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1985 in video games

Article Discussion

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Year nav topic5

1985 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Super Mario Bros. and Kung Fu, along with new titles such as Commando, Duck Hunt, Gauntlet, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Gradius, Hang-On, Space Harrier, Tetris and The Way of the Exploding Fist. The year's highest-grossing arcade video games were Hang-On and Karate Champ in the United States, and Commando in the United Kingdom. The year's bestTemplate:Nbhselling home system was the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom) for a consecutive year, while the year's bestTemplate:Nbhselling home video game was Super Mario Bros.

Financial performanceEdit

In the United States, annual home video game sales fell to Template:US$ (Template:US$ adjusted for inflation) in 1985.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Meanwhile, the arcade video game industry began recovering in 1985.<ref name="replaymag">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="RePlay80">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="PM85"/>

Highest-grossing arcade gamesEdit

JapanEdit

In Japan, the following titles were the top-grossing arcade video games on the bi-weekly Game Machine charts in 1985.

Month Table arcade cabinet Upright/cockpit arcade cabinet Template:Abbr
Title Points Title Points
Template:Dts Spartan X (Kung-Fu Master) {{#expr:8.94+8.45}} TX-1 V8 {{#expr:8.5+7.6}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts {{#expr:7.7+6.91}} {{#expr:8+7}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Samurai Nipponichi {{#expr:9+7.22}} {{#expr:6.8+6.33}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Return of the Invaders {{#expr:7.2+6.06}} {{#expr:7.67+7.17}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts I'm Sorry {{#expr:8.33+6.25}} {{#expr:7+7.43}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Senjō no Ōkami (Commando) {{#expr:8+6.55}} Wyvern F-0 {{#expr:8.5+7.57}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Ping Pong King {{#expr:9+7.22}} TX-1 V8 {{#expr:7.29+7.67}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Sandlot Baseball {{#expr:9+7.56}} Hang-On {{#expr:9.7+(9.58+9)}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts {{#expr:7.11+6.8}} {{#expr:(9.69+9.4)+(9.47+9.4)}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Exciting Hour {{#expr:7.56+7.83}} {{#expr:(9.33+9.29)+(9.25+9.18)}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts Choplifter {{#expr:8.18+7.41}} {{#expr:(9.14+9.07)+(9.14+8.23)}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Template:Dts ASO: Armored Scrum Object {{#expr:7.17+6.93}} {{#expr:(8.67+8.38)+(8.46+8.29)}} <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

United Kingdom and United StatesEdit

In the United Kingdom and United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1985.

Rank United Kingdom United States
Play Meter RePlay<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> AMOA<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Title Type Arcade Route/Street Video
1 Commando<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Hang-On<ref name="PM85">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Karate Champ Dedicated Nintendo VS. System Karate Champ Spy Hunter
2 Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Kung-Fu Master Dedicated Kung-Fu Master,
Karate Champ,
Pac-Land,
Pole Position II 		English Mark Darts,
Crowns Golf,
Yie Ar Kung-Fu,
Kung-Fu Master 		Kung-Fu Master,
Pole Position,
Trivia Master,
Karate Champ
3 Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Commando
4 Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Yie Ar Kung-Fu Conversion
5 Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Hogan's Alley System
6 Template:Unknown Template:Unknown Excitebike System colspan="3" rowspan="3" Template:Unknown
7 rowspan="2" Template:Unknown rowspan="2" Template:Unknown Pole Position,
Spy Hunter 		Dedicated
8

Best-selling home systemsEdit

Rank System(s) Manufacturer Type Generation Sales
Japan USA UK<ref name=":1">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Worldwide
1 Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom Nintendo Console Third 6,500,000<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 90,000<ref name="Pollack">Template:Cite news</ref> Template:N/A 6,590,000
2 Commodore 64 (C64) Commodore Computer 8-bit Template:Unknown 1,000,000<ref name=":0" /> Template:Unknown citation CitationClass=web

}}

  • {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
 CitationClass=web

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3 IBM Personal Computer (PC) / IBM PCjr IBM Computer 8-bit / 16-bit Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A 1,400,000<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
4 Atari 2600 Atari Console Second Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A 1,000,000<ref name=":0">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
5 Apple II Apple Inc. Computer 8-bit Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A 900,000<ref name=":222" />
6 Commodore 128 Commodore Computer 8-bit Template:N/A Template:N/A Template:N/A 500,000<ref name=":0" />
7 NEC PC-88 / PC-98 NEC Computer 8-bit / 16-bit {{#expr:(789+398)*0.36 round -1}},000<ref name=":02">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":12">Template:Cite book</ref> Template:Unknown Template:Unknown {{#expr:(789+398)*0.36 round -1}},000+
8 ZX Spectrum Sinclair Computer 8-bit Template:N/A Template:Unknown {{#expr:1,100,000*0.35 round −4}} 390,000+
9 Sega SG-1000 / Mark III (Master System) Sega Console Third 280,000<ref name="Tanaka">Template:Cite book</ref> Template:N/A Template:N/A 280,000+
10 Amstrad CPC / Amstrad PCW Amstrad Computer 8-bit Template:N/A Template:Unknown {{#expr:1,100,000*0.23 round −4}} 250,000+

Best-selling home video gamesEdit

JapanEdit

The year's best-selling game was Super Mario Bros. for the Family Computer (Famicom), later known as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) outside Japan. The game sold Template:Nowrap copies and grossed more than Template:¥ (Template:US$ at the time, or Template:US$ adjusted for inflation) within several months.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It eventually sold Template:Nowrap cartridges by the end of 1985.<ref name="Yoke">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Game Machine magazine reported that more than ten Famicom games released between 1983 and 1985 had each sold over Template:Nowrap cartridges in Japan by the end of 1985.<ref name="GM275">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Magic Box lists fourteen Famicom games released between 1983 and 1985 that crossed Template:Nowrap lifetime sales in Japan.<ref name="magicbox">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At least 11 of the following 14 Famicom million-sellers released between 1983 and 1985 crossed Template:Nowrap sales in Japan by the end of 1985.

Title(s) Publisher Sales Template:Abbr
Super Mario Bros. Nintendo 3,000,000 <ref name="Yoke"/>
4 Nin Uchi Mahjong Baseball Nintendo rowspan="13" Template:Unknown <ref name="magicbox"/><ref name="GM275"/>
Excitebike F1 Race
Golf Kung Fu
Mahjong Mario Bros.
Soccer Tennis
Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match Bandai
Xevious Namco
Lode Runner Hudson Soft

United KingdomEdit

In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1985, according to the annual Gallup software sales chart. The top ten titles were all home computer games.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Rank Title Developer Publisher Genre Sales
1 The Way of the Exploding Fist Beam Software Melbourne House Fighting 500,000 (Europe)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2 Soft Aid Various Quicksilva Compilation rowspan="9" Template:Unknown
3 Elite Acornsoft Acornsoft Space trading
4 Ghostbusters Activision Activision Action
5 Finders Keepers Mastertronic Mastertronic Platformer
6 Frank Bruno's Boxing Elite Systems Elite Systems Fighting (boxing)
7 Commando Capcom Elite Systems Run-and-gun shooter
8 Formula 1 Simulator Spirit Software Mastertronic Racing
9 Daley Thompson's Decathlon Ocean Software Ocean Software Sports (Olympics)
10 Impossible Mission Epyx U.S. Gold Platformer

Fighting games topped the UK software sales charts for two years in a row in the mid-1980s, with The Way of the Exploding Fist in 1985 and then the home computer conversions of Yie Ar Kung-Fu in 1986.<ref name="PCW">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

United StatesEdit

In the United States, the Software Publishers Association (SPA) began tracking home computer game sales in 1985. The following fourteen computer games received Gold Awards from the SPA for sales above 100,000 units in 1985 (but below the 250,000 units required for a Platinum Award).

Titles Template:Abbr
Alphabet Zoo Choplifter <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Deadline F-15 Strike Eagle
Fraction Fever Frogger
Ghostbusters Kids on Keys
Lode Runner Math Blaster!
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Zork I Zork II
Zork III Template:N/A

EventsEdit

Major awardsEdit

BusinessEdit

Notable releasesEdit

GamesEdit

Arcade

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its motorbike cabinet is controlled using the body, starting a "Taikan" ("to feel in the body") trend of motion controlled hydraulic cabinets in arcades some two decades before motion controls become popular on video game consoles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • August – Atari Games releases Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as the first System 1 game to feature digitized speech from the 1984 movie. Gameplay involves Indy freeing children from cages, whipping thugee guards and bats, an exciting minecar chase, a temple scene and a drawbridge scene.
  • September 19 – Capcom releases Ghosts 'n Goblins, originally titled Makaimura in Japan. It was one of the most popular arcade games of the year,Template:Citation needed and went on to spawn a series of later games.
  • September 20 – Namco releases Motos.
  • October – Atari Games releases Gauntlet. Based on the lesser known Atari 8-bit game Dandy, Gauntlet is highly profitable, letting players insert additional quarters for more health.
  • December – Sega releases Space Harrier by Yu Suzuki and AM2. It further develops the pseudo-3D sprite-scaling graphics of Hang-On and uses an analog flight stick for movement.
  • December – Namco releases Sky Kid, a side-scrolling shooter allowing two players simultaneously.
  • Tehkan releases Tehkan World Cup, which lays the foundations for association football/soccer games with an above view of the field.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ComputerEdit

ConsoleEdit

NES Nintendo Entertainment System SMS Sega Master System Int Intellivision
PC Personal Computer G&W Game and Watch Arc Arcade
SG SG-1000 2600 Atari 2600
Notable releases of the year 1985
Release citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Consoles
NES

JP: February 4

NA: October 18

Arcade: 1985

PC: October

Ice Climber NES, Arc, PC
March Excitebike (NA Release) Arc
Arcade:

JP: March 1

NA: April

EU: August

NES NA:

October 18

Hogan's Alley NES, Arc
Arcade:

EU: Q1 1985

NES:

JP: June 21

NA: October 18

PC:

December

Kung Fu NES, Arc, PC
PC:

April

NES:

December 19

Thexder PC, Famicom (Japan only)
NES:

JP: April 9

NA: October 18

Soccer NES
April 23 Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? PC
NES:

JP: June 18

NA: October 18

Arcade:

1985

Wrecking Crew NES, Arc
September 9 Battle City Famicom (Japan only)
NES:

JP: September 13

NA: October 18

Super Mario Bros. NES
September 16 Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar PC
October 18 Wild Gunman NES (US release)
October 18 Tennis NES (NA release)
October 18 Stack-Up NES
October 18 Pinball NES (NA release)
October 18 Gyromite NES
October 18 Golf NES (NA release), Arc (EU release)
October 18 Excitebike (NA Release) NES
October 18 Duck Hunt (NA release) NES
October 18 Clu Clu Land NES, Arc
October 18 Baseball NES
October 18 10-Yard Fight NES
October 27 Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu PC
November Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness PC
1985 Racing Destruction Set PC
1985 Roller Coaster PC
1985 Starquake PC
1985 Tau Ceti PC
1985 The Oregon Trail PC
1985 Mercenary PC
1985 Clues'o' PC

HardwareEdit

File:NES-Console-Set.jpg
North American release of the Nintendo Entertainment System
Arcade

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> as the first arcade board dedicated to 3D polygon graphics.

Computer
Console

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Template:History of video games

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