There’s nothing like a good arcade with some classic titles.
Here’s a look at some of the best and most influential arcade games to this date.
Street Fighter II – 1991
The second Street Fighter game is far more memorable than the first, and it is for a reason it is considered one of the best arcade games of all-time.
The second installment features colorful and unique characters, excellent controls and a superb soundtrack.
This game and Mortal Kombat essentially defined fighting games and even was re-released a number of times in the years since its release. The game was very conducive to multiple people competing against each other and is definitely a classic when it comes to the arcade.
Pac-Man – 1980
Pac-Man is one of the kings of the arcade. It kicked off the ‘80s with a bang and truly was the game that really helped to elevate the concept of going to the arcade to the next level.
The gameplay is simple as gamers navigate the yellow circular Pac-Man to eat dots and avoid ghosts.
The game actually not have a real ending and just continues on and on, while it has been one of the biggest games over the years to have gurus try to come up with a new high score.
It has been released on so many different platforms since this original Namco one, and it spawned a number of other Pac-Man games like Mrs. Pac-Man in the process.
When you think of the arcade, you likely think of Pac-Man pretty quickly.
Space Invaders – 1978
Space Invaders came along even before Pac-Man, and is also another game that is very synonymous with the arcade.
The game is fairly simple in that the player has to shoot space invaders and keep them from getting to the bottom of the screen.
This might sound simple and easy but it is not. It requires precision and is quite addictive over time. Enemies begin to move faster as the game continues.
The game made more than half a billion dollars upon its release and is one of the top grossing games ever released with a total profit of at least $13 billion across all of the different versions today.
Donkey Kong – 1981
Donkey Kong is another franchise that is well-known for its early prominence in the arcade.
In the initial game, however, Donkey Kong was the captor of ‘Jumpman’ who is an early version of the Mario that you have come to know and love.
Jumpman has to jump over barrels and avoid fire and other objects in his quest to save the princess from Donkey Kong.
The game is not easy either. It requires quite a bit of practice and maneuvering and was actually the first game designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, who would later become Nintendo’s main star down the road.
The game spawned many sequels for the arcade, Donkey Kong Jr., and then even a successful franchise where Donkey Kong and his family are switched to protagonists with Donkey Kong Country.
Dragon’s Lair – 1983
Dragon’s Lair was a truly unique game in the way that it was made. The filmmaker Don Bluth was actually involved in the making of the game, and you can see his cartoon animation at work.
In the game, players are a knight trying to find a princess from the dragon’s lair. There are many cutscenes, death sequences, and other humorous animations throughout.
The game is very difficult and still ahead of its time. It also used laserdisc technology and has played an important role in the history of arcade gaming.
Its release came during a downturn in the home console market with the video game crash of 1983, and it helped to keep gamers interested at the time.
Tetris – 1986
Tetris was another game that has a lot of history in terms of how it got made.
It was developed in the Soviet Union and brought to the arcades overseas in 1986 after a few delays.
Of course, it is known for being a highly addictive puzzle game featuring blocks that piece together. As the gamer gets better, the blocks move down the screen at a faster rate.
In the years since, the game has seen a vast amount of success on other consoles like the Game Boy, and really almost any platform that has come out since its release.
The Russian themed music is also fairly unforgettable, especially after you’ve been playing for a few hours.
NBA Jam – 1993
NBA Jam helped to redefine sports games in the early ‘90s and is still one of the more popular arcade games to this day.
NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal would even travel on the road with his machine after it was released.
The game features all kinds of goodies, secret characters, turbo mode, and of course the ability to be “on fire” and almost unstoppable. The game helped define arcade gaming for a new generation of sports fans.
Mortal Kombat II – 1993
Mortal Kombat II is the last game on this list, though there are many more because of its colorful graphics, new assortment of characters, and impact on violence in video games.
It was very controversial at the time as it took the franchise to a new level.
The sequel is simply a vast improvement on the original title and is really where the franchise began to fully take shape.
If you have to choose between this and the first game, go with MKII.
