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 1986

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19 of 19

#1 The Legend of Zelda (1986) (#93)

Nintendo R&D4 | NES, FDS | Action-Adventure | ~8h | 30 lists

#2 Metroid (1986) (#235)

Nintendo R&D1 | ARC , NES, FDS | Action-Adventure | ~6h | 20 lists

#3 Bubble Bobble (1986) (#356)

Taito | ARC , 7 , DOS , NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 14 lists

#4 OutRun (1986) (#375)

Sega AM2 | ARC , 3 | Racing | ~36m | 13 lists

#5 Castlevania (1986) (#399)

Konami | DOS , C64, AMI , NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 14 lists

6 (#503)

Arkanoid (1986)

Taito | , , , , | | ~2h | 9 lists

#6 Arkanoid (1986) (#503)

Taito | ARC , 11 , DOS, MAC , NES | Puzzle | ~2h | 9 lists

#7 Dragon Quest / Dragon Warrior (1986) (#513)

Armor Project, Bird Studio, Chunsoft | NES | Role-Playing | ~9h | 9 lists

#8 Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986) (#555)

Nintendo R&D4 | NES, SNES | Platform | ~3h | 8 lists

#9 The Sentinel / The Sentry (1986) (#580)

Firebird Software | 6 , DOS | Puzzle | 6 lists

#10 Kid Icarus (1986) (#674)

Nintendo R&D1 | NES, FDS | Action / Platform | ~4h | 7 lists

#11 Defender of the Crown (1986) (#749)

Master Designer Software, Inc. | 4 | Strategy | ~1h | 6 lists

#12 Gauntlet II (1986) (#920)

Atari Games | ARC , DOS , 3 | Hack and Slash / Dungeon Crawler | ~4h | 4 lists

#13 Super Sprint (1986) (#1076)

Atari Games | ARC , A26 , 4 , NES | Racing | ~24m | 3 lists

#14 Ikari Warriors (1986) (#1080)

SNK | ARC , MSX, CPC , NES | Run and Gun | ~1h | 4 lists

#15 King's Quest III: To Heir is Human (1986) (#1116)

Sierra On-Line | A2 , DOS | Adventure | ~4h | 3 lists

#16 Salamander / Life Force (1986) (#1117)

Konami | ARC , 4 , NES | Shooter | ~48m | 5 lists

#17 Thrust (1986) (#1177)

Firebird Software, Superior Software Ltd. | 6 | Shooter | 3 lists

#18 Trinity (1986) (#1319)

Infocom | 4 , DOS, MAC | Interactive Drama | 3 lists

#19 Solomon's Key (1986) (#1321)

Tecmo | ARC , DOS , 4 , NES , SMS , TG16 | Puzzle | ~4h | 3 lists

#93

Nintendo R&D4

FDS, NES

Action-Adventure

~8h

30 lists

The Legend of Zelda 1986

#235

Nintendo R&D1

ARC, FDS, NES

Action-Adventure

~6h

20 lists

Metroid 1986

#356

Taito

AMI, CPC, A2, ARC, AST, C64, DOS, FDS, MSX, NES, ZXS

Platform

~3h

14 lists

Bubble Bobble 1986

#375

Sega AM2

CPC, ARC, C64, ZXS

Racing

~36m

13 lists

OutRun 1986

#399

Konami

AMI, C64, DOS, FDS, NES

Platform

~3h

14 lists

Castlevania 1986

#503

Taito

AMI, CPC, A2, MAC, ARC, A8, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, MSX, NES, PC88, TCC, ZXS

Puzzle

~2h

9 lists

Arkanoid 1986

#513

Armor Project, Bird Studio, Chunsoft

NES

Role-Playing

~9h

9 lists

Dragon Quest / Dragon Warrior 1986

#555

Nintendo R&D4

NES, SNES

Platform

~3h

8 lists

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels 1986

#580

Firebird Software

AMI, CPC, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, ZXS

Puzzle

6 lists

The Sentinel / The Sentry 1986

#10

#674

Nintendo R&D1

FDS, NES

Action / Platform

~4h

7 lists

Kid Icarus 1986

#11

#749

Master Designer Software, Inc.

AMI, CPC, C64, ZXS

Strategy

~1h

6 lists

Defender of the Crown 1986

#12

#920

Atari Games

CPC, ARC, AST, C64, DOS

Hack and Slash / Dungeon Crawler

~4h

4 lists

Gauntlet II 1986

#13

#1076

Atari Games

CPC, ARC, A26, AST, C64, NES, ZXS

Racing

~24m

3 lists

Super Sprint 1986

#14

#1080

SNK

CPC, ARC, MSX, NES

Run and Gun

~1h

4 lists

Ikari Warriors 1986

#15

#1116

Sierra On-Line

A2, DOS

Adventure

~4h

3 lists

King's Quest III: To Heir is Human 1986

#16

#1117

Konami

CPC, ARC, C64, MSX, NES, ZXS

Shooter

~48m

5 lists

Salamander / Life Force 1986

#17

#1177

Firebird Software, Superior Software Ltd.

CPC, A8, AST, BBCM, C64, ZXS

Shooter

3 lists

Thrust 1986

#18

#1319

Infocom

AMI, A2, MAC, AST, C64, DOS

Interactive Drama

3 lists

Trinity 1986

#19

#1321

Tecmo

CPC, ARC, AST, C64, DOS, NES, SMS, TG16, ZXS

Puzzle

~4h

3 lists

Solomon's Key 1986

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