Top 3 Arcade Games That Have Now Become Classics
Today’s gaming enthusiasts can play their favourite games from the comfort of their homes. This has been made possible with advanced computers, smartphones, and gaming consoles. However, there was a time when gamers used to spend hours in front of the arcade cabinet. They’d put in coin after coin in the race to make the highest score. It was surely a thrilling experience for the kids of the 80s and 90s.
Those games were something that players of those times had never seen before. Spacewar! is considered to be among the earliest video games. It was developed and released in 1962 at MIT by Martin Graetz, Steve Russell, and Wayne Wiitanen. The doors to the golden age of gaming were opened by Nolan Bushnell. He is a game developer who formed the iconic video game development company, Atari, in 1972.
Later, the coin-operated game cabinets became extremely popular in malls and pizza parlours. Here are some of the best arcade games that have now become classics:
1. Space Invaders
Developed by the Japanese company Taito, Space Invaders was the biggest shake-up in gaming during 1978. It is a basic game that tasks the player with stopping space invaders from getting to the bottom. In this game, you’re an alone ship that’s constantly shooting at the wall of enemies.
As the game progressed, things got a little more exciting. The enemies moved faster and you had to match their pace as well. Space Invaders sold extremely well, making the equivalent of over $1 billion by 1982. With this, it became the highest-grossing game of all time.
The profits resulting from all of its versions amounted to $13 billion. What really set it apart from others was its gameplay, which was simple yet addictive.
2. Pac-Man
If you were around as a gamer during 1980, you’ve certainly lived the key moments in gaming. Arcade gaming witnessed one of the biggest booms with the release of Pac-Man. It was truly a fast-paced maze game. The player-controlled the titular character, as it consumed the dots all over the maze. At the same time, the player also had to avoid the ghosts Blinky, Inky, Clyde, and Pinky.
Things got pretty frantic as you went up against each level, avoiding these cute little foes. People battled over high scores relentlessly in this classic game. Over the years, this game has featured on many different platforms. Theoretically, the player could just keep going until all the lives were lost.
3. Street Fighter II
The sequel to the first Street Fighter game was released in 1991. It had some really charming and colourful characters along with a killer soundtrack and tight controls. Street Fighter II has been played numerous times by many until now. You’d certainly understand why this game is so special if you’ve played it yourself.
There were some unforgettable fighters in the game, such as Ryu, Ken, Feilong, and Blanka. Crowds would throng the Street Fighter II cabinet in those times. The last updated version was Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition. It was released in the year 2018.