Best Arcade Games Of All Time – Our Picks

by Mike Jones

Arcade games have enjoyed popularity for a long time by providing fun, action, and high scores. For many people they have become a favorite nostalgic memory whether it's feeding quarters into the pinball machine or the indoor basketball arcade game. There are fighting games, sports games, shooting games, strategy games, and racing games to provide thrills for the players. The best arcade games of all times, in our opinion, are listed below. See if you agree with us!

Turtles in Time

Turtles in Time
Turtles in Time

Turtles in Time starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was released one year after the hit movie in 1991. Four friends were in control of Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Different levels took players from way back in the past to the farthest reaches of the future. The graphics were amazing and the game incredibly responsive. Players could fight with enemies and smash right through their ranks.

Super Street Fighter

There was a time when being the best at Super Street Fighter made you the hotshot of the entire arcade. This game had a major impact on future fighting games and players had their choice of sixteen different characters. This game was also responsible for the introduction of the super combo and meters moves and will live on forever in the history of arcades.

X-Men Arcade

The X-Men Arcade allows six friends to become Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Storm, Wolverine, and Cyclops. This is a fast paced game with gorgeous graphics and an excellent representation for the X-Men. The music is amazing and all the great fighters are there including Mystique, Pyro, and Magneto. Although this is an extremely difficult game to play it offers a lot of fun for those willing to give it a try.

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong was an incredibly difficult game to play and high scores took their place in arcade history. This was the definition of a platform game and ruled the arcades in the 1980's and the beginning of the 1990's. The design was a representation of pop culture with super hammers, rolling barrels, and steel beams. From the day it was released Donkey Kong was destined to become a classic.

Ultimate Mortal Combat

Ultimate Mortal Combat gave players the ability to really duke it out. The large crowd forming around the games fight is waiting for a fatality. The third game in the series changed game play and turned the series into a legend. The graphics were stunning, the animations were intense, the play improved beyond all recognition, and it became a tournament capable of hosting eight players. Brutalities, friendships and fatalities were also added.

Die Hard Arcade

Die Hard Arcade was supposed to be based on the movie although the similarities were rare. The lead character has a female partner and they fight through a barrage of strange enemies including spider robots and deranged firefighters. The game play is innovative and solid with players having the ability to pick up nearly anything to use as a weapon. This wacky game has players attacking with everything from hairspray to guns to brooms. The actions is fresh and a lot of fun.

Dance Dance Revolution

Dance Dance Revolution offered top of the line audio and graphics and offered game play based on rhythm. This game brought the life back to the arcade with a control scheme that was fresh and intriguing. The songs the players danced to made them strive for perfection and included many unknown songs. The release of the game trigged numerous new games of the same genre as the arcades continued to dance.

About Mike Jones

As a child of the 80's, my fondest gaming memories are playing Pitfall, Frogger, Kaboom! and Chopper Command on our old Atari 8600. These days I've been rocking the Nintendo Classic and learning some new card and board games with the family."

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