Games Released in 1986

1,007 new games debuted in 1986 across 10 platforms, with Family Computer seeing 82 releases. December was the busiest month, with 100 releases. The Legend of Zelda was the most popular release of the year.

Which days had the most releases?

December 31 was the busiest single day of 1986 with 41 releases.

41 releases

December 31

35 releases

February 1

22 releases

September 1

20 releases

December 1

Which month had the most releases?

The busiest release month of 1986 was December, totaling 100 titles.

How did each season compare?

Q4 was the busiest quarter of 1986 with 157 releases.

Q1 (Jan–Mar)

96 releases

Most popular release in Q1

The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda is the first title in the Zelda series, it has marked the history of video games particularly for it's game mechanics and universe. The player controls Link and must make his way through the forests, graveyards, plains and deserts of the Otherworld to find the secret entrances to the eight dungeons and try to restore the broken Triforce. Among the game's mechanics, it was the first time we saw a continuous world that could be freely explored, power-ups that permanently enhanced the main character's abilities and a battery save feature that allowed players to keep their progress instead of having to start over. The gameplay balanced action sequences with discovery, secrets and exploration.

Q2 (Apr–Jun)

95 releases

Most popular release in Q2

Arkanoid

Arkanoid is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It expanded upon Atari's Breakout games of the 1970s by adding power-ups, different types of bricks, and a variety of level layouts. The title refers to a doomed "mothership" from which the player's ship, the Vaus, escapes.

Q3 (Jul–Sep)

93 releases

Most popular release in Q3

Castlevania

Step into the shadows of the deadliest dwelling on earth. You've arrived at Castlevania, and you're here on business: To destroy forever the Curse of the Evil Count. Unfortunately, everybody's home this evening. Bats, ghosts, every kind of creature you can imagine. You'll find 'em all over the place, if they don't find you first. Because you've got to get through six monstrous floors before you even meet up with the Master of the House. Your Magic Whip will help, and you'll probably find a weapons or two along the way. But once you make it to the tower, you can count on a Duel to the Death. The Count has waited 100 years for a rematch.

Q4 (Oct–Dec)

157 releases

Most popular release in Q4

Rampage

Rampage is a game where players control giant monsters/mutated humans. Players must smash buildings while destroying vehicles such as tanks, planes, and trains to advance to the next level. Smashing windows will sometimes reveals items of interest that the player may use.

Which platforms saw the most releases?

Family Computer received 82 new titles in 1986, holding the most releases. The runner up was Arcade with 68 new titles.

Family Computer82 releases

Arcade68 releases

Commodore C64/128/MAX35 releases

Family Computer Disk System34 releases

MSX31 releases

PC-8800 Series30 releases

Nintendo Entertainment System23 releases

Amstrad CPC20 releases

Sega Master System/Mark III20 releases

ZX Spectrum17 releases

What genres were most popular?

Arcade was the dominant genre in 1986 with 111 titles. Adventure followed closely with 95.

Arcade111

Adventure95

Shooter95

Platform88

Sport41

Puzzle39

Simulator37

Role-playing36

Strategy32

Racing23

1985 1987

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