Best Classic Arcade Games

The definitive version of Alexey Pajitnov's legendary puzzle game, bundled with the Game Boy at launch and responsible for selling millions of handheld consoles worldwide. Simple to learn and impossible to master, Tetris remains one of the greatest games ever made.

Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima's dreamlike arcade game soared beyond conventional genre definitions, putting players in the role of a dream jester in spectacular aerial levels scored on precise, stylish flying. NiGHTS into Dreams is one of the most original games Sega ever published and the Saturn's most celebrated exclusive.

The definitive fixed-shooter of the arcade era — Galaga refined Galaxian with formation attacks, tractor beams that capture your fighter, and the iconic dual-ship mechanic.

The most recognized arcade game in history — a yellow circle eating dots while evading four colored ghosts. Pac-Man defined the arcade era and remains a cultural touchstone 45 years later.

The landmark 1980 Atari 2600 port of Taito's legendary arcade game became the console's first killer app and sold over 2 million copies. Space Invaders on 2600 added numerous game variations not in the original arcade, making it a more feature-rich experience than the game that single-handedly popularized video gaming.

The home conversion of Atari's legendary 1979 arcade game, bringing the iconic asteroid-blasting experience to living rooms everywhere. A faithful adaptation of one of the most important arcade games ever made, Asteroids on Atari 2600 became one of the platform's best-selling titles.

The game that introduced Mario and Donkey Kong — a vertical platformer requiring players to climb girders, jump barrels, and rescue Pauline from a giant ape.

The game that launched the entire video game industry. Pong's simple two-paddle tennis simulation became the first commercially successful arcade game and the Atari 2600 home version introduced millions to interactive entertainment. No game has a stronger claim to being where it all began.

Cross the road, hop the logs, avoid the cars — Frogger's deceptively simple concept became one of the most addictive arcade games of the early 1980s.

Nintendo's Joust-inspired NES arcade game — flap balloons to fly, pop enemies' balloons before they pop yours, and avoid the thundercloud in one of the NES's earliest two-player simultaneous games.