| Part of a series on |
| Role-playing video games |
|---|
 |
| Subgenres |
| Topics |
| Lists |
 | This list related to video games is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2021) |
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.
| AMI | Amiga | APPGS | Apple IIGS | APPII | Apple II |
| Arcade | Arcade video game | ATR | Atari 8-bit computers | ATRST | Atari ST, Atari Falcon |
| C64 | Commodore 64 | C128 | Commodore 128 | DOS | DOS / MS-DOS |
| FDS | Famicom Disk System | FM7 | FM-7 | GEN | Sega Genesis / Mega Drive |
| MAC | Classic Mac OS, 2001 and before | MSX | MSX | MSX2 | MSX2 |
| NES | Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom | PC88 | PC-8800 series | PC98 | PC-9800 series |
| SG1K | SG-1000 | SMS | Master System | X1 | Sharp X1 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Rerelease | The game was re-released on the same platform with no or only minor changes |
| Action RPG | Action role-playing game | Blobber | First-person party-based RPG |
| Card battle | Collectible card game | Dungeon crawl | Dungeon crawl |
| Eroge | Japanese game featuring erotic content | FPS/RPG | First-person shooter / RPG hybrid (role-playing shooter) |
| JRPG | Japanese-style role-playing game | MMORPG | Massively multiplayer online role-playing game |
| Monster raising | Pet-raising simulation | MUD | MUD |
| Real-time | Real-time game | Roguelike | Roguelike |
| RTS/RPG | Real-time strategy / RPG hybrid (real-time strategy RPG) | Sandbox | Open world RPG |
| Tactical RPG | Tactical role-playing game | Turn-based | Turn-based game |
| 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), ATRST (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[1] | Action RPG[2] | 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[3] | Dungeon crawl | JP | |
| 1986 (JP) | Dragon Slayer Jr: Romancia ロマンシア |
Nihon Falcom | Nihon Falcom | Fantasy | PC88, PC98, MSX, MSX2, X1 | Action adventure | Sequel to Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu. | 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,[1] PC98, MSX[4] | JRPG[5] | 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[1] | Action RPG[6] | 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[7] | 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[1] (Remake) | Action RPG[8] | 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[4] (Port) | Action RPG[8] | JP | |
| 1986 (FR) | Mandragore (FR) | Infogrames | Infogrames | Fantasy | MSX[4] | Computer-style RPG[9] | FR | |
| 1986 (NA) | Might & Magic: Book I | New World | New World | Fantasy | APPII | Series debuts. | US | |
| 1986 (NA) | Phantasie | Logical Design | SSI | Fantasy | ATRST (Port) | Series debuts. | US | |
| 1986 (NA) | Phantasie II | SSI | SSI | Fantasy | APPII | US | ||
| 1986 (NA) | Phantasie II | Logical Design | SSI | Fantasy | C64 (Port), ATRST (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[4] | Action RPG[10] | JP | |
| 1986 (NA) | Temple of Apshai Trilogy | Westwood | Epyx | Fantasy | AMI (Port), ATRST (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), ATRST (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[1] | Action RPG[11] | 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[12] | 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[1] | Action RPG[6] | JP | |
| 1987 (JP/NA) | Bard's Tale, The (NA) バーズテイル (JP) |
Interplay | EA | Fantasy | APPGS (Port), DOS (Port), ATRST (Port), PC88 (Port), PC98 (Port)[13] | 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, ATRST | 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[14] | Dungeon crawl[15][16] | The original release is often considered one of Japan's first RPGs.[16] | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Cleopatra no Mahou (JP) クレオパトラの魔宝 (JP) |
Square | Square | FDS[3] | 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[1] | Dungeon crawl[17] | 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,[4] MSX2[4] | Action RPG[18] | 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[1] | JRPG[5] | JP | |
| 1987 (NA) 1988 (UK) |
Dungeon Master | FTL | FTL | Fantasy | ATRST (Port) | US | ||
| 1987 (JP) | Esper Dream (JP) エスパードリーム (JP) |
Konami | Konami | Fantasy | FDS[3] | 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[1] | Action RPG[6][11] | 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[1] | JRPG[19] | Series debuts. | JP |
| 1987 (JP) | Getsu Fūma Den (JP) 月風魔伝 (JP) |
Konami | Konami | Fantasy | NES[1] | Action RPG[6] | JP | |
| 1987 (JP) | Ginga no Sannin (JP) 銀河の三人 (JP) |
Pax Softnica | Nintendo | Sci-fi | NES[1] (Port) | aka The Earth Fighter Rayieza | JP | |
| 1987 (JP) | Golvellius (JP) 魔王ゴルベリアス (JP) |
Compile | Compile | Fantasy | MSX[4] | Action RPG[20] | JP | |
| 1987 (JP) | Hydlide 3: The Space Memories (JP) ハイドライド 3 (JP) |
T&E | T&E | Fantasy | MSX,[4] MSX2[4] | Action RPG[8] |
JP | |
| 1987 (JP) | Kalin no Tsurugi (JP) Sword of Kalin (JP) カリーンの剣 (JP) |
XTALSOFT | DOG | Fantasy | FDS[3] | Action RPG[21] | JP | |
| 1987 (JP) | King Kong 2: Yomigaeru Densetsu (JP) キングコング 2 (JP) |
Konami | Konami | MSX2[4] | 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,[4] NES[1] | Action RPG[22] | 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[1] | Action RPG[6][11] | 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[1] | 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,[4] MSX2,[4] NES,[1] SMS[23] | JRPG[7] | JP | |
| 1987 (JP) | Outlanders (JP) アウトランダーズ (JP) |
Micronics | VMI, Inc. | Sci-Fi | NES[1] | Action RPG[24] | 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), ATRST (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[23] | JRPG[25] | 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[26] | 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[27] | Action RPG | Ancestor of the survival horror subgenre.[citation needed] | 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[28] FPS/RPG[29] |
JP | |
| 1987 (NA) | Tower of Myraglen (NA) | PBI Software | PBI Software | Fantasy | APPGS | 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[1] | JRPG[30] | 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[4] | Computer-style RPG[31] | 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,[1] MSX2[4] | Computer-style RPG[32] | US | |
| 1987 (NA/JP) | Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (NA) ウルティマIV (JP) |
Origin | Origin Pony Canyon |
Fantasy | ATRST (Port), MSX2[4] | Computer-style RPG[33] | 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 | ATRST (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,[1] MSX2[4] | 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[1] | US | ||
| 1987 (JP) | Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished (JP) イースI (JP) |
Nihon Falcom | Nihon Falcom | Fantasy | MSX2[4] | Action RPG[34] | 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[3] | 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,[3] NES[1] | Action RPG[11] | 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[35] | JP |
