Top 5 Classic Arcade Games

Of course, PacMan and Ms. PacMan are at the top of any arcade enthusiast’s list. You will experience winding through mazes, chomping pac-dots, power pellets and fruit while avoiding menacing ghosts in this arcade classic. There is surely no child of the ‘80s who dislikes this definitive arcade game.

Nintendo’s Mario is still a favorite of kids today, but few of them know where he got his start. In this game Mario (a.k.a. Jumpman) climbs ladders, ascending a number of platforms, to rescue damsel-in-distress Pauline from the evil ape Donkey Kong. All the while, Mario must dodge obstacles like barrels thrown at him by Donkey Kong.

This game is memorable for its trackball interface. Players roll the ball to maneuver their shooter, firing lasers at an invading centipede coming closer through a field of mushrooms. Whenever a section of the centipede is shot off, the rest breaks into new smaller centipedes that move independently. One thing is for sure – You need to be a quick shot to master this game!

In Frogger, the player uses a joystick to move a frog across the screen to his home. First, he must dodge cars and trucks in the road. After he crosses the road, he must cross a river by hopping on the backs of passing turtles and logs while avoiding any crocodiles or otters on the way. Frogger was especially popular in sit-down “cocktail table” arcade machines.

Tetris, recently named “The Greatest Game of All-time” by Electronic Gaming Monthly, had its start in a ‘80s video arcade. In Tetris, geometric shapes called “tetriminos” drop from the top of the screen. The player can flip and move them before they rest at the bottom of the screen, with the goal of creating horizontal lines with no gaps.

No matter what game you choose for your classic arcade machine – one of the more popular titles or another nostalgic favorite – It will surely be a good investment that invokes happy arcade memories.