Donkey Kong

• Debut: 1981 to 1985

When we reference Donkey Kong here, we want to make it clear that we’re referring to most of the early Donkey Kong games. Nearly all of them were strictly in the arcade for years before ever arriving on home consoles. The original came out in 1981, with a series of these games coming out in the early 1980s too. But after 1985, only those games were in the arcade. By the time the series came back in the mid-1990s, he had gone to console only. Yet we had DK games all over the arcade throughout the early 1990s because the early 1980s versions still held up so well. They are still among the best arcade games ever made, and many hold up today.

Space Invaders

• Debut: 1978

Certainly, the oldest arcade game on this list, Space Invaders came out in 1978. By the 1980s, this game was able to bring in billions, unheard of for games like this. One would assume if this game came out in 1978 and was a huge hit in the 1980s…why is it part of the 1990s list? Good question. However, you should be aware that this game has been in arcades all over the world for such a long time, making so much money, that no one ever thought to remove it in the 1990s. Thus, it remained a solid hit in arcades in the 1990s too. The game was a simple shoot ’em up where you took down other spaceships. It might be one of the best arcade games ever, but it was also the very first fixed shooter game too.

Pac-Man

• Debut: 1980

Like so many other games on this list, the start of Pac-Man might have happened in the 1980s. However, it remained a major arcade game even until the 2000s. That is mostly due to the various sequels that came to the arcade all throughout the 80s and 90s. People would literally pay to play this game in spite of it being offered for free on their home computers in the 2000s. You can even still find it in many standalone American or Japanese arcades today. It is incredibly hard to put into words just how valuable Pac-Man was and still is to gaming history. It is incredibly addictive, easy enough for anyone to play, and can be loved by non-gamers too.

Ms. Pac-Man

• Debut: 1982

When research was done about the original Pac-Man game, it was found that female gamers absolutely loved it. In fact, throughout some arcades, those playing this game were more often women. Thus, for a spin-off sequel to Namco’s Pac-Man…the good people at the General Computer Corporation decided to make Ms. Pac-Man. Notice that for a second, not “Mrs.” but “Ms.” Though it was displayed that she was Pac-Man’s wife, the makers did not want to make the game come off like she was some sort of side character. The game mechanics were vastly improved, and this game became just as if not more fun than the original. Starting a big new franchise of its own. Making it, too, one of the best arcade games of all time.

Street Fighter Alpha 3

• Debut: 1998

All of the Street Fighter games tend to be impressive. Yet the first to really stand out as legendary had to be Street Fighter Alpha 3. While Capcom originally released it in Japan and Southeast Asia, along with Oceania in 1998….it eventually made it over to the United States. Arcades all over were packed with people wanting to play the game. It became such a huge hit that the game was ported out to home consoles almost as soon as it made it in the arcade. In spite of this, gamers loved the chance to battle others at a central location. This game along with a few others helped to start the tournament trend as an early E-Sports concept.

Dance Dance Revolution

• Debut: 1998

You might be surprised to learn that Dance Dance Revolution was a 1990s game. Konomi released the first one to arcades in 1998, and it has been a staple in most arcades ever since. The cool part for arcades is that they can have a dance floor that will be compatible with all the newer versions of the series. Thus, arcades can keep updating to get the newest of the series without having to buy brand new machines. At least, most of the time. While Dance Dance Revolution has also become a home game, it will always be one of the best arcade games in history. Especially since it is still quite popular in arcades all over the place.

Mortal Kombat

• Debut: 1992

Mortal Kombat is one of the most popular gaming franchises in history. While several ended up going straight to home consoles, the originals all came out in arcades across the United States and Japan. The very first one was released in 1992. It made history very early on in several ways. Due to its graphic violence, it was often assumed to be the reason for teen violence across America. On top of this, MK was the very first game to have a “secret fighter” that you could get as the player if you did all the game requirements. The MK franchise is very deep at this point, but it all began in the arcades. Most of their games were massive hits at the arcade, giving them the honor of being one of the best arcade games around with every new release.

Mario Bros.

• Debut: 1983

Every Mario game tends to be impressive and very well made. Nintendo always knew how to make a great series of games and it shows with Mario. The very first game hit arcades in 1983. Eventually, Mario Bros. as a franchise kept expanding. Several new arcade games came out in the 1980s and 1990s. However, once Nintendo had their infamous consoles, they often release the Mario games there around the same time as the arcade versions. That said, each Mario game was usually among the best arcade games of its time. They were always major hits for arcades and made people want to keep coming back to play.

X-Men: Children of the Atom

• Debut: 1995 & 1996

One of the single best arcade games in history, X-Men: Children of the Atom was based on the popular X-Men comic books of the time. Capcom decided to first release it in Japan in 1994, then it made it into American and European arcades by 1995. Almost immediately upon arrival, it was one of the most popular games at arcades. While there would be console versions of the game, the arcade controls and experience made people keep coming back to blow through their quarters. In this game, you could be either a member of the X-Men or a villain. Among the characters, you could choose: Iceman, Psylocke, Colossus, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Silver Samurai, Omega Red, Sentinel, Spiral, Juggernaut, or Magneto.

The Simpsons

• Debut: 1991

In the early 1990s, The Simpsons shook the television world with its adult-targeted animated wit. While it did go over the top sometimes, the show eventually became more family-friendly and has remained that way ever since. The popularity of the show resulted in Konami making an arcade about this family of four. You get to play as either Homer, Marge, Lisa, or Bart as they searched for a kidnapped Maggie in the game. This game has won a slew of awards and sold tons of machines due to its popularity, making it one of the best arcade games ever, hands down.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time

• Debut: 1991

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles actually began as a comic book series, but the popularity for the group truly came through its animated shows and movies along with the original live-action films. The Turtles in Time game was based on the comic series and some of the animated stuff. It had a pretty cool story from the start too. We find out Krang is now in New York in a giant exosuit and has stolen the Statue of Liberty. Meanwhile, Shredder has taken over the airwaves just to laugh at the turtles and what they lost. Now, the turtles must fight through the seemingly never-ending Foot clan to stop Krang and Shredder. You can play as either of the four turtles: Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, or Michaelangelo (Mikey)

Where do we find this stuff? Here are our Sources:

Nintendo

SEGA

Capcom

Konami Games

NetherRealm Studios

Bandai Namco Studios