Arcade video games lined the walls of local arcades, bowling alleys, and convenient stores in the 1980s and 1990s, which children and adults pumped rolls of quarters into the arcade machines, so to beat the high scores. There was always that one kid that would accept any challenger that stepped up to compete, but a few minutes later you realize that you had been beaten, but really bad by a kid half your age.
The arcade video games that are contained on this list were released in the 1970s and 1980s and are available to play for free on the Internet or via free download. All video games are listed in alphabetical order and this is not a Top 50 list.
In true geek fashion, this article will not bore you with complete playing instructions, because old school gamers already understand the game rules and just want to start playing. The complete instructions are found with the games before you start playing them.
(Note: To play the games featured in this article, just click on the bold game title above the brief game summaries. Most of the games are flash games and does not need to be downloaded to play. Some of the games could only be located as Java games and some additional Java plug-ins may be required, before the game can be played. Lastly, a few of the games can only be downloaded and played offline.)
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(1987). Your mission is to search out and destroy all Japanese air and sea forces through a series of eleven action-packed levels.
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Flash (1995). In this video game, you are on a mission to prevent aliens and alien-created Zombies from taking over the Area 51 military facility using various weapons.
- Flash (1986). Eliminate the blocks using a paddle and a ball. Lose the ball - Lose the game.
- Flash (1979). Blast your way through an active asteroid field with your ship's cannons.
- Flash (1980). The player must battle robots using their laser weapon, while navigating a maze filled with dangerous robots as the player tries to escape the maze through an opening.
- Java (1989). Play as one of four superheroes “Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, or Vision and battle through New York City, underwater city of Atlantis and the Red Skull' moon base, so to defeat the evil bosses.
- Flash (1987). You play as a lethal commando named Bill Rizer, or his partner Lance Bean and you are to secretly infiltrate the heavily armed island headquarters of the Red Falcon an alien army plotting to invade Earth. Your mission is to stop the evil plan and defeat the alien armies.
- Flash (1980) Kill the centipede before the centipede kills you. Use the mushrooms for protection against the quickly moving centipede and bouncing spiders.
- Flash (1985) You're a hotshot commando and you're on a secret mission to cross enemy territory and defeat the enemy and destroy their bases.
- Flash (1980) Aliens have invaded your planet and it is your job to pilot your spaceship, so to destroy the aliens and protect the humanoids.
- Java (1982) Pump your way to victory by digging your way to underground dwelling creatures and using your pump hose to inflate your enemy to death.
- Flash (1981) Princess Peach needs Mario's help, because she has been kidnapped. Work Mario through a deadly maze and climb, jump and hammer your way to the top of the maze. Rescue the Princess and win.
- Java (1989) Fight and kick yourself to victory. Use your best martial art skills against the gangs of criminals aiming at taking over control of the city. Pickup any weapon just laying around and takeout some stress on whosoever is in your way.
- Java (1983) Dirk the Darling is on a mission to rescue Princess Daphne from the evil dragon “Singe” that is lying in wait in the wizard's castle. Use your best feats of skill and strategy to maneuver Dirk through the levels without getting yourself killed.
- Java (1983) You're a spy that infiltrated a secured building filled with elevators and you mission is to collect secret documents without getting caught. The elevators if used correctly can lead to your freedom or your capture whichever comes first.
- Flash (1981) How did the frog cross the road? By avoiding speeding cars, maneuvering across floating logs, and try not to get killed by gators.
- Java (1981) Blast your way through the galaxy using your trusty laser. Destroy and out maneuver the alien invaders. I bet that I spent $10,000 playing this game over my lifetime.
- Flash (1979). Blast your way through the galaxy using your trusty laser. Destroy and out maneuver the alien invasion.
- Download (Linux Required) (1981). Your mission is to destroy all enemies as you control a spaceship and blasting the enemy away.
- Flash (1988)
In this video arcade game, the player(s) play as a knight named Arthur and you must kill the zombies, demons and undead creatures, so that you can rescue the princess. - Flash (1982). Fly, Jump and Joust your way through a maze overrun with other flying Jousters like yourself. Beware; the enemy will not go down without a good fight.
- Flash (1984). Race your marbles through a isometeric labyrinth within a set time limit. This is really easier said than done.
- (1992). Remake Police Officer “Don Marshall” has been assigned a mission to stop the growing crime wave that has the city's security in chaos. Complete five levels of bad guys, shootouts and crime bosses without accidentally killing any innocent bystanders.
- Flash (1979). This video game is all about precision maneuvering as your try to thrust your Lunar Lander back on to its landing pad. One wrong move can cause your demise.
- Flash (1985). Mario must save Princess Peach, but first he must work his way through deadly levels of monsters, hammer tossing turtles, and battle fierce dragons along the way.
- Flash (1980). Your cities are under attack as inbound missiles are raining from the skies. Use your missiles to intercept the inbound missiles, so to destroy them before your cities are destroyed.
- Flash (1982). Move your way through an alien landscape, while jumping deep craters, explosive mines, fast moving alien spaceships shooting missiles and dropping bombs down at your Moon Patrol vehicle. Fight back by shooting back and jumping craters and mines.
- Download (1992) This one or two player arcade video game allows players to fight with unique martial art warriors in a fight to the death.
- Flash (1981) Race through a series of mazes as the ghosts are in hot pursuit. Gobble up the pellets to score points and eat power pellets to turn the tables on the ghosts and eat yourself out of certain danger.
- Flash (1980). The ghosts are coming! The ghosts are coming!! Eat all of the pellets and power pellets to clear the level. This video game requires real skill and strategy to beat.
- Flash (1984) Let's get ready to Rumble! Boxing hasn't been so painless as you fight yourself to a title fight with Iron Mike Tyson. You must think quick on your feet, so to dunk, dodge and out step your opponent and avoid getting your head knocked off.
- (1982). Java Guide your Q*bert around a pyramid-like puzzle with tri-color cubes, so to change them all to one specific color to win.
- Flash (1990). Pilot the “Raiden Supersonic attack fighter” through wave after wave of enemy alien fighters and blast their ships with missiles and bombs that you can use when your collect special power ups during the levels.
- Java (1986.) Albatross is a member of the Interpol's espionage unit called “Rolling Thunder” and is assigned a mission to save a missing agent Leila Blitz from a New York secret society name Geldra. Albatross must fight and shoot his way through deadly stages of a story as it unfolds.
- Flash (1990). You are competing in a violent game show.
- Flash (1984.) The player plays as Dexter “Ace's younger incarnation after Ace had been shot down and his girlfriend Kimberly had been kidnapped by the evil boss Borf. Dexter must rescue Kimberly by defeating Borf, but to do that the player must skillfully maneuver Dexter through dangerous hazards first.
- Flash (1978) Use your cannon to blast the space invaders from the sky, before they are able to destroy you.
- Flash (1983) Race yourself to freedom, but you must eliminate pursuing police cars while using the heavily weaponized car. Avoid destroying innocent motorists in the process.
- Java (1984) Kill your opponent as many time as possible as you collect the items that you need to escape the game before you run out of time.
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Download (1980) Oh, I remember playing this game a lot in the 80s and still never could beat it entirely. In this video game, you are piloting a spaceship and trying to destroy a space cannon that sits protected with three rotating outer rings. All the while, enemy spaceships are hurling bombs and mines in your path.
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Download (1981) Played just like Defender, but in this video game you can warp your ship to future levels.
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Flash (1987) This martial arts fighting game pits you against a skilled opponent that only has one mission in mind and that is to put your back on the mat first.
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Flash (1989) This single-player fighting game allows you to fight as one of your favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and use your martial art skills against formable enemy nasties .
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Java (1980)Maneuver your spaceship around the edges of the galaxy and kill any ship that stands in your way.
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Flash (1988) I just can't get enough of this puzzle block video game. Precisely maneuver different size and shaped blocks into rows, so to eliminate the blocks to score more points by forming continuous rows.
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Flash (1991) A video game based on a popular television show.
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Java (1987) Your starbase has been invaded by ruthless aliens and you must destroy them, before they are able to takeover the entire base.
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Flash (1982) The mission has been issued and now you must pilot an advanced combat aircraft called the Solvalou and zap or blast both ground targets and aerial targets into pieces. Watch out, because the enemy wants to see you dead.
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Download (1991) Complete a series of missions using the special powers of several different X-Men characters.
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(1987) Fly your ship and destroy the enemy space base using your missiles and lasers. To play additional arcade video games that did not appear on this list, then you really should visit 1980 Games
