1985 in video games

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 best{{nbh}}selling home system was the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom) for a consecutive year, while the year's best{{nbh}}selling home video game was Super Mario Bros.

Financial performance

In the United States, annual home video game sales fell to {{US$|100 million|long=no}} ({{US$|{{Inflation|US|100|1985|r=-1}} million|long=no}} adjusted for inflation) in 1985.{{cite book |last1=Lindner |first1=Richard |title=Video Games: Past, Present and Future; An Industry Overview |date=1990 |publisher=Nintendo of America |location=United States |url=https://archive.org/details/06Kahle001551}} Meanwhile, the arcade video game industry began recovering in 1985.{{cite web |title=Coin-Op history – 1975 to 1997 – from the pages of RePlay |url=http://replaymag.com/history.htm |website=RePlay |year=1998 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980428063132/http://replaymag.com/history.htm |archive-date=April 28, 1998 |access-date=April 21, 2021}}{{cite magazine |title=Special Report: Tom Petit (Sega Enterprises) |magazine=RePlay |date=January 1991 |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=80, 82 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-16-issue-no.-4-january-1991-600dpi/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2016%2C%20Issue%20No.%204%20-%20January%201991/page/44}}

=Highest-grossing arcade games=

==Japan==

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

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2" \| Month ! colspan="2" \| Table arcade cabinet ! colspan="2" \| Upright/cockpit arcade cabinet ! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" \| {{Abbr\|Ref\|Reference(s)}}
Title ! Points ! Title ! Points
{{dts	January}} \| rowspan="2" \| Spartan X (Kung-Fu Master) \| {{#expr:8.94+8.45}} \| rowspan="5" \| TX-1 V8 \| {{#expr:8.5+7.6}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 January 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850115p.pdf#page=14\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=252\|page=27\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=253\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 February 1985\|page=25\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850201p.pdf#page=13}}
{{dts	February}} \| {{#expr:7.7+6.91}} \| {{#expr:8+7}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 February 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850215p.pdf#page=12\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=254\|page=23\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=255\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 March 1985\|page=21\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850301p.pdf#page=11}}
{{dts	March}} \| Samurai Nipponichi \| {{#expr:9+7.22}} \| {{#expr:6.8+6.33}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 March 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850315p.pdf#page=11\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=256\|page=21\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=257\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 April 1985\|page=25\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850401p.pdf#page=13}}
{{dts	April}} \| Return of the Invaders \| {{#expr:7.2+6.06}} \| {{#expr:7.67+7.17}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 April 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850415p.pdf#page=10\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=258\|page=19\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=259\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 May 1985\|page=21\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850501p.pdf#page=11}}
{{dts	May}} \| I'm Sorry \| {{#expr:8.33+6.25}} \| {{#expr:7+7.43}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 May 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850515p.pdf#page=11\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=260\|page=21\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=261\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 June 1985\|page=23\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850601p.pdf#page=12}}
{{dts	June}} \| Senjō no Ōkami (Commando) \| {{#expr:8+6.55}} \| Wyvern F-0 \| {{#expr:8.5+7.57}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 June 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850615p.pdf#page=13\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=262\|page=25\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=263\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 July 1985\|page=25\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850701p.pdf#page=13}}
{{dts	July}} \| Ping Pong King \| {{#expr:9+7.22}} \|TX-1 V8 \| {{#expr:7.29+7.67}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 July 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850715p.pdf#page=15\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=264\|page=29\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=265\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 August 1985\|page=25\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850801p.pdf#page=13}}
{{dts	August}} \| rowspan="2" \| Sandlot Baseball \| {{#expr:9+7.56}} \| rowspan="5" \|Hang-On \| {{#expr:9.7+(9.58+9)}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 August 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850815p.pdf#page=11\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=266\|page=21\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=267\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 September 1985\|page=25\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850901p.pdf#page=13}}
{{dts	September}} \| {{#expr:7.11+6.8}} \| {{#expr:(9.69+9.4)+(9.47+9.4)}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 September 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850915p.pdf#page=11\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=267\|page=21\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=268\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 October 1985\|page=31\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851001p.pdf#page=16}}
{{dts	October}} \| Exciting Hour \| {{#expr:7.56+7.83}} \| {{#expr:(9.33+9.29)+(9.25+9.18)}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 October 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851015p.pdf#page=13\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=269\|page=25\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=270\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 November 1985\|page=23\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851101p.pdf#page=12}}
{{dts	November}} \| Choplifter \| {{#expr:8.18+7.41}} \| {{#expr:(9.14+9.07)+(9.14+8.23)}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 November 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851115p.pdf#page=11\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=271\|page=21\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|magazine=Game Machine\|issue=272\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|date=1 December 1985\|page=23\|lang=ja\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851201p.pdf#page=12}}
{{dts	December}} \| ASO: Armored Scrum Object \| {{#expr:7.17+6.93}} \| {{#expr:(8.67+8.38)+(8.46+8.29)}} \| {{cite magazine\|date=15 December 1985\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851215p.pdf#page=13\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=273\|page=25\|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine\|date=1 January 1986\|title=Best Hit Games 25\|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19860101p.pdf#page=18\|magazine=Game Machine\|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.\|issue=274\|page=34\|lang=ja}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" | Month

! colspan="2" | Table arcade cabinet

! colspan="2" | Upright/cockpit arcade cabinet

! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}}

Title

! Points

! Title

! Points

{{dts

January}}

| rowspan="2" | Spartan X (Kung-Fu Master)

| {{#expr:8.94+8.45}}

| rowspan="5" | TX-1 V8

| {{#expr:8.5+7.6}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 January 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850115p.pdf#page=14|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=252|page=27|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=253|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 February 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850201p.pdf#page=13}}

{{dts

February}}

| {{#expr:7.7+6.91}}

| {{#expr:8+7}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 February 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850215p.pdf#page=12|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=254|page=23|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=255|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 March 1985|page=21|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850301p.pdf#page=11}}

{{dts

March}}

| Samurai Nipponichi

| {{#expr:9+7.22}}

| {{#expr:6.8+6.33}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 March 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850315p.pdf#page=11|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=256|page=21|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=257|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 April 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850401p.pdf#page=13}}

{{dts

April}}

| Return of the Invaders

| {{#expr:7.2+6.06}}

| {{#expr:7.67+7.17}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 April 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850415p.pdf#page=10|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=258|page=19|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=259|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 May 1985|page=21|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850501p.pdf#page=11}}

{{dts

May}}

| I'm Sorry

| {{#expr:8.33+6.25}}

| {{#expr:7+7.43}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 May 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850515p.pdf#page=11|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=260|page=21|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=261|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 June 1985|page=23|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850601p.pdf#page=12}}

{{dts

June}}

| Senjō no Ōkami (Commando)

| {{#expr:8+6.55}}

| Wyvern F-0

| {{#expr:8.5+7.57}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 June 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850615p.pdf#page=13|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=262|page=25|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=263|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 July 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850701p.pdf#page=13}}

{{dts

July}}

| Ping Pong King

| {{#expr:9+7.22}}

|TX-1 V8

| {{#expr:7.29+7.67}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 July 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850715p.pdf#page=15|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=264|page=29|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=265|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 August 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850801p.pdf#page=13}}

{{dts

August}}

| rowspan="2" | Sandlot Baseball

| {{#expr:9+7.56}}

| rowspan="5" |Hang-On

| {{#expr:9.7+(9.58+9)}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 August 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850815p.pdf#page=11|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=266|page=21|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=267|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 September 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850901p.pdf#page=13}}

{{dts

September}}

| {{#expr:7.11+6.8}}

| {{#expr:(9.69+9.4)+(9.47+9.4)}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 September 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850915p.pdf#page=11|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=267|page=21|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=268|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 October 1985|page=31|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851001p.pdf#page=16}}

{{dts

October}}

| Exciting Hour

| {{#expr:7.56+7.83}}

| {{#expr:(9.33+9.29)+(9.25+9.18)}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 October 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851015p.pdf#page=13|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=269|page=25|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=270|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 November 1985|page=23|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851101p.pdf#page=12}}

{{dts

November}}

| Choplifter

| {{#expr:8.18+7.41}}

| {{#expr:(9.14+9.07)+(9.14+8.23)}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 November 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851115p.pdf#page=11|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=271|page=21|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=Game Machine|issue=272|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 December 1985|page=23|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851201p.pdf#page=12}}

{{dts

December}}

| ASO: Armored Scrum Object

| {{#expr:7.17+6.93}}

| {{#expr:(8.67+8.38)+(8.46+8.29)}}

| {{cite magazine|date=15 December 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851215p.pdf#page=13|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=273|page=25|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|date=1 January 1986|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19860101p.pdf#page=18|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=274|page=34|lang=ja}}

==United Kingdom and United States==

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

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="3" \| Rank ! rowspan="3" \| United Kingdom ! colspan="6" \| United States
rowspan="2" \|Play Meter ! colspan="2" \|RePlay{{cite magazine \|title=1985 Operator Survey: This Poll Says Go Gettum! \|magazine=RePlay \|date=November 1985 \|volume=11 \|issue=2 \|pages=91-102 (93-4) \|url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-2-november-1985-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%202%20-%20November%201985/page/93}} ! colspan="3" \| AMOA{{cite magazine \|title=AMOA Expo '85: 1985 AMOA Award Nominees \|magazine=RePlay \|date=November 1985 \|volume=11 \|issue=2 \|pages=62, 64, 66 \|url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-2-november-1985-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%202%20-%20November%201985/page/62}}{{cite magazine \|title=AMOA Expo '85: Award Winners \|magazine=RePlay \|date=December 1985 \|volume=11 \|issue=3 \|page=44 \|url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-3-december-1985-600dpi/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%203%20-%20December%201985/page/44}}{{cite magazine \|title=Springsteen Sweeps JB Awards \|magazine=Cash Box \|date=November 23, 1985 \|page=39 \|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-11-23.pdf#page=39}}
Title ! Type ! Arcade ! Route/Street ! Video
1 \| Commando{{cite magazine \|title=Commando: Soldier of Fortune \|magazine=Your Sinclair \|date=January 1986 \|issue=1 \|page=54 \|url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-01/page/n53}} \| Hang-On{{cite magazine \|title=1985 \|magazine=Play Meter \|date=December 1994 \|volume=20 \|issue=13 \|page=74 \|url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-20-number-13-december-1994/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Number%2013%20-%20December%201994/page/74}} \| Karate Champ \| Dedicated \| Nintendo VS. System \| Karate Champ \| Spy Hunter
2 \| {{Unknown}} \| {{Unknown}} \| Kung-Fu Master \| rowspan="2" \| Dedicated \| rowspan="4" \| Kung-Fu Master, Karate Champ, Pac-Land, Pole Position II \| rowspan="4" \| English Mark Darts, Crowns Golf, Yie Ar Kung-Fu, Kung-Fu Master \| rowspan="4" \| Kung-Fu Master, Pole Position, Trivia Master, Karate Champ
3 \| {{Unknown}} \| {{Unknown}} \| Commando
4 \| {{Unknown}} \| {{Unknown}} \| Yie Ar Kung-Fu \| Conversion
5 \| {{Unknown}} \| {{Unknown}} \| Hogan's Alley \| System
6 \| {{Unknown}} \| {{Unknown}} \| Excitebike \| System \| colspan="3" rowspan="3" {{Unknown}}
7 \| rowspan="2" {{Unknown}} \| rowspan="2" {{Unknown}} \| rowspan="2" \| Pole Position, Spy Hunter \| rowspan="2" \| Dedicated
8

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="3" | Rank

! rowspan="3" | United Kingdom

! colspan="6" | United States

rowspan="2" |Play Meter

! colspan="2" |RePlay{{cite magazine |title=1985 Operator Survey: This Poll Says Go Gettum! |magazine=RePlay |date=November 1985 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=91-102 (93-4) |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-2-november-1985-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%202%20-%20November%201985/page/93}}

! colspan="3" | AMOA{{cite magazine |title=AMOA Expo '85: 1985 AMOA Award Nominees |magazine=RePlay |date=November 1985 |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=62, 64, 66 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-2-november-1985-600DPI/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%202%20-%20November%201985/page/62}}{{cite magazine |title=AMOA Expo '85: Award Winners |magazine=RePlay |date=December 1985 |volume=11 |issue=3 |page=44 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-11-issue-no.-3-december-1985-600dpi/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2011%2C%20Issue%20No.%203%20-%20December%201985/page/44}}{{cite magazine |title=Springsteen Sweeps JB Awards |magazine=Cash Box |date=November 23, 1985 |page=39 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-11-23.pdf#page=39}}

Title

! Type

! Arcade

! Route/Street

! Video

| Commando{{cite magazine |title=Commando: Soldier of Fortune |magazine=Your Sinclair |date=January 1986 |issue=1 |page=54 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-01/page/n53}}

| Hang-On{{cite magazine |title=1985 |magazine=Play Meter |date=December 1994 |volume=20 |issue=13 |page=74 |url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-20-number-13-december-1994/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Number%2013%20-%20December%201994/page/74}}

| Karate Champ

| Dedicated

| Nintendo VS. System

| Karate Champ

| Spy Hunter

| {{Unknown}}

| Kung-Fu Master

| rowspan="2" | Dedicated

| rowspan="4" | Kung-Fu Master,
Karate Champ,
Pac-Land,
Pole Position II

| rowspan="4" | English Mark Darts,
Crowns Golf,
Yie Ar Kung-Fu,
Kung-Fu Master

| rowspan="4" | Kung-Fu Master,
Pole Position,
Trivia Master,
Karate Champ

| {{Unknown}}

| Commando

| {{Unknown}}

| Yie Ar Kung-Fu

| Conversion

| {{Unknown}}

| Hogan's Alley

| System

| {{Unknown}}

| Excitebike

| System

| colspan="3" rowspan="3" {{Unknown}}

| rowspan="2" {{Unknown}}

| rowspan="2" | Pole Position,
Spy Hunter

| rowspan="2" | Dedicated

= Best-selling home systems =

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2" \| Rank ! rowspan="2" \|System(s) ! rowspan="2" \| Manufacturer ! rowspan="2" \|Type ! rowspan="2" \| Generation ! colspan="4" \| Sales
Japan !USA !UK{{Cite magazine\|date=6 February 1986\|title=Sinclair retains clear market lead in 1985\|url=https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines/popular-computing-weekly/6/5/1986/2/6#4\|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly\|volume=5\|issue=6}} !Worldwide
1 \|Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom \|Nintendo \|Console \|Third \|6,500,000{{Cite book\|last=Morrison\|first=Mike\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5NnLDpBy-zkC\|title=The Magic of Interactive Entertainment\|date=1994\|publisher=Sams Publishing\|isbn=978-0-672-30456-9\|page=47\|quote=Despite the bleak picture in the home video game industry, Nintendo's Famicom system sold more than 6.5 million units in Japan in 1985.}} \|90,000{{cite news\|last1=Pollack\|first1=Andrew\|title=Video Games, Once Zapped, In Comeback\|page=A1\|no-pp=yes\|newspaper=The New York Times\|date=September 27, 1986 \|publication-date=September 27, 1986\|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/27/business/video-games-once-zapped-in-comeback.html\|access-date=November 2, 2015}} \|{{N/A}} \|6,590,000
2 \|Commodore 64 (C64) \|Commodore \|Computer \|8-bit \| {{Unknown}} \|1,000,000 \| {{Unknown}} \|2,500,000{{Cite web\|last=Reimer\|first=Jeremy\|date=2005-12-15\|title=Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures\|url=https://arstechnica.com/features/2005/12/total-share/\|url-status=live\|access-date=2021-11-27\|website=Ars Technica\|language=en-us \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607023023/http://arstechnica.com:80/features/2005/12/total-share/ \|archive-date=June 7, 2012}} {{cite web \|author=Jeremy Reimer \|date=2012-12-07 \|title=Total Share: Personal Computer Market Share 1975-2010 \|url=https://jeremyreimer.com/rockets-item.lsp?p=137 \|website=Jeremy Reimer}}
3 \|IBM Personal Computer (PC) / IBM PCjr \|IBM \|Computer \|8-bit / 16-bit \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|1,400,000{{Cite magazine\|last=Dixon\|first=Bradford N.\|date=May 1986\|title=Pulse Train: Fine Times in Fort Worth\|url=https://colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Magazines/80%20Micro/1986/80%20Micro%20-%208605%20-%20May%201986.pdf#page=23\|magazine=80 Micro\|issue=76\|pages=21–2}}
4 \|Atari 2600 \|Atari \|Console \|Second \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|1,000,000{{cite magazine\|last1=Halfhill\|first1=Tom R.\|date=April 1986\|title=A Turning Point For Atari?\|url=https://archive.org/details/1986-04-compute-magazine/page/n31/mode/2up\|magazine=Compute!\|issue=71\|pages=30-41 (30-4)}}
5 \|Apple II \|Apple Inc. \|Computer \|8-bit \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|900,000
6 \|Commodore 128 \|Commodore \|Computer \|8-bit \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|{{N/A}} \|500,000
7 \|NEC PC-88 / PC-98 \|NEC \|Computer \|8-bit / 16-bit \|{{#expr:(789+398)0.36 round -1}},000{{Cite journal\|last1=Methe\|first1=David\|last2=Mitchell\|first2=Will\|last3=Miyabe\|first3=Junichiro\|last4=Toyama\|first4=Ryoko\|date=January 1998\|title=Overcoming a Standard Bearer: Challenges to NEC's Personal Computer in Japan\|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5160396\|journal=Research Papers in Economics (RePEc)\|page=35\|via=ResearchGate}}{{Cite book\|last1=Juliussen\|first1=Egil\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxVNAQAAIAAJ\|title=The Computer Industry Almanac 1991\|last2=Juliussen\|first2=Karen\|publisher=Pearson P T R\|year=1990\|isbn=978-0-13-155748-2\|pages=10-47, 10-48}} \| {{Unknown}} \| {{Unknown}} \|{{#expr:(789+398)0.36 round -1}},000+
8 \|ZX Spectrum \|Sinclair \|Computer \|8-bit \|{{N/A}} \| {{Unknown}} \|{{formatnum:{{#expr:1100000*0.35 round -4}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" | Rank

! rowspan="2" |System(s)

! rowspan="2" | Manufacturer

! rowspan="2" |Type

! rowspan="2" | Generation

! colspan="4" | Sales

Japan

!USA

!UK{{Cite magazine|date=6 February 1986|title=Sinclair retains clear market lead in 1985|url=https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/magazines/popular-computing-weekly/6/5/1986/2/6#4|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|volume=5|issue=6}}

!Worldwide

|Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom

|Nintendo

|Console

|Third

|6,500,000{{Cite book|last=Morrison|first=Mike|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5NnLDpBy-zkC|title=The Magic of Interactive Entertainment|date=1994|publisher=Sams Publishing|isbn=978-0-672-30456-9|page=47|quote=Despite the bleak picture in the home video game industry, Nintendo's Famicom system sold more than 6.5 million units in Japan in 1985.}}

|90,000{{cite news|last1=Pollack|first1=Andrew|title=Video Games, Once Zapped, In Comeback|page=A1|no-pp=yes|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 27, 1986 |publication-date=September 27, 1986|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/27/business/video-games-once-zapped-in-comeback.html|access-date=November 2, 2015}}

|{{N/A}}

|6,590,000

|Commodore 64 (C64)

|Commodore

|Computer

|8-bit

| {{Unknown}}

|1,000,000

| {{Unknown}}

|2,500,000{{Cite web|last=Reimer|first=Jeremy|date=2005-12-15|title=Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures|url=https://arstechnica.com/features/2005/12/total-share/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-27|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607023023/http://arstechnica.com:80/features/2005/12/total-share/ |archive-date=June 7, 2012}}

{{cite web |author=Jeremy Reimer |date=2012-12-07 |title=Total Share: Personal Computer Market Share 1975-2010 |url=https://jeremyreimer.com/rockets-item.lsp?p=137 |website=Jeremy Reimer}}

|IBM Personal Computer (PC) / IBM PCjr

|IBM

|Computer

|8-bit / 16-bit

|{{N/A}}

|1,400,000{{Cite magazine|last=Dixon|first=Bradford N.|date=May 1986|title=Pulse Train: Fine Times in Fort Worth|url=https://colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Magazines/80%20Micro/1986/80%20Micro%20-%208605%20-%20May%201986.pdf#page=23|magazine=80 Micro|issue=76|pages=21–2}}

|Atari 2600

|Atari

|Console

|Second

|{{N/A}}

|1,000,000{{cite magazine|last1=Halfhill|first1=Tom R.|date=April 1986|title=A Turning Point For Atari?|url=https://archive.org/details/1986-04-compute-magazine/page/n31/mode/2up|magazine=Compute!|issue=71|pages=30-41 (30-4)}}

|Apple II

|Apple Inc.

|Computer

|8-bit

|{{N/A}}

|900,000

|Commodore 128

|Commodore

|Computer

|8-bit

|{{N/A}}

|500,000

|NEC PC-88 / PC-98

|NEC

|Computer

|8-bit / 16-bit

|{{#expr:(789+398)*0.36 round -1}},000{{Cite journal|last1=Methe|first1=David|last2=Mitchell|first2=Will|last3=Miyabe|first3=Junichiro|last4=Toyama|first4=Ryoko|date=January 1998|title=Overcoming a Standard Bearer: Challenges to NEC's Personal Computer in Japan|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5160396|journal=Research Papers in Economics (RePEc)|page=35|via=ResearchGate}}{{Cite book|last1=Juliussen|first1=Egil|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxVNAQAAIAAJ|title=The Computer Industry Almanac 1991|last2=Juliussen|first2=Karen|publisher=Pearson P T R|year=1990|isbn=978-0-13-155748-2|pages=10-47, 10-48}}

| {{Unknown}}

|{{#expr:(789+398)*0.36 round -1}},000+

|ZX Spectrum

|Sinclair

|Computer

|8-bit

|{{N/A}}

| {{Unknown}}

|{{formatnum:{{#expr:1100000*0.35 round -4}}

}

|390,000+

|Sega SG-1000 / Mark III (Master System)

|Sega

|Console

|Third

|280,000{{cite book|last1=Tanaka|first1=Tatsuo|url=http://www.stat.go.jp/english/info/meetings/iaos/pdf/tanaka.pdf#page=2|title=Network Externality and Necessary Software Statistics|date=August 2001|publisher=Statistics Bureau of Japan|page=2}}

|{{N/A}}

|280,000+

|10

|Amstrad CPC / Amstrad PCW

|Amstrad

|Computer

|8-bit

|{{N/A}}

| {{Unknown}}

|{{formatnum:{{#expr:1100000*0.23 round -4}}|}}

|250,000+

=Best-selling home video games=

==Japan==

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 {{nowrap|2.5 million}} copies and grossed more than {{¥|12.2 billion}} ({{US$|72 million|long=no}} at the time, or {{US$|{{Inflation|US|72|1985}} million|long=no}} adjusted for inflation) within several months.{{cite journal |title=Japan Quarterly |journal=Japan Quarterly |date=1986 |page=296 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7Y8MAQAAMAAJ |publisher=Asahi Shinbun |quote=Nevertheless, Nintendo can claim among its successes Japan's current game best seller, Super Mario Brothers. Introduced in September 1985, sales of the ¥4,900 game soared to {{nowrap|2.5 million}} copies in just four months, generating revenues of more than {{¥|12.2 billion}} (about {{US$|72 million|long=no}}).}} It eventually sold {{nowrap|3 million}} cartridges by the end of 1985.{{cite journal |title=The Yoke |journal=The Yoke |date=1985 |issue=9–25 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-RwOAQAAMAAJ |publisher=Yokohama Association for International Communications and Exchanges |quote={{nbsp}}"Super Mario Brothers" is one of the family computer games which is enjoying huge popularity among the children of Japan. More than three million of these games have been sold.}}

Game Machine magazine reported that more than ten Famicom games released between 1983 and 1985 had each sold over {{nowrap|1 million}} cartridges in Japan by the end of 1985.{{cite magazine|date=15 January 1986|title=Overseas Readers Column: "Super Mario Bros." Boom Bringing Best Selling Book|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19860115p.pdf#page=12|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|issue=275|page=24}} The Magic Box lists fourteen Famicom games released between 1983 and 1985 that crossed {{nowrap|1 million}} lifetime sales in Japan.{{cite web |title=Japan Platinum Chart Games |url=http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml |website=The Magic Box |access-date=6 April 2021 |archive-date=October 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017061224/http://the-magicbox.com/Chart-JPPlatinum.shtml |url-status=dead }} At least 11 of the following 14 Famicom million-sellers released between 1983 and 1985 crossed {{nowrap|1 million}} sales in Japan by the end of 1985.

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! colspan="2" | Title(s)

! Publisher

! Sales

! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}}

colspan="2" | Super Mario Bros.

| Nintendo

| 3,000,000

4 Nin Uchi Mahjong

|Baseball

| rowspan="5" |Nintendo

| rowspan="13" {{Unknown}}

| rowspan="8" |

Excitebike

| F1 Race

Golf

| Kung Fu

Mahjong

| Mario Bros.

Soccer

| Tennis

colspan="2" | Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match

| Bandai

colspan="2" | Xevious

| Namco

colspan="2" | Lode Runner

| Hudson Soft

==United Kingdom==

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.{{cite magazine |title=News Desk: Exploding Fist tops Gallup 1985 charts |magazine=Popular Computing Weekly |date=20 March 1986 |page=4 |url=https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1986-03-20/page/n3}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! Rank

! Title

! Developer

! Publisher

! Genre

! Sales

| The Way of the Exploding Fist

| Beam Software

| Melbourne House

| Fighting

| 500,000 (Europe){{cite magazine|date=September 1997|title=NG Alphas: Melbourne House|url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_33/page/n117|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=33|page=116}}

| Soft Aid

| Various

| Quicksilva

| Compilation

| rowspan="9" {{Unknown}}

| Elite

| Ghostbusters

| Action

| Finders Keepers

| Mastertronic

|Mastertronic

| Platformer

| Frank Bruno's Boxing

| Elite Systems

| Fighting (boxing)

| Commando

| Capcom

| Elite Systems

| Run-and-gun shooter

| Formula 1 Simulator

| Spirit Software

| Mastertronic

| Racing

| Daley Thompson's Decathlon

| Ocean Software

| Sports (Olympics)

| 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.{{cite magazine |title=Yie Ar tops charts for 1986 |magazine=Popular Computing Weekly |date=12 February 1987 |page=6 |url=https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1987-02-12/page/n5}}

== United States ==

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).

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! colspan="2" | Titles

! class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref|Reference}}

Alphabet Zoo

|Choplifter

| rowspan="5" | {{cite book |last1=Petska-Juliussen |first1=Karen |last2=Juliussen |first2=Egil |title=The Computer Industry Almanac 1990 |date=1990 |publisher=Brady |isbn=978-0-13-154122-1 |location=New York |pages=3.10–11 |url=https://archive.org/details/computerindustry00kare/page/n265/mode/2up}}

Deadline

|F-15 Strike Eagle

Fraction Fever

|Frogger

Ghostbusters

|Kids on Keys

Lode Runner

|Math Blaster!

colspan="2" | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

| rowspan="3" | {{cite book |last1=Petska-Juliussen |first1=Karen |last2=Juliussen |first2=Egil |title=The Computer Industry Almanac 1990 |date=1990 |publisher=Brady |isbn=978-0-13-154122-1 |location=New York |pages=3.12–13 |url=https://archive.org/details/computerindustry00kare/page/n267/mode/2up}}

Zork I

|Zork II

Zork III

|{{N/A}}

Events

August – The final issue of Electronic Games magazine is published.

=Major awards=

The Way of the Exploding Fist won Game of the Year at the third Golden Joystick Awards (for best home computer game),{{cite journal|title=Golden Joystick Awards|journal=Computer and Video Games|date=May 1986|issue=55|page=90|publisher=EMAP|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_055_1986-05_EMAP_Publishing_GB/Computer__Video_Games_Issue_055_1986-05_EMAP_Publishing_GB#page/n89/mode/2up}} and received the "Voted Best Game" award at the Saturday Superstore Viewer Awards.{{cite magazine |title=Thank you from The Home of the Hits! |magazine=Popular Computing Weekly |date=30 January 1986 |page=7 |url=https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1986-01-30/page/n6/mode/1up}}
The sixth Arcade Awards are held, for games released during 1983–1984, with Star Wars winning best arcade game, Space Shuttle best console game, Ultima III: Exodus best computer game, and Zaxxon best standalone game.
In Computer Gamer magazine's Game of the Year Awards, Elite won best home computer game of the year (with The Way of the Exploding Fist as runner-up) and Commando won best coin-op game (with Paperboy as runner-up).{{cite magazine |title=Game of the Year Awards |magazine=Computer Gamer |date=February 1986 |issue=11 |pages=13–5 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue_11_1986-02_Argus_Press_GB/page/n12}}

Business

New companies: Cinemaware. Codemasters, Square Co., Titus, Tradewest, Westwood Studios
Defunct: Adventure International, Bug-Byte, Edu-Ware, RDI Video Systems
David Mullich and several other laid-off employees from Edu-Ware form Electric Transit, the first company to join Electronic Arts' new affiliated publisher program.

Notable releases

= Games =

;Arcade

January – Konami releases Yie Ar Kung-Fu, which lays the foundations for modern fighting games.GameCenter CX - 1st Season, Episode 09. Retrieved on September 19, 2009
March – Tehkan releases Gridiron Fight, an American football sports game featuring the use of dual trackball controls.
April – Atari Games releases Paperboy with a controller modeled after bicycle handlebars,
May – Namco releases Metro-Cross.
May – Konami releases Gradius in Japan (called Nemesis elsewhere).
May – Capcom releases Commando, a vertically-scrolling on-foot shooter which inspires many games with similar themes and gameplay.
July – Namco releases Baraduke (Alien Sector in the US).
July – Sega releases Hang-On by Yu Suzuki and AM2. It is the first of Sega's Super Scaler games.{{Cite web|url=http://www.extentofthejam.com/pseudo/|title = Lou's Pseudo 3d Page}}{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/disappearance-suzuki-part-1?pager.offset=2 |title=The Disappearance of Yu Suzuki: Part 1 from 1UP.com |website=www.1up.com |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113174154/http://www.1up.com/features/disappearance-suzuki-part-1?pager.offset=2 |archive-date=13 November 2013 |url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/disappearance-suzuki-part-1?pager.offset=1 |title=The Disappearance of Yu Suzuki: Part 1 from 1UP.com |website=www.1up.com |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113173854/http://www.1up.com/features/disappearance-suzuki-part-1?pager.offset=1 |archive-date=13 November 2013 |url-status=dead}}
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,{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=10057 |title=Tehkan World Cup - Videogame by Tehkan |publisher=Arcade-museum.com |access-date=February 28, 2013}}

== Computer ==

Alexei Pajitnov creates Tetris for the Electronika 60 in the Soviet Union.
Strategic Games Productions creates At the Gates of Moscow 1941 for the Apple II.

== Console ==

class="wikitable" \|+ !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 ! \|

class="wikitable"

!NES

|Nintendo Entertainment System

!SMS

|Sega Master System

!Int

|Intellivision

|Personal Computer

!G&W

|Game and Watch

!Arc

|Arcade

|SG-1000

!2600

|Atari 2600

class="wikitable"

|+ Notable releases of the year 1985

! Release

! Title {{Cite web|date=2014-06-11|title=NES Games|website=Nintendo|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/nes_games.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611225644/http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/downloads/nes_games.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-06-11|access-date=2021-06-14}}

! 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

;

=Hardware=

File:NES-Console-Set.jpg]]

;Arcade

July – Sega releases the Space Harrier arcade hardware (also known as Sega Hang-On), the first of Sega's "Super Scaler" arcade system boards that allow pseudo-3D sprite-scaling at high frame rates.[http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/974/974695p3.html IGN Presents the History of SEGA: World War], IGN It displays 6144 colors on screen out of a 32,768 color palette.
Namco begins development on the Namco System 21 around this time,{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/commodore-user-magazine-72/Commodore_User_Issue_72_1989_Sep#page/n89/mode/2up|title = Commodore User Magazine Issue 72|date = September 1989}} as the first arcade board dedicated to 3D polygon graphics.

;Computer

January – Commodore releases their final 8-bit computer, the Commodore 128.
June – Atari Corporation releases the 520ST, the first personal computer with a bit-mapped, color GUI.
July 23 – Commodore releases the Amiga 1000 personal computer, the first in the Amiga family. It was not widely available until 1986.
Atari replaces previous models in the Atari 8-bit computer series with the 65XE and 130XE, the latter of which has 128K bank-switched RAM.
Discontinued: Coleco Adam, VIC-20

;Console

July 26 – Nintendo releases the Family Computer Robot, a peripheral for their Family Computer (Famicom) home video game console, in Japan.
October 18 – the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) home video game console, the export version of the Famicom, is launched for a limited test market in the United States, along with the R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy) peripheral.
October 20 – the Sega Mark III home video game console is launched in Japan.
INTV Corporation releases the INTV III console.
Telegames releases the Dina, a ColecoVision clone.
Discontinued: ColecoVision

References

Category:Video games by year

1985 in video games

Financial performance

=Highest-grossing arcade games=

==Japan==

==United Kingdom and United States==

= Best-selling home systems =

=Best-selling home video games=

==Japan==

==United Kingdom==

== United States ==

Events

=Major awards=

Business

Notable releases

= Games =

== Computer ==

== Console ==

=Hardware=

See also

References