500+ Best Classic Arcade Games from 1977 to 1997
by philippelafortune-73142 | created - 8 months ago | updated - 8 months ago | PublicTravel back in time and dive headfirst into the awesome gaming heyday with my stash of over 500 classic arcade games spanning two decades of awesomeness! Get ready to feel that sweet rush of arcade nostalgia as you check out a bunch of games that totally define an era.
This handpicked Arcade games collection is basically a showcase of how gaming culture went from zero to hero. So, whether you're a seasoned retro gamer wizard or just getting started, this lineup guarantees a trip through the epic history of gaming. Have fun!
All ready to be played using MAME or your preferred emulator box.
Other Great Arcade Hits Missing:
- Cyvern: The Dragon Weapons (1992)
List created by The Geek Connoisseur RetroGamersHub.com
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1. Robotron: 2084 (1982 Video Game)
E | Action, Sci-Fi
It is the year 2084, the world we all once knew is now overrun by robots. The majority of mankind was eliminated by the robots during a cybernetic revolt. As the player, you must rescue the... See full summary »
Votes: 105
2. Stargate (1981 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Sci-Fi
The player's ship flies over a horizontally scrolling planet surface, protecting friendly humanoids from alien abduction. Destroying all enemies advances you to the next wave. Loss of all ... See full summary »
Votes: 108
3. Defender (1981 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Defend the human population from swarms of attacking aliens.
Votes: 192
4. Tempest (1981 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Sci-Fi
You control a yellow crab-shaped shooter that travels along the outside rim of a 3-dimensional tunnel, shooting enemies down the alleys of the tunnel while avoiding any coming down the ... See full summary »
Votes: 83
5. Joust (1982 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Fantasy
As a joust wielding yellow armored knight riding a flying ostrich. You must navigate through a series of floating rock platforms above molten hot lava. With a berserk of enemy knights, many... See full summary »
Votes: 176
7. Major Havoc (1983 Video Game)
Action, Sci-Fi
Major Havoc, a clone that was made by scientists, goes into outer space to fight and kill off the alien race that kidnapped humans from Earth.
Votes: 18
8. Ms. Pac-Man (1982 Video Game)
Action, Family, Fantasy
This update to Pac-Man (1980) changed the character to a lady, added moving fruit, smarter monsters, cut scenes and more mazes.
Votes: 647
9. Missile Command (1980 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Fantasy
Missiles from the sky are attacking the cities, you, as the player, must defend the 6 cities as long as you can.
Votes: 181
10. Lunar Lander (1979 Video Game)
Not Rated | Action, Sci-Fi
The player controls a lunar landing module, with the goal of landing safely on the Moon.
Votes: 65
12. Star Wars (1983 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Assume the role of Luke Skywalker and fight past many enemies to reach and destroy the Death Star.
Stars: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Jamie Northedge
Votes: 550
14. Galaxian (1979 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Sci-Fi
Face waves of aliens descending on your spaceship and clear the screen to achieve victory.
Votes: 265
15. Space Invaders (1978 Video Game)
K-A | Action, Sci-Fi
Commonly considered as one of the most influential video games of all time, the goal is to defeat wave after wave of descending aliens with a horizontally moving laser cannon to earn as many points as possible.
Votes: 931
17. Gauntlet (1985 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A nice game with up to four cooperative players exploring dungeons and fighting monsters from a top-view perspective. The four characters that could be played included: - Thyla the Valkarie... See full summary »
Votes: 234
18. Spy Hunter (1983 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Family, Romance
You play as a spy in a car that is advanced and destroy enemies vehicles with weapons.
Votes: 156
19. Operation Wolf (1987 Video Game)
Action
Operation Wolf is a one-player shooter video game made by Taito.
Stars: Katuhiko Hirano, Toshihiro Kimura, Eigo Okajima, Masaru Tamura
Votes: 123
20. Frogger (1981 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Adventure, Family
In this arcade game, you must help a frog cross a highway and a river while avoiding obstacles so he can get to his home safely.
Votes: 941
21. Donkey Kong (1981 Video Game)
E | Action
Arcade video game and the first in the "Donkey Kong" series in which Jumpman (later retconned to be Mario) runs and jumps on platforms and climbs ladders to ascend a construction site and rescue Pauline from a giant gorilla, Donkey Kong.
Director: Shigeru Miyamoto
Votes: 2,163
22. Centipede (1980 Video Game)
Action, Family
The player controls a gun that can only move in the bottom fifth of the screen. The object is to shoot a centipede that works its way down to the player area through a field of mushrooms. ... See full summary »
Votes: 276
23. Berzerk (1980 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Sci-Fi
Humanoid player runs through maze-like rooms, destroying robots while avoiding their fire. The indestructible Evil Otto is the game's timer, forcing the player to move on.
Votes: 103
24. New Rally-X (1981 Video Game)
Action
As a blue car, collect flags throughout a maze while dodging red enemy cars and rocks.
Votes: 27
26. Gorf (1981 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Sci-Fi
The player controls a spaceship that must blast its way through five missions, each a different challenge. The game features a pistol grip joystick and robotic speech synthesis that heckles the player during gameplay.
Votes: 61
30. Mouse Trap (1981 Video Game)
Unrated | Family
You are a mouse in a maze who must avoid cats and hawks while searching for cheese, bones and bonus items. Eating bones will allow you to become a cat-eating dog. Pressing color buttons will change the maze.
Votes: 23
31. Zaxxon (1982 Video Game)
Action, Sci-Fi
You pilot an attack shuttle whose mission is to strafe the enemy's "Asteroid City". Destroy fuel tanks, gun implacements, missiles, fighters and a large enemy robot.
Votes: 76
33. Pac-Man (1980 Video Game)
E | Family, Fantasy
Navigate Pac-Man through a maze escaping ghosts and eating Pac-Dots.
Votes: 2,411
34. Choplifter! (1982 Video Game)
Action
A combat helicopter must save as many rebels as possible from the p.o.w. camps set up by the evil Bungeling Empire and take out all enemy forces that stand in its way back to safety in this side-scrolling shoot 'em up.
Votes: 47
35. Dig Dug (1982 Video Game)
E | Action, Family
In the video game DigDug you are the character Doug who has been sent to clear this underground area of all the enemies.
Director: Masahisa Ikegami
Votes: 447
37. Kangaroo (1982 Video Game)
Unrated | Family
In order to rescue her son, a mother kangaroo must climb up ladders, jump onto platforms and leap over gaps as well as punch out a gang of nasty monkeys that try to stop her by throwing ... See full summary »
Votes: 35
38. Moon Patrol (1982 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Sci-Fi
Player drives a moon buggy jumping over craters, rocks and land mines, shooting simultaneously at rocks in front and aliens above while dodging their missiles.
Votes: 78
39. Donkey Kong Junior (1982 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Family
Arcade platform game and the sequel to "Donkey Kong", but with the roles reversed compared to its predecessor: Mario (formerly named "Jumpman") is now the villain and Donkey Kong Jr. is trying to save his kidnapped father.
Director: Shigeru Miyamoto
Votes: 355
41. Super Pac-Man (1982 Video Game)
Family
The fourth title of the Pac-Man series, the player must eat keys in order to open doors to open up sections of the maze.
Votes: 65
42. Q*bert (1982 Video Game)
Unrated | Family
Q*bert must to make the top of the blocks the color shown and avoid enemies.
Votes: 205
43. Time Pilot (1982 Video Game)
Action, Sci-Fi
Players navigate an airplane through several time periods while battling enemies.
Votes: 39
44. BurgerTime (1982 Video Game)
Action, Family
Classic arcade game where the player as Chef Peter Pepper must run around platforms placing hamburger ingredients together as fast as possible while avoiding enemy ingredients like Mr. Hot Dog, Mr. Pickle and Mr. Egg.
Votes: 141
Burgertime (1982)
46. Popeye (1982 Video Game)
K-A | Action, Family
You play the sailor man as you try to catch various falling objects from Olive Oyl despite opposition of Bluto and the Sea Hag.
Votes: 183
50. Xevious (1982 Video Game)
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
An epic battle between a Solvolou fighter and the forces of Xevious in mysterious and futuristic world.
Votes: 73
51. Satan's Hollow (1982 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Fantasy
Using a trigger joystick you must move your fire-base left and right while shooting bird-like creatures flying at you. Use the segments dropped by the birds to build a bridge across the pit... See full summary »
Votes: 29
52. Bubbles (1982 Video Game)
Unrated | Family
Player controls a soap bubble in the kitchen sink, roaming about and mopping up crumbs, ants, and greasies. Watch out for the razor blades and roaches!
Votes: 24
54. Mappy (1983 Video Game)
Action, Family
Mappy is a side-scrolling platform game that features Mappy, a police mouse that must retrieve stolen goods that are stored in a Mansion that belong to a cat gang (called Meowkies in the game) that Mappy must avoid.
Votes: 87
55. Krull (1983)
PG | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet, Krull.
Director: Peter Yates | Stars: Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Freddie Jones, Francesca Annis
Votes: 36,273 | Gross: $16.52M
56. Dragon's Lair (1983 Video Game)
E | Adventure, Fantasy
A valiant knight, Dirk the Daring is on a quest to rescue the fair princess from the clutches of an evil dragon.
Directors: Don Bluth, Tony Bozek | Stars: Dan Molina, Vera Pacheco, Michael Rye, Dave Spafford
Votes: 740
57. Mario Bros. (I) (1983 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Fantasy
Two plumber brothers, Mario and Luigi, come across unearthly creatures while searching sewer pipes, so they must do their job and clear the pipes.
Director: Shigeru Miyamoto
Votes: 1,487
58. Lode Runner (1983 Video Game)
Action, Sci-Fi
A character named Lode Runner must traverse and dig through fanciful designs of architecture to collect tons of gold, while utilizing physics and avoiding man-crushing, though foolish, guards.
Votes: 166
59. Track & Field (1983 Video Game)
Sport
You play an athlete competing in a series of track and field athletic competitions.
Votes: 110
60. Donkey Kong 3 (1983 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Family
Shooter video game and the third installment in the "Donkey Kong" series. The gameplay departs from previous Donkey Kong games, and it stars an exterminator named Stanley instead of Mario who defends a greenhouse from the giant ape.
Director: Shigeru Miyamoto
Votes: 214
61. Tapper (1983 Video Game)
Unrated | Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
You are a soda jerk serving root beer to patrons.
Votes: 84
62. Punch-Out!! (1983 Video Game)
E10+ | Sport
Bronx kid Little Mac is trained by ex-boxer "Doc" Louis so he may gain a name for himself in the World Video Boxing Association, in hopes he can fight the legendary Mr. Dream.
Director: Genyo Takeda
Votes: 557
63. Cliff Hanger (1983 Video Game)
Action, Adventure
You control a lovable thief through various dangers to rescue a damsel in distress from a villainous count.
Star: Frank Welker
Votes: 49
66. Galaga 3 (1984 Video Game)
Action, Sci-Fi
In this third game in the Namco Galaxy Trilogy, the player controls a spaceship and shoots aliens.
Votes: 28
67. Tetris (1984 Video Game)
E
Differently shaped blocks descend into a 2D container. The blocks can be moved and rotated, and must be sorted into the rest of the blocks on the fly.
Director: Alexey Pazhitnov
Votes: 3,513
72. Paperboy (1984 Video Game)
Action, Comedy, Family
You play a kid delivering papers on his treacherous route.
Star: Brandon Scott Miller
Votes: 378
73. Marble Madness (1984 Video Game)
Sci-Fi
Marble Madness is an arcade video game designed by Mark Cerny, in which the player must guide a marble through six courses, populated with obstacles and enemies, within a time limit.
Votes: 166
74. Kung-Fu Master (1984 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Fantasy
Thomas must use his punches, kicks, and jumpkicks to save Sylvia from Mr. X and his henchmen.
Votes: 106
76. Commando (1985 Video Game)
Action
This is the story of a man named Super Joe. He must stop an enemy alliance, and rescue hostages.
Votes: 109
77. Mercs (1990 Video Game)
T | Action, Adventure, War
the (presumably American) ex-president has been kidnapped by revolutionaries so the mercenary squad Wolf Force is sent in to save him.
Votes: 56
78. Road Runner (1985 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Family
Move the Road Runner through a cartoon world eating bird seed. Lead Wile E. Coyote to his demise for extra points.
Director: Mike Hally
Votes: 83
79. Ikari Warriors (1986 Video Game)
Not Rated | 80 min | Action, Adventure
Play as Ralf Jones and Clark Steel and battle through hordes of enemies to reach the jungle village of Ikari.
Director: Dustin Hawkins
Votes: 119
80. OutRun (1986 Video Game)
Not Rated | Sport
You must race your Ferrari through various unique locations in order to reach checkpoints. While playing, the player can choose which route to take and has a choice between one of three different music themes.
Votes: 337
81. Arkanoid (1986 Video Game)
E | Action, Family, Sci-Fi
Controlling the spaceship 'Vaus', the player must prevent a ball from leaving the playing field by bouncing it against bricks. Once all bricks have been destroyed, the player may progress to the next stage.
Votes: 267
82. Bubble Bobble (1986 Video Game)
E | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Bub & Bob, twin dinosaur brothers, begin a fantastic journey to recover the food stolen from their people by the evil Baron Von Bubba.
Votes: 503
84. Rampage (1986 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Fantasy
In Rampage three people can play at once, each player being a different giant monster that terrorizes cities throughout North America.
Directors: Brian Colin, Jeff Nauman
Votes: 330
85. 720° (1986 Video Game)
E | Sport
1986 Atari skateboarding video game, in which the player controls a skateboarder skating around a neighborhood. By doing jumps and tricks, the player can eventually acquire enough points to compete at a skate park.
Votes: 43
86. Contra (1987 Video Game)
E10+ | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A terrorist organization named Red Falcon declares war on humanity and tries to take over the Earth. Two soldiers, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean, are sent to stop the Earth's destruction.
Director: Koji Hiroshita
Votes: 1,617
88. 1943: The Battle of Midway (1987 Video Game)
E | Action, War
In the midst of WWII, the Navy's best fighter pilot must destroy the Japanese air and sea squadrons.
Votes: 132
1943: The Battle of Midway (1987)
89. R-Type (1987 Video Game)
Action, Sci-Fi
A side-scrolling space-shooter featuring various power-ups and bio-mechanical enemies.
Votes: 185
90. A.P.B. (1987 Video Game)
Action, Comedy, Crime
A hectic Police driving game in you much catch a assortment of eccentric crooks.
Votes: 34
A.P.B. All Points Bulletin (1987)
91. After Burner (1987 Video Game)
K-A | Action
An arcade flight simulator that lets you (the player) pilot an F-14 Tomcat. You must destroy oncoming enemy aircraft's in order to advance through each level.
Votes: 136
94. Double Dragon (1987 Video Game)
Unrated | Action, Family, Fantasy
Martial arts siblings Billy and Jimmy Lee must battle a tough gang known as the Black Warriors in order to rescue Billy's girlfriend, Marian.
Directors: Yoshihisa Kishimoto, Shinichi Saitou
Votes: 1,318
95. Shinobi (1987 Video Game)
E10+ | Action, Fantasy
The Ninja children of the Iga clan were kidnapped by Zeed, a syndication of evil Ninjas and outlaws. Joe Musashi, a master of Ninjutsu amd other martial arts must penetrate single-handedly ... See full summary »
Votes: 199
98. Super Contra (1987 Video Game)
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
One year after the events of Contra, the aliens return and invade an allied base. Bill and Lance are not only fighting their mortal enemy Red Falcon, they must now face off against their former comrades.
Director: Hideyuki Tsujimoto
Votes: 311
99. Arch Rivals (1989 Video Game)
Sport
Arcade fun two on two basketball. Or is that, a basket-brawl? Throw some punches around and dunk your way to victory.
Votes: 64
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