Before Fortnight, Call of Duty, and Mario Kart, some of the best games of all time could be found in your local arcade.
Every week you would save money, plan your schedule, call together the masses, and venture over to the arcade to battle against one another.
You physically had to go somewhere to play video games.
Luckily, you no longer have to search high and low for the nearest arcade games since you can now find all your favorites on mobile devices and play anywhere you go!
Now, you can have your own personal arcade game the size of your mobile phone with touch screen controls.
Keep reading to rediscover some of the best classic arcade games you can play on your phone!
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10 Best Throwback Arcade Games On Mobile
Suppose you’re trying to salvage your youth or bring out your inner child; what better way than by playing your old favorite arcade games! Here are the top ten classic arcade games you can still appreciate today.
Tetris
First up on the list can easily be considered classic royalty: Tetris.
The purpose of the game is to move falling blocks or puzzle pieces to build a horizontal line without any spaces in between.
You probably didn’t know that Tetris was created in the Soviet Union in 1984. A Soviet software designer initially sought the game as a fun programming challenge, but the game quickly spread to entertaining audiences worldwide.
Despite three decades, the game continues to attract gamers far and wide and is now on mobile devices globally.
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Q*bert
There could be no list of classic arcade games without the infamous Q*bert and the iconic orange, balloon-shaped, two-legged character.
The game was released in 1982 by Gottlieb and became one of the most popular games throughout the 1980s, having sold over twenty thousand arcade cabinets.
Hypnotizing audiences everywhere, Q*bert’s objective revolves around little, orange Q*bert and his mission to take over pyramids made from little blocks. Gamers take control of Q*bert to travel from one end of the pyramid to the other, meanwhile dodging enemies whose goal is to frustrate and block Q*bert from success.
Q*bert and his block-filled journey represent one of the most frustratingly-fun arcade games.
Pac-Man
Easily one of the most famous arcade games, Pac-Man can now be played on mobile devices!
Audiences first became obsessed with Pac-Man in 1980 when the game was released.
The game’s objective is to guide Pac-Man, a yellow, chomping, cheese wheel-looking character, through a maze to eat as many dots as possible, all while avoiding enemy ghosts.
What is it about the thrill of being chased?
It’s almost impossible not to feel addicted to the thrill and simplicity of Pac-Man, which is why the game is still a fan favorite even today on mobile devices.
Pinball
To no surprise, one of the most fun and satisfyingly-loud arcade games is next on the list: Pinball.
Would it even be an arcade without Pinball?
The game’s objective is for the player to score as many points as possible by using flippers to flick a tiny ball into targets. Modern Pinball was created during the Great Depression when many in America craved affordable entertainment. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that technology advanced, and Pinball was revamped with microprocessors, circuit boards, digital displays, and sound effects.
Digital technology has thankfully restored gamers’ love of Pinball with opportunities to play gaming classics on mobile phones.
Metal Slug 3
Suppose you remember walking into an arcade and catching something in your peripheral vision, only to focus and witness absolute mayhem exploding on an arcade screen. In that case, chances are it was Metal Slug 3.
Metal Slug 3 is a thrilling video game sequel that SNK released in 2000. In the game, stubby-looking characters journey through a world of chaos, shooting, and action.
Gamers were ecstatic to hear of Metal Slug 3’s adaptation to the mobile platform, and the game remains one of the best run and gun video games of all time. In the mobile Metal Slug 3, players can even seek help from friends through the Bluetooth two-player mode.
Related: 10 Best Mobile Multiplayer Games: Get Competitive!
Space Invaders
As one of the earliest shooter games, Space Invaders is next on the list of top classic arcade games.
There’s just one word to describe this classic game: intense.
Space Invaders is a gripping game in which the player has to battle against alien enemies by shooting and destroying the alien invasion. The game was first released in 1978 in North America by Midway, and it quickly became a national sensation.
The faster the player destroys enemy lineups, the more difficult the game becomes. In this way, players compete against one another for the highest score and compete against themselves to beat personal scores.
The consistent opportunity for competition makes this game popular today for many gamers, especially now on mobile devices.
Sonic The Hedgehog
Possibly one of the most cherished characters in an arcade game, Sonic The Hedgehog remains an enjoyable game for many today.
Created by Sega in 1993, Sonic The Hedgehog has inspired a long-time running franchise, animated television programs, and even a blockbuster film.
The game has three players: Sonic the Hedgehog, Mighty the Armadillo, and Ray, the flying squirrel. In this game, players control one of the characters and must escape an island after their enemy, Doctor Eggman, kidnaps them.
As opposed to arcade platforms where players use a trackball or rollerball, now gamers can enjoy using touch screens to play the mobile game!
Galaga
To name one of the most retro-looking arcade games, Galaga is next on the list!
Galaga is an old-school, sci-fi, fixed-shooter video game that was released in 1981 by Namco. In Galaga, players take control of a spaceship to complete a simple mission of destroying all enemy threats.
Slightly more complex than Space Invaders, Galaga forces players to complete their mission while dodging deadly, racing projectiles.
Galaga remains a classic even decades later, with old and new players loving the exciting space shooter mobile game.
Crazy Taxi
Another loud and hilariously-fun arcade classic is Crazy Taxi!
Before Grand Theft Auto, there was Crazy Taxi. The famous racing game was published in 1999 by Sega and made it to arcades before home consoles.
The goal of Crazy Taxi is for drivers to transport customers to their destinations as fast as possible. In this game, social boundaries and traffic laws fly out the window! Instead, utter chaos and destruction take over at full throttle.
Another part of the game that gamers enjoy is the opportunities for creative stunts and tricks on the way to the customer destination. Crazy Taxi is a classic arcade game because of the refreshingly fun and nutty experience it gives players.
R-Type
Last on the list of the top arcade games you can now play on your phone is R-Type!
As another sci-fi and action-packed game, R-Type may be most familiar to Nintendo fans. The point of the game is for players to propel their spaceship forward while battling against alien spacecraft.
Towards the end of each level, the player must also kill a monster alien leader to move up to the next level. One of the fun parts about R-Type is that players have multiple artillery choices when battling alien enemies.
With the vivid aliens and space sound effects, R-Type makes the list for the best arcade games you can play on mobile devices!
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It’s Game Time!
Now you’re ready to download some of the best arcade games you can play with friends!
Never again will you have to go somewhere to play arcade games; you can enjoy gaming classics right on your phone.
All that’s left to do is to gather your friends, choose an arcade classic, and it’s game time.