1987 in video games

none December 2009 March 2016 1987 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 bestselling 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 Gamest87' ゲーメスト大賞 〜 ベストインカム 87' Gamest Awards – Best Income Gamest December 28, 1987 17 (February 1988) https://archive.org/details/gamest0017/page/n40/mode/2up 25-38 (36-7) ja alternate url Game MachineGame Machine's Best Hit Games 25: '87 Game Machine 324 Amusement Press, Inc. 15 January 1988 20 ja https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19880115p.pdf#page=11 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.Prisco Jacopo How Out Run changed video games forever https://www.wired.co.uk/article/out-run-video-game-design 4 November 2021 Wired UK 18 September 2021Burn Rubber Computer and Video Games 15 December 1987 75 (January 1988) 50–1 https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-075/page/n49/mode/2up The following titles were the top-grossing games on the monthly arcade charts in 1987. Month Title Manufacturer Genre Ref Reference(s) February Out Run Sega Racing Top Ten Coin-Ops of the Month Computer and Video Games March 1987 66 (April 1987) 92 https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-066/page/n92Arcade Action Computer and Video Games April 1987 67 (May 1987) 93 https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-067/page/n92/mode/1up March April Bubble Bobble Taito Platformer Arcade Action Computer and Video Games 15 July 1987 70 (August 1987) 112 https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-070/page/n111 May June July Double Dragon Taito Beat 'em up Street Life Your Sinclair August 1987 21 (September 1987) 34–5 https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines/your-sinclair/21#34 August Street Life Your Sinclair 10 September 1987 22 (October 1987) 66–7 https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-22/page/n65/mode/2up September After Burner Sega Combat flight sim Street Life Your Sinclair 12 October 1987 23 (November 1987) 72–3 https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-23/page/n71/mode/2up October Operation Wolf Taito Light gun shooter Street Life Your Sinclair November 1987 24 (December 1987) 38–9 https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-24/page/n37/mode/2up November 1942 Capcom Scrolling shooter Arcade Action: The Top Ten Computer and Video Games 15 December 1987 75 (January 1988) 151 https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-075/page/n150 December Operation Wolf Taito Light gun shooter Street Life Your Sinclair January 1988 26 (February 1988) 22–3 https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-26/page/n21/mode/2up 1987 Out Run Sega Racing United States In the United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1987. Rank Play Meter AMOANominees Announced For AMOA's JB, Games, & Vending Promo Awards Cash Box October 3, 1987 37 https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1987/CB-1987-10-03.pdf#page=37Compasio Camille Around The Route Cash Box 1987-11-14 32 https://archive.org/details/cashbox51unse_19/page/32 Cash Box Pub. Co. Dedicated cabinet Conversion kit 1 Out Run1987 Play Meter December 1994 20 13 78 https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-20-number-13-december-1994/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Number%2013%20-%20December%201994/page/78 Out Run Arkanoid 2 rowspan="3" Contra, Double Dragon, Rolling Thunder Ikari Warriors, Rastan, Top Gunner, World Series 3 4 5 The following titles were the top-grossing games on the monthly RePlay arcade charts in 1987. Month Upright cabinet Software kitRef Reference January Out Run Gauntlet II 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 Game Machine 300 Amusement Press, Inc. 15 January 1987 17 ja https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19870115p.pdf#page=9 February Championship Sprint Coin-Op Top Ten Top Score Winter 1987 Amusement Players Association https://archive.org/details/1987WinterTopScore/page/n7 Best-selling home systems RankSystem(s)ManufacturerTypeGenerationSalesJapanUSAEUWorldwide1Nintendo Entertainment System / FamicomNintendoConsole8-bit1,780,000小川 (Ogawa) 純生 (Sumio) 2010-12-14 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 — http://www.toyo.ac.jp/uploaded/attachment/3049.pdf 経営論集 (Keiei Ronshū) ja March 2011 77 1–17 (2) 0286-6439 https://web.archive.org/web/20150725185700/www.toyo.ac.jp/uploaded/attachment/3049.pdf 2015-07-25 2021-12-06 Toyo University Academic Information Repository (Toyo University)3,000,000300,000March 1988 Las Vegas, un coup de joystick dans le sable Las Vegas, a joystick in the sand https://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Tilt/tilt_numero052/TILT%20-%20n052%20-%20mars%201988%20-%20page018%20et%20019.jpg Tilt fr 52 18–23 (19)5,080,000+2Commodore 64 (C64)CommodoreComputer8-bit 1,500,000Reimer Jeremy 2005-12-15 Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures https://arstechnica.com/features/2005/12/total-share/ live 2021-11-27 Ars Technica en-us https://web.archive.org/web/20120607023023/http://arstechnica.com:80/features/2005/12/total-share/ June 7, 2012 Jeremy Reimer 2012-12-07 Total Share: Personal Computer Market Share 1975-2010 https://jeremyreimer.com/rockets-item.lsp?p=137 Jeremy Reimer3Sega Mark III / Master SystemSegaConsole8-bit280,000Tanaka Tatsuo http://www.stat.go.jp/english/info/meetings/iaos/pdf/tanaka.pdf#page=2 Network Externality and Necessary Software Statistics August 2001 Statistics Bureau of Japan 2500,000155,000935,0004IBM PS/2 (Model 30 / 50)IBMComputer16-bit Personal Computing October 1988 2195PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16)NECConsole16-bit600,000 600,0006MacApple Inc.Computer16-bit 550,0007NEC PC-88 / PC-98NECComputer8-bit / 16-bit,000Methe David Mitchell Will Miyabe Junichiro Toyama Ryoko January 1998 Overcoming a Standard Bearer: Challenges to NEC's Personal Computer in Japan https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5160396 Research Papers in Economics (RePEc) 35 ResearchGatehttps://books.google.com/books?id=ch1NAQAAIAAJ Japan Electronics Almanac 1990 Dempa Publications 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. 540,000+8Apple IIApple Inc.Computer8-bit 500,0009Atari STAtari Corp.Computer16-bit 400,00010MSXASCII.Computer8-bit,000https://books.google.com/books?id=ch1NAQAAIAAJ Japan Electronics Almanac 1990 Dempa Publications 146 The volume of domestic shipments of the MSX remained at the 150,000 mark, for a marked decline of 56 percent from 1987. 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.https://cdn-ak.f.st-hatena.com/images/fotolife/M/MULTi88/20200420/20200420023605.jpg ファミコン通信 〜 '89全ソフトカタログ 15 September 1989 Famicom Tsūshin 78 Famicom Tsūshin: '89 All Software Catalog 総合TOP50 Total Top 50 ja Rank Title Developer Publisher Genre Platform Sales 1 Dragon Quest II: Akuryō no Kamigami Chunsoft Enix RPG Famicom 2,400,000Fujii Daiji 2005-06-10 The Birth of "Final Fantasy": Square Corporation https://ousar.lib.okayama-u.ac.jp/40488 岡山大学経済学会雑誌 (Okayama Economic Review) Okayama University 37 1 63–88 (82) 0386-3069 Okayama University Scientific Achievement Repository 2 Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium '87 Namco Namco Sports Famicom < 1,300,000Japan Platinum Game Chart http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml The Magic Box 23 August 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20080101043949/www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml 2008-01-01 3 Moero!! Pro Yakyū (Bases Loaded) TOSE Jaleco Sports Famicom < 1,000,000Game Search https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search Game Data Library Famitsu 12 September 2021 4 Zelda 2: Link no Bōken (The Adventure of Link) Nintendo R&D4 Nintendo Action RPG Famicom Disk System 5 Family Computer Golf: Japan Course Nintendo R&D2 Nintendo Sports Famicom < 740,000 6 Saint Seiya: Ōgon Densetsu Bandai Bandai Action RPG Famicom rowspan="5" 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 4Ref Reference(s) January Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium (Famicom)ファミコン通信 TOP 30: 1月23日 Famicom Tsūshin Top 30: January 23 Famicom Tsūshin 6 February 1987 1987 3 8–9 https://cdn-ak.f.st-hatena.com/images/fotolife/M/MULTi88/20190410/20190410193317.jpg ja Zelda 2: Link no Bōken (Famicom Disk System) 1987 Weekly https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/games-by-year/1987-weekly Game Data Library Famitsu 13 August 2021 February Dragon Quest II (Famicom) Family Computer Golf: Japan Course (FC) 2/9～2/15 — 2/16～2/22 Family Computer Magazine 20 March 1987 Tokuma Shoten 132–3 https://archive.org/details/famimaga-mar-1987/page/132/mode/2up ja March April Sanma no Meitantei (Famicom) Argus no Senshi (Famicom) Family Jockey (Famicom) 4/6～4/12 — 4/13～4/19 Family Computer Magazine 15 May 1987 Tokuma Shoten 136–8 https://archive.org/details/famimaga-may-15-1987/page/9 ja4/20～4/26 — 4/27～5/3 Family Computer Magazine 5 June 1987 Tokuma Shoten 138–9 https://archive.org/details/famimagajune1987/page/n128/mode/2up ja May Kinnikuman 2 (FDS) Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium (Famicom) Yūshi no Monshō (FDS) 5/25～5/31 — 6/1～6/7 Family Computer Magazine 3 July 1987 Tokuma Shoten 172–3 https://archive.org/details/famimaga-jul-1987/page/172/mode/2up ja June Bug-tte Honey (Famicom) Family Boxing (Famicom) July August Saint Seiya: Ōgon Densetsu (Famicom) Dracula II: Noroi no Fūin (FC) 8/24～8/30 — 8/31～9/6 Family Computer Magazine 2 October 1987 Tokuma Shoten 122 https://archive.org/details/famimagaoctober1987/page/n119 ja September Shin Onigashima (Famicom Disk System) October Side Pocket (Famicom) Momotaro Densetsu (FC) 10/26～11/1 — 11/2～11/8 Family Computer Magazine 4 December 1987 Tokuma Shoten 180 https://archive.org/details/famimaga-dec-1987/page/180 ja November Famicom Grand Prix: F-1 Race (FDS) December Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium '87 (Famicom) Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School (Famicom Disk System)ファミコン通信 TOP 30: 2月5日 Famicom Tsūshin Top 30: February 5 Famicom Tsūshin 19 February 1988 1988 4 12–7 https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4152-famitsu-issue-0043-february-19-1988/ ja United Kingdom and United States In the United States, The Legend of Zelda was the best-selling home video game of 1987, becoming the first third-generation video game (non-bundled) to cross a million US sales that year,Lindner Richard Video Games: Past, Present and Future; An Industry Overview 1990 Nintendo of America United States https://archive.org/details/06Kahle001551 followed by Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!Gellene Denise The Joystick Lives: New Technology, Better Marketing Give Video Games a Second Life https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21593457/nintendo-report-1987-super-mario/ 13 September 2021 The Los Angeles Times 13 June 1988 57 In the United Kingdom, Out Run was the best-selling home video game of 1987,June 1988 OutRun Computer and Video Games EMAP 80 30–1 0261-3697 https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-080/page/n29 with its 8-bit home computer ports becoming the fastest-selling games in the UK up until then.February 1988 Out Run Crash Newsfield 49 22–23 (22) 0954-8661 https://archive.org/stream/crash-magazine-49/Crash_49_Feb_1988#page/n21 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 Reference January GauntletTop 20 Your Computer April 1987 30 https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines/pages/your-computer/n/30 Olli & LissaTop Ten Games Your Sinclair May 1987 16 https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/page.php?issue_id=237&page=26 19 April 2021 rowspan="6" rowspan="6" rowspan="6" rowspan="6" February Leader BoardTop Ten Games Your Sinclair May 1987 17 http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys17.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20001026141558/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys17.htm October 26, 2000 9 April 2021 March rowspan="2" FeudTop Ten Games Your Sinclair June 1987 18 http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys18.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20001207030300/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys18.htm December 7, 2000 9 April 2021 Top Ten Games Your Sinclair June 1987 19 (July 1987) http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys19.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20001026152837/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys19.htm October 26, 2000 9 April 2021 April May BMX SimulatorTop Ten Games Your Sinclair July 1987 20 (August 1987) 17 https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-20/page/n18/mode/2up June Milk Race July Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior The Legend of ZeldaNES Top Ten Videogames Computer Entertainer August 1987 6 5 1 https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_aug87.pdf August Exolon Top Ten Videogames Computer Entertainer September 1987 6 6 1 https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_sep87.pdf September RenegadeCVG Birthday Shout Computer and Video Games 9 October 1996 180 (November 1996) 8–9 https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_180_1996-11_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n7/mode/2up RenegadeTop Ten Games Your Sinclair 10 December 1987 25 (January 1988) http://ysrnry.co.uk/ys25.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20001203201200/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys25.htm December 3, 2000 9 April 2021 Top Ten Videogames Computer Entertainer October 1987 6 7 1 https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_oct87.pdf October Top Ten Videogames Computer Entertainer November 1987 6 8 1 https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_nov87.pdf November Game Set and Match Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! NES Top Ten Videogames Computer Entertainer December 1987 6 9 1 https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_dec87.pdf December Out RunCundy Matt Every Christmas Top 10 from the last 20 years https://www.gamesradar.com/every-christmas-top-10-from-the-last-20-years/11/ GamesRadar 11 9 March 2021 25 December 2007Street Life Your Sinclair February 1988 27 (March 1988) 22–3 https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-27/page/n21/mode/2up 250,000+July 1988 License To Thrill? ACE Future plc 10 31 0954-8076 https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-10/page/n30 Top Ten Videogames Computer Entertainer January 1988 6 10 1 https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_jan88.pdf 1987 Out Run 350,00010 March 1988 Game of the Year https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-28/page/n63/mode/2up Your Sinclair 28 (April 1988) 64–5 The Legend of Zelda NES 1,000,000+Count Down Hot 100: USA Hot 10! Famicom Tsūshin 16 April 1993 226 83 ja https://archive.org/details/famitsu-issue-226-apr-1993/page/83 Top-rated games Major awards Award Gamest Awards (Japan, December 1987)87' ゲーメスト大賞 87' Gamest Awards Gamest December 28, 1987 17 (February 1988) https://archive.org/details/gamest0017/page/n40/mode/2up 25–38 ja alternate url 2nd Famitsu Best Hit Game Awards (Japan, February 1988)1987 ベストヒットゲーム大賞 1987 Best Hit Game Awards Famicom Tsūshin February 19, 1988 1988 4 6–11 https://www.retromags.com/files/file/4152-famitsu-issue-0043-february-19-1988/ ja 2nd Famimaga Game Awards (Japan, February 1988)1987 ファミマガゲーム大賞 1987 Famimaga Game Awards Family Computer Magazine 19 February 1988 114–7 https://archive.org/details/famimagafebruary1988/page/n112 ja 5th Golden Joystick Awards (United Kingdom, March 1988)Golden Joystick Awards 1988 Computer and Video Games 79 (May 1988) 15 April 1988 39 https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_079_1988-05_EMAP_Publishing_GB/Computer__Video_Games_Issue_079_1988-05_EMAP_Publishing_GB#page/n38/mode/1up Future PublishingArcadeConsoleFamicomComputer Game of the Year DariusDragon 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 BilliardsDragon 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.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 http://geimin.net/da/db/cross_review/index.php https://web.archive.org/web/20081027205828/http://geimin.net/da/db/cross_review/index.php Geimin ja dead October 27, 2008 24 February 2021 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 New companies: Acclaim, Apogee, The Bitmap Brothers, Empire Interactive, GameTek, Maxis, Natsume Co., Ltd. Defunct: Electric Transit, English Software, Muse Electronic Arts acquires Batteries Included. Atari Games establishes the Tengen division for porting their games to home systems. Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Blockbuster Entertainment lawsuit: Nintendo sues Blockbuster for photocopying complete NES manuals for its rental games. Nintendo wins the suit, and Blockbuster includes original manuals with its rentals. SSI President Joel Billings acquires the license to the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game, setting the stage for the Gold Box line of D&D games. Notable releases Arcade February 20 – Konami releases Contra July 1 – Irem releases scrolling shooter R-Type. July – Technōs Japan releases Double Dragon to arcades, distributed internationally by Taito. August 30 – Capcom releases Street Fighter, the first game of the series. Taito releases Rastan and Operation Wolf. Namco releases Wonder Momo, which is their last 8-bit game, Yokai Dochuki, which is their first 16-bit game, Dragon Spirit, Blazer, Quester, Pac-Mania, Galaga '88 and Final Lap. Atari Games releases RoadBlasters, Xybots, and APB. Home January 14 – Nintendo releases Zelda II: The Adventure of Link for the Famicom Disk System in Japan only. The game would go unreleased in America for nearly two years afterwards. February 12 – Infocom releases Bureaucracy from author Douglas Adams. May 1 – Konami releases Castlevania in North America. June 21 – Nihon Falcom releases Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished for the PC-8801 in Japan only. The game's director is Masaya Hashimoto, and it is the first game in the long running Ys series. June – Codemasters release Dizzy – The Ultimate Cartoon Adventure July 1 – Nintendo releases Kid Icarus in North America. July 5 – the Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards adventure is released by Sierra Entertainment. July 13 – Konami releases Metal Gear for MSX2 in Japan and Europe. August 15 – Nintendo releases Metroid in North America. August 22 – Nintendo releases The Legend of Zelda in America and Europe, a year after being available in Japan. August 28 – Konami releases Castlevania II: Simon's Quest in Japan, the second Castlevania title released for the NES/Famicom. October – Nintendo releases Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! for NES/Famicom. October – LucasArts releases Maniac Mansion, the first game to use the SCUMM engine, innovating the point-and-click interface for the adventure game genre. November 14 – Sierra On-Line releases Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge, the second game in the Space Quest series. December 17 – Capcom releases the first Mega Man game in the long-standing series for the NES/Famicom. December 18 – Square's Hironobu Sakaguchi releases Final Fantasy for the Famicom in Japan. Originally intended to be the company's last release, the game's success resulted in a prolific series. It was released in the US 3 years later. December 20 – Sega releases Phantasy Star on the Master System, featuring a female protagonist. FTL Games releases Dungeon Master for the Atari ST. Sierra On-Line releases Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel, the first game in the Police Quest series. MIDI Maze for the Atari ST is a first person shooter allowing up to 16 computers to be networked via the built-in MIDI ports for deathmatch-style fights. Incentive Software releases Driller, a first person game using 3D filled polygons. Ocean Software releases Head Over Heels, an isometric action-adventure game, for several 8-bit home computers. MicroProse releases Sid Meier's Pirates!, the first game from Meier with his name in the title. System 3 releases The Last Ninja. Accolade releases Test Drive. Hardware thumb|PC Engine March 28 – Sharp releases the X68000 in Japan. April – IBM launches the PS/2 line of computers which introduces VGA graphics and 3.5 inch floppy disk drives to PCs. September – Master System released in Europe. October 30 – NEC releases the PC Engine console in Japan, starting the fourth generation. Acorn releases the Acorn Archimedes 32-bit home computer, which brought the game Zarch (later known on other platforms as Virus) to prominence. Commodore releases the lower-cost Amiga 500 which became a significant gaming machine, particularly in Europe, and becomes the best-selling model. Atari Corporation releases the XE Game System, or Atari XEGS, a repackaged 65XE computer which is the last in the Atari 8-bit computer series. Master System is released in Japan. AdLib sets a de facto standard for PC audio with its Yamaha YM3812-based sound card. Namco develops the Namco System 1 arcade system board, followed later in the year by the Namco System 2. The IBM PCjr is discontinued after three years. See also 1987 in games References External links Video Game, Released between 1987-01-01 and 1987-12-31 (IMDb) Category:Video games by year