Before the first home console generation, arcades were the meccas of video games. While they are nearly extinct now, those old enough will think back fondly of the days of dumping endless amounts of quarters into those giant cabinets to play just a few minutes of a game. Arcade games were where many of the most iconic gaming characters and franchises first began, such as Donkey Kong and Street Fighter. While some have fallen into obscurity over the decades, some are still beloved to this day. Whether it be for the impact they had on game design or just because they’re still fun to play even today, these are our picks for the greatest arcade games ever made.
If this list is a bit too old school for you, we also have lists of the best PS5 games, best Xbox Series X games, and best PC games for something more modern.
