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Top Ten Arcade Games of the 80s

Pac-Man​
Pac-Man​

Game History: Pac-Man is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the U.S. by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980.

image: forbes.com
Donkey Kong​
Donkey Kong​

Game History: Donkey Kong is an arcade game developed by Nintendo, released in 1981. It is an early example of the platform genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging obstacles. The storyline is thin but well-developed for its time. Instructions: Click on "CLICK TO LOAD GAME".

Ms. Pac-Man​
Ms. Pac-Man​

Ms Pac-Man is one of my favorite arcade games from the 1980's. I spent countless hours playing this game in the arcade while growing up in the 80s.

Galaga​
Galaga​

Game History: Galaga is a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen.

Defender​
Defender​

Defender is one of the most well known space ship shooterclassic arcade games.

Centipede​
Centipede​

Play Free 1980's Arcade Games Online, Growing up in the 80's, Arcade Games, Music, Songs, Lyrics, and TV memories - We still love the eighties. Come relive your childhood through our 1980s pages.

image: snakkle.com
Dragon's Lair​
Dragon's Lair​

Games. Dragon's Lair is a laserdisc video game published by Cinematronics in 1983. In the game, the protagonist Dirk the Daring is a knight attempting to rescue Princess Daphne from the evil dragon Singe who has locked the princess in the foul wizard Mordroc's castle. It featured animation by ex-Disney animator Don Bluth.

image: engadget.com
Frogger​
Frogger​

Frogger remains one of my all-time favorite video games, as it reminds me so much of those countless hours I spent at the local arcade. It definitely deserves a home slot in the 80s Arcade. Thanks as always to Arcade-museum.com and Wikipedia.

Mario Bros
Mario Bros

Super Mario Bros. is a platform video game developed by Nintendo in late 1985 and published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros.. In Super Mario Bros., the titular character, Mario, saves Princess Toadstool (later renamed Princess Peach) of the Mushroom Kingdom from King Koopa (later renamed Bowser), king of the Koopas.

image: gizmodo.com
Q*Bert​
Q*Bert​

Q*bert joined the arcade in 1982. There was a giant pyramid that you needed to help little Q*bert get to the top of – when you’d hop on each of the cubes on your way up they would change colors and you’d move on to different levels of the game.

Joust​
Joust​

Play a flash remake of the classic Joust game. Travel on top of the ostrich to knock your enemy off their ostrich. Knock your enemy's on the top of the head to turn them into eggs, get the eggs before they produce more enemies

Gauntlet​
Gauntlet​

Gauntlet is a fantasy-themed hack and slash 1985 arcade game by Atari Games. Released in October 1985, Atari ultimately sold a total of 7,848 Gauntlet video game arcade cabinets. It is noted as being one of the first multi-player dungeon crawl arcade games.

image: reddit.com
Robotron: ​2084​
Robotron: ​2084​

The appearance of this game is great but the controls really need to be updated to match the original. Usually you need to run in a different direction to the one you want to fire it. Back in the 80's I was capable of knocking off 25 million points or so with loads of lives, but you'll never be able to get that with the current controls.

source: scirra.com
Dig Dug​
Dig Dug​

Dig Dug is one of my favorite arcade games from the 1980's. I spent countless hours playing this game in the arcade while growing up in the 80s. I hope you enjoy playing this free version online.

Tempest​
Tempest​

Tempest - Play an official version of the original game right in your browser, free at My IGN

source: my.ign.com
Star Wars​
Star Wars​

Dozens upon dozens of Star Wars games have been released since the early '80s, and the flood has never really subsided over the years. Pretty much every year has seen another game or two appear to reignite our love of lightsabers.

source: stuff.tv
Bubble ​Bobble​
Bubble ​Bobble​

Bubble bobble classic arcade game. Play bubble bobble here for free. Bubble bobble was converted to play on the Nes, Atari St, Amstrad and Amiga. Capture the Monsters in the bubbles and burst them.

Super Mario ​Bros
Super Mario ​Bros

Super Mario Bros. is a platform video game developed by Nintendo in late 1985 and published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros.. In Super Mario Bros., the titular character, Mario, saves Princess Toadstool (later renamed Princess Peach) of the Mushroom Kingdom from King Koopa (later renamed Bowser), king of the Koopas.

Missile ​Command​
Missile ​Command​

Missile Command: Classic Arcade Game Video, History & Game Play Overview History Debuting in the US in 1980, Missile Command is considered to be one of the most prolific shooting themed arcade games of its time.

Rampage​
Rampage​

Rampage's history is not one that involves many arcade sequels, but it's concept and simplistic gameplay has stood the test of time, to the point of a rumored film adaptation. Let's rediscover those creatures that came from Scumlab laboratories and relive the mayhem that North America and the world has suffered over the past 26 years.

image: nerdist.com
Spy Hunter​
Spy Hunter​

Let's take a look back at how Spy Hunter became a favorite at the 80s arcade. Spy hunter is a vertically scrolling driving game that was released by Bally Midway in 1983. It's controls were similar to that of 1982's driving icon Pole Position with a steering wheel, gas pedal, and a low/high gear shifter.

Pole Position​
Pole Position​

Pole Position, the grandfather of modern racing games, was a must-play at the 80s arcade. It had everything you needed to feel like you were behind the wheel of a Formula 1 racecar...the steering wheel, the gas pedal, the low-high gear shifter, the high speed crashes! It truly was a slot machine for 9 year olds that paid off every time.

Donkey Kong ​Jr
Donkey Kong ​Jr

Donkey Kong is an arcade game developed by Nintendo, released in 1981. It is an early example of the platform genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging obstacles.

Double ​Dragon​
Double ​Dragon​

Double Dragon is one of my favorite arcade games from the 1980's. I spent countless hours playing this game in the arcade while growing up in the 80s. I hope you enjoy playing this free version online.

Tetris​
Tetris​

Tetris differs from most classic arcade games for a number of reasons. The lead programmer and designer of the original version of Tetris, Alexey Pajitnov, was employed by Academy of Science of the USSR at the time of the game’s inception.

1942​
1942​

1942 is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up made by Capcom that was released for the arcade in 1984. It was the first game in the 19XX series, followed by 1943: The Battle of Midway. 1942 is set in the Pacific theater of World War II. Instructions: Click on "CLICK TO LOAD GAME". Click on the game window and hit the ENTER key to start the game.

Out Run​
Out Run​

Both of these arcade games were released back in 1978 and helped start a revolution which is still evolving today into game systems like Wii and Xbox 360 and hi-tech arcade games that cost a lot more than a quarter nowadays. 20. Dragon’s Lair. Released back in 1983, this was one of the first arcade games that cost more than just 1 quarter to play.

BurgerTime​
BurgerTime​

BurgerTime is one of my favorite arcade games from the 1980's. I spent countless hours playing this game in the arcade while growing up in the 80s. I hope you enjoy playing this free version online.

Teenage ​Mutant Ninja Turtles​
Teenage ​Mutant Ninja Turtles​

Way back in October of last year, we discovered that American developer Raw Thrills was hard at work on the creation of a new beat 'em up arcade game called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Popeye​
Popeye​

Arcade games at the time affected on the music industry, revenues for which had declined by $400 million between 1978 and 1981 (from $4.1 billion to $3.7 billion), a decrease that was directly credited to the rise of arcade games at the time.

Paperboy​
Paperboy​

Game History: Paperboy is a 1984 arcade game by Atari Games. The players take the role of a paperboy who delivers newspapers along a suburban street on his bicycle. Instructions: Click on "CLICK TO LOAD GAME". Click on the game window and hit the ENTER key to start the game. You can click on Zoom to expand the game to a larger size.

Battlezone​
Battlezone​

Battlezone is a first-person shooter tank combat arcade game from Atari, Inc. released in November 1980. The player controls a tank which is attacked by other tanks and missiles. The game uses wireframe vector graphics on a black and white (with green and red sectioned color overlay) vector monitor.

Sinistar​
Sinistar​

Sinistar is a multi-directional shooter arcade game developed and manufactured by Williams Electronics. The game was released in 1983, though the in-game copyright notice reads 1982. Sinistar was created by Sam Dicker, Jack Haeger, Noah Falstein, RJ Mical, Python Anghelo and Richard Witt.

image: ign.com
Berzerk​
Berzerk​

Berzerk - Play classic Atari 2600 arcade games online free. Atari Javascript Emulator. ... Retro Atari video games you played while growing up in the 80s.

Elevator ​Action​
Elevator ​Action​

Play Elevator Action Nintendo NES game online for free in your browser. No download required.

Mr. Do!​
Mr. Do!​

Do! conversion kit was installed on a compatible arcade machine, arcade parlor operators were able to offer their patrons a wider variety of games at a fraction of the normal price. Although there are many similarities between Mr.

Xevious​
Xevious​

Xevious was released by namco in 1982 and was one of the first scrolling shooters. It was also one of the first arcade games to have a tv advert. It was a huge hit in Japan becoming a cult but had moderate success in the usa.

Zaxxon​
Zaxxon​

Super Zaxxon supports both one and two player game play. Game Play Overview Part of what makes Super Zaxxon stand apart from most other outer space themed games of the early 80s is both the isometric game play as well as the unique point of view of gamers.

Contra​
Contra​

That rules out space games like "Asteroids," "Defender," "Galaga" and "Star Wars," and favorites like "Major Havoc" and "Moon Patrol." Even Spyhunter, a classic with lots of weapons and dodging and shooting has to sit this one out. But no sweat. The arcades of the 1980s had almost an almost boundless number of fantastic military games.

source: thedrive.com
Space Harrier​
Space Harrier​

Space Harrier is an online retro game which you can play for free here at playretrogames.com It is Has been rated times. and has a rating of 0 It has the tags: action, shooting, and was added on Feb 12, 2015.

Punch-Out!!​
Punch-Out!!​

Punch Out The Nintendo Entertainment System (also abbreviated as NES) is an 8-bit home video game console that was developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was initially released in Japan as the Family Computer on July 15, 1983, and was later released in North America during 1985.

R-Type​
R-Type​

Both of these arcade games were released back in 1978 and helped start a revolution which is still evolving today into game systems like Wii and Xbox 360 and hi-tech arcade games that cost a lot more than a quarter nowadays. 20. Dragon’s Lair. Released back in 1983, this was one of the first arcade games that cost more than just 1 quarter to play.

Arkanoid​
Arkanoid​

Game History: Arkanoid is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It is based upon Atari's Breakout games of the 1970s. The title refers to a doomed "mothership" from which the Vaus, the player's controller, escapes. Instructions: Click on "CLICK TO LOAD GAME". Click on the game window and hit the ENTER key to start the game.

image: youtube.com
Moon Patrol​
Moon Patrol​

Moon Patrol was created by the Japanese video game developer Irem, and was released as a coin-op arcade game in 1982, and distributed by Williams Electronics in North America. Irem also went on to create one of the earliest martial arts/beat-em-up games Kung-Fu Master in 1984, and also the classic 1987 scrolling shooter R-Type.

image: youtube.com
Golden Axe​
Golden Axe​

Top 10 Arcade Video Games Of The ’80s. ... A bit more tricky and complex than the “Golden Axe,” it presented one of the early multiplayer ... It Goes to 11 ...

Ghosts 'n ​Goblins​
Ghosts 'n ​Goblins​

Free playable Ghosts 'n Goblins flash Game. Play as Arthur the knight to rescue his princess from ghosts and goblins. Pick up and use extra suits of armor and new weapons. Ghosts and Goblins was released in 1985. It's often said to be one of the hardest arcade and console games of all time due to its high level of difficulty.

Mappy​
Mappy​

Lastly, Mappy Arrangement was featured by Namco in one of their collections of arcade hits. Ported to the Famicom first, Mappy was then put out on the MSX and multiple PC gaming computers. Mappy has been ported to the PSP, the Nintendo DS and the original PlayStation, either as a standalone game or as part of a larger collection.

image: retroist.com
Gyruss​
Gyruss​

Game History: Gyruss is a shoot 'em up video arcade game developed by Konami, and released in 1983. It follows in the tradition of space war games such as Space Invaders and Galaga. Instructions: Click on "CLICK TO LOAD GAME". Click on the game window and hit the ENTER key to start the game. You can click on Zoom to expand the game to a larger size.

image: ebay.com
Operation ​Wolf​
Operation ​Wolf​

VAPS Arcade/Coin-Op Operation Wolf Census There are 10,054 members of the Video Arcade Preservation Society / Vintage Arcade Preservation Society, 8,174 whom participate in our arcade census project of games owned, wanted, or for sale.

Time Pilot​
Time Pilot​

Time Pilot - Play your favorite 1980s arcade games online. FREE Video No tokens required to play these video games! Free 80s Arcade is a 100% free online arcade games website. Shockwave, Flash, Java and DOS classic games for your PC.