1987 in video games

List of years in video games
+...

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.

Financial performance

Highest-grossing arcade games

The year's highest-grossing arcade game worldwide was Sega's Out Run.

Japan

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

United Kingdom

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]

United States

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]

Best-selling home systems

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 Mac 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. Computer 8-bit 340,000[27] Un­known Un­known 340,000+

Best-selling home video games

Japan

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]

United Kingdom and United States

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]

Top-rated games

Major awards

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 — —

Famitsu Platinum Hall of Fame

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

Business

Notable releases

Arcade

Home

Hardware

See also

References

  1. ^ "87' ゲーメスト大賞 〜 ベストインカム" [87' Gamest Awards – Best Income]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 17 (February 1988). December 28, 1987. pp. 25-38 (36-7). alternate url
  2. ^ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25: '87" (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 324. Amusement Press, Inc. January 15, 1988. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b Prisco, Jacopo (September 18, 2021). "How Out Run changed video games forever". Wired UK. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Burn Rubber". Computer and Video Games. No. 75 (January 1988). December 15, 1987. pp. 50–1.
  5. ^ "Top Ten Coin-Ops of the Month". Computer and Video Games. No. 66 (April 1987). March 1987. p. 92.
  6. ^ "Arcade Action". Computer and Video Games. No. 67 (May 1987). April 1987. p. 93.
  7. ^ "Arcade Action". Computer and Video Games. No. 70 (August 1987). July 15, 1987. p. 112.
  8. ^ a b "Street Life". Your Sinclair. No. 21 (September 1987). August 1987. pp. 34–5.
  9. ^ a b "Street Life". Your Sinclair. No. 22 (October 1987). September 10, 1987. pp. 66–7.
  10. ^ a b "Street Life". Your Sinclair. No. 23 (November 1987). October 12, 1987. pp. 72–3.
  11. ^ a b "Street Life". Your Sinclair. No. 24 (December 1987). November 1987. pp. 38–9.
  12. ^ "Arcade Action: The Top Ten". Computer and Video Games. No. 75 (January 1988). December 15, 1987. p. 151.
  13. ^ a b "Street Life". Your Sinclair. No. 26 (February 1988). January 1988. pp. 22–3.
  14. ^ "Nominees Announced For AMOA's JB, Games, & Vending Promo Awards" (PDF). Cash Box. October 3, 1987. p. 37.
  15. ^ Compasio, Camille (November 14, 1987). "Around The Route". Cash Box. Cash Box Pub. Co. p. 32.
  16. ^ "1987". Play Meter. Vol. 20, no. 13. December 1994. p. 78.
  17. ^ "米国「リプレイ」誌 ザ•プレイヤーズ •チョイス 1987年1月号から" [US "RePlay" Magazine: The Players Choice - From the January 1987 Issue] (PDF). Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 300. Amusement Press, Inc. January 15, 1987. p. 17.
  18. ^ "Coin-Op Top Ten". Top Score. Amusement Players Association. Winter 1987.
  19. ^ a b 小川 (Ogawa), 純生 (Sumio) (December 14, 2010). "テレビゲーム機の変遷 —ファミコン、スーパーファミコン、プレステ、プレステ2、Wiiまで—" [Recent Developments in Video Game Technology in Japan — Famicom, Super Famicom, Play Station, Play Station 2 and Wii —] (PDF). 経営論集 (Keiei Ronshū) (in Japanese) (77) (published March 2011): 1-17 (2). ISSN 0286-6439. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2021 – via Toyo University Academic Information Repository (Toyo University).
  20. ^ a b c Lindner, Richard (1990). Video Games: Past, Present and Future; An Industry Overview. United States: Nintendo of America.
  21. ^ a b c "Las Vegas, un coup de joystick dans le sable" [Las Vegas, a joystick in the sand]. Tilt (in French). No. 52. March 1988. pp. 18-23 (19).
  22. ^ a b c d Reimer, Jeremy (December 15, 2005). "Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  23. ^ Tanaka, Tatsuo (August 2001). Network Externality and Necessary Software Statistics (PDF). Statistics Bureau of Japan. p. 2.
  24. ^ Personal Computing. October 1988. p. 219.
  25. ^ Methe, David; Mitchell, Will; Miyabe, Junichiro; Toyama, Ryoko (January 1998). "Overcoming a Standard Bearer: Challenges to NEC's Personal Computer in Japan". Research Papers in Economics (RePEc): 35 – via ResearchGate.
  26. ^ Japan Electronics Almanac. Dempa Publications. 1990. p. 145. 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.
  27. ^ Japan Electronics Almanac. Dempa Publications. 1990. p. 146. The volume of domestic shipments of the MSX remained at the 150,000 mark, for a marked decline of 56 percent from 1987.
  28. ^ "総合TOP50" [Total Top 50]. ファミコン通信 〜 '89全ソフトカタログ [Famicom Tsūshin: '89 All Software Catalog]. Famicom Tsūshin (in Japanese). September 15, 1989. p. 78.
  29. ^ Fujii, Daiji (June 10, 2005). "The Birth of "Final Fantasy": Square Corporation". 岡山大学経済学会雑誌 (Okayama Economic Review). 37 (1). Okayama University: 63–88 (82). ISSN 0386-3069 – via Okayama University Scientific Achievement Repository.
  30. ^ "Japan Platinum Game Chart". The Magic Box. Archived from the original on January 1, 2008. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  31. ^ a b "Game Search". Game Data Library. Famitsu. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  32. ^ "ファミコン通信 TOP 30: 1月23日" [Famicom Tsūshin Top 30: January 23]. Famicom Tsūshin (in Japanese). Vol. 1987, no. 3. February 6, 1987. pp. 8–9.
  33. ^ a b c d e "1987 Weekly". Game Data Library. Famitsu. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  34. ^ "2/9～2/15 — 2/16～2/22". Family Computer Magazine (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. March 20, 1987. pp. 132–3.
  35. ^ "4/6～4/12 — 4/13～4/19". Family Computer Magazine (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. May 15, 1987. pp. 136–8.
  36. ^ a b "4/20～4/26 — 4/27～5/3". Family Computer Magazine (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. June 5, 1987. pp. 138–9.
  37. ^ a b "5/25～5/31 — 6/1～6/7". Family Computer Magazine (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. July 3, 1987. pp. 172–3.
  38. ^ a b "8/24～8/30 — 8/31～9/6". Family Computer Magazine (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. October 2, 1987. p. 122.
  39. ^ "10/26～11/1 — 11/2～11/8". Family Computer Magazine (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. December 4, 1987. p. 180.
  40. ^ "ファミコン通信 TOP 30: 2月5日" [Famicom Tsūshin Top 30: February 5]. Famicom Tsūshin (in Japanese). Vol. 1988, no. 4. February 19, 1988. pp. 12–7.
  41. ^ a b "Count Down Hot 100: USA Hot 10!". Famicom Tsūshin (in Japanese). No. 226. April 16, 1993. p. 83.
  42. ^ Gellene, Denise (June 13, 1988). "The Joystick Lives: New Technology, Better Marketing Give Video Games a Second Life". The Los Angeles Times. p. 57. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  43. ^ a b "OutRun". Computer and Video Games (80). EMAP: 30–1. June 1988. ISSN 0261-3697.
  44. ^ "Out Run". Crash. No. 49. Newsfield. February 1988. pp. 22–23 (22). ISSN 0954-8661.
  45. ^ "Top 20". Your Computer. April 1987. p. 30.
  46. ^ "Top Ten Games". Your Sinclair. No. 16. May 1987. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  47. ^ "Top Ten Games". Your Sinclair. No. 17. May 1987. Archived from the original on October 26, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  48. ^ "Top Ten Games". Your Sinclair. No. 18. June 1987. Archived from the original on December 7, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  49. ^ "Top Ten Games". Your Sinclair. No. 19 (July 1987). June 1987. Archived from the original on October 26, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  50. ^ "Top Ten Games". Your Sinclair. No. 20 (August 1987). July 1987. p. 17.
  51. ^ "Top Ten Videogames" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 6, no. 5. August 1987. p. 1.
  52. ^ "Top Ten Videogames" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 6, no. 6. September 1987. p. 1.
  53. ^ "CVG Birthday Shout". Computer and Video Games. No. 180 (November 1996). October 9, 1996. pp. 8–9.
  54. ^ "Top Ten Games". Your Sinclair. No. 25 (January 1988). December 10, 1987. Archived from the original on December 3, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  55. ^ "Top Ten Videogames" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 6, no. 7. October 1987. p. 1.
  56. ^ "Top Ten Videogames" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 6, no. 8. November 1987. p. 1.
  57. ^ "Top Ten Videogames" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 6, no. 9. December 1987. p. 1.
  58. ^ Cundy, Matt (December 25, 2007). "Every Christmas Top 10 from the last 20 years". GamesRadar. p. 11. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  59. ^ "Street Life". Your Sinclair. No. 27 (March 1988). February 1988. pp. 22–3.
  60. ^ "License To Thrill?". ACE (10). Future plc: 31. July 1988. ISSN 0954-8076.
  61. ^ "Top Ten Videogames" (PDF). Computer Entertainer. Vol. 6, no. 10. January 1988. p. 1.
  62. ^ "Game of the Year". Your Sinclair. No. 28 (April 1988). March 10, 1988. pp. 64–5.
  63. ^ "87' ゲーメスト大賞" [87' Gamest Awards]. Gamest (in Japanese). Vol. 17 (February 1988). December 28, 1987. pp. 25–38. alternate url
  64. ^ "1987 ベストヒットゲーム大賞" [1987 Best Hit Game Awards]. Famicom Tsūshin (in Japanese). Vol. 1988, no. 4. February 19, 1988. pp. 6–11.
  65. ^ "1987 ファミマガゲーム大賞" [1987 Famimaga Game Awards]. Family Computer Magazine (in Japanese). February 19, 1988. pp. 114–7.
  66. ^ "Golden Joystick Awards 1988". Computer and Video Games. No. 79 (May 1988). Future Publishing. April 15, 1988. p. 39.
  67. ^ "週刊ファミ通クロスレビュープラチナ殿堂入りソフト一覧" [Weekly Famitsu Cross Review Platinum Hall of Fame Software List]. Geimin (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 27, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2021.