View source for 1985 in video games

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Year nav topic5|1985|video games}}

1985 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' and ''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung Fu]]'', along with new titles such as ''[[Commando (video game)|Commando]]'', ''[[Duck Hunt]]'', ''[[Gauntlet (1985 video game)|Gauntlet]]'', ''[[Ghosts 'n Goblins (video game)|Ghosts 'n Goblins]]'', ''[[Gradius (video game)|Gradius]]'', ''[[Hang-On]]'', ''[[Space Harrier]]'', ''[[Tetris]]'' and ''[[The Way of the Exploding Fist]]''. The year's highest-grossing [[arcade video game]]s 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 [[Video games in the United States|the United States]], annual [[Video game crash of 1983|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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Meanwhile, the [[arcade video game]] industry began recovering in 1985.<ref name="replaymag">{{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}}</ref><ref name="RePlay80">{{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}}</ref><ref name="PM85"/>

===Highest-grossing arcade games===
====Japan====
[[Video games in Japan|In Japan]], the following titles were the top-grossing [[arcade video game]]s on the bi-weekly ''[[:ja:ゲームマシン|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" | [[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|''Spartan X'' (''Kung-Fu Master'')]]
| {{#expr:8.94+8.45}}
| rowspan="5" | ''[[TX-1 V8]]''
| {{#expr:8.5+7.6}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 January 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850115p.pdf#page=14|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=252|page=27|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=253|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 February 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850201p.pdf#page=13}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||February}}
| {{#expr:7.7+6.91}}
| {{#expr:8+7}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 February 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850215p.pdf#page=12|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=254|page=23|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=255|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 March 1985|page=21|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850301p.pdf#page=11}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||March}}
| ''[[Kaneko|Samurai Nipponichi]]''
| {{#expr:9+7.22}}
| {{#expr:6.8+6.33}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 March 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850315p.pdf#page=11|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=256|page=21|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=257|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 April 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850401p.pdf#page=13}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||April}}
| ''[[Return of the Invaders]]''
| {{#expr:7.2+6.06}}
| {{#expr:7.67+7.17}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 April 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850415p.pdf#page=10|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=258|page=19|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=259|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 May 1985|page=21|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850501p.pdf#page=11}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||May}}
| ''[[I'm Sorry (video game)|I'm Sorry]]''
| {{#expr:8.33+6.25}}
| {{#expr:7+7.43}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 May 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850515p.pdf#page=11|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=260|page=21|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=261|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 June 1985|page=23|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850601p.pdf#page=12}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||June}}
| ''[[Commando (video game)|Senjō no Ōkami]]'' (''Commando'')
| {{#expr:8+6.55}}
| ''[[List of Taito games|Wyvern F-0]]''
| {{#expr:8.5+7.57}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 June 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850615p.pdf#page=13|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=262|page=25|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=263|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 July 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850701p.pdf#page=13}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||July}}
| ''[[List of Taito games|Ping Pong King]]''
| {{#expr:9+7.22}}
|''[[TX-1 V8]]''
| {{#expr:7.29+7.67}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 July 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850715p.pdf#page=15|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=264|page=29|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=265|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 August 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850801p.pdf#page=13}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||August}}
| rowspan="2" | ''[[List of Taito games|Sandlot Baseball]]''
| {{#expr:9+7.56}}
| rowspan="5" |''[[Hang-On]]''
| {{#expr:9.7+(9.58+9)}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 August 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850815p.pdf#page=11|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=266|page=21|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=267|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 September 1985|page=25|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850901p.pdf#page=13}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||September}}
| {{#expr:7.11+6.8}}
| {{#expr:(9.69+9.4)+(9.47+9.4)}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 September 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19850915p.pdf#page=11|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=267|page=21|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=268|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 October 1985|page=31|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851001p.pdf#page=16}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||October}}
| ''[[Mat Mania – The Prowrestling Network|Exciting Hour]]''
| {{#expr:7.56+7.83}}
| {{#expr:(9.33+9.29)+(9.25+9.18)}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 October 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851015p.pdf#page=13|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=269|page=25|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=270|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 November 1985|page=23|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851101p.pdf#page=12}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||November}}
| ''[[Choplifter]]''
| {{#expr:8.18+7.41}}
| {{#expr:(9.14+9.07)+(9.14+8.23)}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 November 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851115p.pdf#page=11|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=271|page=21|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Best Hit Games 25|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|issue=272|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|date=1 December 1985|page=23|lang=ja|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851201p.pdf#page=12}}</ref>
|-
| {{dts||December}}
| ''[[Alpha Mission|ASO: Armored Scrum Object]]''
| {{#expr:7.17+6.93}}
| {{#expr:(8.67+8.38)+(8.46+8.29)}}
| <ref>{{cite magazine|date=15 December 1985|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19851215p.pdf#page=13|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=273|page=25|lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|date=1 January 1986|title=Best Hit Games 25|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19860101p.pdf#page=18|magazine=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=274|page=34|lang=ja}}</ref>
|}

====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" | [[Video games in the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]
! colspan="6" | [[Video games in the United States|United States]]
|-
! rowspan="2" |''[[Play Meter]]''
! colspan="2" |''RePlay''<ref>{{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}}</ref>
! colspan="3" | AMOA<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>
|-
! Title
! Type
! Arcade
! Route/Street
! Video
|-
| 1
| ''[[Commando (video game)|Commando]]''<ref>{{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}}</ref>
| ''[[Hang-On]]''<ref name="PM85">{{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}}</ref>
| ''[[Karate Champ]]''
| [[Arcade cabinet|Dedicated]]
| [[Nintendo VS. System]]
| ''[[Karate Champ]]''
| ''[[Spy Hunter]]''
|-
| 2
| {{Unknown}}
| {{Unknown}}
| ''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung-Fu Master]]''
| rowspan="2" | Dedicated
| rowspan="4" | ''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung-Fu Master]]'', <br /> ''[[Karate Champ]]'', <br /> ''[[Pac-Land]]'', <br /> ''[[Pole Position II]]''
| rowspan="4" | ''English Mark Darts'', <br /> ''[[List of Sega arcade games|Crowns Golf]]'', <br />  ''[[Yie Ar Kung-Fu]]'', <br /> ''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung-Fu Master]]''
| rowspan="4" | ''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung-Fu Master]]'', <br /> ''[[Pole Position]]'', <br /> ''Trivia Master'', <br /> ''[[Karate Champ]]''
|-
| 3
| {{Unknown}}
| {{Unknown}}
| ''[[Commando (video game)|Commando]]''
|-
| 4
| {{Unknown}}
| {{Unknown}}
| ''[[Yie Ar Kung-Fu]]''
| [[Arcade conversion|Conversion]]
|-
| 5
| {{Unknown}}
| {{Unknown}}
| ''[[Hogan's Alley (video game)|Hogan's Alley]]''
| [[Arcade system board|System]]
|-
| 6
| {{Unknown}}
| {{Unknown}}
| ''[[Excitebike]]''
| System
| colspan="3" rowspan="3" {{Unknown}}
|-
| 7
| rowspan="2" {{Unknown}}
| rowspan="2" {{Unknown}}
| rowspan="2" | ''[[Pole Position]]'', <br /> ''[[Spy Hunter]]''
| rowspan="2" | Dedicated
|-
| 8
|}

=== 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
|-
![[Video games in Japan|Japan]]
![[Video games in the United States|USA]]
![[Video games in the United Kingdom|UK]]<ref name=":1">{{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}}</ref>
!Worldwide
|-
|1
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System]] / [[Famicom]]
|[[Nintendo]]
|[[Home console|Console]]
|[[Third generation of video game consoles|Third]]
|6,500,000<ref>{{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.}}</ref>
|90,000<ref name="Pollack">{{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}}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|6,590,000
|-
|2
|[[Commodore 64]] (C64)
|[[Commodore International|Commodore]]
|[[Home computer|Computer]]
|[[8-bit]]
| {{Unknown}}
|1,000,000<ref name=":0" />
| {{Unknown}}
|2,500,000<ref name=":222">{{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}}</ref>
|-
|3
|[[IBM Personal Computer]] (PC) / [[IBM PCjr]]
|[[IBM]]
|[[Home computer|Computer]]
|8-bit / [[16-bit]]
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|1,400,000<ref>{{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}}</ref>
|-
|4
|[[Atari 2600]]
|[[Atari Corporation|Atari]]
|Console
|[[Second generation of video game consoles|Second]]
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|1,000,000<ref name=":0">{{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)}}</ref>
|-
|5
|[[Apple II]]
|[[Apple Inc.]]
|Computer
|8-bit
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|900,000<ref name=":222" />
|-
|6
|[[Commodore 128]]
|Commodore
|Computer
|8-bit
|{{N/A}}
|{{N/A}}
|{{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">{{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]]}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{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}}</ref>
| {{Unknown}}
| {{Unknown}}
|{{#expr:(789+398)*0.36 round -1}},000+
|-
|8
|[[ZX Spectrum]]
|[[Sinclair Research|Sinclair]]
|Computer
|8-bit
|{{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
|{{formatnum:{{#expr:1100000*0.35 round -4}}|}}
|390,000+
|-
|9
|[[SG-1000|Sega SG-1000]] / [[Master System|Mark III]] (Master System)
|[[Sega]]
|Console
|Third
|280,000<ref name="Tanaka">{{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}}</ref>
|{{N/A}}
|{{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.<ref>{{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}}).}}</ref> It eventually sold {{nowrap|3 million}} cartridges by the end of 1985.<ref name="Yoke">{{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.}}</ref>

''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.<ref name="GM275">{{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=[[:ja:ゲームマシン|Game Machine]]|publisher=[[:ja:アミューズメント通信社|Amusement Press, Inc.]]|issue=275|page=24}}</ref> ''The Magic Box'' lists fourteen Famicom games released between 1983 and 1985 that crossed {{nowrap|1 million}} lifetime sales in Japan.<ref name="magicbox">{{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 }}</ref> 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
| <ref name="Yoke"/>
|-
| ''[[4 Nin Uchi Mahjong]]''
|''[[Baseball (1983 video game)|Baseball]]''
| rowspan="5" |Nintendo
| rowspan="13" {{Unknown}}
| rowspan="8" |<ref name="magicbox"/><ref name="GM275"/>
|-
| ''[[Excitebike]]''
| ''[[F1 Race]]''
|-
| ''[[Golf (1984 video game)|Golf]]''
| ''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung Fu]]''
|-
| ''Mahjong''
| ''[[Mario Bros.]]''
|-
| ''[[Soccer (1985 video game)|Soccer]]''
| ''[[Tennis (1984 video game)|Tennis]]''
|-
| colspan="2" | ''[[Tag Team Match: M.U.S.C.L.E.|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 (company)|Gallup]] software sales chart. The top ten titles were all [[home computer games]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! Rank
! Title
! Developer
! Publisher
! Genre
! Sales
|-
| 1
| ''[[The Way of the Exploding Fist]]''
| [[Beam Software]]
| [[Krome Studios Melbourne|Melbourne House]]
| [[Fighting game|Fighting]]
| 500,000 ([[Europe]])<ref>{{cite magazine|date=September 1997|title=NG Alphas: Melbourne House|url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_33/page/n117|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|issue=33|page=116}}</ref>
|-
| 2
| ''[[Soft Aid]]''
| Various
| [[Quicksilva]]
| [[Video game compilation|Compilation]]
| rowspan="9" {{Unknown}}
|-
| 3
| ''[[Elite (video game)|Elite]]''
| [[Acornsoft]]
|[[Acornsoft]]
| [[Space trading]]
|-
| 4
| ''[[Ghostbusters (1984 video game)|Ghostbusters]]''
| [[Activision]]
|[[Activision]]
| [[Action game|Action]]
|-
| 5
| ''[[Finders Keepers (1985 video game)|Finders Keepers]]''
| [[Mastertronic]]
|[[Mastertronic]]
| [[Platformer]]
|-
| 6
| ''[[Frank Bruno's Boxing]]'' 
| [[Elite Systems]]
| [[Elite Systems]]
| [[Fighting game|Fighting]] ([[List of boxing video games|boxing]])
|-
| 7
| ''[[Commando (video game)|Commando]]''
| [[Capcom]]
| [[Elite Systems]]
| [[Run and gun game|Run-and-gun shooter]]
|-
| 8
| ''Formula 1 Simulator''
| Spirit Software
| [[Mastertronic]]
| [[Racing game|Racing]]
|-
| 9
| ''[[Daley Thompson's Decathlon]]''
| [[Ocean Software]]
| [[Ocean Software]]
| [[Sports video game|Sports]] ([[Olympic video games|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 in video games|1986]].<ref name="PCW">{{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}}</ref>

==== 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" | <ref>{{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}}</ref>
|-
|[[Deadline (1982 video game)|''Deadline'']]
|[[F-15 Strike Eagle (video game)|''F-15 Strike Eagle'']]
|-
|''[[Fraction Fever]]''
|''[[Frogger]]''
|-
|''[[Ghostbusters (1984 video game)|Ghostbusters]]''
|''[[Kids on Keys]]''
|-
|''[[Lode Runner]]''
|''[[Math Blaster!]]''
|-
|colspan="2" | [[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (video game)|''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'']]
| rowspan="3" | <ref>{{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}}</ref>
|-
|''[[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 [[Golden Joystick Award for Game of the Year|Game of the Year]] at the third [[Golden Joystick Awards]] (for best [[home computer game]]),<ref>{{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}}</ref> and received the "Voted Best Game" award at the ''[[Saturday Superstore]]'' Viewer Awards.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
* The sixth [[Electronic Games|Arcade Awards]] are held, for games released during 1983–1984, with ''[[Star Wars (1983 video game)|Star Wars]]'' winning best [[arcade game]], ''Space Shuttle'' best [[console game]], ''[[Ultima III: Exodus]]'' best [[PC game|computer game]], and ''[[Zaxxon]]'' best [[dedicated console|standalone]] game.
* In ''[[Computer Gamer]]'' magazine's [[List of Game of the Year awards|Game of the Year]] Awards, ''[[Elite (video game)|Elite]]'' won best home computer game of the year (with ''The Way of the Exploding Fist'' as runner-up) and ''[[Commando (video game)|Commando]]'' won best [[coin-op]] game (with ''[[Paperboy (video game)|Paperboy]]'' as runner-up).<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Business==
* New companies: [[Cinemaware]]. [[Codemasters]], [[Square (video game company)|Square Co.]], [[Titus Software|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 game]]s.<ref>[[Retro Game Master|GameCenter CX]] - 1st Season, Episode 09. Retrieved on September 19, 2009</ref>
* March – [[Tecmo|Tehkan]] releases ''[[Gridiron Fight]]'', an [[American football]] [[sports game]] featuring the use of dual [[trackball]] controls.
* April – [[Atari Games]] releases ''[[Paperboy (video game)|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 (video game)|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 [[Sega AM2|AM2]]. It is the first of Sega's [[Sega Super Scaler|Super Scaler]] games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.extentofthejam.com/pseudo/|title = Lou's Pseudo 3d Page}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> Its motorbike [[arcade cabinet|cabinet]] is controlled using the body, starting a "Taikan" ("to feel in the body") trend of [[motion control]]led hydraulic cabinets in arcades some two decades before motion controls become popular on [[video game console]]s.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
* August – [[Atari Games]] releases ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1985 video game)|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 (1985 video game)|Gauntlet]]''. Based on the lesser known Atari 8-bit game ''[[Dandy (video 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 stick|analog]] [[Joystick|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>{{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}}</ref>

==== Computer ====

* [[Alexey Pajitnov|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"
|+ Notable releases of the year 1985
! Release 
! Title <ref>{{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}}</ref>
! Consoles
|-
|NES
[[Japan|JP]]: February 4

[[North America|NA]]: October 18

Arcade: 1985

PC: October
|''[[Ice Climber]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Arcade game|Arc]], [[PC game|PC]]
|-
|March
|''[[Excitebike]] (NA Release)''
|[[Arcade game|Arc]]
|-
|Arcade:
[[Japan|JP]]: March 1

[[North America|NA]]: April

[[Europe|EU]]: August

NES [[North America|NA]]:

October 18
|''[[Hogan's Alley (video game)|Hogan's Alley]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Arcade game|Arc]]
|-
|Arcade: 
[[Europe|EU]]: Q1 1985

NES:

[[Japan|JP]]: June 21

[[North America|NA]]: October 18

PC:

December
|''[[Kung-Fu Master (video game)|Kung Fu]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Arcade game|Arc]], [[PC game|PC]]
|-
|PC:
April

NES:

December 19
|[[Thexder]]
|[[PC game|PC]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]] (Japan only)
|-
|NES:
[[Japan|JP]]: April 9

[[North America|NA]]: October 18
|''[[Soccer (1985 video game)|Soccer]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|April 23
|''[[Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1985 video game)|Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|NES:
[[Japan|JP]]: June 18

[[North America|NA]]: October 18

Arcade:

1985
|''[[Wrecking Crew (video game)|Wrecking Crew]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Arcade game|Arc]]
|-
|September 9
|''[[Battle City]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]] (Japan only)
|-
|NES:
[[Japan|JP]]: September 13

[[North America|NA]]: October 18
|''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|September 16
|''[[Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|October 18
|''[[Wild Gunman]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] (US release)
|-
|October 18
|''[[Tennis (1984 video game)|Tennis]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] (NA release)
|-
|October 18
|''[[Stack-Up]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|October 18
|''[[Pinball (1984 video game)|Pinball]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] (NA release)
|-
|October 18
|''[[Gyromite]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|October 18
|''[[Golf (1984 video game)|Golf]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] (NA release), [[Arcade game|Arc]] (EU release)
|-
|October 18
|''[[Excitebike]] (NA Release)''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|October 18
|''[[Duck Hunt]] (NA release)''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|October 18
|''[[Clu Clu Land]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], [[Arcade game|Arc]]
|-
|October 18
|''[[Baseball (1983 video game)|Baseball]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|October 18
|''[[10-Yard Fight]]''
|[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]
|-
|October 27
|''[[Xanadu (video game)|Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|November
|''[[Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|1985
|''[[Racing Destruction Set]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|1985
|''[[Roller Coaster (video game)|Roller Coaster]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|1985
|''[[Starquake (video game)|Starquake]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|1985
|''[[Tau Ceti (video game)|Tau Ceti]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|1985
|''[[The Oregon Trail (1985 video game)|The Oregon Trail]]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|1985
|[[Mercenary (video game)|''Mercenary'']]
|[[PC game|PC]]
|-
|1985
|''[[Clues'o']]''
|[[PC game|PC]]
|}
;

===Hardware===
[[File:NES-Console-Set.jpg|thumb|right|North American release of the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]]]

;Arcade
*July – Sega releases the [[Space Harrier]] arcade hardware (also known as Sega Hang-On), the first of [[Sega]]'s "Super Scaler" [[arcade system board]]s that allow [[2.5D|pseudo-3D]] [[Sprite (computer graphics)#Move to 3D|sprite-scaling]] at high [[frame rate]]s.<ref>[http://uk.retro.ign.com/articles/974/974695p3.html IGN Presents the History of SEGA: World War], [[IGN]]</ref> It displays 6144 colors on screen out of a [[High color|32,768]] [[List of color palettes|color palette]].
* [[Namco]] begins development on the [[Namco System 21]] around this time,<ref name=cu>{{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}}</ref> as the first arcade board dedicated to [[3D computer graphics|3D polygon graphics]].

;Computer
* January – [[Commodore International|Commodore]] releases their final 8-bit computer, the [[Commodore 128]].
* June – [[Atari Corporation]] releases the [[Atari ST|520ST]], the first personal computer with a bit-mapped, color GUI.
* July 23 – [[Commodore International|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 computers|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 [[R.O.B.|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. Not only that [[Super Mario Bros.|Super Mario Bros]] was released in [[North America]] around this time. 
* October 20 – the [[Master System|Sega Mark III]] home video game console is launched in Japan.
* [[Intellivision#INTV|INTV]] Corporation releases the INTV III console.
* [[Telegames]] releases the [[Dina (console)|Dina]], a [[ColecoVision]] clone.
* Discontinued: [[ColecoVision]]

==See also==
*[[1985 in games]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{History of video games}}

[[Category:1985 in video gaming| ]]
[[Category:Video games by year]]