# List of role-playing video games: 1986 to 1987

This is a comprehensive index of commercial role-playing video games, sorted chronologically by year. Information regarding date of release, developer, publisher, operating system, subgenre and notability is provided where available. The table can be sorted by clicking on the small boxes next to the column headings. This list does not include MUDs or MMORPGs. It does include roguelikes, action RPGs and tactical RPGs.

## Contents

* 1975–1985
* 1986–1987
* 1988–1989
* 1990–1991
* 1992–1993
* 1994–1995
* 1996–1997
* 1998–1999
* 2000–2001
* 2002–2003
* 2004–2005
* 2006–2007
* 2008–2009
* 2010–2011
* 2012–2013
* 2014–2015
* 2016–2017
* 2018–2019
* 2020–2021
* 2022–2023
* 2024–2025

## Legend

| AMI | Amiga |
| APPII | Apple II |
| Arcade | Arcade video game |
| ATR | Atari 8-bit computers |
| C64 | Commodore 64 |
| CROSS | Cross-platform |
| DOS | MS-DOS |
| FDS | Famicom Disk System |
| FM7 | FM-7 |
| GEN | Genesis / Mega Drive |
| MAC | Mac |
| MSX | MSX |
| MSX2 | MSX2 |
| NES | Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom |
| PC60 | PC-6000 series |
| PC88 | PC-8800 series |
| PC98 | PC-9800 series |
| SMS | Master System |
| ST | Atari ST |
Types of releases :
| Term | Definition |
| Rerelease | The game was re-released on the same platform with no or only minor changes. |
| Port | The game first appeared on a different platform and a port was made. The game is like the original, with few or no differences. |
| Remake | The game is an enhanced remake of an original, released on the same or different platform, with changes to graphics, sound and/or gameplay. |
| Compilation | A compilation, anthology or collection of several titles, usually (but not always) belonging to the same series. |
| Limited | A special release (often called "Limited" or "Collector's Edition") with bonus collector's material. Often provided to people who pre-order a game. |
Genre notes :
| Term | Definition | Term | Definition |
| Action RPG | Action role-playing game | FPS/RPG | First-person shooter / RPG hybrid (role-playing shooter) |
| Tactical RPG | Tactical role-playing game | RTS/RPG | Real-time strategy / RPG hybrid (real-time strategy RPG) |
| Roguelike | Roguelike | CRPG/WRPG | Computer-style role-playing game |
| Eroge | Japanese game featuring erotic content | JRPG | Japanese-style role-playing game |
| MMORPG | Massively multiplayer online role-playing game | Dungeon crawl | Dungeon crawl |
| MUD | MUD | Monster raising | Pet-raising simulation |
| Turn-based | Turn-based game | Card battle | Collectible card game |
| Real-time | Real-time game | Blobber | First-person party-based RPG |
| Sandbox | Open world RPG | | |

## List

| Year | Title | Developer | Publisher | Setting | Platform | Subgenre | Series/Notes | COO |
| 1986 (NA/UK) | Alternate Reality: The City | Paradise Datasoft | Datasoft U.S. Gold | Sci-Fi | APPII (Port) C64 (Port) MAC (Port) ST (Port) | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1986 (NA/UK) | Bards Tale, The | Interplay | EA | Fantasy | AMI (Port) | | Bard's Tale | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Bard's Tale II, The: The Destiny Knight | Interplay | EA | Fantasy | C64 | | Bard's Tale | US |
| 1986 (JP) 1987 (NA) | Deadly Towers (NA) Mashou (JP) 魔鐘 (JP) | Irem | Broderbund Irem | Fantasy | NES | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1986 (JP) | Deep Dungeon: Madō Senki (JP) ディープダンジョン 魔洞戦記 (JP) | HummingBird | DOG | Fantasy | FDS | Dungeon crawl | | JP |
| 1986 (JP) 1989 (NA) | Dragon Warrior (NA) Dragon Quest (JP) ドラゴンクエスト (JP) | Chunsoft | Enix Nintendo | Fantasy | NES PC98 MSX | JRPG | Series debuts. | JP |
| 1986 (JP) | Ganso Saiyuuki: Super Monkey Dai Bouken (JP) 元祖西遊記 スーパーモンキー大冒険 (JP) | | VAP | Fantasy | NES | Action RPG | Based on the novel Journey to the West | JP |
| 1986 (JP) | Haja no Fuuin (JP) 覇邪の封印 (JP) | Kogado | ASCII | Fantasy | FM7 PC88 | JRPG | | JP |
| 1986 (JP) 1989 (NA) | Hydlide (NA) Hydlide Special (JP) ハイドライドスペシャル (JP) | T&E | FCI, Inc.. Tohiba EMI | Fantasy | NES (Remake) | Action RPG | Series debuts. | JP |
| 1986 (JP) | Hydlide II: Shine of Darkness (JP) ハイドライド II (JP) | T&E | T&E | Fantasy | FM7 (Port) MSX (Port) | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1986 (FR) | Mandragore (FR) | Infogrames | Infogrames | Fantasy | MSX | Computer-style RPG | | FR |
| 1986 (NA) | Might & Magic: Book I | New World | New World | Fantasy | APPII | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Phantasie | Logical Design | SSI | Fantasy | ST (Port) | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Phantasie II | SSI | SSI | Fantasy | APPII | | | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Phantasie II | Logical Design | SSI | Fantasy | C64 (Port) ST (Port) | | | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Shard of Spring | SSI Digital Illusions | SSI | Fantasy | APPII C64 DOS | | Followed by Demon's Winter. | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Starflight | Binary Systems | EA | Sci-Fi | DOS | | A rare example of a sci-fi CRPG and the spiritual ancestor to such games as Star Control 2 and Space Rangers. | US |
| 1986 (JP) | Super Rambo Special (JP) スーパーランボースペシャル (JP) | Pack-In-Video | Pack-In-Video | Modern | MSX2 | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1986 (NA) | Temple of Apshai Trilogy | Westwood | Epyx | Fantasy | AMI (Port) ST (Port) | | | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness | Origin | Origin | Fantasy | APPII (Remake) | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness | Origin | Origin | Fantasy | C64 (Port) | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1986 (JP/NA) | Ultima III: Exodus | Origin | Origin StarCraft | Fantasy | AMI (Port) MAC (Port) ST (Port) FM7 (Port) PC88 (Port) PC98 (Port) | Computer-style RPG | Pioneered many innovations that would become standard on many CRPGs, both Western and Eastern, that followed. | US |
| 1986 (NA) | Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar | Origin | Origin | Fantasy | ATR (Port) | | The first major CRPG to move from "hack and slash" gameplay to a "virtuous" story-driven approach. | US |
| 1986 (JP) | Valkyrie no Bōken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu (JP) ワルキューレの冒険 時の鍵伝説 (JP) | Namco | Namco | Fantasy | NES | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1986 (JP) 1989 (NA) | WiBArm (NA) WiBArm (JP) ウィバーン (JP) | Arsys Software (JP) | Arsys Software (JP) Broderbund (NA) | Sci-Fi | PC88 DOS (Port) | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1986 (NA/UK) | Wizard's Crown | SSI | SSI | Fantasy | APPII (Port) ATR (Port) C64 (Port) | Tactical RPG | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna | Sir-Tech | Sir-Tech | Fantasy | APPII DOS | Dungeon crawl | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | 2400 A.D. | Origin | Origin | Sci-Fi | APPII | | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Alternate Reality: The Dungeon | Datasoft | Datasoft | Sci-Fi | APPII ATR C64 | | | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Artelius (JP) アルテリオス (JP) | Nihon Bussan | Nihon Bussan | Fantasy | NES | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP/NA) | Bard's Tale, The (NA) バーズテイル (JP) | Interplay | EA | Fantasy | APPGS (Port) DOS (Port) ST (Port) PC88 (Port) PC98 (Port) | Dungeon crawl | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Bard's Tale II, The: The Destiny Knight | Interplay | EA | Fantasy | APPII (Port) | Dungeon crawl | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Beyond Zork: The Coconut of Quendor | Infocom | Infocom | Fantasy | AMI APPII APPGS C128 DOS MAC ST | Adventure game/RPG hybrid | | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Black Onyx, The (JP) ザ・ブラックオニキス (JP) | Bullet-Proof | Sega | Fantasy | SG1K | Dungeon crawl | The original release is often considered one of Japan's first RPGs. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Cleopatra no Mahou (JP) クレオパトラの魔宝 (JP) | Square | Square | | FDS | | | JP |
| 1987 (NA) | Deathlord | EA | EA | Fantasy | APPII C64 | | | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei (JP) デジタル・デビル物語 女神転生 (JP) | Atlus | Namco | Fantasy | NES | Dungeon crawl | Series debuts. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Dragon Scroll (NA) ドラゴンスクロール 甦りし魔竜 (JA) | Konami | Konami | Fantasy | NES | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu (JP) ザナドゥ (JP) | Nihon Falcom | Sony | Fantasy | MSX MSX2 | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) 1990 (NA) | Dragon Warrior II (NA) Dragon Quest II Akuryo no Kamigami (JP) ドラゴンクエストII 悪霊の神々 (JP) | Chunsoft | Enix | Fantasy | NES | JRPG | | JP |
| 1987 (NA) 1988 (UK) | Dungeon Master | FTL | FTL | Fantasy | ST (Port) | | | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Esper Dream (JP) エスパードリーム (JP) | Konami | Konami | Fantasy | FDS | Action RPG | Series debuts. | JP |
| 1987 (NA) | Eternal Dagger, The | SSI | SSI | Fantasy | APPII ATR | Tactical RPG | Sequel to Wizard's Crown. | US |
| 1987 (NA) | The Faery Tale Adventure | MicroIllusions | MicroIllusions | Fantasy | DOS AMI C64 | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1987 (JP) 1989 (NA) 1990 (EU) | Faxanadu (INT) ファザナドゥ (JP) | Falcom | Hudson Soft Nintendo | Fantasy | NES | Action RPG | Spin-off of the Dragon Slayer series. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) 1990 (NA) | Final Fantasy (JP/NA) ファイナルファンタジー (JP) | Square | Square Nintendo | Fantasy | NES | JRPG | Series debuts. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Getsu Fūma Den (JP) 月風魔伝 (JP) | Konami | Konami | Fantasy | NES | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Ginga no Sannin (JP) 銀河の三人 (JP) | Pax Softnica | Nintendo | Sci-fi | NES (Port) | | aka The Earth Fighter Rayieza | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Golvellius (JP) 魔王ゴルベリアス (JP) | Compile | Compile | Fantasy | MSX | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Hydlide 3: The Space Memories (JP) ハイドライド 3 (JP) | T&E | T&E | Fantasy | MSX MSX2 | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Kalin no Tsurugi (JP) Sword of Kalin (JP) カリーンの剣 (JP) | XTALSOFT | DOG | Fantasy | FDS | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | King Kong 2: Yomigaeru Densetsu (JP) キングコング 2 (JP) | Konami | Konami | | MSX2 | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) 1989 (NA) | Legacy of the Wizard (JP) Dragon Slayer IV: Drasle Family (JP) ドラゴンスレイヤーIVドラスレファミリー (JP) | Nihon Falcom | Nihon Falcom Namco Broderbund | Fantasy | MSX NES | Action RPG | Sequel to Dragon Slayer Jr: Romancia. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) 1989 (NA) | Magic of Scheherazade, The (NA) Arabian Dream Scheherazade (JP) アラビアン・ドリーム シェラザード (JP) | Culture Brain | Culture Brain | Fantasy | NES | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (NA) | Might & Magic: Book I | New World | New World | Fantasy | APPII (Rerel) | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Might & Magic: Book I | New World | New World | Fantasy | C64 (Port) DOS (Port) MAC (Port) | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Minelvaton Saga: Ragon no Fukkatsu (JP) ミネルバトンサーガ ラゴンの復活 (JP) | Taito | Taito | | NES | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) 1988 (NA/PAL) | Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord (NA/PAL) Haja no Fuin (JP) 覇邪の封印 (JP) | Kogado | Kogado Sega ASCII | Fantasy | MSX MSX2 NES SMS | JRPG | | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Outlanders (JP) アウトランダーズ (JP) | Micronics | VMI, Inc. | Sci-Fi | NES | Action RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (NA) | Phantasie | Logical Design | SSI | Fantasy | ATR (Port) DOS (Port) | | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Phantasie | Andromeda | SSI | Fantasy | AMI (Port) | | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Phantasie II | Logical Design | SSI | Fantasy | ATR (Port) | | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Phantasie III: Wrath of Nikademus | SSI | SSI | Fantasy | APPII | | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Phantasie III: Wrath of Nikademus | Westwood | SSI | Fantasy | AMI (Port) C64 (Port) ST (Port) | | | US |
| 1987 (JP) 1988 (NA/EU) | Phantasy Star (INT) ファンタシースター (JP) | RD4 (Sega) | Sega | Sci-Fi | SMS | JRPG | Series debuts. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Return of Ishtar, The (JP) Ishitā no Fukkatsu (JP) イシターの復活 (JP) | Game Studio | Namco | Fantasy | Arcade | Action RPG | Sequel to Tower of Druaga | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Shiryou Sensen: War of the Dead (JP) 死霊戦線 (JP) | | Victor Music Industries | Fantasy | MSX2 | Action RPG | Ancestor of the survival horror subgenre. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Sorcerian (JP) ソーサリアン (JP) | Nihon Falcom | Nihon Falcom | Fantasy | PC88 | Action RPG | Fifth game in the Dragon Slayer series. | JP |
| 1988 (JP) | Star Cruiser (JP) スタークルーザー (JP) | Arsys Software (JP) | Arsys Software (JP) | Sci-Fi | PC88 GEN (Port) | Action RPG FPS/RPG | | JP |
| 1987 (NA) | Tower of Myraglen (NA) | PBI Software | PBI Software | Fantasy | IIGS | | | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Tōjin Makyō-den Hercules no Eikō (JP) 闘人魔境伝 ヘラクレスの栄光 (JP) | Data East | Data East | Fantasy | NES | JRPG | Series debuts. | JP |
| 1987 (NA) | Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness | Origin | Origin | Fantasy | DOS (Port) | | Series debuts. | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress (JP) ウルティマII (JP) | Origin | Pony Canyon | Fantasy | MSX2 | Computer-style RPG | | US |
| 1987 (JP) 1988 (NA) | Ultima III: Exodus (NA) Ultima: Kyoufu no Exodus (JP) ウルティマ ～恐怖のエクソダス～ (JP) | Origin | Origin FCI Pony Canyon | Fantasy | NES MSX2 | Computer-style RPG | | US |
| 1987 (NA/JP) | Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (NA) ウルティマIV (JP) | Origin | Origin Pony Canyon | Fantasy | ST (Port) MSX2 | Computer-style RPG | The first major CRPG to move from "hack and slash" gameplay to a "virtuous" story-driven approach. | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Wizard's Crown | SSI | SSI | Fantasy | ST (Port) | Tactical RPG | | US |
| 1987 (JP) 1990 (NA) | Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (JP/NA) | Sir-Tech Software Sting Game | Sir-Tech ASCII Nexoft | Fantasy | C64 (Port) NES MSX2 | Dungeon crawl | Series debuts. | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna | Sir-Tech | Sir-Tech | Fantasy | APPII | Dungeon crawl | | US |
| 1987 (NA) | Wizardry Trilogy | Sir-Tech | Sir-Tech | Fantasy Sci-Fi | APPII (Comp) C64 (Comp) | | Compilation of the first three Wizardry games. | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Woody Poko (JP) うっでいぽこ (JP) | DB Soft | DB Soft | Fantasy | NES | | | US |
| 1987 (JP) | Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished (JP) イースI (JP) | Nihon Falcom | Nihon Falcom | Fantasy | MSX2 | Action RPG | First game in the Ys series | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Yūshi no Monshō: Deep Dungeon (JP) 勇士の紋章 ディープダンジョン (JP) | HummingBird | DOG | Fantasy | FDS | Dungeon crawl | Second game in the Deep Dungeon series | JP |
| 1987 (JP) 1988 (US/PAL) | Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (INT) ゼルダの伝説 (パート) 2 リンクの冒険 (JP) | Nintendo | Nintendo | Fantasy | FDS NES | Action RPG | Sequel to action-adventure game The Legend of Zelda. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) 1990 (NA) | Zeliard (JP/NA) ゼリアード (JP) | Game Arts | Game Arts Sierra | Fantasy | DOS PC88 | Action RPG / Platform hybrid | | JP |