Top 50 Arcade Games: The Extended Version With Commentary
4Extended version with 5 mins of game play on each game and a voice over talking about the game as well.
Step into a neon-lit time machine and join me for a deep dive through five decades of coin-op greatness. This feature-length countdown is a passion project built on late-night high-score battles, pocketful's of tokens, and memories of buzzing arcades from London’s seaside piers to California’s boardwalks. While the ranking is shaped by my own tastes, every slot also factors in global popularity, cultural influence, and technical innovation—especially in the UK and US scenes where these cabinets became icons of youth culture.
This is more than just a ranking. Each game in the countdown includes a snapshot of its development studio or publisher, offering insight into the creative minds and legendary companies behind these enduring classics. You'll also get a look at the year each game was released, showing how the arcade landscape evolved across the 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.
For every title, there’s also a look at what made it special—whether it was a revolutionary gameplay mechanic, unforgettable sound design, iconic characters, or simply the magnetic pull it had on crowds in arcades worldwide. You'll get a sense of the unique gameplay styles, hardware innovation, and social energy that made these games more than just machines—they were gathering spots, testaments to creativity, and cultural milestones.
Whether you're a die-hard retro gamer or just starting to explore the roots of modern gaming, this list is designed to take you on a journey through one of the most exciting and vibrant eras in entertainment history. It's a nostalgic tribute to a time when glowing screens, booming speakers, and the clatter of buttons created magic.
If you love retro games, arcade history, or just want to relive some childhood memories, this is the perfect place to start. Don’t forget to like the video, drop your personal favourites in the comments, and subscribe for more retro gaming deep-dives and archival features.
#ArcadeGames #RetroGaming #ClassicArcade #Top50Arcade #BestArcadeGames #CoinOp #OldSchoolGaming #GamingHistory #RetroGames #ArcadeCulture #InsertCoin #HighScore #GamingCommunity #80sGaming #90sGaming #batocera #90sgaming #80sgaming
Join this channel to get access to perks:
Time Stamps
Introduction 00:00:00
50 Dragon’s Lair 00:01:00
49 Moon Patrol 00:06:00
48 Battletoads 00:11:00
47 Final Fight 00:16:00
46 R-Type 00:21:00
45 Paperboy 00:26:00
44 1943 00:31:00
43 Smash TV 00:36:00
42 BurgerTime 00:41:00
41 Contra 00:46:00
40 Star Wars 00:51:00
39 X-Men 00:56:00
38 Sinistar 01:01:00
37 Berzerk 01:06:00
36 Mortal Kombat 01:11:00
35 Zaxxon 01:16:00
34 Galaxian 01:21:00
33 King of Fighters ’98 01:26:00
32 Rampage 01:31:00
31 Ghosts’n Goblins 01:36:00
30 Out Run 01:41:00
29 Tetris 01:46:00
28 Altered Beast 01:51:00
27 Track & Field 01:56:00
26 Tempest 02:01:00
25 Double Dragon 02:06:00
24 Dig Dug 02:11:00
23 Arkanoid 02:16:00
22 Tron 02:21:00
21 Metal Slug 02:26:00
20 Joust 02:31:00
19 Golden Axe 02:36:00
18 Robotron: 2084 02:41:00
17 Gauntlet 02:46:00
16 Q*bert 02:51:00
15 Bubble Bobble 02:56:00
14 NBA Jam 03:01:00
13 Frogger 03:06:00
12 Mortal Kombat II 03:11:00
11 The Simpsons 03:16:00
10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 03:21:00
09 Defender 03:26:00
08 Ms. Pac‑Man 03:31:00
07 Asteroids 03:36:00
06 Centipede 03:41:00
05 Street Fighter II 03:46:00
04 Galaga 03:51:00
03 Space Invaders 03:56:00
02 Donkey Kong 04:01:00
01 Pac‑Man 04:06:00
Outro 04:11:00