1986

The Zelda series began

1986 was a major year for Nintendo. The very popular game The Legend of Zelda was released for the Famicom and the NES, as well as Metroid and Kid Icarus.

Timeline

• February 21 - The Legend of Zelda first released in Japan
• April 14- Nazo no Murasame-jō first released
• June 13 - Super Mario Bros. 2 (JP) released
• August 6 - Metroid released
• July - Kid Icarus first released

Character debuts

• Kid Icarus: Pit, Palutena
• The Legend of Zelda: Link, Princess Zelda, Ganon
• Metroid: Samus Aran, Ridley, Mother Brain

Games released in 1986

Nintendo Entertainment System

• x
• Japan
• North America
• Europe

Please select a region.

87 games were released in Japan.

Title	Publisher	Release Date	Source
TwinBee	Konami	1986-01-04January 4, 1986	[1]
SonSon	Capcom	1986-02-08February 8, 1986	[2]
The Goonies	Konami	1986-02-21February 21, 1986	[3]
Circus Charlie	Soft Pro International	1986-03-04March 4, 1986	[4]
Ninja Hattori-kun: Ninja wa Shuugyou de Gozaru no Maki	Hudson Soft	1986-03-05March 5, 1986	[5]
Gyrodine	Taito	1986-03-13March 13, 1986	[6]
Hydlide Special	Toshiba EMI	1986-03-18March 18, 1986	[7]
MagMax	Nihon Bussan	1986-03-18March 18, 1986	[8]
Baltron	Toei Animation	1986-03-19March 19, 1986	[9]
Tag Team Pro Wrestling	Namco	1986-04-02April 2, 1986	[10]
Argus	Jaleco	1986-04-17April 17, 1986	[11]
Atlantis no Nazo	Sunsoft	1986-04-17April 17, 1986	[12]
Gegege no Kitaro: Youkai Daimakyou	Bandai	1986-04-17April 17, 1986	[13]
Dig Dug II	Namco	1986-04-18April 18, 1986	[14]
Kage no Densetsu	Taito	1986-04-18April 18, 1986	[15]
Mighty Bomb Jack	Tecmo	1986-04-24April 24, 1986	[16]
Gradius	Konami	1986-04-25April 25, 1986	[17]
Keisan Game Sansū 1-nen	Tokyo Shoseki	1986-04-25April 25, 1986	[18]
Keisan Game Sansū 2-nen	Tokyo Shoseki	1986-04-25April 25, 1986	[19]
Keisan Game Sansū 3-nen	Tokyo Shoseki	1986-04-25April 25, 1986	[20]
Spy vs. Spy	Kemco	1986-04-26April 26, 1986	[21]
Seicross	Nihon Bussan	1986-05-19May 19, 1986	[22]
Dragon Quest	Enix	1986-05-27May 27, 1986	[23]
B-Wings	Data East	1986-06-03June 3, 1986	[24]
Bird Week	Toshiba EMI	1986-06-03June 3, 1986	[25]
Makaimura	Capcom	1986-06-13June 13, 1986	[26]
Star Soldier	Hudson Soft	1986-06-13June 13, 1986	[27]
Super Chinese	Namco	1986-06-20June 20, 1986	[28]
Choplifter	Jaleco	1986-06-26June 26, 1986	[29]
Sqoon	Irem	1986-06-26June 26, 1986	[30]
Kanshaku Tamanage Kantarō no Tōkaidō Gojūsan-tsugi	Sunsoft	1986-07-03July 3, 1986	[31]
Babel no Tō(JPJapanese: バベルの塔 Romaji: Babel no Tō)	Namco	1986-07-18July 18, 1986	[32]
Ganbare Goemon! Karakuri Dōchū	Konami	1986-07-30July 30, 1986	[33]
Solomon no Kagi	Tecmo	1986-07-30July 30, 1986	[34]
Valkyrie no Bōken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu	Namco	1986-08-01August 1, 1986	[35]
Musashi no Ken: Tadaima Shugyō Chū	Taito	1986-08-08August 8, 1986	[36]
Hokuto no Ken	Toei Animation	1986-08-10August 10, 1986	[37]
JaJaMaru no Daibouken	Jaleco	1986-08-22August 22, 1986	[38]
Sky Kid	Namco	1986-08-22August 22, 1986	[39]
Mobile Suit Z Gundam: Hot Scramble	Bandai	1986-08-28August 28, 1986	[40]
ASO: Armored Scrum Object	SNK	1986-09-03September 3, 1986	[41]
Super Pitfall	Pony Canyon	1986-09-05September 5, 1986	[42]
Banana	Victor	1986-09-08September 8, 1986	[43]
Takahashi Meijin no Bouken Jima	Hudson Soft	1986-09-12September 12, 1986	[44]
King's Knight	Square	1986-09-18September 18, 1986	[45]
Super Xevious: GAMP no Nazo(JPJapanese: スーパーゼビウス ガンプの謎 Romaji: Sūpā Zebiusu Ganpu no Nazo)	Namco	1986-09-19September 19, 1986	[46]
Ghostbusters	Tokuma Shoten	1986-09-22September 22, 1986	[47]
Space Hunter	Kemco	1986-09-25September 25, 1986	[48]
Senjou no Ookami	Capcom	1986-09-27September 27, 1986	[49]
Terra Cresta	Nihon Bussan	1986-09-27September 27, 1986	[50]
Buggy Popper	Data East	1986-10-08October 8, 1986	[51]
Urusei Yatsura: Lum's Wedding Bell	Jaleco	1986-10-23October 23, 1986	[52]
Keisan Game Sansū 4-nen	Tokyo Shoseki	1986-10-30October 30, 1986	[53]
Keisan Game Sansū 5+6-nen	Tokyo Shoseki	1986-10-30October 30, 1986	[54]
Mississippi Satsujin Jiken	Jaleco	1986-10-31October 31, 1986	[55]
Super Star Force: Jikūreki no Himitsu	Tecmo	1986-11-11November 11, 1986	[56]
Family Trainer: Athletic World	Bandai	1986-11-12November 12, 1986	[57]
Meikyuu Kumikyoku: Miron no Daibouken	Hudson Soft	1986-11-13November 13, 1986	[58]
Othello	Kawada	1986-11-13November 13, 1986	[59]
Aigīna no Yogen: Barubarūku no Densetsu Yori(JPJapanese: アイギーナの予言 バルバルークの伝説より Romaji: Aigīna no Yogen: Barubarūku no Densetsu Yori)	Vic Tokai	1986-11-21November 21, 1986	[60]
Ganso Saiyūki: Super Monkey Daibōken	VAP	1986-11-21November 21, 1986	[61]
Nagagutsu o Haita Neko: Sekai Isshū 80 Nichi Dai Bōken	Toei Animation	1986-11-21November 21, 1986	[62]
Ikari	K Amusement Leasing	1986-11-26November 26, 1986	[63]
Mappy-Land	Namco	1986-11-26November 26, 1986	[64]
Dragon Ball: Shenlong no Nazo	Bandai	1986-11-27November 27, 1986	[65]
Castle Excellent	ASCII	1986-11-28November 28, 1986	[66]
Daiva Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia	Toshiba EMI	1986-12-05December 5, 1986	[67]
Tiger-Heli	Pony Canyon	1986-12-05December 5, 1986	[68]
Transformers: Convoy no Nazo	Takara	1986-12-05December 5, 1986	[69]
Hottāman no Chitei Tanken	Use Corporation	1986-12-06December 6, 1986	[70]
Pro Yakyuu Family Stadium	Namco	1986-12-10December 10, 1986	[71]
Takeshi no Chōsenjō	Taito	1986-12-10December 10, 1986	[72]
Sherlock Holmes: Hakushaku Reijō Yūkai Jiken	Towa Chiki	1986-12-11December 11, 1986	[73]
Doraemon	Hudson Soft	1986-12-12December 12, 1986	[74]
Mashou	Irem	1986-12-15December 15, 1986	[75]
Metro-Cross	Namco	1986-12-16December 16, 1986	[76]
King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch	Konami	1986-12-18December 18, 1986	[77]
Madoola no Tsubasa: The Wing of Madoola	Sunsoft	1986-12-18December 18, 1986	[78]
Layla	dB-SOFT	1986-12-20December 20, 1986	[79]
Cosmo Genesis	ASCII	1986-12-23December 23, 1986	[80]
Family Trainer: Running Stadium	Bandai	1986-12-23December 23, 1986	[81]
Seikima II Akuma no Gyakushū!	CBS/Sony Group	1986-12-24December 24, 1986	[82]
Tatakai no Banka	Capcom	1986-12-24December 24, 1986	[83]
Arkanoid	Taito	1986-12-26December 26, 1986	[84]
Crazy Climber	Nihon Bussan	1986-12-26December 26, 1986	[85]
Toki no Tabibito: Time Stranger	Kemco	1986-12-26December 26, 1986	[86]

18 games were released in North America.

Title	Publisher	Release Date	Source
Gumshoe	Nintendo	1986-06-06June 6, 1986	[87]
Balloon Fight	Nintendo	1986-06June 1986	[88]
Donkey Kong	Nintendo	1986-06June 1986	[89]
Donkey Kong 3	Nintendo	1986-06June 1986	[90]
Donkey Kong Jr.	Nintendo	1986-06June 1986	[91]
Mario Bros.	Nintendo	1986-06June 1986	[92]
Popeye	Nintendo	1986-06June 1986	[93]
Urban Champion	Nintendo	1986-06June 1986	[94]
Ninja Kid	Bandai	1986-10-29October 29, 1986	[95]
Chubby Cherub	Bandai	1986-10October 1986	[96]
Tag Team Match: M.U.S.C.L.E.	Bandai	1986-10October 1986	[97]
Tag Team Wrestling	Data East	1986-10October 1986	[98]
1942	Capcom	1986-11November 1986	[99]
Commando	Capcom	1986-11November 1986	[100]
Ghosts 'n Goblins	Capcom	1986-11November 1986	[101]
Karate Champ	Data East	1986-11November 1986	[102]
Gradius	Konami	1986-12December 1986	[103]

10 games were released in Europe.

Title	Publisher	Release Date	Source
Excitebike	Nintendo	1986-09-01September 1, 1986	[104]
Ice Climber	Nintendo	1986-09-01September 1, 1986	[105]
Mario Bros.	Nintendo	1986-09-01September 1, 1986	[106]
Pinball	Nintendo	1986-09-01September 1, 1986	[107]
Popeye	Nintendo	1986-09-01September 1, 1986	[108]
Tennis	Nintendo	1986-09-01September 1, 1986	[109]
Donkey Kong	Nintendo	1986-10-15October 1986	[110]
Golf	Nintendo	1986-11-15November 15, 1986	[111]
Donkey Kong Jr. Math	Nintendo	19861986	[112]
Urban Champion	Nintendo	19861986	[113]