Insert Coin for Nostalgia
It doesn’t matter if you’re a hardcore gamer or a casual player—arcade games were our childhood. Sticky joysticks and our parents’ money got us through the hours after school, and those very machines hold a special place in our hearts. Put down your controller and make your way back to those neon signs; here are our picks for the top beloved games.
1. Donkey Kong
Ah, Donkey Kong…back when Mr. Perfect (Mario) was actually the villain! Well, technically, that didn’t happen until a year later in 1982, but don’t think we forgot. Either way, those barrels and ladders created a beloved franchise all its own, so it’s hard not to look back on its predecessor with fondness.
2. Frogger
That poor frog met an untimely demise thousands of times over, but he did bring endless hours of joy, and you can’t put a price on that. It worked our brains, it made us cry, and it taught us all about muscle memory in the face of those trucks. Who knew traffic jams would be so nerve-wracking?
Ian Muttoo from Mississauga, Canada on Wikimedia
3. Space Invaders
By today’s standards, Space Invaders hardly seems like an innovative game-changer (pun intended). However, this classic arcade game paved the way for multi-level games and hundreds of copycats that learned from the greats. The sound effects still trigger our defenses!
Danielle-Claude Bélanger on Unsplash
4. Pac-Man
He may be 40 years old, but he doesn’t look a day over the ghosts. The original hungry, hungry hippo has caused us panic for decades—impressive, considering there aren’t any buttons to this game! It’s just you, the joystick, and that classic waka-waka.
5. Mortal Kombat II
“Finish him!” We hope you heard that command, ‘cause we sure did! Mortal Kombat II was unlike anything we’d seen before: it had impressive combat, gory effects, and hours spent at the machine. No wonder it’s the most famous martial arts game.
