Games Released in 1984

1,130 new games debuted in 1984 across 10 platforms, with Arcade seeing 72 releases. February was the busiest month, with 63 releases.

Top Platform

Arcade

New Releases

1,130

Busiest Month

February

Pac-Man

What was the most popular game of 1984?

Pac-Man

The NES port of the arcade classic.

Which days had the most releases?

February 1 was the busiest single day of 1984 with 51 releases.

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51 releases

February 1

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36 releases

December 31

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33 releases

June 1

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21 releases

January 1

Which month had the most releases?

The busiest release month of 1984 was February, totaling 63 titles.

How did each season compare?

Q1 was the busiest quarter of 1984 with 110 releases.

Q1 (Jan–Mar)

110 releases
H.E.R.O.

Most popular release in Q1

H.E.R.O.

There is trouble in the mines! Volcanic activity has trapped numerous miners, and it is your job to save them. As Roderick Hero, you need to make your way through the dangerous mineshaft avoiding the dangerous creatures and lava, and find out where the miners are located before you run out of energy. To help on your mission, Roderick Hero has several useful types of equipment. A prop pack will allow you to hover and fly around the mineshaft and (hopefully) avoid the many dangers within. Your helmet features a short range microlaser beam which can be used to destroy the bats, spiders, snakes, and other creatures you'll encounter in the mines. From time to time, your path through the mine may be blocked by stone or lava walls. You begin each mission with six sticks of dynamite which can be used to destroy these obstacles (be careful you don't blow yourself up, though!) If you run out of dynamite, your laser beam can also be used to destroy the walls, though this will take longer and use up more energy. As the levels progress, the mine shaft will become longer and more maze-like, creatures will more frequently block the path, and lava walls and pools will appear which are dangerous to the touch.

Q2 (Apr–Jun)

69 releases
Duck Hunt

Most popular release in Q2

Duck Hunt

It’s duck season, and your trusty hunting dog is ready to scour the open fields. Test your sharpshooting skills as your targets take flight. Be quick to knock them out of the skies, or your canine companion won’t hesitate to make you the laughingstock of hunters! Need a change in scenery? Best your score against clay-pigeon targets instead! With three fun modes to choose from, get your trigger finger ready for some fast-paced action! You only have three shots to hit your target before it zooms offscreen. Things might get a bit hairy when you advance to the next round, because those ducks and clay pigeons are going to fly faster and faster! Play solo, or challenge a friend as you test your dogged determination and feathered speed in this NES classic!

Which platforms saw the most releases?

Arcade received 72 new titles in 1984, holding the most releases. The runner up was Commodore C64/128/MAX with 56 new titles.

Arcade72 releases
Commodore C64/128/MAX56 releases
PC-8800 Series42 releases
ZX Spectrum31 releases
MSX25 releases
Family Computer21 releases
ColecoVision19 releases
Apple II15 releases
Atari 8-bit15 releases
PC-9800 Series13 releases

What genres were most popular?

Arcade was the dominant genre in 1984 with 127 titles. Shooter followed closely with 81.

Arcade127
Shooter81
Platform55
Adventure47
Puzzle47
Sport39
Strategy27
Simulator26
Racing16
Role-playing11
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