1985 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Super Mario Bros. and Kung Fu, along with new titles such as Commando, Duck Hunt, Gauntlet, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Gradius, Hang-On, Space Harrier, Tetris and The Way of the Exploding Fist. The year's highest-grossing arcade video games were Hang-On and Karate Champ in the United States, and Commando in the United Kingdom. The year's bestselling home system was the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom) for a consecutive year, while the year's bestselling home video game was Super Mario Bros.

Financial performance

In the United States, annual home video game sales fell to US$100 million (US$million adjusted for inflation) in 1985. Meanwhile, the arcade video game industry began recovering in 1985.

Highest-grossing arcade games

Japan

In Japan, the following titles were the top-grossing arcade video games on the bi-weekly Game Machine charts in 1985.

United Kingdom and United States

In the United Kingdom and United States, the following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1985.

Best-selling home systems

Best-selling home video games

Japan

The year's best-selling game was Super Mario Bros. for the Family Computer (Famicom), later known as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) outside Japan. The game sold 2.5 million copies and grossed more than ¥12.2 billion (US$72 million at the time, or US$million adjusted for inflation) within several months. It eventually sold 3 million cartridges by the end of 1985. Game Machine magazine reported that more than ten Famicom games released between 1983 and 1985 had each sold over 1 million cartridges in Japan by the end of 1985. The Magic Box lists fourteen Famicom games released between 1983 and 1985 that crossed 1 million lifetime sales in Japan. At least 11 of the following 14 Famicom million-sellers released between 1983 and 1985 crossed 1 million sales in Japan by the end of 1985.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the following titles were the top ten best-selling home video games of 1985, according to the annual Gallup software sales chart. The top ten titles were all home computer games. Fighting games topped the UK software sales charts for two years in a row in the mid-1980s, with The Way of the Exploding Fist in 1985 and then the home computer conversions of Yie Ar Kung-Fu in 1986.

United States

In the United States, the Software Publishers Association (SPA) began tracking home computer game sales in 1985. The following fourteen computer games received Gold Awards from the SPA for sales above 100,000 units in 1985 (but below the 250,000 units required for a Platinum Award).

Events

Major awards

Business

Notable releases

Games

Computer

Console

Hardware