5 Retro Arcade Games that We Love from Our Childhoods
Take a trip down memory lane as we present to you a bunch of retro arcade games that you may have loved from your childhoods
First up on the list is Arkanoid, also known as Atari Breakout (1976). This is known as the classic block-breaking game where the player has to take control of a sliding platform and juggle a ball to the upper part of the game field, destroying as many of the blocks above as possible. The core gameplay itself is made even more interesting with the introduction of power-ups and various unique level designs. For those looking for a similar game to the old classic, you can hit up Neon Arkanoid, which is a really flashy version of the retro game, or Outerspace Arkanoid which has an amazingly cool outer space theme.
When it comes to 2D shooters, one can never forget about the classic Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa, or better known as “Western Bar”. Sitting heavily on the theme of old western saloons and bars, you are the typical Sheriff or vigilante that has to take the law into your own hands and shoot down all the outlaws. But, you had better watch out as there are innocent bystanders nearby as well, and you would not want to shoot them! One can still experience the joy of playing this type of retro game by trying out Saloon Robbery, or even Sheriff’s Wrath.
Next up is a game that resonates with all fighting/brawling game enthusiasts, which is Super Street Fighter II Turbo! If you have to summarize the fighting game genre in the ’90s in just a single title, Super Street Fighter II Turbo would definitely be the one. Even as the graphics, sounds, and interfaces have evolved over the years for fighting games such as the immensely popular Street Fighter franchise, so too have the combo mechanics and “super move” meter/gauge. That being said, one can always revisit the simpler times with games such as Kung Fu Fury, which offer a really basic yet effective fighting mechanic with its 3-moves system. On the other hand, there is also Relic Guardians DX that provides a different setting to the typical fighting game with its futuristic theme.
Moving on, there is Raiden which is a top-down, retro arcade shooter. Basically, you pilot an advanced spacecraft packed with all of the latest weapons and it is up to you to keep the invaders from outer space at bay. This game really challenges its players’ reflexes as they may find themselves surrounded by a storm of bullets at a moment’s notice. If you would like to play games that stay true to this type of retro formula, try out Strike Galaxy Attack or Space Blaze 2!
Last, but not least is OutRun, which is definitely one of the most popular games that spawn a ton of arcade racing games after it. Although it has a slightly different premise with Pole Position, the gameplay is pretty much the same in that you have to race against time to reach the next checkpoint/ finish line. For this one, you can always visit Final Freeway to get that hit of nostalgia, or even Car Rush which stays true to the theme of a young couple driving off into the sunset.
With that being said, these 5 titles have certainly given rise to a myriad of creative modern games in their respective genres. However, it is always great to go back to the roots and dive into the classics themselves once in a while!
Most of us would have childhood memories of playing at least one retro arcade game from back in the day that which we really got into. The games listed in this article are definitely going to be familiar to you as they’re among the most popular games from the early era of gaming if you’ve been gaming for a long time and, all things considered, we highly recommend checking them out again.
Atari Breakout (1976)/Arkanoid
First up on the list is Arkanoid, also known as Atari Breakout (1976). This is known as the classic block-breaking game where the player has to take control of a sliding platform and juggle a ball to the upper part of the game field, destroying as many of the blocks above as possible. The core gameplay itself is made even more interesting with the introduction of power-ups and various unique level designs. For those looking for a similar game to the old classic, you can hit up Neon Arkanoid, which is a really flashy version of the retro game, or Outerspace Arkanoid which has an amazingly cool outer space theme.
Western Bar (1984)/ Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa by Konami
When it comes to 2D shooters, one can never forget about the classic Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa, or better known as “Western Bar”. Sitting heavily on the theme of old western saloons and bars, you are the typical Sheriff or vigilante that has to take the law into your own hands and shoot down all the outlaws. But, you had better watch out as there are innocent bystanders nearby as well, and you would not want to shoot them! One can still experience the joy of playing this type of retro game by trying out Saloon Robbery, or even Sheriff’s Wrath.
Street Fighter (1987) Capcom/ Tekken by Namco
Next up is a game that resonates with all fighting/brawling game enthusiasts, which is Super Street Fighter II Turbo! If you have to summarize the fighting game genre in the ’90s in just a single title, Super Street Fighter II Turbo would definitely be the one. Even as the graphics, sounds, and interfaces have evolved over the years for fighting games such as the immensely popular Street Fighter franchise, so too have the combo mechanics and “super move” meter/gauge. That being said, one can always revisit the simpler times with games such as Kung Fu Fury, which offer a really basic yet effective fighting mechanic with its 3-moves system. On the other hand, there is also Relic Guardians DX that provides a different setting to the typical fighting game with its futuristic theme.
Raiden (1990)
Moving on, there is Raiden which is a top-down, retro arcade shooter. Basically, you pilot an advanced spacecraft packed with all of the latest weapons and it is up to you to keep the invaders from outer space at bay. This game really challenges its players’ reflexes as they may find themselves surrounded by a storm of bullets at a moment’s notice. If you would like to play games that stay true to this type of retro formula, try out Strike Galaxy Attack or Space Blaze 2!
OutRun (1986) SEGA/ Pole Position (1982) Namco
Last, but not least is OutRun, which is definitely one of the most popular games that spawn a ton of arcade racing games after it. Although it has a slightly different premise with Pole Position, the gameplay is pretty much the same in that you have to race against time to reach the next checkpoint/ finish line. For this one, you can always visit Final Freeway to get that hit of nostalgia, or even Car Rush which stays true to the theme of a young couple driving off into the sunset.
With that being said, these 5 titles have certainly given rise to a myriad of creative modern games in their respective genres. However, it is always great to go back to the roots and dive into the classics themselves once in a while!
