Ranking by year

The best games of 1987.

27 games compete in this selection. Contra tops it with 1,692 points: the ranking comes from player votes alone, and moves with every duel settled.

  1. 1 Contra 1987 · Platformer 1,692
  2. 2 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 1987 · Metroidvania 1,678
  3. 3 Metroid 1987 · Metroidvania 1,640
  4. 4 Mega Man 1987 · Platformer 1,611
  5. 5 Final Fantasy 1987 · JRPG 1,605
  6. 6 Castlevania II: Simon's Quest 1987 · Metroidvania 1,544
  7. 7 Street Fighter 1987 · Fighting 1,526
  8. 8 Test Drive 1987 · Racing 1,513
  9. 9 Double Dragon 1987 · Beat 'em up 1,509
  10. 10 Blades of Steel 1987 · Sports 1,501
  11. 11 Metal Gear 1987 · Action-adventure 1,496
  12. 12 Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! 1987 · Fighting 1,491
  13. 13 Maniac Mansion 1987 · Point-and-click 1,487
  14. 14 Phantasy Star 1987 · JRPG 1,487
  15. 15 California Games 1987 · Sports 1,466
  16. 16 1943: The Battle of Midway 1987 · Shoot 'em up 1,466
  17. 17 Super Hang-On 1987 · Racing 1,455
  18. 18 Top Gun 1987 · Simulation 1,448
  19. 19 Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 1987 · Platformer 1,433
  20. 20 R-Type 1987 · Shoot 'em up 1,421
  21. 21 Shinobi 1987 · Beat 'em up 1,411
  22. 22 Sid Meier's Pirates! 1987 · Action RPG 1,406
  23. 23 Shadowgate 1987 · Point-and-click 1,395
  24. 24 International Karate + 1987 · Fighting 1,393
  25. 25 The Great Giana Sisters 1987 · Platformer 1,372
  26. 26 Operation Wolf 1987 · Arcade 1,355
  27. 27 Faxanadu 1987 · Metroidvania 1,341

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In detail

The best games of 1987, what this ranking says

Contra leads this selection with 1,692 ELO points, ahead of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and Metroid. The 27 games competing in it have played 3,055 duels.

This selection in figures
Games competing in this selection 27
Duels played by those games 3,055
Game in the lead Contra (1987)
Score of the leading game, in ELO points 1,692
Point gap between 1st and 10th 191
Last reading September 18, 2026

What moved this week

The ranking changes with every duel settled. Over the past seven days, the score of 27 games in this selection moved.

What moved this week
Game Points gained in 7 days ELO score
Sid Meier's Pirates! +62 1,406
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest +52 1,544
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link +43 1,678

How this ranking is established

No jury, no press score, no sales figures: two games face off, players vote, and every vote updates an ELO score. This page is a view of the world ranking, never a standing kept apart.

Understand the method in detail →

FAQ

What players ask

What is the best game of 1987?

According to community votes, the best game of 1987 is Contra, with 1,692 ELO points in the world ranking. It stands ahead of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and Metroid, and its place is replayed with every duel.

How many games of 1987 are ranked?

27 games of this selection take part in the duels, and they have played 3,055 of them so far. The full site catalogue is much wider: only games kept for their fame enter the running.

Which game of 1987 is climbing right now?

Sid Meier's Pirates! is the strongest climb in this selection over the past seven days, with 62 ELO points gained. Over the same period, the score of 27 games in the selection moved.

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