1987 in video gaming

Console Hardware Releases

• SEGA
  • Master System

Game Releases

• 1943: The Battle of Midway
• BMX Trial: Alex Kidd
• Alex Kidd: High Tech World
• Bomberman
• Castlevania
• Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
• Dragon Quest II
• Enduro Racer
• Final Fantasy - December 18 (JP)
• The Goonies 2
• Kid Icarus
• The Legend of Zelda
• Leisure Suit Larry 1: In the Land of the Lounge Lizards
• Life Force
• Mario Bros. 2 - Commodore 64
• Maniac Mansion
• Mega Man (NES)
• Metal Gear
• Nethack - July 28
• Nether Earth - ZX Spectrum
• Police Quest: In Pursuit of the Death Angel
• Street Fighter
• Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge
• Think Quick!
• Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque: La Legende d'Or
• Athena

Key Events

• The Bitmap Brothers studio forms.
• Sente Games is bought by Midway.
• Software Creations studio forms.

Video game releases

Name	Release Date	Category	Region(s)	Platform(s)
1943: The Battle of Midway	June, 1987	Video Game	International	Arcade
221 B Baker St.	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 8-bit
3-D WorldRunner	September, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
3-D WorldRunner	March 12, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom Disk System
Adventures of Dino Riki	February 10, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom
After Burner	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
After Burner	December 12, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Master System
After Burner II	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Air Fortress	August 17, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Airball	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Ajax	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Alien Syndrome	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Alien Syndrome	October 18, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Master System
Alpha Mission	1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Alpha Mission	1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
American Speedway	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Anacreon: Reconstruction 4021	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
APB	1987	Video Game	International	Arcade
Ark Area	1987	Video Game	Japan	Arcade
Arkanoid	August, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Arkanoid: Revenge of Doh	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Asteroids	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 7800
Athena	1987	Video Game	Europe	Commodore 64
Athena	1987	Video Game	North America	Commodore 64
Athena	June 5, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Athletic World	July, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Avengers	February, 1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Balloon Fight	March 12, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Baseball The Season II	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Bases Loaded	1987	Video Game	International	Arcade
Bases Loaded	June 26, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Battlantis	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Beyond Zork: The Coconut of Quendor	September 15, 1987	Video Game	North America	Release 47
Bikkuriman World	October 30, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC Engine
Bionic Commando (1987)	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Black Panther	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Black Tiger	August, 1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Blades of Steel	1987	Video Game	International	Arcade
Blades of Steel	1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Blasteroids	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Blazer	1987	Video Game	Japan	Arcade
Breakthru	November, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Bubble Bobble	1987	Video Game	Europe	Amiga, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum
Bubble Bobble	1987	Video Game	North America	MSX2
Bubble Bobble	October 30, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom Disk System
Bug Hunt	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Burgertime	1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
California Games	1987	Video Game	Europe	Amstrad CPC
California Games	1987	Video Game	Japan	MSX
Captain Silver	July, 1987	Video Game	International	Arcade
Castlevania	May, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest	August 28, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
China Warrior	November 21, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC-Engine
Chip Shot: Super Pro Golf	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Choplifter!	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 7800
Climber 5	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 8-bit
Clu Clu Land	February 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Commando	1987	Video Game	North America	Intellivision
Continental Circus	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Contra	February 20, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Arcade
Cruise Missile	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 2600
Dance Aerobics	February 26, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Darius	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Dark Adventure	May 22, 1987	Video Game	International	Arcade
Deadly Towers	September, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Defender II	September 24, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Devil World	July 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Dig Dug	1987	Video Game	North America	Intellivision
Diner	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Donkey Kong 3	September 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Double Dragon	July, 1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Double Dribble	September, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Double Dribble	July 24, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer Disk System
Dr. Chaos	June 19, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom Disk System
Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One on One	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 7800
Dragon Quest II	January 26, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Duck Hunt	August 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Dungeon Master	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Elevator Action	August, 1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Enduro Racer	1987	Video Game	International	Master System
Exzisus	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Famista '87	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Fantasy Zone	1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Faxanadu	November 17, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Final Fantasy (1987) (Family Computer) (NTSC-J)	December 18, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Final Lap	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Fist of the North Star	April 17, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Flying Dragon: The Secret Scroll	February 14, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Flying Shark	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Gaia no Monshou	September 23, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC-Engine
Galaga '88	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
"Get Dexter!"	1987	Video Game	United Kingdom	Atari ST
Gotcha! The Sport!	November, 1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Gradius	January 1, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC
Gradius	March 28, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Sharp X68000
Guerrilla War	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Gun Fight	1987	Video Game	North America	Commodore 64, Commodore 128
Heavy Barrel	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Heavyweight Champ	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Hogan's Alley	December 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
J.J. & Jeff	November 30, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC-Engine
Jaseikin Necromancer	October 30, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC-Engine
Jaws	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Jikuu Yuuden Debias	November 27, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
JJ	December, 1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
John Elway's Quarterback	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Jr. Pac-Man	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 2600
Karnov	December 18, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Kid Icarus	February 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Kid Icarus	July, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Kid Niki	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Kid Niki	October 2, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Undefined
Kid Niki: Radical Ninja	November, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Kid Niki: Radical Ninja	October 2, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Kung Fu	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 2600
La Abadía del Crimen	1987	Video Game	Spain	Undefined
Learning Fun I	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Learning Fun II	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Leisure Suit Larry	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Leisure Suit Larry: Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards	WW Microsoft Windows, Apple II, Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Classic Mac OS, TRS-80 Color Computer, 1987	Graphic Adventure	Undefined	Undefined
Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque: La Legende d'Or	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Les Chevaliers du Zodiaque: La Legende d'Or	August 10, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Maniac Mansion	1987	Video Game	Europe	Amiga, Apple II, Commodore 64, Windows
Maniac Mansion	1987	Video Game	North America	Amiga, Apple II, Commodore 64, Windows
Mega Man	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Metal Gear	July 13, 1987	Video Game	Japan	MSX
Midnight Magic	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 2600
Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!	November 21, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Mr. Heli	December, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Arcade
Namco Quester	1987	Video Game	Japan	Arcade
Ninja-Kid II	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Oids	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Pac-Mania	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Psycho Soldier	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Quarterback	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
R-Type	July, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Arcade
R.B.I. Baseball	1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Rack 'Em Up	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Rad Racer	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Rad Racer	August 7, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom
Rastan	1987	Video Game	Japan	Arcade
Real Sports Boxing	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 2600
Ring King	September, 1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
RoadBlasters	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Rygar	1987	Video Game	North America	Commodore 64, Nintendo Entertainment System
Rygar	April 14, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom
SDI	February, 1987	Video Game	North America	Amiga
Sea Hunt	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 2600
Section Z	July 1, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Section Z	May 25, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer Disk System
Shadowgate	1987	Video Game	North America	macOS
Shanghai	October 30, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC-Engine
Skate Boardin'	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Sky Fox	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Sky Kid	September, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Slam Dunk: Super Pro Basketball	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Solomon's Key	July 22, 1987	Video Game	North America	NES
Solomon's Key	1987	Video Game	Europe	C64
Space Harrier	March, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC-6001, PC-6601
Space Harrier	1987	Video Game	Europe	Mark III, Master System, Commodore 64
Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge	November 14, 1987	Video Game	International	Microsoft Windows
Spiker: Super Pro Volleyball	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Spy Hunter II	1987	Video Game	International	Arcade
Star Trek: The Rebel Universe	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS
Street Fighter	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Summer Games	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Super Hang-On	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Super Mario Bros.	May 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Mario Bros.	1987	Video Game	Australia	Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Pro Decathlon	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Super Pro Football	1987	Video Game	North America	Intellivision
Superman (NES)	December 22, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
Tecmo Bowl	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
The Goonies 2	November, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
The Goonies 2	March 18, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
The Goonies II	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
The Goonies II	March 18, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom Disk System
The Hunt for Red October (1987)	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari ST, Amiga, Amstrad PC1512, Amstrad CPC, Mac OS, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64
The Karate Kid	November, 1987	Video Game	International	Nintendo Entertainment System
The Legend of Kage	1987	Video Game	Europe	Amstrad CPC
The Legend of Kage	1987	Video Game	North America	Commodore 64
The Legend of Zelda	November 27, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
The Legend of Zelda	August 22, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
The Magic of Scheherazade	September 3, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Family Computer
The Three Stooges	1987	Video Game	North America	Undefined
Three Dimensional Star Trek	1987	Video Game	North America	MS-DOS
Thunder Blade	1987	Video Game	North America	Undefined
Tiger-Heli	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Title Match Pro Wrestling	1987	Video Game	Undefined	Undefined
Triple Challenge	1987	Video Game	North America	Intellivision
Trojan	February, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System, DOS
Twin Cobra	1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Victory Run	December 28, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC-Engine
Volleyball	November 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Volleyball	March, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Volleyball (1987)	March, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Winter Games	1987	Video Game	North America	Atari 2600
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord	December 31, 1987	Video Game	North America	Commodore 64
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord	December 31, 1987	Video Game	Japan	MSX-2
Wizards & Warriors	December, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Wonder Momo	1987	Video Game	Japan	Arcade
Wrecking Crew	October 15, 1987	Video Game	Europe	Nintendo Entertainment System
Xenophobe	1987	Video Game	North America	Arcade
Xybots	1987	Video Game	International	Arcade
Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished	June 21, 1987	Video Game	Japan	PC-8801
Yume Koujou Doki Doki Panic	July 10, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom
Zanac	October, 1987	Video Game	North America	Nintendo Entertainment System
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link	January 14, 1987	Video Game	Japan	Famicom Disk System

Hardware releases

Name	Release Date	Category	Region(s)
Atari XE Game System	1987	Console	North America
Master System	September, 1987	Home Console	Europe
Master System	1987	Home Console	Australia
Master System	1987	Home Console	Brazil
Master System	1987	Home Console	South Korea
Nintendo Entertainment System	1987	Home Console	Australia
PC-Engine	October 30, 1987	Home Console	Japan
PC-Engine Controller	October 30, 1987	Controller	Japan