer | 8-bit / 16-bit | 540,000 [25] [26] | Unknown | Unknown | 540,000+ |
8 | Apple II | Apple Inc. | Computer | 8-bit | — | — | — | 500,000 [22] |
9 | Atari ST | Atari Corp. | Computer | 16-bit | — | — | — | 400,000 [22] |
10 | MSX | ASCII Corp. | Computer | 8-bit | 340,000 [27] | Unknown | Unknown | 340,000+ |
In Japan, according to Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) magazine, the following titles were the top ten best-selling 1987 releases, including later sales up until mid-1989. [28]
Rank | Title | Developer | Publisher | Genre | Platform | Sales |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dragon Quest II: Akuryō no Kamigami | Chunsoft | Enix | RPG | Famicom | 2,400,000 [29] |
2 | Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium '87 | Namco | Namco | Sports | Famicom | < 1,300,000 [30] |
3 | Moero!! Pro Yakyū (Bases Loaded) | TOSE | Jaleco | Sports | Famicom | < 1,000,000 [31] |
4 | Zelda 2: Link no Bōken (The Adventure of Link) | Nintendo R&D4 | Nintendo | Action RPG | Famicom Disk System | Unknown |
5 | Family Computer Golf: Japan Course | Nintendo R&D2 | Nintendo | Sports | Famicom | < 740,000 [31] |
6 | Saint Seiya: Ōgon Densetsu | Bandai | Bandai | Action RPG | Famicom | Unknown |
7 | Momotarō Densetsu (Momotarō Legend) | Hudson Soft | Hudson Soft | RPG | ||
8 | Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School | Squaresoft | Nintendo | Dating sim | Famicom Disk System | |
9 | Sanma no Meitantei (Great Detective Sanma) | Namco | Namco | Adventure | Famicom | |
10 | Famicom Mukashibanashi: Shin Onigashima | Nintendo R&D4 | Nintendo | Adventure | Famicom Disk System |
The following titles were the best-selling home video games on the Japan game charts published by Famicom Tsūshin (Famitsu) and Family Computer Magazine (Famimaga) in 1987.
Chart | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium (Famicom) [32] | Zelda 2: Link no Bōken (Famicom Disk System) | [33] | ||
February | Dragon Quest II (Famicom) | Family Computer Golf: Japan Course (FC) | Unknown | [34] | |
March | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
April | Sanma no Meitantei (Famicom) | Argus no Senshi (Famicom) | Family Jockey (Famicom) | [35] [36] | |
May | Kinnikuman 2 (FDS) [36] | Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium (Famicom) [33] | Yūshi no Monshō (FDS) | [37] | |
June | Bug-tte Honey (Famicom) [37] | Family Boxing (Famicom) [33] | Unknown | ||
July | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
August | Unknown | Unknown | Saint Seiya: Ōgon Densetsu (Famicom) | Dracula II: Noroi no Fūin (FC) | [38] |
September | Shin Onigashima (Famicom Disk System) | Unknown | Unknown | [38] [33] | |
October | Unknown | Unknown | Side Pocket (Famicom) | Momotaro Densetsu (FC) | [39] |
November | Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 Race (FDS) | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
December | Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium '87 (Famicom) [33] | Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School (Famicom Disk System) [40] |
In the United States, The Legend of Zelda was the best-selling home video game of 1987, [41] becoming the first third-generation video game (non-bundled) to cross a million US sales that year, [20] followed by Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! [42] In the United Kingdom, Out Run was the best-selling home video game of 1987, [43] with its 8-bit home computer ports becoming the fastest-selling games in the UK up until then. [44]
The following titles were the top-selling home video games on the monthly charts in the United Kingdom and United States during 1987.
Month | United Kingdom | United States | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All formats | ZX Spectrum | Sales | Title | Platform | Sales | Ref | |
January | Gauntlet [45] | Olli & Lissa [46] | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
February | Unknown | Leader Board [47] | |||||
March | Unknown | Feud [48] [49] | |||||
April | |||||||
May | Unknown | BMX Simulator [50] | |||||
June | Unknown | Milk Race [8] | |||||
July | Unknown | Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior [9] | Unknown | The Legend of Zelda | NES | Unknown | [51] |
August | Unknown | Exolon [10] | Unknown | Unknown | [52] | ||
September | Renegade [53] | Renegade [11] [54] | Unknown | Unknown | [55] | ||
October | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | [56] | |||
November | Unknown | Game Set and Match [13] | Unknown | Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! | NES | Unknown | [57] |
December | Out Run [58] [59] | 250,000+ [60] | Unknown | [61] | |||
1987 | Out Run [43] | 350,000 [62] | The Legend of Zelda | NES | 1,000,000+ [20] | [41] |
Award | Gamest Awards (Japan, December 1987) [63] | 2nd Famitsu Best Hit Game Awards (Japan, February 1988) [64] | 2nd Famimaga Game Awards (Japan, February 1988) [65] | 5th Golden Joystick Awards (United Kingdom, March 1988) [66] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arcade | Console | Famicom | Computer | |
Game of the Year | Darius | Dragon Quest II (Famicom) | Out Run | |
Critics' Choice Awards | — | Tsuppari Ōzumō (Famicom) Zombie Hunter (Famicom) Shin Onigashima (Famicom Disk System) Family Computer Golf (Famicom Disk System) Bubble Bobble (Famicom) Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei (Famicom) | — | — |
Best Game Design | — | Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School (FDS) | — | — |
Best Playability | — | — | Dragon Quest II | — |
Best Story | — | Dragon Quest II (Yuji Horii) | — | — |
Best Graphics | After Burner | Faxanadu (Famicom) | — | — |
Best 3D Game | — | Highway Star (Rad Racer) | — | — |
Best Speech Synthesis | Genpei Tōma Den | — | — | — |
Best Music / Sound | Darius | Momotaro Densetsu / Exciting Billiards | Dragon Quest II | — |
Best Character / Character Design | Athena Asamiya ( Psycho Soldier ) | Momotaro Densetsu (Famicom) | Dragon Quest II | — |
Best Developer / Software House | Sega | — | — | U.S. Gold |
Best Programmer | — | — | — | Jon Ritman |
Best Ports | — | Wizardry / Salamander | — | — |
Best Original Game / Originality | — | — | Dragon Quest II | Nebulus |
Most Popular Game / Long Seller | Out Run | Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium (R.B.I. Baseball) | — | — |
Arcade Game of the Year | — | — | — | Out Run |
Best Action Game | — | Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (Famicom) | Zelda 2: Link no Bōken (FDS) | — |
Best Shooter | — | Fantasy Zone (Famicom) | Salamander | — |
Best Adventure Game | — | Hokkaidō Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu (FC) | Shin Onigashima (FDS) | The Guild of Thieves |
Best RPG | — | Dragon Quest II (Famicom) | Dragon Quest II | — |
Best Action RPG | — | Zelda 2: Link no Bōken (FDS) | — | — |
Best Sports Game | — | Mike Tyson's Punch-Out! (Famicom) | Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium | — |
Best Puzzle Game | — | Shanghai | — | — |
Best Simulation / Strategy Game | — | SD Gundam World Gachapon Senshi (Famicom) | — | Vulcan |
Best Leisure / Casual Games | — | Mezase Pachi Pro: Pachio-kun / Side Pocket | — | — |
Best Board Game | — | Tetsudou Ou (Famicom) | — | — |
Best Mahjong Game | — | Professional Mahjong Gokū | — | — |
The following 1987 video game releases entered Famitsu magazine's "Platinum Hall of Fame" for receiving Famitsu scores of at least 35 out of 40. [67]
Title | Platform | Score (out of 40) | Developer | Publisher | Genre |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dragon Quest II: Akuryō no Kamigami (Dragon Warrior II) | Family Computer (Famicom) | 38 | Chunsoft | Enix | RPG |
Zelda 2: Link no Bōken (Zelda II: The Adventure of Link) | Famicom Disk System | 36 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | Action RPG |
The Legend of Zelda, originally released in Japan as The Hyrule Fantasy: Zelda no Densetsu, is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo. The first game of The Legend of Zelda series, it is set in the fantasy land of Hyrule and centers on an elf-like boy named Link, who aims to collect the eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom in order to rescue Princess Zelda from Ganon. The player controls Link from a top-down perspective and navigates throughout the overworld and dungeons, collecting weapons, defeating enemies and uncovering secrets along the way.
In the history of video games, the third generation of video game consoles, commonly referred to as the 8-bit era, began on July 15, 1983, with the Japanese release of two systems: Nintendo's Family Computer and Sega's SG-1000. When the Famicom was released outside of Japan, it was remodeled and marketed as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). This generation marked the end of the video game crash of 1983, and a shift in the dominance of home video game manufacturers from the United States to Japan. Handheld consoles were not a major part of this generation; the Game & Watch line from Nintendo and the Milton Bradley Microvision that were sold at the time are both considered part of the previous generation due to hardware typical of the second generation.
Dragon Quest, titled Dragon Warrior when initially localized to North America, is a role-playing video game developed by Chunsoft and published by Enix for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was originally released in Japan in 1986 and by Nintendo in North America in 1989. It is the first game in the Dragon Quest video game series. Dragon Quest has been ported and remade for several video game platforms, including the MSX, MSX2, PC-9801, Super Famicom, Game Boy Color, mobile phones, and Nintendo Switch as of 2019. The player controls the hero character who is charged with saving the Kingdom of Alefgard and rescuing its princess from the evil Dragonlord. Dragon Warrior's story became the second part in a trilogy, with several spinoff anime and manga series.
Ghosts 'n Goblins, known as Makaimura in Japan, is a platform video game developed by Capcom and released for arcades in 1985. It is the first game in the Ghosts 'n Goblins franchise, and has since been ported to numerous home platforms.
Famitsu, formerly Famicom Tsūshin, is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage, a subsidiary of Kadokawa. Famitsu is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the form of special topical issues devoted to only one console, video game company, or other theme. Shūkan Famitsū, the original Famitsu publication, is considered the most widely read and respected video game news magazine in Japan. From October 28, 2011, the company began releasing the digital version of the magazine exclusively on BookWalker weekly.
1995 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Dragon Quest VI, Mega Man 7, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, and Tekken 2, along with new titles such as Mario's Picross, Battle Arena Toshinden, Chrono Trigger, Rayman, Soul Edge, Twisted Metal, Star Wars: Dark Forces, Destruction Derby, Wipeout and Jumping Flash!
1993 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden, Mortal Kombat II, Secret of Mana, and Super Street Fighter II, alongside new titles such as Star Fox, FIFA International Soccer, Doom, Gunstar Heroes, Myst, Samurai Shodown, Ridge Racer, NBA Jam, Disney's Aladdin, and Virtua Fighter.
1992 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Dragon Quest V, Final Fantasy V, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, and Super Mario Kart, along with new titles such as Art of Fighting, Lethal Enforcers, Mortal Kombat and Virtua Racing.
1991 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Street Fighter II, Final Fantasy IV, Super Castlevania IV, Mega Man 4, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, along with new titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Battletoads, Lemmings, Sunset Riders, Duke Nukem, Fatal Fury: King of Fighters, and Streets of Rage. The year's highest-grossing video game worldwide was Capcom's arcade fighting game Street Fighter II. The year's best-selling system was the Game Boy for the second year in a row, while the year's best-selling home video game was Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog, which was also the year's top video game rental in the United States.
1990 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Dr. Mario, Dragon Quest IV, Final Fantasy III, Phantasy Star II, and Super Mario World, along with new titles such as Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light and Magic Sword. The year's highest-grossing arcade video games were Final Fight in Japan and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the United States. The year's best‑selling system was the Game Boy, while the year's best-selling home video game was Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
1989 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Phantasy Star II, Super Mario Land, Super Monaco GP, along with new titles such as Big Run, Bonk's Adventure, Final Fight, Golden Axe, Strider, Hard Drivin' and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The year also saw the release of the Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx-16 in North America, and the Game Boy worldwide along with Tetris and Super Mario Land.
1988 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Dragon Quest III, Super Contra, Super Mario Bros. 2, Mega Man 2, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, and Super Mario Bros. 3, along with new titles such as Assault, Altered Beast, Capcom Bowling, Ninja Gaiden, RoboCop, Winning Run and Chase H.Q.
1986 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Super Mario Bros. 2, along with new titles such as Arkanoid, Bubble Bobble, Castlevania, Dragon Quest, Ikari Warriors, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Out Run and R.B.I. Baseball. The year's highest-grossing arcade video games were Hang-On in Japan, Hang-On and Gauntlet in the United States, and Nemesis (Gradius) in London. The year's best‑selling home system was the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom) for the third year in a row, while the year's best-selling home video games in Western markets were Super Mario Bros. in the United States and Yie Ar Kung-Fu in the United Kingdom.
Super Hang-On is a motorcycle racing arcade video game released by Sega as the sequel to Hang-On. It uses a simulated motorcycle arcade cabinet, like the original game. An updated version was released in arcades 1991 as Limited Edition Hang-On.
Family Stadium, also known as Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium and Famista, is a series of baseball sports video games initially developed and released by Namco in Japan, and later developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The first entry in the series, Pro Baseball: Family Stadium, was released for the Nintendo Family Computer in 1986 and later in North America as R.B.I. Baseball, with the series being released on numerous home consoles, the latest being Pro Yakyuu Famista 2020 in 2020 for the Nintendo Switch. The series is considered a precursor to Namco's own World Stadium series of baseball games, released for arcades, PlayStation, and GameCube. The series has been a commercial success since, with over 15 million copies being sold as of 2016.
Winning Run is a first-person arcade racing simulation game developed and published by Namco in late December 1988 in Japan, before releasing internationally the following year. The player pilots a Formula One racer, with the objective being to complete each race in first place, all while avoiding opponents and other obstacles, such as flood-hit tunnels, pits and steep chambers. It was the very first game to run on the Namco System 21 arcade hardware, capable of 3D shaded polygons.
The 1980s was the second decade in the industry's history. It was a decade of highs and lows for video games. The decade began amidst a boom in the arcade business with giants like Atari still dominating the American market since the late-1970s. Another, the rising influence of the home computer, and a lack of quality in the games themselves led to an implosion of the video game market that nearly destroyed the industry in North America. It took home consoles years to recover from the crash, but Nintendo filled in the void with its Nintendo Entertainment System, reviving interest in consoles. Up until this point, most investors believed video games to be a fad that has since passed. In the remaining years of the decade, Sega ignites a console war with Nintendo, developers that had been affected by the crash experimented with the more advanced graphics of the PC, and Nintendo released the Game Boy, which would become the best-selling handheld gaming device for the next two-decades. Other consoles releases in the decade included the Intellivision, TurboGrafx-16 and Sega Genesis. Notable games of the 1980s included Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt, Metroid, Elite, SimCity, Galaga,Pitfall!, Frogger, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, Defender, Mega Man 2, The Legend of Zelda, Castlevania, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Super Mario Bros. 2, Bubble Bobble, Double Dragon,Final Fight, Ninja Gaiden,Tetris, Adventure, Joust, Robotron: 2084, Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Arkanoid,Populous, R-Type, Contra, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Super Mario Bros. 3, Prince of Persia, Sid Meier's Pirates!, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?,Gauntlet, Dragon's Lair, Golden Axe, Ms. Pac-Man, Out Run, Dungeon Master,Final Fantasy, Altered Beast, Shinobi, Lode Runner, Battlezone,Dragon Quest, Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar, and Marble Madness.
Family Circuit is a top-down racing video game released for the Family Computer in 1988 by Namco in Japan only. The game was developed by Masanobu Endō, who previously developed Xevious and The Tower of Druaga, and his company Game Studio.
Willow is a 1989 2D action role-playing game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is loosely based on the 1988 film of the same name and is the second title Capcom released based on Willow that year, the first being an unrelated side scrolling arcade game. The version of Willow released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Famicom is an adventure game in the vein of The Legend of Zelda.
Pro Baseball: Family Stadium, released as Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium in Japan and R.B.I. Baseball in North America, is a 1986 baseball video game developed and published by Namco for the Nintendo Entertainment System. In North America, it was published by Tengen as R.B.I. Baseball. It was also released in arcades through the Nintendo VS. System. It is the first game in the Family Stadium and R.B.I. Baseball franchises. The game was a critical and commercial success in Japan and North America.
The domestic shipment value of personal computers in fiscal 1988 totaled ¥649 billion (up 23 percent over fiscal 1987); the domestic shipment volume was 1,375,000 (up 14 percent over 1987). The value of domestic shipments has recorded annual growth. Conversely, the volume of domestic shipments of personal computers stabilized at the 1,200,000-nit mark for four years beginning in fiscal 1984. However, this volume began to increase rapidly in fiscal 1988.
The volume of domestic shipments of the MSX remained at the 150,000 mark, for a marked decline of 56 percent from 1987.