Hey, game enthusiasts! Whoever jumped into this article must be a game lover. If you are so passionate about video games, you will surely know or heard about the game discussed here. This article might be informative for the so-called 2K kids. Here you will get to know about the best 5 timeless arcade games.
Top Five Arcade Games
Check out the list of arcade games; read the entire article to know more about each game.
- Donkey Kong
- Dragon’s Lair
- Pac-Man
- Street Fighter ॥
- Mortal Kombat
Donkey Kong (1981)
Donkey Kong is the first time Nintendo’s famed Mario appeared, even though it was not as popular as Super Mario, it gained a huge fan following for its platformer genre, which was inspired by the construction-site-themed hit. Players who are familiar with Super Mario will definitely know this game.
Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi created this game, which was officially released in 1981. They both worked on converting the Radar Scope. Yokoi had an initial idea of creating a title based on Popeye, but somehow, it didn’t happen, and they both created the original characters of Jumpman, Donkey Kong, and Lady.
The gameplay is that the player needs to crack multiple obstacles to move to the next level, testing, hand-eye coordination, and endurance. Players have to chase Donkey Kong via varied settings such as jungles, pirate ships, icebergs, and others.
The game is a combination of platforming and puzzling stages that demand strategic thinking to play. The Donkey Kong will not be settled in the initial stage. Instead, it leads Mario on a 100+ stage journey. As the game progresses, the difficulty level also escalates, including faster enemy movements and changes in the layout.
Dragon’s Lair (1983)
Dragon Liar is the first game to use QTEs (Quick-Time Events) and full-motion video (FMV) with the support of Laserdisc. This was the first game to depend wholly on QTEs. Players could have an arcade experience through this game. Laserdiscs is a technology that has amalgamated with the artistry of Don Bluth. The cost of graphical fidelity was higher, which affected the gameplay, however, the fans didn’t bother with that.
Don Bluth, the legendary filmmaker, the one who created ‘The Secret of NIMH, The Land Before Time, and All Dogs Go to Heaven,’ was involved in the production of Dragon’s Liar.
You will be entering the game as a knight, and you have to search for the abducted princess from the dragon’s liar. Even though the game is hard, the gameplay is packed with humorous death sequences that will keep you engaged in the game. Quick actions will be taking place in the game, so the players need to be really reflexive and act appropriately.
There was a time when the entire gaming industry was suffering game crashes, at the time, the Dragon Liar was a savior, and it could secure 7th position on GameSpy’s Top 50 Arcade Games of All-Time list. The game is still ranked as one of the top 5 arcade games.
This game will present you with a nostalgic trip. The game might feel complicated, not for its gameplay mechanics, but the game demands prompt reaction from the player side. You have five control points; if you can master it, then this game presents you with an incomparable arcade experience.
Pac-Man (1980)
This is the most popular arcade game and deserves to be in the top 5 arcade games. The gameplay is as simple as a pie; players have to eat dots in a maze without getting caught by colored ghosts, which will appear in different colors. Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde are the four ghosts. Even though the gameplay is simple, it gets harder as it progresses. On a higher level, players can activate their energy dots, allow the players to eat ghosts, and score more points.
This seminal maze-crawling game was released back in 1980 by Namco and it is available on multiple platforms. Within the quarter of its first year of launch, it could collect $1 billion. The game also came in the Guinness World Record for the title of the world’s first video game mascot.
The game is heavily attractive due to its simple gameplay. The game is enjoyed by both the novice and seasonal players. Even though it is an easily understandable game, it will keep you engaged. Its graphics and sound effects are top-notch that’s the prime reason why Pac-Man is becoming an evergreen game and it is also an arcade sensation.
Street Fighter ॥ (1991)
Street Fighter ॥ was a monumental success, and it was officially released in 1991. This game paved the way for the introduction of other games such as Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Hyper Street Fighter II, Super Street Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix, and Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers, also countless console ports. Some sequels were introduced. However, the most played one is Super Street Fighter II.
Even though the original couldn’t make any changes in the gaming industry, the arrival of Street Fighter॥ was a treat for game enthusiasts. The game is packed with colorful characters, a killer soundtrack, and tight controls. The new version is fully modernized now, and this is available in the form of 2016’s Street Fighter V for the arcade, PS4, and PC.
The previous version delivered a single-player tournament, whereas the new version was designed with two-player combat in mind. This has helped in making the game more engaging. Each character in this game had their own backstory and abilities. Players can select any of these characters which align with their preferences.
While talking about the difficulty level of this game. If you are playing in single-player mode, the game shows slow progress in difficulty level, but in multiplayer, the experience will be different depending on the skill possessed by the opposing player.
Mortal Kombat (1992)
Mortal Kombat is a game introduced after the success of Street Fighter ॥. This is also a fighting game which is played with five-button controls. This violent fighting game paved the way for the formation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).
This is a one-on-one match where you have to drain the opponent’s health bar. Whoever first wins the round and the first to win two rounds wins the match. Both rounds will be timed if none of the players’ health remains after the time runs out, then the player with high energy will considered the winning player.
The game should be played with an eight-directional joystick and five buttons, including two punch and kick buttons. Use appropriate buttons suitable for the situation. The game includes seven playable characters, all of them become trademark characters, and the characters can be found in several sequels.
The game has received several awards, including the title of the ‘Most Controversial Game of 1993’. GamesMaster listed the game in the ‘Top 100 Games of All Time’. Also, Flux Magazine ranked the arcade version 5th on its ‘Top 100 Video Games’.
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Final Verdict
You have come to the end of the article, and by this time, you might have understood about the classic arcade games. Several fluctuations have been witnessed in the arcade gaming. But it is still ruling because it could deliver a unique experience a player can get at home. The atmosphere sounds, and social aspects it provides are pitch-perfect. If you are a gaming enthusiast once in a lifetime, you should definitely experience the aforementioned timeless games. These games are with the try.
