5 Video Games From 1987 That Defined Nintendo's Rise

After launching in North America in 1985, the Nintendo Entertainment System quickly revived the gaming industry in the region after the video game crash of 1983. The console continued to gain momentum through 1987, with many of its biggest franchises reaching American gamers throughout the year. This ranged from titles developed and published by Nintendo itself to the growing third-party support that the NES was steadily receiving from outside developers. It was a prolific year for the console that included the debut of some of the best NES games of all time.

With so many titles released throughout the year, we've narrowed things down to the most pivotal NES games of 1987. These are the games that solidified Nintendo's dominance in the global market and propelled it towards the '90s. To clarify, some of the titles included on this list saw a prior release in Japan but didn't come to America for an official localization until 1987. Here are five games from 1987 that defined Nintendo's rise, particularly in the North American market.

Seven months after its debut in Japan, the original "Castlevania" got its official North American localization on the NES in April 1987. The game has 17th century vampire hunter Simon Belmont venture into Dracula's castle in Transylvania to vanquish the undead warlord. He's primarily armed with his family's flail, the Vampire Killer, but Simon can also use an array of secondary weapons, including holy water, daggers, and crosses. Platforming through the castle and its surrounding area, Simon battles through waves of classic monsters, like Medusa and a mummy, before confronting Dracula.

Konami released an entire trilogy of mainline "Castlevania" games on the NES, mixing side-scrolling platforming with 8-bit hack-and-slash action. Despite being the first game in the series, the inaugural title was not the start of the entire "Castlevania" timeline, with the NES eventually getting a prequel follow-up. But so much of the franchise's foundation is still visible in the original game and it remains one of the better action platformers on the console. The start of one of Konami's most beloved franchises, "Castlevania" would have a healthy run on Nintendo platforms.

Another Nintendo classic that finally received a North American release in 1987 was the original "Metroid." The game follows futuristic bounty hunter Samus Aran, who travels to the planet Zebes on behalf of the Galactic Federation. Delving deep under the planet's surface, Samus battles Space Pirates and Metroids, parasitic organisms that the marauders stole from a Federation research facility. As Samus explores the subterranean caverns and tunnels, she gains upgrades to her exosuit that not only improve her weapons but grant her access to other parts of the planet.

"Metroid" was a groundbreaking game for its time, featuring a nonlinear level design that emphasized exploration and backtracking in order to progress. Given these open-ended sensibilities, this was among the first Nintendo titles to utilize a password system, allowing players to save their games and pick up where they left off. The original entry provided the template for the entire series, even as the experience grew more sophisticated and made the jump to 3D. Still ranking highly compared to other "Metroid" games, this NES classic largely maintains its appeal decades later.

Another title that was exclusively released in Japan before eventually receiving an official North American localization in 1987 for the NES was "The Legend of Zelda." Available to American gamers in August 1987, the original title in Nintendo's fantasy franchise introduced the heroic Link and his quest to save Princess Zelda. Entrusted with a sword and shield at the start of the game, Link explores the medieval realm of Hyrule, delving into dungeons to recover pieces of the mythical Triforce. This culminates in Link traveling to the ominous Death Mountain for a grueling showdown against the monstrous Ganon for the fate of the kingdom.

One of the best NES games of all time, "The Legend of Zelda" proved to be a global hit when it was finally released outside of Japan. The emphasis on exploration and open-ended progression really stood apart from other games of the era and their linear advancement. For American players, it was the first NES game with an internal battery to save their progress rather than relying on passwords or completing the game in one sitting. The start of one of Nintendo's cornerstone franchises, "The Legend of Zelda" provides countless hours of rewarding exploration and fantasy fun.

After starting out as an arcade game series, "Punch-Out" came to consoles in 1987 for the Famicom and NES. In its original version, the game prominently featured then-heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson in its title, on the cover art, and as the game's final boss. The console title retains the arcade game's basic gameplay experience of pitting Little Mac in third-person combat against a string of boxers in the ring. Players can dodge from side-to-side, block incoming punches, jab, deliver body blows, and throw a devastating uppercut.

A beautiful translation of what made the preceding arcade games so much fun, "Punch-Out" is an engaging beat'em-up. The layout and gameplay mechanics are simple and accessible enough, but the game is definitely challenging, especially given how extremely overpowered Tyson himself is. After Nintendo's licensing agreement with Tyson expired in 1990, he was replaced by the new final boss Mr. Dream for re-releases, with the revised version simply titled "Punch-Out!!" An enduring fighting franchise with a memorable lineup of opponents, "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!" is an absolute classic.

Capcom's long-running "Mega Man" franchise got its start worldwide in 1987, with releases for both the Famicom and NES. The game's titular humanoid robot embarks on an adventure to defeat six Robot Masters working for the villainous Doctor Wily. After defeating each Robot Master, Mega Man gains the ability to replicate their powers, which other Robot Masters may be vulnerable to. After defeating all six Robot Masters, Mega Man storms Wily's castle for a big confrontation with the mad scientist.

After the 1987 original, Capcom released many "Mega Man" games on Nintendo consoles, with six mainline titles on the NES alone. The first game established the series' formula for years, not just with its NES releases but with the subsequent "Mega Man X" series that started on the Super Nintendo. With so many platforming titles on the NES, the "Mega Man" games always brought a consistent level of quality apparent from the franchise's launch. Though the game's North American release featured infamously bad box art, the original "Mega Man" still found its audience, with the quality of the game shining through.