15 Best Years In Video Game History

Notable Releases - Mega Man, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, Contra

By 1987, gaming wasn't just improving, but evolving. It was during this period when many gamers had their first experience with run-and-gunners (Contra), stealth titles Metal Gear), and role-playing games (Final Fantasy).

Mega Man was kind of a big deal, since it was the first game to feature non-linear level select. Castlevania II also made waves, since it incorporated RPG and open-world elements, including a world-map, an experience rating, clue-giving NPCs, and a day-and-night cycle that affected gameplay.

But that's not all. Even though Super Mario Bros was released in 1985, 1987 proved to be far more significant for the Italian plumber. After all, the side-scrolling platformer was only released in Japan initially. Only when Super Mario Bros. was unleashed upon the United States two years later did the Koopa-stomping, mushroom-gobbling hero become a global phenomenon.

1986's The Legend of Zelda and Metroid were also released globally the following year, firmly establishing Nintendo's grip on the gaming industry. Although Westerners were dubious of consoles since The North America Video Game Crash of 1983, Nintendo demonstrated video games were here to stay.