Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,400 most recommended games across 913 critic lists from 142 publications.

Updated: March 25, 2026

Most Acclaimed Video Games of 1985

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18 of 18

#1 Tetris (1985) (#2)

Alexey Pajitnov | 8 , DOS , NES, GB | Puzzle | ~3h | 99 lists

#2 Super Mario Bros. (1985) (#54)

Nintendo R&D4 | ARC , NES | Platform | ~2h | 44 lists

#3 Gauntlet (1985) (#209)

Atari Games | ARC | Shooter / Dungeon Crawler | ~2h | 22 lists

#4 Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985) (#293)

Origin Systems | 10 , DOS , NES | Role-Playing | ~21h | 18 lists

#5 Ghosts 'n Goblins (1985) (#451)

Capcom | ARC , 3 , NES | Platform | ~3h | 12 lists

#6 A Mind Forever Voyaging (1985) (#561)

Infocom | DOS , 3 | Adventure / Interactive Drama | ~6h | 6 lists

#7 The Bard's Tale (1985) (#647)

Interplay Productions | 6 , DOS | Role-Playing | ~22h | 7 lists

#8 Gradius / Nemesis (1985) (#665)

Konami | ARC , NES | Shooter | ~1h | 7 lists

#9 Paradroid (1985) (#695)

Graftgold | C64 | Shooter / Puzzle | ~1h | 5 lists

#10 The Oregon Trail (1985) (#832)

MECC | A2 , 3 | Strategy | ~1h | 4 lists

#11 Mercenary (1985) (#977)

Novagen | 5 | Action-Adventure | ~2h | 4 lists

#12 Paperboy (1985) (#1009)

Atari Games, Vivid Games | ARC , 5 , NES | Action | ~1h | 3 lists

#13 King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne (1985) (#1016)

Sierra On-Line | 3 , DOS | Adventure | ~3h | 3 lists

#14 Space Harrier (1985) (#1131)

Sega AM2 | ARC , 5 , SMS , TG16 | Shooter | ~24m | 2 lists

#15 Commando / Senjō no Ōkami (1985) (#1147)

Capcom | ARC , 4 , DOS , NES | Run and Gun | 3 lists

#16 Ballblazer (1985) (#1203)

Lucasfilm Games | 6 , A52, A78 | Action / Sports | ~18m | 4 lists

#17 The Way of the Exploding Fist (1985) (#1207)

Beam Software | 4 | Fighting | ~1h | 3 lists

#18 Balance of Power (1985) (#1365)

Mindscape, Inc. | 6 , DOS, MAC | Strategy | 3 lists

Alexey Pajitnov

AMI, A2, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, E60, GB, MSX, NES, ZXS

Puzzle

~3h

99 lists

Tetris 1985

#54

Nintendo R&D4

ARC, NES

Platform

~2h

44 lists

Super Mario Bros. 1985

#209

Atari Games

ARC

Shooter / Dungeon Crawler

~2h

22 lists

Gauntlet 1985

#293

Origin Systems

AMI, A2, A8, AST, C64, DOS, FM7, MSX, NES, PC88, PC98, SX1

Role-Playing

~21h

18 lists

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985

#451

Capcom

CPC, ARC, C64, NES, ZXS

Platform

~3h

12 lists

Ghosts 'n Goblins 1985

#561

Infocom

AMI, AST, C64, DOS

Adventure / Interactive Drama

~6h

6 lists

A Mind Forever Voyaging 1985

#647

Interplay Productions

AMI, CPC, A2, AST, C64, DOS, ZXS

Role-Playing

~22h

7 lists

The Bard's Tale 1985

#665

Konami

ARC, NES

Shooter

~1h

7 lists

Gradius / Nemesis 1985

#695

Graftgold

C64

Shooter / Puzzle

~1h

5 lists

Paradroid 1985

#10

#832

MECC

A2, MAC, DOS, WIN

Strategy

~1h

4 lists

The Oregon Trail 1985

#11

#977

Novagen

CPC, A8, AST, C64, ZXS

Action-Adventure

~2h

4 lists

Mercenary 1985

#12

#1009

Atari Games, Vivid Games

CPC, A2, ARC, BBCM, C64, NES, ZXS

Action

~1h

3 lists

Paperboy 1985

#13

#1016

Sierra On-Line

AMI, A2, AST, DOS

Adventure

~3h

3 lists

King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne 1985

#14

#1131

Sega AM2

CPC, ARC, C64, FM7, PC88, SMS, TG16, ZXS

Shooter

~24m

2 lists

Space Harrier 1985

#15

#1147

Capcom

CPC, ARC, BBCM, C64, DOS, NES, ZXS

Run and Gun

3 lists

Commando / Senjō no Ōkami 1985

#16

#1203

Lucasfilm Games

CPC, A2, A52, A78, A8, C64, MSX, ZXS

Action / Sports

~18m

4 lists

Ballblazer 1985

#17

#1207

Beam Software

CPC, BBCM, C64, ZXS

Fighting

~1h

3 lists

The Way of the Exploding Fist 1985

#18

#1365

Mindscape, Inc.

AMI, A2, MAC, AST, DOS, MSX, PC88, PC98

Strategy

3 lists

Balance of Power 1985

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