Let's take a trip down memory lane and get to know some famous games that will turn 40 years old in 2026

 

If you are reading this article, we have officially entered the year 2026. It is a time for new beginnings or perhaps continuing what was left off from last year. This is especially true in the gaming industry, with many promising titles announced for release this year. But before we get there, let’s take a trip down memory lane to look at the famous games released in 1986. As of 2026, these games are now 40 years old. Let’s look back at the very first installments of these iconic series and see how they began. Let’s dive in, one by one

The first game is The Legend of Zelda, released on February 21, 1986. This action-adventure title was designed and directed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, developed and published by Nintendo. It tells the story of the fantasy land of Hyrule and the journey of Link, who must collect the eight fragments of the Triforce of Wisdom to rescue Princess Zelda from the evil Ganon. Back then, many people often mistakenly thought the green-clad protagonist was named Zelda, when in fact, that is the name of the princess we must save. This first installment was the beginning of a legend that continues to thrive to this day

Next is the legendary whip-wielding game, Castlevania, released on September 26, 1986. Known in Japan as Akumajō Dracula, it is a platform game developed and published by Konami. The game was first released in Japan for the Famicom Disk System. Players control Simon Belmont, a descendant of legendary vampire hunters, who enters Count Dracula's castle to defeat the Demon King. This entry marks the beginning of the Belmont family curse, forcing his descendants to continue the fight against evil for generations. A hilarious detail when playing it today is that attacking a wall lantern causes a whole roast chicken to drop out. Who put it in there? Why does a lamp turn into roast chicken? Even players back then couldn't find an answer to that

Returning to Nintendo once again with the legendary game Metroid. The game was first released in Japan for the Famicom Disk System on August 6, 1986, followed by a North American release in August 1987 on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was produced by Gunpei Yokoi, directed by Satoru Okada and Masao Yamamoto, with a musical score composed by Hirokazu Tanaka. This game pioneered the "Metroidvania" genre, emphasizing exploration and searching for power-ups to access previously unreachable areas. A special highlight at the time was the surprise reveal: players had no idea that the metallic character they were controlling was actually a woman—and she wasn't a robot, but a person wearing a high-tech suit of armor

Another game that continues to have sequels and remains popular to this day is the Dragon Quest series—known internationally at the time as Dragon Warrior. The game was released in Japan on May 27, 1986, for the Famicom. It was created by Japanese game designer Yuji Horii, character designer Akira Toriyama, and composer Koichi Sugiyama, and published by Enix. Players take on the role of the Hero, tasked with defending the Kingdom of Alefgard and rescuing a princess from the evil Dragonlord. The game belongs to what we in Thailand call "Pasa games" (language games), which use command-based systems to control the action. This first Dragon Quest entry serves as the true foundation for the modern RPG series we see today

Closing out the games released in 1986 is another title celebrating its 40th anniversary: Kid Icarus. This action-platformer was developed and published by Nintendo for the Famicom Disk System in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in Europe and North America. It was released in Japan on December 19, 1986. The story follows the protagonist, Pit, on a quest to recover three sacred treasures in a setting inspired by Greek mythology called "Angel Land." While the game might not be widely known in Thailand, the latest entry in the series was Kid Icarus: Uprising, released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2012. Fans are now hoping that this year (2026) might bring a new installment or some exciting news to celebrate the occasion

These are the five games that will turn 40 years old in 2026. Currently, only Dragon Quest has officially announced its 40th-anniversary celebration. According to reports, they will be revealing details about new games, and many fans are crossing their fingers for long-awaited news regarding Dragon Quest XII. As for the other titles, we will have to wait and see if any 40th-anniversary announcements are made. If there are any updates, we will report them to you immediately, so stay tuned!

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