Games · 1986
1986: The Dawn of Legendary Franchises
In 1986, Nintendo transformed home gaming with sprawling adventures while Sega made waves in arcades and launched new home hardware. It was a landmark year that defined key franchises and established the future of action, role-playing, and arcade experiences.
- Feb 1986 | Famicom Disk System | Japan
The Legend of Zelda
Shigeru Miyamoto's open-ended fantasy adventure pioneered battery-backed saving, giving players an unprecedentedly vast Kingdom of Hyrule to explore.
- May 1986 | Famicom | JRPG
Dragon Quest
Yuji Horii and Enix laid the foundational template for Japanese role-playing games with strategic turn-based battles and memorable character designs by Akira Toriyama.
- Aug 1986 | Famicom Disk System | Action
Metroid
Blending non-linear exploration with an eerie sci-fi atmosphere, this title introduced bounty hunter Samus Aran and shocked players with its iconic gender reveal.
- Aug 1986 | Arcade | Co-op Platformer
Bubble Bobble
Taito's immensely addictive arcade classic starred cute bubble-blowing dragons Bub and Bob trapped across 100 monster-filled screen-puzzles.
- Sep 1986 | Arcade | Driving
Out Run
Yu Suzuki's groundbreaking arcade racer featured hydraulic motion cabinets, selectable FM radio tracks, and branching highways behind the wheel of a Ferrari Testarossa.
- Sep 1986 | Hardware | North America
Sega Master System
Sega officially launched its 8-bit home console in North America to compete directly with the Nintendo Entertainment System using superior graphical muscle.
- Sep 1986 | Famicom Disk System | Action
Castlevania
Konami launched Simon Belmont's gothic quest against Dracula, establishing a dark aesthetic paired with tight whip-cracking action and unforgettable music.
- Nov 1986 | Sega Mark III | Platformer
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Sega introduced its original martial-arts mascot in a colorful adventure filled with vehicle driving, power-ups, and dramatic rock-paper-scissors boss fights.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?