Top 10 Arcade Games Of The 1980s

With the groundwork set in the previous decade, the 1980s saw vast improvements in technology and gameplay, ushering in the golden age of arcade games. Join www.WatchMojo.com as we continue our series on the Top Arcade Games per Decade, with the Top 10 Arcade Games of the 1980's Subscribe►►kzbin.info_c... Facebook►► / watchmojo . Twitter►► / watchmojo Suggestion Tool►►www.WatchMojo.com/suggest Channel Page►► / watchmojo
For this list, we're looking at the best arcade games of the decade in terms of popularity, critical acclaim, longevity, and the impact they've made on the video gaming medium. We’re focusing on games that saw popularity primarily in the arcades so while there was indeed a port of Super Mario Bros for coin-op use, you won’t find it here.
Special Thanks to our users "OneTwoPunchGames" "buckmeister19" "David Ram" "Orangegator" "aldqbigsquare" "Mar Brody" for suggesting this topic on our Interactive Suggestion Tool at www.WatchMojo.com/suggest
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[@jdoom8636]

If he says Mareo one more time I'm smashing my phone.

[@dragio23234]

I thought i was the only who was urked by that i think he was doing it on purpose "douche"

[@boyceps]

@@dragio23234: That makes 3 of us. It's MARio, not Mary-O.

[@matthewlane518]

Nope 4 of us bothering the hell out of me

[@matthewlane518]

And he can say luigi right?? Why the hell cant he say mario???

[@alexisjohnson]

Ditto, pissed his Mario pronunciation is so bad.

[@joshbrekke6374]

Moon Patrol, Pole Position, Tron, Super Sprint, Shinobi, are just a few that deserve a spot on the top 10. They always had long lines of people waiting to play almost every time I went to Arcades around here in the 1980,s

[@joevanseeters2873]

Oh how I miss those incredible days in the "Golden Era of Arcade Games". I was 15 in 1981 at the height of the video arcade days and it was wonderful. There was nothing like going down to the video arcade at the local mall and spending an afternoon playing a myriad of video games. Everyone had their favorites. We held "tournaments" on Friday and Saturdays and all you played for was "bragging rights". But being known as the "master" of a particular video game was big stuff back then (LOL). It was a local hang out for many a teens in the 1980's. I still remember when Space Invaders came to our local Jiffy Food Store (similar to a 7-11). As word spread that the game had arrived, literally the entire neighborhood showed up in droves at the Jiffy Store to get his/her turn on this newfound video "wonder" that morphed into a true phenomenon over the next 4 or 5 years after that. Then, a year later Donkey Kong showed up at the same store. WOW, what a craze that caused. Then on to Pac Man, Joust, Ms. Pac Man, Dig Dug, Moon Patrol (A particular favorite of mine), Star Trek, where you sat in an enclosed game pod piloted the Enterprise and Mr. Spock stated "Welcome Aboard Captain" when you inserted the quarter. Another game I particularly liked was called Gyruss. A type of space game where you traveled from Planet to Planet upon finishing each level. It was a challenging but particularly fun game. Wow I spent a lot of quarters in that game over the years. There was even a video game centered around the rock group JOURNEY at the time, which was actually a pretty good game and you even got to hear there music while playing through the various levels. And the list continues on and on with literally hundreds, if not thousands of various video arcade games of all different types. It was truly a great time in history. When a quarter dollar could bring you so much joy for the few minutes (or MANY minutes for a lot of us) could bring you. Two dollars could mean two hours of play time for some of us that were expert players. It's hard to imagine all the different sounds, beeps, bleeps, bings and boings going on (loudly) in the video arcade, but somehow, your mind could separate and drowned out all the other sounds behind you when you were transfixed on playing your particular arcade game. It's funny, many of the games were just mastering "patterns" (Pac Man has a "pattern") that you could memorize and literally play for a LONG......time. I even give credit to girlfriends at the time who may have not been particularly interested in video games, but they "put up with it" because it gave their boyfriends at the time so much joy. Girls standing around watching their boyfriends play over an hour or two, meeting with other friends. Not saying that girls didn't like playing video games because many of them did, but, for a lot of them it was watching their boyfriends play, finding a new boyfriend at the video arcade, or ditching a current boyfriend for a new beau they met at the arcade was the order of business on many a weekend night. I even saw quite a few "squabbles" between girls over boys at the local arcade. And quite a few boys fighting over a girl at the arcade. Oh, the days of the video arcade...... They are gone forever, but WOW, what a great time it was. It is a time I will cherish in my life forever.

[@nachocheesecoccodoodledoo2547]

It sure look awesome but hey! There is still consol that offer those Games and there is still some arcade game that you can find!

[@raychang8648]

Joe, you said it. And you said it well. That was probably the best time of my life. That was true enjoyment!

[@joetorres9892]

Can you repeat that please

[@Onestonedbake]

I'm so jealous, your guys spirit lives on with us

[@simonmcpartlin6547]

I know where you are coming from. I was born the year after you. I was in awe when I visited a games arcade. The nostalgia if I see and hear one of the arcade originals now. I made my way from the ZX Spectrum all the way to the Playstation 5 now. One day I will grow up, but no time soon. 😅

[@dalemcilwain]

Pac-Man is still number 1 in my book. Back in 80-81 anywhere you went. The skating rink, the grorecy store, the pizza shop your arcade there was an arcade game. Pac-man was a money maker.

[@shanewheal9069]

no it wasnt Space Invaders was THE GAME

[@royrowland5763]

@@shanewheal9069 Space Invaders was released in 1978, not the '80s. It was still being played in the early '80s, but nowhere near as much as Pac Man when that came out.

[@brianlanning836]

No tempest, zaxxon, defender, gorf, phoenix, berzerk, asteroids, or xevious... but bubble bobble! Yeah, that deserves to be on the list.

[@vinortez5715]

Gorf was awesome, I even loved Kung Fu

[@soulsabr4472]

God, I remember zaxxon. I can't remember how many quarters I sacrificed to that 3/4 perspective title. But ... what about MOON PATROL?!?

[@patsfan4life]

Never even saw bubble bobble

[@stevenrico6241]

There is a harder version of xevious called super xevious

[@amftapper]

I loved Zaxxon

[@mr_champion8599]

I was dying when he kept saying "Merio" not Mario

[@mr_champion8599]

I wanted to go to the studio and say "Listen, either find out how to say "MAAAARIO" or leave this studio!"

[@AwesomeNinjaXD]

+Mr_Champion They did it in purpose. they'd why that coin sound and Mario's head kept popping up and they even had a "Canadian Merio Bonus."

[@mr_champion8599]

ooooh okay

[@sonicmario64]

I'm actually the same way when Sonic ends up getting called "Sanic".

[@CuriousCritter17]

Mr_Champion loser

[@robertwest4596]

Defender isn't on the list??????? You guys are nuts......

[@5r93]

Although I was not into defender, you are right.

[@lordevyl8317]

Agreed It should have at the very least gotten an honorable mention

[@fthishandleshit]

This tells me everything I need to know about this video. Not worth watching, lol.

[@Forrest0726]

Probably my favorite golden age arcade game to play is Tempest, but people often forget to mention it when looking back on the era.

[@retrotelevision1]

Doesn't anybody here remember Moon Patrol?

[@76HabeasCorpus]

Man, I remember playing Rampage, Gauntlet, Frogger, Donkey Kong, Pac-man and Double Dragon when I was a kid. We used to play Gauntlet on a machine that was like a table where the table surface was the screen and four friends could sit around it and play. It was amazing and seemed so futuristic at the time, boy am I old. :(

[@wildeysparanormalplace]

Nice to meet this I love these games the 80's are my favorite years thanks for getting all these games together in you video absolute awsome✌❤from Wildeys

[@DrWho2008t101]

I remembered this as if it was yesterday. Thanks for the video!

[@RelativelyRetroDon]

Thanks for the nod to Dragon's Lair...freakin love that series!

[@bigbossman120277]

Some of my favorite arcade games from the 1980's were: Rastan (1987), Operation Wolf (1987), Double Dragon 2 (1988), Bad Dudes (1988), Renegade (1985), & WWF Superstars (1989).

[@bryansibbach7142]

bigbossman120277 Rastan was great. I was the first person in my town to beat it. My buddies were so mad. Dragons Lair, Donkey Kong an Zaxxon were great as well. My buddy got a Coleco Vision for Christmas and Donkey Kong Junior and Zaxxon were 2 of the games that we played for hours at his house. What a great time to be alive.

[@richardross1754]

So many top hits in that decade that it’s hard not to see why that was the golden age of arcade games. With such simple yet addictive designs it’s brilliant.

[@marcribaudo1965]

Missle Command. Many long gone bones and quarters playing that game.

[@markpapenfuss1111]

Rampage has such long lasting nostalgia, it spawned a board game (now known as Terror in Meeple City) in 2013 and a feature film with The Rock this year.

[@zerocool1ist]

I doubt the commentator was even alive during the 80's.

[@Alixdkari]

so?.....

[@turnertalking]

Marryio Brothers.

[@DrWho2008t101]

i agree.

[@NKonkoro]

There will be a time when people won't have been alive in the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s FYI.

[@cineddiction]

wow! brings back memories. Moon Patrol was a favorite of mine. I know what I'm doing this weekend, Thank goodness for Barcade.

[@HE360]

This video makes me just want to go back in time back to these eras!

[@christinecrawford]

Defender didn't even get an Honorable Mention?? Tempest didn't either? BOO!

[@Chaos89P]

What about Polybius?

[@BlueflagAlpha]

Wheres Outrun????

[@UberCraftGaming]

my dad has spent over a year fixing up an old defender machine, because it used to be so popular. Get your facts straight WatchMojo!

[@BlueflagAlpha]

***** rolling thunder????

[@waldog550]

Was Asteroids considered 70's? Though released in November of '79, that's too close to the 80's to be ignored. And what about Robotron 2084?

[@savfox8491]

Mappy is a pretty good 80's arcade game, too. It's just super rare.

[@oriondx72]

Good list with some of my all time favorite games.

[@Tom-sc2vu]

Great list.

[@mangajin70]

What about Spy Hunter?

[@johnpriest8804]

Got both of them.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5yWi62mh9OcqdE

[@captainobvious9233]

What about you learn to listen and look up the definition of 'OPINION' and copy it 100,000,000 times. 03:39

[@wizzrobotix2379]

SH was real cool. :D Kind of gave you the feel of being agent 007... ^_^

[@SaintSteven67]

You guys forgot Tempest and my all time favorite, Defender!

[@rjc7289]

Loved me some 80's arcade games! Honorable mention should also go to Mr. Do, Carnival, Pitfall, Gorf, Kangaroo, Super Pac Man, Space Invaders, Popeye, 1942, Millipede & Zaxxon.

[@MrSEA-ok2ll]

Have Donkey Kong in my Game room...it is simply astounding...audio was well chosen and at the time it was visually very captivating.

[@billkeithchannel]

I remember the second week Gauntlet was added to my local mall arcade. The woman's eyes got big when I and my two friends asked for $50 in quarters each. Years later another friend taught me how to play forever on one coin. 15 hours non-stop was the longest session I had ever played.

[@martinkuliza]

$50 in Quarter's hehe CLEARLY YOU AND YOUR MATES WERE NOT FUCKING AROUND hehe Did you also Reserve the Machine for the whole day and told any kid who tried to push in that he'd get bashed and that his lunch money was at stake hehe Mate..... RESPECT when you lay down $50 bucks in quarters..... this is when SHIT JUST GOT REAL LMFAO and , i know you probably robbed a 7-11 to get that money , BUT .. HEY... YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO hehe Good on ya mate, you're a fucking legend the most i laid down was $30 i think (here in Australia the games were 20c Per Game) i think you're in the US, so i think it's 25c right ? the think about "A QUARTER" that i was never clear on was... - is it a Quarter of $1 or - is it a Quarter of 1 Cent but either way, i think it makes more sense that it would be a quarter of a dollar so if you think about it we got more games out of it hehe OH, GET THIS.. QUICK LITTLE STORY I'm an I.T. Engineer one day a client of mine says to me "Martin , do you know anything about games" i'm thinking she's talking about World of Warcraft of counterstrike or something i say "yes, i can fix games, what's the problem" she takes me to a bedroom and (wait for it.................. hehe) There's a coffee table with a table cloth on it THE TABLE CLOTH COMES OFF IT'S A FUCKING SPACE INVADERS COCKTAIL TABLE MACHINE - 2 PLAYER i was like....... NO......... FUCKING........ WAY hehe and she's says "can you fix it " Long story short, it needed a bunch of capacitors replaced because the V-Hold and H-Hold were fucking up you could adjust them , but when you switched it off and on again, the screen would fuck up again anyway, i quoted her $400 to fix it (for the parts and the time, there were a lot of caps needed replacing and it needed some love and care) She basically say "Oh, No, we didn't want to spend that much on it , if you can't fix it for say.. $50 we'll just throw it out" MY JAW DROPS i'm like... how can you throw out a space invaders machine ? so the little kid inside me comes out and i'm like "can i keep it " hehe Actually, what i actually said was this (and consider she's my best friends neighbour) i said "Look, i can throw it away for you if you like, i know a scrap guy who will take it , but would you mind if....." (and she interrupts and says ) "Oh look, if you can fix it and you put in the time, go right ahead, you can keep it " and i'm like... YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS HEHE and Mate, IT'S A BLACK AND WHITE SCREEN hehe Fucking Legendary huh After all these years. it still works

[@robinmeade7573]

Gauntlet on 1 quarter!? That piqued my interest! DO TELL! That game was specifically designed to be a quarter muncher!

[@fordprefect4728]

@@robinmeade7573 the 1st version of the game if u played it alot and learned everything about it u can last hrs on it, more than a few times i took my health from 750 to well over 10000. The highest i ever got to in levels on 1 quarter was over 350 levels.The later versions of the game put a stop to this by having less food in the game but u got more health with the more players that were on at once.

[@maurirere8]

No Shinobi, MoonPatrol,RoboCop,WWF,Gyrus,Golden Axe,Afterburner,WonderBoy,PaperBoy,BlackTiger,POW,Ghost n Goblins,New Zealand Story,Elevator Action,StreetFighter 1,TMNT??? Damn that sux!

[@JCVM66]

Ghosts'n Goblins No1

[@fordprefect4728]

SF1 was complete garbage but alot of the other games u mentioned were good especially black tiger.

[@whitman7960]

The bubble bobble music was epic.i had it as a ring tone back when ringtones were available first.

[@jaldred1]

Oh lord--the sounds themselves bring back so many memories. When Galaga came on it was like I was fourteen again at the mall with a few dollars to quickly blow at the arcade and I didn't even play it very often.

[@WatchMojo]

Special Thanks to our users "OneTwoPunchGames" "buckmeister19" "David Ram" "Orangegator" "aldqbigsquare" "Mar Brody" for suggesting this topic on our Interactive Suggestion Tool at www.WatchMojo.com/suggest

[@brodycook6652]

next make a ninteys

[@tchitchouan]

i swear if street fighter 2 isn't in the 90's list

[@joaomarcosilvabastos]

+WatchMojo.com *WHERE IS FINAL FIGHT?*

[@BlueflagAlpha]

Outrun????

[@BlueflagAlpha]

***** i understand

[@litaspunk]

Oh man, where's the love for BurgerTime? Trying to make burgers while a crazy life size hot dog was chasing you? Now that's entertainment.

[@whaaaa869]

YOU HAVE BAD TASTE IN VIDEO GAMS

[@benmckee1009]

one of my absolute favorites along with Ghost and Goblins

[@wizzrobotix2379]

We had the arcade sequel Super Burger Time in the halls here, and it was the first and only BT this one played. Rocked indeed. :D Hardly any game could make you more hungry while playing.

[@daveryan2148]

I agree. Was a great game!

[@boyceps]

And the scrambled eggs.

[@benmckee1009]

Burgertime, Ghost and Goblins, Elevator action, 1943, Ikari warriors (loved the twisty controller to spin the gun ). but as always pinball took most of my quarters

[@wendyrobinson9759]

I had the top score on QBert at the local arcade! Donkey Kong, QBert, Ms. Pacman, Golden Axe, Marble Madness, Renegade & Elevator Action were a few of my faves.

[@DoctorChibi740]

My mom to this day is a huge Centipede fan lol

[@DrWho2008t101]

classic game.

[@infraredtoa9105]

The golden age of arcade games has the most fun games that i have ever played.

[@clockworkhippogames]

So many memories of these games. I miss the challenge games of those days provide. In fact I missed the challenge so much that when I was recently made redundant I decided to become an Indie game dev and make hard core arcade games based on old school mechanics.

[@superebgames7945]

These things still exist

[@chief45kc2572]

No Track and Field? I remember getting out of school and going to the arcade and spending hours on that game. Anyone remember the pencil trick?

[@5r93]

I was just going to reply with the pencil thing, but I kept reading. ;)

[@ehodovic]

Rampage was my life dude

[@BlueflagAlpha]

Outrun was my life but didnt get into this list

[@Raven495]

+derMemory And no After Burner... dafuk?!

[@BlueflagAlpha]

Raven495 1943 by capcom was not included too

[@fuckitweball77]

Cool bro,but i Liked Rampage World Tour Better

[@carlbochanski2638]

mine was mappy

[@LemmingOfEvil]

The big coin-op arcade game back in my neighborhood was the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles back at the end of the 80's. Kind of wished to see it here, but I guess we can't have everything.

[@billkeithchannel]

The cool thing about Q*bert was the sound when you fell off the game board. There was a free credit _kicker_ actuator from a pinball game that made that loud slap sound.

[@robmcmuffin8453]

man this brought back memories! i still cant calculate how much money i pumped into Gauntlet! Awesome video, thanks for sharing!

[@dgrec3]

"Bros." stands for "Brothers". It's Mario Brothers not Maro Bros... They're not in a frat.

[@robbie4657]

Mama mia

[@davidx4591]

I thought that is the American interpretation?

[@timefornoisyv]

@@davidx4591 The American interpretation of what? Bros. is the American English abbreviation of Brothers. I mean, the title is in English. It's like calling Donkey Kong Junior, Donkey Kong Jrrrrrrrrr

[@ACanOfBakedBeans]

@@davidx4591 Watchmojo aren't from the US, they're based in Quebec

[@bmoore493]

One word.....Joust!

[@motleybyron4997]

Time keeps on going...it seems like yesterday when I had to go to an arcade to play these games...my high school years...

[@Drawkcabi]

Budweiser Tapper was my favorite arcade game of the era. In addition to Joust, Donkey Kong, Ms. Pacman, Dragon's Lair, and Galaga, I also liked Turbo, Mach 3, Kung Fu, Shinobi, Donkey Kong Jr., Choplifter, Space Ace, Super Pacman, Satan's Hollow, Carnival, Paperboy, and the sit down cabinet versions of Star Wars and Star Trek.

[@WatchMojo]

In case you were wondering how the Mojoholics voted in our poll, see the votes and entries here: watchmojo.com/suggest/Top+10+Best+Arcade+Games+of+the+80%27s Note, of course, that viewer votes are just one of the hundreds of data points and variables that we consider and look at when we create our lists. Make sure to sign up and participate on future lists at www.WatchMojo.com/suggest

[@cheddarcheese7928]

So fun to play Rampage back in the day with your friends so u could pretend it was an accident when u punch his monster in the face..Good times..

[@juanelorriaga2840]

Gauntlet was a fav me and my friends would all run for that cab and then years later getting that 4 player adapter for the genesis version was great

[@loganlorn]

Glad you mentioned Galaga. I love that game (and modern day Galaga Wars is worthy!). Would have like to have seen Tempest covered. Tempest was great as well!

[@thoruszwolf4153]

How was Star Wars, Tron, Space Invaders and Asteroids not on this list o.O?

[@espartacus001]

I agree with star wars and tirón, but space invaders is from 1978 and asteroids 1979

[@thoruszwolf4153]

tito vetre meh, it was pretty close.. I still think Asteroids coming out just a couple weeks before New Year and that no Arcades had it before january 1980 it should have made the cut, seeing as no one in the 70's except the developers played it in that decade

[@azzclown]

And mortal kombat

[@thoruszwolf4153]

Luis The Monkey I think that came out toward the mid 90's

[@haba3000]

Space Invaders and Asteroids were both in Top 10 1970's Arcade Games list.

[@Khaos969]

Gauntlet was like being transported to a different dimension when I was young! Why don't they bring out a pack on the PS4 that has all these games in there exact glory

[@mitchelmodine9197]

Mario actually got the name Mario after his heel turn for Donkey Kong Jr.(1982), only to turn face again and tag-team with Luigi (1983). Luigi makes a cameo in the opening sequence of Donkey Kong, Jr., dressed the same as Mario and helping him hoist up a caged Donkey Kong.

[@sgtcheater1934]

I played Heavy Barrel soooo much. I can't believe it didn't make the list.

[@nickchapman1884]

My Top 10 would be 10 - Slap Fight, 9 - Chase HQ, 8 - Atari Star Wars - 7 - R Type - 6 - Skramble - 5 - Operation Wolf - 4 - Super Hang On - 3- Outrun - 2 - Shinobi - 1 Defender.

[@soulsabr4472]

Chase HQ? Really?

[@polherverolland]

not defender on that list please. double dragon first place.

[@fordprefect4728]

well this is a pretty terrible list lol

[@Fluoride_Jones]

I would've liked to see an honorable mention for "NARC."

[@jonathanbethards3689]

That is a dope ass game

[@lavahit]

It was brutal for is time.

[@DrJekyll38]

@@lavahit Not necessarily, the scoring system had a hidden incentive for non-violence. Shooting an enemy would only net the player 100-2500 points, depending on how dangerous they were. But, the Das Lof Gang's shooters, Spike Rush's men, Kinky Pinky's Pimps, and H.Q.Posse's gunners could all be "BUSTED", and every one that was, at the end of each level, would award the player 5000 POINTS in the "Evidence Bonus".

[@lavahit]

@@DrJekyll38 I only remember not being able to win the final boss (i shot 99 rocket at him to no avail).

[@DrJekyll38]

@@lavahit One or two rockets to the eyes would have blown off his shades, then blown away the outer skin to reveal a mechanical skull. After that, rockets would only push him back. Your machine gun was needed to destroy him, one digit of spinal column at a time.

[@Crimeyfied]

Dragon's Lair, Tron, Bosconian, Crazy Climber, Tutankham, Rally-X, Gyrus, Phoenix, Battlezone, Scramble. Those were my favorite ten. Honorable mentions to Tail Gunner, Discs of Tron, Jungle Hunt, Time Pilot, Xybots.

[@nicklambert5059]

Arcade machines are still wonderfully amazing... Outrun in the sit down machine was fantastic and Atari Star Wars was equally playable and enjoyable.. Great days sorely missed ..

[@espartacus001]

Not even honorable mention for Shinobi?

[@BlueflagAlpha]

Not even outrun!!!!

[@mashitandsmashit]

There should be a separate list for Top 10 LATE 80s Arcade Games, because the early and late 80s were pretty much completely different eras for arcade games...

[@KnickKnack07]

Yeah..the late 80s era was the DEAD era. When arcades were closing down by the hundreds every year.

[@Mitjitsu]

Arcades were declining, but they came back around the 89 period and peaked around 94. Thanks to Neo Geo, Street Fighter 2 and 3D Sega Games. What killed the 90's arcade scene was the fact consoles started catching up with arcade hardware.

[@edwardweaver6360]

Defender was my fav, i could sit and play it for hours.

[@hughj.5762]

PUNCH OUT, PAPERBOY, SPY HUNTER, BURGER TIME, 1942, KARATE CHAMP, PHOENIX were all great games too. Loved the 80’s and still do!

[@milanbaros2005]

Paperboy, Track and Field, Star Wars, Operation Wolf,Outrun.

[@user-it6qf1uy4t]

Commando, 1942, ghosts and goblins

[@alanbourke4069]

Paperboy is uncontrollable shite, +1 for the rest though

[@GigTube]

marble madness!

[@soulsabr4472]

I loved that game but think Crystal Castle was better.

[@yazminamelendez5267]

Ooh, i remember playing #4, 2 & 1 in the past^^ Good times

[@Nicefoolkilla]

I still remember being super exicted going to my local convenience store and playing either R-Type or Double dragon. Even tbough rampage came out in '86, I didn't start playing until the early 90s - one time at Waterton national park in southern Alberta. It was one ofy favorites.

[@CanterburyArcade]

10 Arcade Games Of The 1980s? not even close

[@satan3959]

There are a couple decent ones in there, but come on

[@turnertalking]

Q*Bert and Rampage, Gauntlet, Valkyrie needs food. Joust and Ms Pac-Man.

[@DrWho2008t101]

i agree.

[@10TEN-10]

Operation Wolf WWF Wrestlefest Hyper Olympics Final Fight Fatal Fury Street Fighter Sunset Riders Space Harrier Afterburner Outrun

[@satan3959]

The original Street Fighter was awful in my opinion. Series never got good until SF2. I agree with the rest of your list though

[@gippzybtc2129]

Circus Charlie, Ballon Flight (or something like that), Tempest, Defender, and more should be in this list, I demand a top 20 arcade games!

[@danelicker317]

Wow!! Hearing the music when Mario gets the sledgehammer in the original Donkey Kong reminds me of my first girlfriend. There was a game room in the roller rink where we met that had Donkey Kong, Centipede, Frogger, Crazy Climber, Space Invaders, Gorf, and Asteroids. The way the games were set left a small hiding spot where me and her would sneak in and make out. Such memories!!

[@ch33zyburrito36]

Galaga should've been higher on the list

[@infraredtoa9105]

+jay pad i agree with you

[@MRMRDONUTWOOTWOOT]

So should've dragons lair

[@bothellkenmore]

+jay pad See the 70's vid from yesterday.

[@BlueflagAlpha]

Outrun should be listed

[@biffroberts1007]

I have that game. Its AWESOME!!! P.S. And I DO agree with you as it should've been higher on the list.

[@johnalanelson]

2:25 *GUESS AGAIN!!!!* He was called Mario (and learn how to pronounce that!) in Donkey Kong Jr. which came out a year earlier!

[@jasongraves6035]

It's me! Mary-o!

[@ACanOfBakedBeans]

It's called an ACCENT, stop being so butthurt over it

[@oldrichkosacka5522]

I agree with the list. Well done.

[@repro24569]

Actually, that's a pretty good list. Honorable mention also for Defender, Tempest, Pengo and Robotron.

[@stufaman]

What no Double Dragon, Space Harrier or Out Run?

[@stufaman]

HUT TUH How could you?! That hurt. May your favourite things get lynched for a bit.

[@stufaman]

HUT TUH Look at your favourite things... I'm lynching them. I'm lynching them right now, with my mind. Damn that should be a song.

[@ProgrammedForDamage]

+stufaman Double Dragon was there as an honourable mention. I would have put it in the top 10 list for sure. So influential. As was Golden Axe.

[@stufaman]

ProgrammedForDamage Thank you. I think it was a significant game. It was a game that people wanted to see on their home machines. Most arcade games before it. Even if you couldn't get a good home port. You're likely to find a good alternative. Like Outrun vs various home racing games and so on.

[@ColonyWarrior]

+ProgrammedForDamage Bad Dudes, TMNT, Final Fight, and Double Dragon I think should all be on the list... growing up in the 80s those games were on everyone's home console port wish list

[@mikesmith7324]

how is TRON not in this list? seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jackiesingleton2351]

mike smith ,,,,,4Realz!!!!! P

[@jasminejohnston6393]

mike smith because TRON isn't a real game; it's a fictional video game from a movie!

[@anubis8181]

Jasmine Johnston Tron was a arcade game.

[@elseoner2394]

Jasmine Johnston no it was absolutely a game

[@elseoner2394]

mike smith it wasn't that big of a game in the 80s. Trust me I'm 42 and grew up in arcades everyday pretty much. Tron isnt top 10. Without watching this video I would say the top 10 most popular arcade games ( played on the arcade )off the top of my head from the 80s would be Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Qbert, Dig Dug, Super Mario Bros, Frogger, Galaga, Joust, Defender and Centipede. Also Berzerk, Rampage, Spyhunter, 720, Crystal Castles, Guantlet, Marble Madness, Star Wars, 1942, Galaxian, Double Dragon, Kung Fu Master, etc.

[@JB0071051982]

Double Dragon for me is one of the most iconic Arcade games of the 1980's. It was the one that popularized the beat em up genre for American gamers and influenced many others to make similar games. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the 1989 arcade game is another favorite since I used to play it all the time in a local department store lobby growing up. It had fun level design great sound effects and music, plus it showed that a licensed property like the Turtles could have a well made video game.

[@GrnXnham]

I was a teenage arcade gamer in the 80's but the only game in your list that I played often was Dig Dug. For me I liked shooters the best in the 80's. Defender/Stargate, Vanguard, Space Duel, Star Castle, Tempest, Zaxxon, Cheyenne, Tron, Battle Zone, Centipede, Robotron, and Berzerk

[@freakyflow]

Pacman, Astroids, Tron, Pole postion, Scrambler....Any game with a ashtray

[@tommyinajar]

Asteroids released in November 1979

[@freakyflow]

Asteroids released in November 1979 from Atari in Japan.....Well i dont know about you but i bet it was over a month before it hit the west coast of North America and another month before it was all over north america.. So by the time anyone in my area played it...Jan 1980..As for me i started playing games when i was 11 in 82

[@chief45kc2572]

Lol I remember the consoles with the built in ashtray! Classic!

[@dziltener]

Yeah this list is shit.

[@georgiosantonopoulos7893]

Thanks for the Video clip! Apologies for the intrusion, I would love your initial thoughts. Have you heard about - Zeyames Wonliver Breakthrough (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now)? It is a great exclusive product for playing classic games minus the normal expense. Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my mate finally got amazing results with it.

[@EngineVSEngine]

Missile Command was my favorite, never heard of Bubble Bobble..

[@soulsabr4472]

Never heard of bubble bobble? What cave were you in?

[@angelobrattoli4663]

ZAXXON! I really loved that game and sadly have never found a good PC port of it. I loved the 3 dimensional element and the graphics. It was just fun.

[@Mike_Muffler]

Ahh yes. So many good memories. Thank You. :-)

[@RonHarrisMe]

To not have Defender or Tempest is kind of crazy... also BurgerTime! Also I am not sure of the name but I think it was called MoonLander.

[@soulsabr4472]

You might be thinking of moon patrol.

[@satan3959]

soulsabr He's probably thinking of LUNAR LANDER, but that's a 70's game, so that don't count

[@Lauren_Tyler]

I still say Pole Position should've been on the list!

[@scottbreon9448]

I like Pole Position, but the lack of any Sega games (at least any of the Y-Board games is offputting)

[@DrWho2008t101]

i remembered that on atari 2600.

[@faheemwyne5098]

I grew up on these! The amount of money I spent was ridiculous but the fun I had trying to beat my friend's scores.....

[@theseus27]

I have too many favourite arcade games to list here, but the ones that I always got drawn to are....Phoenix, TRON, Gorf, Space Firebirds, Mr Do's Castle, Lunar Rescue, Battlezone, Galaxian, T2 Terminator 2, Shinobi, Shadow Warriors, Donkey Kong, Moon Cresta, Missile Command, Lunar Lander, Street fighter, Haunted Castle, Rastan, Star Wars, Final Fight, Gravitar, Pacman, Frogger, Asteroids, Scramble, Astro Blaster, Amidar, TOKI, Astro Wars....and of course Space Invaders....yep spent a fair amount of coins in these games. Thankfully I now have some of them I can still play on my PC and PlayStation. 😀

[@MaximumADHD]

My friend's Dad was one of the developers for Rampage.

[@vinny95757]

really? is that true or a joke

[@MaximumADHD]

vincent romo rodriquez Its no joke. My friend's name is Alex Nauman, and his Dad's name is Jeff Nauman. He is one of the developers listed on mobygames.

[@DrJekyll38]

+CloneTrooper1019 Did you know that when Disney launched their project of a film about video game characters, they created their main game as a hybrid of Donkey Kong, Crazy Climber, and Rampage? All three involve scaling buildings and falling objects, but Rampage is the only one to give a name to the film. Rampage's giant werewolf's namesake was the movie's main character, WRECK-IT RALPH!

[@billkeithchannel]

I used to own a Rampage arcade game but had to sell it in the spring of 2015 when I was hard up for cash. I wrapped the levels back to 1. It had 365 days instead of 255.

[@bruceaskew2107]

Thats dope

[@Tyrone_M]

I've got Pac-Man Fever!

[@Alexifeu]

I played the frogger arcade game for an hour with my dad recently on the actual arcade :D we had so much fun

[@donhoward9250]

I really enjoyed Qix, it allowed you to capture sections of the screen trapping the Qix.

[@wel2myworld]

Where is "Contra"? I love that game especially the famous cheat code

[@adamazmi6340]

I thought Contra was on NES first

[@kevinwebster7868]

+Jory Rez Tangalin Ya I thought the same thing. Where the hell is Contra?

[@kevinwebster7868]

+Adam Ronaldo1903 No it was an arcade game first. I remember playing it in my local bowling ally before the N.E.S. came out then being bat shit crazy when I found out it was on the home system.

[@adamazmi6340]

Kevin Webster​ Oh, I'm sorry if I was mistaken.

[@wel2myworld]

I'm not a cheater, but I think anyone who have the game have to try it (it's essential).

[@situationmoney]

What??? No GORF on this list??? I give up!!!

[@soulsabr4472]

To bad, space cadet. ha. ha. ha. ha. ha.

[@Brbos06]

Great list, totally agree with most of them. Would've liked to see TMNT (1989) on the list and Final Fight (1989) as an honorable mention. But great list anyway.

[@Scott_Bakula_is_my_DAD]

My favourite was Xenophobe 1987 by Bally Midway. Actually just picked up a working cabinet last week.

[@steveN111333]

Double Dragon all the way !!!

[@gustyko8668]

Seriously? Ms. Pac-Man, instead of Pac-Man?

[@adamazmi6340]

Definitely, Pac Man should be number one

[@ZacTheFirst]

Ms. Pac Man is so much more fun. It's the same game just harder, faster, and more colorful.

[@adamazmi6340]

KoolDawg99 If judging by the gameplay, then Street Fighter II should be number 1 because it is miles better than Ms. Pac Man. If judging by the iconicness, then Pac Man should be number 1. Ms Pac Man did not deserve a place in this list.

[@trailersic]

Also an unofficial sequel which resulted in Namco breaking up with Midway

[@markpapenfuss1111]

SCORPION FIRE, spot on.

[@williamsupinski64]

Arkanoid should be on this list. I used to go to a 711 as a kid and play it. Awesome, happy times...

[@brandon9271]

Punch Out, Arkanoid, Tron, Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Narc, Spy Hunter, Ghost and Goblins, Black Tiger, Strider, Operation Wolf, Shinobi, Ninja Gaiden.. I could go on and on! :)