If there’s one gaming platform that the kids of today really miss out on, it’s arcades. Yes, there are still a few machines at entertainment centres, hidden among the weird ticket-dispensing games that hark back to those times when a 50c coin (or a 20c coin, if you’re sufficiently old enough) was your gateway to a good time. They’re one of the reasons I love videogames, and I remember much of my youth was spent looking for good home console and Pc ports of great arcade games. These days, they’re redundant, because you can get better gaming experiences at home, but they’re an aspect of gaming I really miss.
It’s no secret that my favourite arcade game (and one of my favourite games of forever) is Street Fighter II – and yes, its million or so rehashes – and nearly every single cent I had was spent perfecting my hadoukens and shouryukens, and later, challenging everybody in my neighbourhood in head-to-head competition. While multiplayer for games exists online now, there’s something special about a bunch of people all huddled around a screen and cheering people on as their coins, piled up around the edge of the cabinet proclaim that they’re next.
Before street fighter, my arcade game of choice was very probably Rygar, though I was happy to play just about anything. Even Altered Beast.
What are YOUR favourite arcade games of yore, and why?
Last Updated: November 21, 2014
ToshZA
November 21, 2014 at 10:32
Golden Axe because it was my first game on my 386. And I played it over, and over, and over, and over. And it never got dull. Also. That blue guy’s special ability. Them EXPLOSIONS!!!
Sean Carbutt
November 21, 2014 at 11:18
LOl. Dude when I started we only had Pinball machines. But my favourite games were: Rygar The Legendary warrior, Xevious, Asteroids, Donkey Kong and my bestest was Defender. Defender because I managed to clock it back in the day
Admiral Chief Wang
November 21, 2014 at 10:33
Time Crisis 1 and 2
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
Nice
Tarisma
November 21, 2014 at 10:52
Best games ever!
Skyblue
November 21, 2014 at 11:52
Great choice!
Fnuik
November 21, 2014 at 10:33
Loved Cadillacs and Dinosaurs and this one western game, where you had to run on cows backs etc.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:34
This!
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
November 21, 2014 at 10:41
Great choice!
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:47
Sunset Riders
Fnuik
November 21, 2014 at 10:49
That’s it!
Rock789
November 21, 2014 at 10:49
Sunset Riders!! Such an epic game! Great choices. 🙂
Admiral Chief Wang
November 21, 2014 at 10:33
DAMMIT reminding me of Altered Beast AGAIN!
ToshZA
November 21, 2014 at 10:34
My 2nd favourite was Xenon 2000. I miss that game so much.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
I used to enjoy all the side scrolling beat-em-ups like Double Dragon, Golden Axe, Shinobi, etc.
But my favourite memory are playing Elevator Action & Tiger-Heli with my sister, she used to do the moving & I’d do the shooting.
ToshZA
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
Incest is indeed a game for the whole family.
Admiral Chief Wang
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
O_O
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
I wondered who’d go there first 😛
ToshZA
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
Who else? 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:36
Well, me. But seeing as it was my comment originally that would be silly 😀
Admiral Chief Wang
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
Apparently HE did
RinceThis
November 21, 2014 at 10:45
You? 0_O
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:48
Scroll down 😛
RinceThis
November 21, 2014 at 10:46
0_O
Captain JJ the fair
November 21, 2014 at 11:25
Double Dragon. Awesome stuff.
ReaperOfSquirrels
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
I agree with the Admiral about Time Crisis 2… but with a friend… because bragging rights 😛
Admiral Chief Wang
November 21, 2014 at 10:36
Awwwww jissssss
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
November 21, 2014 at 10:38
dat pedal
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:35
20c coins I remember those! Back when the Rand was still worth a damn
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:39
Yes. A game cost ONE 20c coin.
There was side scroller at my local cafe that I beat SP using 1 credit. Damn, was so proud of myself lol.
Weanerdog
November 21, 2014 at 11:09
I remember that was the only way to beat a game, there were no continues.
Mossel
November 21, 2014 at 12:33
This isn’t true. 20c games never existed! It is made up by our elders to make us feel bad. ALL LIES!! All arcade games started at 50c. Then magic company had to ruin it and make the tokens R1.
Quo Vadis?
November 21, 2014 at 12:46
nope. they existed. I remember, as a kid on holiday, BEGGING my dad to take me to the arcade in the hotel in Swakopmund, and then thrashing the arcade machines with 20c’s. R5 was a fortune in those days, and could keep you occupied for a whole day. (shucks I am old I just realised, but I am not going to tell you I had to walk through 5 miles of snow/ mud to get to an arcade :D)
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 12:53
XD I still remember Wonderland in N1 City. R10 gave you 50 tokens!
Mossel
November 21, 2014 at 13:07
Man that’s crazy! When I was 13 my friend and I went to N1 City and spent R100 on tokens. So in other words 200 tokens. Don’t know where he got the money, also didn’t ask.
Tbone187
November 21, 2014 at 13:32
Sorry mate, they existed. And yes, we used the old 1 cent piece as it was the same size. 🙂
Mossel
November 21, 2014 at 14:10
lol 1c coins! I faintly remember those. And R5 notes! Didn’t it have old JvR on it?
Tbone187
November 21, 2014 at 16:46
I remember the guys coming in to cash up and all you see is one cent coins pouring out. Hilarious.They found a way around it tho. Upping it to 50 cents that is.
I’ve got my hands on a 1 rand note. Yup, Sadly it’s still worth one rand.Holding out tho.
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
November 21, 2014 at 10:37
King of Fighters 2k2 ,spent my my entire University life playing this game in the cafeteria.
Other favorites were
Dynamite Cop
Double Dragon (Fighting Game)
House of the Dead
Daytona USA
Rampage
Metal Slug
ReaperOfSquirrels
November 21, 2014 at 10:57
Played 3 of the games on your list on PC only… being Double Dragon, Rampage and Metal Slug.
The original Daytona USA was the only one I could come first in XD
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:57
That’s not what she said.
CAE9872
November 21, 2014 at 11:02
I was looking through everyones lists and noted no KOF! And saw your list – good going!
Daytona = YES
Metal Slug = YES (one day when I am super rich I will buy the AES cartridge for my NEO GEO AES)
Mossel
November 21, 2014 at 12:31
House of the Dead 3! The one with the shotguns! Man that was awesome!
HvR
November 21, 2014 at 10:39
Dance Dance revolution with fat kids
oVg Puer aeternus
November 21, 2014 at 11:02
dafuq? lol
ToshZA
November 21, 2014 at 11:23
Being a fat kid is awesome. You’re so hard to kidnap.
So I’ve heard, anyways…
Thats_how_I_Troll
November 21, 2014 at 10:41
Moonwalker (Michael Jackson game) and Gun Smoke was what I really enjoyed!
Norm (@e3zype3zy)
November 21, 2014 at 10:49
Moonwalker was fun.
Thats_how_I_Troll
November 21, 2014 at 10:53
Yeah, that and it was the only game at the shop, manage to make it through with 2x20c back in the day
HairyEwok
November 21, 2014 at 11:09
Because making raping sounds could destroy anything XD that game was the so funny and i always miss the damned star in the graveyard level.
Thats_how_I_Troll
November 21, 2014 at 11:31
You take that back, it was not rape sounds, it was surprise sex sounds
HairyEwok
November 21, 2014 at 11:39
And dare i mention the kiddies you pick up along the line XD. SEGA had it right way before the media even knew anything hahahaha.
Tbone187
November 21, 2014 at 13:33
Gunsmoke! Yes!
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
November 21, 2014 at 10:41
Ooh Sunset Riders !!!!
Spathi
November 21, 2014 at 10:44
Indeed, that and Captain Commando!
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:46
Jack FTW
Thats_how_I_Troll
November 21, 2014 at 12:18
Ahhh going Commando, never thought of calling myself the captain of it would sound so bare-it-all…
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:45
Yes a million times, Bob FTW
Fnuik
November 21, 2014 at 10:48
Yes that’s the one!
Guild
November 21, 2014 at 10:43
Gals Panic, Samurai Showdown, MK1, Bubble Bobble and Ghouls and Goblins
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
November 21, 2014 at 10:45
Samurai Showdown man, FUKCING love that game!
Nakoruru!!!!
Guild
November 21, 2014 at 10:48
There were 2 games at the Spar down the road. Samurai Showdown and Gals Panic. Spent a lot of time with both.
Skyblue
November 21, 2014 at 11:39
It was Ghosts ‘n Goblins and Ghouls ‘n Ghosts but both were great.
EDIT: Nice choices btw
Rags
November 21, 2014 at 10:43
Double Dragon.
BTW, anyone else watching the cricket?
http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-south-africa-2014-15/engine/match/754729.html
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:46
No, should we?
RinceThis
November 21, 2014 at 10:46
NO!
Rags
November 21, 2014 at 10:47
Do you want to live son?
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:47
I hate losing to the Aussies, I really do.
Rags
November 21, 2014 at 10:51
We are doing okay in this game.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:53
Probably because we have 10 batsmen in the team, all the way to Abott
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:52
We never lose to Australia. We let them win because we pity them.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:53
Bwahahaha
CAE9872
November 21, 2014 at 11:01
glancing…and seeing we didnt do well in innings! They should have hit 300.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 11:02
Yip, they didn’t score well in the last few overs.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 11:02
Yes, I keep it floating in the background.
oVg Puer aeternus
November 21, 2014 at 11:03
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 11:07
Really? Someone uploaded a video for that?
oVg Puer aeternus
November 21, 2014 at 11:10
Type in anything you want and its there.
Naked pregnant dwarf mud wrestling…
Weanerdog
November 21, 2014 at 11:12
Well that’s going into the favorites menu
oVg Puer aeternus
November 21, 2014 at 11:12
lol
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 12:54
Wait what?
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:44
Print a list of Capcom, Neo-Geo, Data East, Konami, SNK and Midway Games. It will be easier to take the ones I didn’t like out.
ReaperOfSquirrels
November 21, 2014 at 11:02
This!
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 11:06
Seriously, how can you pick one. This was basically my childhood.
ReaperOfSquirrels
November 21, 2014 at 11:19
Same here, I don’t think there was a game in my youth that I didn’t actually enjoy. For me it all started with a Bondwell 86 (before the 286) with a monochrome screen that booted into Dos with a floppy because Dos didn’t fit on the hard drive XD. We had Striker, Kings Quest, some golf game, and I dunno what else, but I played whatever I could get my hands on.
RinceThis
November 21, 2014 at 11:05
You need to add *pre 2000*.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 11:08
Well arcade games anyways.
oVg Puer aeternus
November 21, 2014 at 10:44
Mortal Kombat because only a handful of people knew how to pull off a Fatality before the internet.
Thats_how_I_Troll
November 21, 2014 at 10:57
Yeah, the reminds me of the Paper weight shop we had in PE…. They charged you for the weight of the book, damn always got my game magazines there!
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:57
Hipster.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 11:06
Indeed XD
RinceThis
November 21, 2014 at 10:45
Street Fighter 2! Nothing beats the feeling of smashing OvG’s face in with an uppercut!
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
November 21, 2014 at 10:46
*Shoryuken
Dammit…..
RinceThis
November 21, 2014 at 10:48
No, uppercut! Medium punch, THEN, when he does a backflip to get out the way, THEN the Shoryuken. He lands on his arse, as he is getting up, sweep. He falls, sweep again, he blocks, axe kick, he back flips, rince and repeat 😉
Rock789
November 21, 2014 at 10:46
By a long way, it has to be Cadillacs & Dinosaurs!! Such an awesome, fun game! Play it regularly on my emulator too, and it’s still as good as it was back then. Such a fun beat-em-up game!
Close 2nd is probably a tie between Golden Axe and The Punisher. The original Mortal Kombat takes 3rd. 🙂
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
November 21, 2014 at 11:05
Great game, Cadillacs and Dinosuars. I finished it co-op at a cafe in cape Town while on holiday as a id. Great memory.
Left4Dead
November 21, 2014 at 10:46
Toki, because is was, and still is unique
Norm (@e3zype3zy)
November 21, 2014 at 10:47
METAL SLUG!!!!!
Sageville
November 21, 2014 at 10:48
Yei Ar Kung Fu
Slap Fight
Ghosts & Goblins.
Left4Dead
November 21, 2014 at 10:49
Shinobi
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:50
If I had to pick one then Street Fighter 2, mainly because every cafe had one, so I spent the most time on it and it was one of the first games I could finish with one shiny 20c coin.
RinceThis
November 21, 2014 at 10:52
Agreed. Spent the weight of a small African Country in pounds on the game.
HairyEwok
November 21, 2014 at 10:52
Hands down. METAL SLUG…. When I was young (age disclosed due to old fartiness) I always went to the cinemas to go watch a movie and made a day of it. Would go to the arcade that was right next to it in the morning and play all day till the movies last screening that night, and the one game i would play to it’s abysmal end was Metal Slug, oh the nostalgia is making me tear up right here.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:52
😀
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:56
I took that message to heart, and went for ciggies & booze instead.
RinceThis
November 21, 2014 at 10:58
BWAHAHAH! Nice 🙂
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 10:59
hahahahaha
oVg Puer aeternus
November 21, 2014 at 11:15
and Coffee.
While these fcuking tree hugging hippies try to ban E-Ciggs that contain the same chemicals that are released from an Asthma Pump… Nicotine included, NOT tobacco.
Do not go near the News24 comment section on E-Ciggs.
Deano
November 21, 2014 at 10:54
I got 3 Arcade games I loved growing up.
Golden Axe, Moonwalker, and Killer Instinct. Those 3 ate many a 50c coin
HairyEwok
November 21, 2014 at 10:54
Lol going through the comments I’m just like, wheres all the lovin for pacman XD.
Norm (@e3zype3zy)
November 21, 2014 at 10:55
with Mrs-Pacman XD
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 10:56
Or… BUBBLE BOBBLE!
HairyEwok
November 21, 2014 at 11:01
YES! or donkey kong, or space invaders or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Gauntlet or Street Fighter or Frogger or House of the dead or Bomber Man or Dig Dug or even… PONG! XD
Double-O-Six and a half
November 21, 2014 at 13:24
Space Invaders just frustrated me, I swear those “bullets” curved when you had that last speeded up invader to kill and you had to time it just right to get him…
I have to admit, some good memories you bringing back there, Frogger and Dig Dug… I actually felt a serious personal loss every time my frog got squished…
And every time he landed on that log with Ms Frogger and got laid, I got sort of weirdly turned on… Might explain why to this day logs floating on a river are a massive turn on for me…
Don’t judge me you all KNOW what I mean!!!
Victor "Vicky" Moolman
November 21, 2014 at 10:56
Teken: Tag Tournament played that thing last year…Magic Company Kollanade in the darker corners.
Captain JJ the fair
November 21, 2014 at 11:26
I skipped that one. Played the ones before it though, loved them all.
Victor "Vicky" Moolman
November 21, 2014 at 11:27
Remember that moment when you ran out of coins and the fight became real over at the coin
machine???
Captain JJ the fair
November 21, 2014 at 11:36
Haha. Or dashing to get more coins, praying that no one takes the machine while you’re gone.
CAE9872
November 21, 2014 at 10:59
Do XBLA or PSN count? If so, by definition best “arcade” game is Geometry Wars : Retro Evolved…1st one NOT 2nd. Despite entire internet believing 2 > 1…the internet is wrong!
And 3 is out next week?
DarthZA
November 21, 2014 at 11:01
Metal Slug. Because when you die it because you messed up. The game was fair, and hard, and ate all my money!
Viking Of Divinity
November 21, 2014 at 11:07
X-Men Arcade game. because 6 player co-op Sidescrolling beat em up! also: I AM MAGNETO, MASTER OF MAGNET! COME X-CHICKEN! http://youtu.be/gjuWKAMAlQU
Viking Of Divinity
November 21, 2014 at 11:13
And the actual Cabinet was a Beast! http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QgFhENjZpN4/T9COUpJovxI/AAAAAAAABJM/MbVpS5cmIiU/s1600/010.JPG
hairyknees
November 21, 2014 at 11:08
Metal Slug and House of the Dead 😀 also, TIME CRISIS 2! I came so close to finishing that game several times with only one life 🙁
HairyEwok
November 21, 2014 at 11:11
The feels bro, the feels is strong in this comment.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 21, 2014 at 11:11
I’m surprised you didn’t include DOTA 😛
hairyknees
November 21, 2014 at 12:42
Dota? LAWD! An arcade variant of that would chow coins! Imagine? Pay per death/per minute/per level… O_O
oVg Puer aeternus
November 21, 2014 at 11:20
Thanks to HD I never noticed the the fists in the fireball before.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 12:51
lol I have but it’s because I played it so much, apparently Rince gave you quite the hiding in this game 😛
oVg Puer aeternus
November 21, 2014 at 12:55
DONT MENTION ZA WAR!!! 😛
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 12:58
bwahaha
Captain JJ the fair
November 21, 2014 at 11:24
Comix Zone might not have been my favourite, but it’s up there.
Hopefully I’m not the only one who thought so.
Mark Vincer
November 21, 2014 at 11:27
Metal Slug or Knights of the Round or Soul Calibur…
Kikmi
November 21, 2014 at 11:31
Time Crisis and King of fighters
Martin du preez (D4RKL1NGza)
November 21, 2014 at 11:31
Aw man I remember stealing a shitload of 50c from my mom’s purse to play Sunset riders at the corner cafe after school (I did not excel academically)
http://www.gamecrate.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/sunset-riders.png
Captain JJ the fair
November 21, 2014 at 11:34
Oh man. So much excellent.
Captain JJ the fair
November 21, 2014 at 11:42
My true favourite was Primal Rage. Nothing came close.
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 12:50
special moves were a bitch to execute though
Captain JJ the fair
November 21, 2014 at 15:38
Yea they were
Gerhard
November 21, 2014 at 11:46
The 4 games that took all my pocket money:
Moon Patrol
Rally X
Pacman
Donkey Kong
Hammersteyn
November 21, 2014 at 12:50
Agreed!
Double-O-Six and a half
November 21, 2014 at 13:18
Oooh, forgot about Rally X… also enjoyed that…
Brady miaau
November 21, 2014 at 15:05
MOON PATROL
dunno why. Took ALL my money
Skyblue
November 21, 2014 at 11:47
Too much love to narrow it down but here are my top games in no particular order (except SF2):
Super Streetfighter 2
Robocop
Rygar
Double Dragon
Yie Ar Kung Fu
CABAL
Elevator Action
Gemini Wings
Virtua Racing
Mortal Kombat
Slap Fight
Donkey Kong – Where it all began for me
Too many I know but I love these games because the only way they could be played properly was in the arcade in those days.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
November 21, 2014 at 12:00
I used to play the SHIT out of Cabal. I knew a guy who could finish Robocop arcade on one credit, which blew my mind, because i could only get to the second level with my 20c.
Skyblue
November 21, 2014 at 13:08
It was an awesome game. Btw, I might have been that Robocop guy 😉
Skyblue
November 21, 2014 at 13:09
Also X’aind Sleena
Quo Vadis?
November 21, 2014 at 11:47
Double Dragon. It was the only game the Portuguese owned café had when I was a kid :/
and woe unto me (and my backside) if my mom caught me playing games there, as only “Satanists and washouts hang out at those places” LMAO
Left4Dead
November 21, 2014 at 11:59
Gunfright
Chucky Egg
Both on the C64
flushtwice
November 21, 2014 at 12:02
Gunstar Heroes… Why? Because the word ‘awesome’ doesn’t quite justify how many hours I have pounded on that Sega D-Pad.
Mossel
November 21, 2014 at 12:30
My favourite has to be Metal Slug. All of them. And maybe mortal kombat 3. And dead or alive. lol. They were all pretty cool. Ooooh and House of the Dead!
Double-O-Six and a half
November 21, 2014 at 13:06
Moon Patrol, Xevious and Original Donkey Kong… oh and course Asteroids… used to skip lunch and use the R1.00 I got for lunch money for my early gaming addiction…
And yes, back then, R1.00 could get you a hotdog, a packet of crisps and a cooldrink from the tuckshop…
freeekmeout
November 21, 2014 at 13:17
GALS PANIC
Tbone187
November 21, 2014 at 13:30
Aero Fighters 1 and 2…Shinobi (soundtrack was awesome 8 bit stuff)…MK 1 and 2…snow bros…Adventure Island…Double Dragon…World Heroes…Metal Slug…I’m sure there’s more…
vicky john
November 21, 2014 at 13:58
contra strikes in my mind.. Arcade .. best games ever!
CypherGate
November 21, 2014 at 14:31
The Revenge of Shinobi! That was crazy difficult and well… was still a great game. The one stage where you need to go behind a door to reach the next level was like a freaking labyrinth! I loved part 3 as well.
misterj
November 21, 2014 at 14:40
Street Fighter 2
Double Dragon
That Rally Cross driving game that was in a standard arcade cabinet but has a steering wheel and gear shift for the controls and pedals on the floor, man I was awesome at that.
Art of Fighting – during school holidays the one cafe I used to play at all the time made it 5c a game! I was there from opening to closing.
Mortal Kombat 2. When that first came out, a friend and I used to ride our bikes to Fourways (the only arcade that had it for a while) which was about 25kms away and sell a moves list with all the fatalities in it.
I miss arcades.
Hendrik
November 21, 2014 at 17:01
Mortal Kombat I and II!!
Jucs
March 8, 2015 at 21:47
Pretty new, but Rain Shaman for iOS