Gaming has always been one of the best ways you can spend your time with pleasure. Nowadays, with the advancement in technology, we have countless games to play. However, nothing can still beat good old arcades from the 90s.
Many of us grew up on retro games such as Pac-man, Sonic, Dragon’s Lair, and so on. Luckily, thanks to mobile gaming, we are allowed to play the most iconic and nostalgic arcades with just a click of a fingertip.
That’s why the best way to unwind during study breaks besides watching Thanksgiving films is by playing some old titles. In this article, we have captured a collection of some retro arcade games you can install on your phone and revel in nostalgia.
1. Pac-Man
The first title that comes to our mind when talking about old-school arcades is Pac-Man. The history of this game begins in 1980. Since then, it has won the hearts of millions of gamers and become an instant sensation.
The gameplay hasn’t significantly changed, so you don’t have to carry out a PESTLE analysis or rack the brain over a puzzle. Your only aim is to navigate the familiar, ghost-infested maze and collect as many fruits and dots as possible while avoiding ghosts. Despite its simple premise, you can still become addicted and spend hours playing this title.
Features:
- Brand new collection of mobile mazes
- Tournament mode
- Daily missions to earn tokens
2. Q*bert
Another iconic title on our list is Q*bert. All retro games lovers definitely remember this orange blob with a cute snout, a long trumpet-shaped nose, big eyes, and legs. His main mission is to conquer pyramids by jumping up and down the stairs and changing their color.
Q*bert is a puzzle-oriented platformer. The point of the game is simple – you move to the next level when each step’s color has changed from the original to the required one. Of course, it’s not that easy. There are quite a few annoying obstacles and enemies designed to frustrate Q*bert’s progress. However, there are also lifesaving power-ups to keep your character alive and complete your mission throughout the cube-filled journey.
3. Space Invaders
This title was released in 1978 and became one of the earliest “shooters” to achieve considerable prominence. The plot is simple: the Earth survived a terrible alien invasion, and eventually, people were able to protect it.
Soon humanity will develop extraterrestrial technology and set up military bases on most planets of the solar system. However, on the eve of the third millennium, there is a new alien attack, and players will have to confront them, fighting on the surfaces of different celestial bodies. The more aliens you kill and the more points you get, the more difficult the game becomes.
4. Galaga
This is another space-related arcade released in 1981 that has become the best option for those craving more retro sci-fi action. Your main mission is to save the galaxy from aliens brought your way by the alien mothership, the big boss Galaga. Players have to take control of a heroic ship and arm it up with smoking missiles, laser blasts, and barrel rolls to shoot the enemies better.
In comparison with Space Invaders, this game requires constant vigilance and tactical thinking as players have to defeat aliens while avoiding incoming projectiles.
5. Dragon’s Lair
The title remains one of the best classic arcade games since its release in 1983. This is truly the 80s treasure that will delight everyone with stunning hand-drawn cartoon graphics, a funny plot, and humorous scenes that unfold until players need to perform a certain action.
In this game, players have only minimal control over the protagonist, Dirk the Daring, who uses his sword to defeat the enemy, the Evil Wizard Mordroc. The rest of the game players just deal with the collection of “quick-time events.” This game will bring nostalgia, especially for those who grew up playing it.
6. Crazy Taxi
In this title packed with blasting songs, as the name suggests, you have to play the role of a cab driver who is trying to drive as many customers as possible to their destinations. But the problem is that the city is overcrowded with both cars and pedestrians, which makes it harder to complete the mission.
The word “Crazy” in the title is absolutely deserved. Players won’t run out of fuel, can’t damage their cars, and there are no police to stop them. So you can easily violate not only traffic rules but also some laws of physics:
- demolish other cars and even small buildings
- crush people (although they are apparently not killed, and there will be no blood)
- pull off stunts from bridges in the best tradition of Hollywood movies
- drive for a few seconds underwater
7. Altered Beast
If you are a fan of Greek mythology, give this game a shot. In this game, you need to rescue Athena, Zeus’ daughter. To achieve this, you have to claw, maul, and hack legions of demons and other foes in the depth of hell. By the way, Altered Beast is one of the classic SEGA Forever series.
8. R-Type
R-Type is one of the best space-shooting games available today. All you need to do in this title is fight against various foes and defeat a monstrous alien boss at the end of each level. Thus, you will progress to the next level and battle more challenging foes and enemy spacecraft.
To Sum Up
Ultimately, the choice of a title will vary from each person’s perspective. We have captured the list of the coolest retro arcade games, and all of them have one thing in common – memories. Years may have passed, but time will not mellow the fact that these titles have shaped our generation and made our childhood unforgettable.
This is the general editors account for Old School Gamer Magazine. Press releases and other general information sent to Old School Gamer are often posted here.
