Ranking by era

The best games of the 1980s.

152 games compete in this selection. Super Mario Bros. 3 tops it with 1,872 points: the ranking comes from player votes alone, and moves with every duel settled.

  1. 1 Super Mario Bros. 3 1988 · Platformer 1,872
  2. 2 Tetris 1989 · Puzzle 1,858
  3. 3 Mega Man 2 1989 · Platformer 1,793
  4. 4 Super Mario Land 1989 · Platformer 1,751
  5. 5 Super Mario Bros. 1985 · Platformer 1,740
  6. 6 The Legend of Zelda 1986 · Action-adventure 1,732
  7. 7 Pac-Man 1980 · Arcade 1,722
  8. 8 Castlevania 1986 · Platformer 1,704
  9. 9 Mega Man 1987 · Platformer 1,680
  10. 10 Contra 1987 · Platformer 1,676
  11. 11 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 1987 · Metroidvania 1,675
  12. 12 Metroid 1987 · Metroidvania 1,638
  13. 13 Prince of Persia 1989 · Platformer 1,623
  14. 14 Ghouls 'n Ghosts 1988 · Platformer 1,614
  15. 15 Spy Hunter 1983 · Racing 1,604
  16. 16 Final Fantasy 1987 · JRPG 1,599
  17. 17 Golden Axe 1989 · Beat 'em up 1,584
  18. 18 Ice Hockey 1988 · Sports 1,584
  19. 19 Battle City 1985 · Shoot 'em up 1,581
  20. 20 Street Fighter 1987 · Fighting 1,576
  21. 21 Phantasy Star 1987 · JRPG 1,566
  22. 22 Marble Madness 1984 · Puzzle 1,563
  23. 23 Paperboy 1984 · Arcade 1,560
  24. 24 Donkey Kong 1981 · Platformer 1,553
  25. 25 Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels 1986 · Platformer 1,553
  26. 26 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1989 · Beat 'em up 1,553
  27. 27 Arkanoid 1986 · Arcade 1,549
  28. 28 Disney's DuckTales 1989 · Platformer 1,547
  29. 29 Double Dragon 1987 · Beat 'em up 1,543
  30. 30 Commando 1985 · Shoot 'em up 1,543
  31. 31 Ninja Gaiden 1988 · Beat 'em up 1,541
  32. 32 Final Fantasy II 1988 · JRPG 1,539
  33. 33 Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! 1987 · Fighting 1,538
  34. 34 Dragon Warrior 1986 · JRPG 1,536
  35. 35 Rampage 1986 · Beat 'em up 1,531
  36. 36 Blades of Steel 1987 · Sports 1,526
  37. 37 Metal Gear 1987 · Action-adventure 1,523
  38. 38 Tennis 1984 · Sports 1,522
  39. 39 Hogan's Alley 1984 · Arcade 1,517
  40. 40 The Revenge of Shinobi 1989 · Platformer 1,516
  41. 41 Ghostbusters 1984 · Arcade 1,516
  42. 42 Battle Chess 1988 · Card & Board 1,513
  43. 43 Duck Hunt 1984 · Arcade 1,510
  44. 44 Double Dragon II: The Revenge 1988 · Beat 'em up 1,508
  45. 45 King's Quest: Quest for the Crown 1984 · Adventure 1,506
  46. 46 Spy vs Spy 1984 · Strategy 1,504
  47. 47 Castlevania: The Adventure 1989 · Platformer 1,502
  48. 48 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure 1989 · Point-and-click 1,499
  49. 49 SimCity 1989 · Sandbox 1,498
  50. 50 Wild Gunman 1984 · FPS 1,493
  51. 51 Defender 1981 · Shoot 'em up 1,489
  52. 52 Super Contra 1988 · Platformer 1,488
  53. 53 Road Fighter 1984 · Racing 1,487
  54. 54 Soccer 1985 · Sports 1,486
  55. 55 Archon 1983 · Strategy 1,484
  56. 56 OutRun 1986 · Racing 1,483
  57. 57 Excitebike 1984 · Racing 1,482
  58. 58 Populous 1989 · Strategy 1,482
  59. 59 King's Quest III: To Heir is Human 1986 · Point-and-click 1,481
  60. 60 Test Drive 1987 · Racing 1,480
  61. 61 Donkey Kong Junior 1982 · Platformer 1,478
  62. 62 Defender of the Crown 1986 · Strategy 1,478
  63. 63 Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? 1985 · Puzzle 1,477
  64. 64 Winter Games 1985 · Sports 1,476
  65. 65 Tetris 1989 · Puzzle 1,475
  66. 66 Clu Clu Land 1984 · Arcade 1,472
  67. 67 Castlevania II: Simon's Quest 1987 · Metroidvania 1,470
  68. 68 Karateka 1984 · Fighting 1,469
  69. 69 Ghosts 'n Goblins 1985 · Platformer 1,468
  70. 70 Dragon's Lair 1983 · Arcade 1,468
  71. 71 Alex Kidd in Miracle World 1986 · Platformer 1,467
  72. 72 Maniac Mansion 1987 · Point-and-click 1,465
  73. 73 Shinobi 1987 · Beat 'em up 1,464
  74. 74 California Games 1987 · Sports 1,463
  75. 75 Strider 1989 · Platformer 1,462
  76. 76 Ms. Pac-Man 1982 · Arcade 1,460
  77. 77 BurgerTime 1982 · Arcade 1,459
  78. 78 RoboCop 1988 · Platformer 1,458
  79. 79 Operation Wolf 1987 · Arcade 1,457
  80. 80 Golf 1984 · Sports 1,457
  81. 81 Sid Meier's Pirates! 1987 · Action RPG 1,456
  82. 82 Centipede 1981 · Shoot 'em up 1,456
  83. 83 Yie Ar Kung-Fu 1984 · Fighting 1,455
  84. 84 Gun.Smoke 1985 · Shoot 'em up 1,454
  85. 85 Galaga 1981 · Shoot 'em up 1,452
  86. 86 Top Gun 1987 · Simulation 1,452
  87. 87 1943: The Battle of Midway 1987 · Shoot 'em up 1,451
  88. 88 Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985 · RPG 1,450
  89. 89 Donkey Kong 3 1983 · Shoot 'em up 1,448
  90. 90 Xevious 1982 · Shoot 'em up 1,447
  91. 91 Space Harrier 1985 · Arcade 1,446
  92. 92 Final Fight 1989 · Beat 'em up 1,445
  93. 93 Elevator Action 1983 · Platformer 1,443
  94. 94 Cabal 1988 · TPS 1,443
  95. 95 Bubble Bobble 1986 · Platformer 1,442
  96. 96 Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards 1987 · Point-and-click 1,442
  97. 97 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982 · Action-adventure 1,441
  98. 98 Ultima 1981 · RPG 1,439
  99. 99 Buster Bros. 1989 · Shoot 'em up 1,438
  100. 100 The Great Giana Sisters 1987 · Platformer 1,438

Filter, combine and travel back in time in the full ranking

Other rankings

Ranking of 1984 games Top games of 1985 Ranking of 1986 games Top games of 1987 The best games of 1988 Best games of 1989 Top games of the 2020s Top games of the 2010s Greatest games of the 2000s The best 1990s games