For those who enjoy playing video games, the arcade may soon be little more than an ephemeral memory in 2022. Atari 2600, Intellivision, and ColecoVision were all bankrupt in the early ’80s, yet arcades gave home to some of the biggest video game franchises ever created, and these massive wooden cabinets kept the industry alive.
There was a strong sense of competition and high thrill in arcade games.
Video game soundtracks are inseparable from the history of the medium. Here are some of the best from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
Alternative platforms such as home arcade cabinets from Arcade1Up and iiRcade, console ports on the Switch and PC, and more are now available for many of these games. You’ll want to, too, because they’re such enduring classics.
Space Invaders
While Space Invaders may not have been the best of the classic arcade fixed-shooter games, it set the bar high for all subsequent entries in the genre.
Despite the dated technology, it’s easy to see why this game is still often used as a model for other classic arcade games.
Despite the fact that Arcade1Up no longer carries their Space Invaders cabinet in retail outlets, you may purchase this little cabinet with an illuminated marquee in its place.
Galaxian
Galaxian may not be as well-known as its sequel, but it’s no slouch in its own right. It had better graphics than Space Invaders, richer sound effects, and just enough difficulty to keep players glued to the controls as their ships burst into a pixel-splattered jumble of pixels. Is Galaga a superior game?
Definitely, but before you can run, you must first walk. We recommend Numskull’s Quarter Arcade Cabinet if you want to play Galaxian right now.
Asteroids
When you play Asteroids, you play as a single spaceship attempting to escape the namesake asteroids,
which are continually drifting across space. It’s an interesting twist on the traditional shooter genre.
Just like in Star Wars, the utilisation of blank space has made it age gracefully as you blast your way through the rocks that you can’t avoid. Arcade1Up’s Atari Legacy cabinet has 12 games, including Asteroids.
Read Also: Pacman 30th anniversary
Breakout
Breakout’s simple principle, coupled with its harsh difficulty,
has made the online game as enjoyable today as it was when it was released. Playing Breakout is similar to playing Pong against oneself,
but it gets increasingly challenging as you remove blocks from a large wall,
making it ideal for long gaming sessions at home.
Pong
Is there a more recognisable ’70s game than PacMan? Is there a game that better captures the pioneering spirit of the early days of video gaming than Pong?
With two players moving dials back and forth, they try to steer a ball over the other side of the screen, which is actually a square.
Many ports and stand-alone home versions have followed, and it remains a cult favorite today.
Pong can be played in a variety of ways these days, such on a countercade, game table, or bar table, just to name a few Arcade1Up cabinet variants.
