Skip to Content
Tier
Tier Your gaming journal
Get
Best games

Best Platformer games of 1987

The 8 best Platformer games released in 1987, ranked from 1,353 critic and player ratings.

The best Platformer game of 1987 is Faxanadu (1987), with a critic score of 80/100 — updated October 2026.

How this ranking is built
  • Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
  • A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
  • Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
  • Release window covered: 1987.
  • 8 games are listed on this page, carrying 1,353 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 11 October 2026.

Top 8

01 Faxanadu (1987) Faxanadu (1987) 1987 · 33 ratings Faxandu is for the Famicom and NES. The name was licensed by Falcom and was developed and released in Japan in 1987. Nintendo also released the game to the world market in 1990. It can be considered a side-story of Xanadu, which is the second installment of Falcom's long-running RPG series, Dragon Slayer. The title is a combination of "Famicom" and "Xanadu" 80 /100
02 Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 1987 · 34 ratings Rainbow Islands is a 1987 arcade game developed and published by Taito. The arcade version was licensed to Romstar for North American manufacturing and distribution. The game is subtitled "The Story of Bubble Bobble 2" and is the sequel to Taito's hit game Bubble Bobble from the previous year. It is the second of four arcade games in the Bubble Bobble series. The game was ported for numerous home computers and game consoles. 77 /100
03 Mega Man (1987) Mega Man (1987) 1987 · 295 ratings Experience the game that started it all! Play as cybernetic hero Mega Man as you battle to stop the evil scientist Dr. Wily and his Robot Masters from taking over the world! A classic platformer in every sense of the word, Mega Man features timeless 8-bit graphics, a memorable soundtrack, and balanced but challenging gameplay that combine to create one of the most iconic video games of all time. Mega Man, known as Rockman in Japan, is a 1987 action-platform video game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was directed by Akira Kitamura, with Nobuyuki Matsushima as lead programmer, and is the first game of the Mega Man franchise and the original video game series. Mega Man was produced by a small team specifically for the home console market, a first for Capcom, who previously focused on arcade titles. 76 /100
04 Rygar (1987) Rygar (1987) 1987 · 34 ratings An open-world action-adventure game for the Nintendo Entertainment System that features a barbarian warrior with a distinctive "diskarmor" weapon. It is distinct from the original 1986 Arcade game Rygar, which saw numerous home console ports. 72 /100
05 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Zelda II: The Adventure of Link 1987 · 306 ratings Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is the second major installment in The Legend of Zelda series and the direct sequel to the first game. Like its predecessor, it features dungeons that must be located in the overworld and searched for an item that will prove useful. However, the game presents many very important gameplay changes compared to the previous one, affecting especially the movements and the combat. Moving around the world map involves encounters with enemies that take place on a side-scrolling playfield rather than the top-down perspective for which the series became known. 65 /100
06 Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (1987) Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (1987) 1987 · 148 ratings Castlevania was a cakewalk compared to this bloody curse. You thought you had the Prince of Darkness defanged - eh, Simon Belmont? Well think again, 'cause according to a damsel in distress, evil Count Dracula has left a horrifying curse in his wake. And the only hope you have of ending the terror is to destroy his missing body parts! Talk about your frightening quest, searching a maze of mansions, graveyards and dark, eerie forests - each guarded by man-eating werewolves, fire-throwing zombies and other devilish demons. Your grim chances are kept alive in Transylvania, where cowardly villagers offer clues to the whereabouts of Dracula's remains. And where you'll purchase magic weapons, including silver knives and flame whips. But beware the night. For when the sun disappears, Dracula's curse grows deadlier. And your chances grow dimmer and dimmer. 62 /100
07 Metroid Metroid 1987 · 240 ratings It's you against the evil Mother Brain in the thrilling battle of Metroid! You're inside the fortress planet Zebes. The planet of endless secret passageways where the Metroid are multiplying. Left alone the Metroid are harmless. But in the wrong hands they could destroy the galaxy. It's up to you to prevent the Mother Brain that controls Zebes from using the Metroid for evil purposes. But that won't be easy. You'll have to use your spacesuit to absorb valuable energy for your search to gain the use of power items like the Ice Beam, Wave Beam, High Jump Boots and Varia. If you survive, it will be you and your acquired powers against the Mother Brain. 60 /100
08 Contra Contra 1987 · 263 ratings Contra (also known as Gryzor in Oceania and Europe), is a 1987 run and gun action game developed and published by Konami originally released as a coin-operated arcade game on February 20, 1987. The game had multiple ports, including for various computer formats. Several Contra sequels were produced following the original game. 50 /100
Browse all Platformer games

Other years

Best Platformer games of 2025Best Platformer games of 2024Best Platformer games of 2023Best Platformer games of 2022Best Platformer games of 2021Best Platformer games of 2020Best Platformer games of 2019Best Platformer games of 2018Best Platformer games of 2017Best Platformer games of 2016Best Platformer games of 2015Best Platformer games of 2014

Same year, other platforms

Best Amiga games of 1987Best Arcade games of 1987Best PC games of 1987Best NES games of 1987

Nearby rankings

Best Platformer games of 1983Best Platformer games of 1988

Catalog statistics

Most abandoned gamesMost completed games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Platformer game of 1987?

Faxanadu (1987) currently tops the ranking with a score of 80/100 across 33 ratings. Ranking updated October 2026.

How is this ranking built?

Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.