This article showcases our top picks for the Best 70s Arcade Games. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below).
We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article This list is in no particular order.
This product was recommended by Madilyn Hill from Truepersonfinder
Dig Dug is a popular 70s arcade game released by Atari. It was originally released under Namco in Japan. Being an elementary game, its main character, Dig Dug, has to dig his underground tunnels and blow his foes up by using an air pump. If you mistakenly get touched by one of the monsters, you will lose one life. This 70s arcade game has a very straightforward concept, and it will keep you playing every time as it’s super addictive.
This product was recommended by Dan Troha from Draftsim
From the golden age of the arcade try Galaxian. You can get it from Amazon loaded on the My Arcade Pocket Handheld Console. It has the sequel Galaga and Xevious as well. The console is a nice green color and the screen is full colour. It has a speaker, volume controls, and headphone jack. You play on battery or micro USB power. Galaxian is like Space Invaders. It was released in 1979 by Namco. It’s a fixed shooter arcade game in which you control a Galaxip starfighter ship on a mission to protect Earth from alien attackers. It was designed by Kazunori Sawano. It’s a great game for kids from 7 years old.
This product was recommended by Terence A. from TerencesCorner
Donkey Kong is an all time favorite arcade game that has stood the test of time. Its challenging levels and unique premise make it a must play for any gamer. And with its retro graphics and catchy music, Donkey Kong certainly brings back some fond memories for anyone who enjoyed arcade games back in the day. Excellent option for anyone who’s looking for a nostalgic gaming experience.
This product was recommended by Terence A. from TerencesCorner
If you’re looking for an arcade game that will test your skills, then Space Invaders is the perfect choice for you. With its fast-paced gameplay and intense action, Space Invaders keeps any player on their toes. Very often underrated but it’s a challenging game that will keep you entertained for hours on end. Great for collectors and new gamers alike.
This product was recommended by Kimberly Silva from FindPeopleFirst
Mixhomic Whack a Mole game is a 70s game that easily draws a kid’s attention as it has attractive lights and sounds. It has 12 coins, three medals (gold, silver, bronze), and two mini hammers that are soft to be carefully used by children. A great advantage of the game is that it helps improve your child’s concentration and hand-eye coordination. There are four non-slip cups on the bottom that grip the smooth surface to prevent slippery on the table while pounding. The arcade game toys will not move even if the kid constantly whacks and with power.
This product was recommended by Kimberly Silva from FindPeopleFirst
Pole position is a 70s game developed and released by Namco in Japan and licensed by Atari. This is a racing game, with the first mission being getting around the track before the time runs out. Failure to this the game is over. The main goal is to race around the track and pass your opponents without hitting them or the signs on the roadsides. Having realistic driving mechanics added, the game is genuinely ahead of its time.
This product was recommended by Ronald Williams from BestPeopleFinder
Besides its many features, the reason for suggesting this game is more about nostalgia. Not only me, but everyone relates with Space Invader because it makes them recall the golden past. Space Invaders is one of those classic games you may have heard of or even played (if neither of those things happened, believe me, you’re not a real gamer). No doubt, it inaugurated the golden age of arcades (and made many children destroy their piggy banks). I remember, even I did the same. The gameplay was very simple but addictive as well, with a level of difficulty that slowly increased. With fixed shooter mechanics, the player needed to shoot a laser from a land tank at the army of alien spaceships trying to invade Earth. The flying saucers moved horizontally and gradually descended and increased their speed. The player needed to be quick to dodge enemy shots, know how to use the protection of his four shields very well, and be very good at aiming. Even more memorable was the soundtrack composed of just a few bits that packed the extraterrestrial invasion. The game received several adaptations and remakes for different platforms, the best-selling of which was the Atari 2600. It is difficult to enumerate the number of movies, series, or cartoons that have already used Space Invaders as a reference.
This product was recommended by Michael Rose from Union Law Firm
It was, and is the first arcade game that I played, fell in love with, and played over and over again until my fingers and wrists were sore and I ran out of nickels, dimes, and quarters. Sure, it looks and feels simplistic compared to the games that dominate the markets today, but at the time ‘Breakout’ was a revelation and game-changer.
This product was recommended by Chloe Choe from Off Hour Hustle
Galaxian (1979) is a classic shooter arcade game with its crisp colors and enemy AI. This game will keep people entertained for hours as players try to get further and further in levels in the game.
This product was recommended by Jane Hammitt from FastPeopleFinder
This little arcade cabinet appeals to me because of its distinctiveness. I’m not interested in spending additional money on anything bulky. This little cabinet can hold a lot of games and is far superior to my Coleco tiny arcade. Because you can’t put batteries in the plug-in cord, I have to be careful with it, but it’s still a lot of fun to play. It transports me to the 1980s, when I was too young to visit an arcade.
This product was recommended by Sam Cohen from MyFreeOCR
Space Invaders was one of the most popular arcade games in the 1970s. It was an early shooting game that used vector graphics to create a 2D space environment. Players used a joystick to control a spacecraft and shoot at aliens who were descending on Earth. The game was so popular that it spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs. Some of the most popular include Asteroids, Galaga, and Pac-Man. It is simple, addictive, and challenging. I can still remember the hours I spent trying to get to the next level.
This product was recommended by James “Jimmy” Watts from Own The Grill
My uncle had a full-size arcade cabinet version of the game in his study when I was growing up, and he used to let me play it whenever I visited, and eventually, I got pretty good at it. It was my introduction to video games, and to this day, it’s still the most fun I’ve had playing with a joystick.
This product was recommended by Holger Sindbaek from Online Solitaire
A classic arcade game to me brings back many memories. Pac Man is one of those games that has been passed down through generations, and is still popular today. Playing all the different levels makes me feel like a kid again and is very addicting. I also love that I can play it on a handheld device, anywhere I go! It helps to cure boredom and pass time. I take it with me on my commute to work, traveling on a plane and love to bring it to parties for people to take turns playing. Pac Man is a game that will still be playable for years to come.
This product was recommended by Ellie Walters from FindPeopleFaster
Galaga is the best 70s arcade game released by Namco in Japan, but it was distributed everywhere else by Midway. This game is pretty identical to Galaxian in terms of gameplay, but Galaga consists of more mechanics, making it more amazing and fun than Galaxian. Also, Galaga has more supreme sounds and graphics than Galaxian, making a game which most people want to spend their quarters on. It’s about navigating a ship at the screen’s button and shooting the aliens.
It’s a stone-cold classic. The only thing protecting the lone ship in a dangerous asteroid field is a laser gun and physics of thrust and inertia. A multi-directional shooter inspired by an Atari project called Cosmos in which the players stole planets from each other was developed by Lyle Rains and Ed Logg. The pinpoint sharp vector graphics and brilliant controls (tuned for months by Logg) made for a uniquely challenging and aesthetically pleasing game that still stands strong today. This program’s crisp vector graphics have aged with grace, and are almost a work of art in themselves. It’s all of those qualities that made Asteroids stand out.
The best 70s arcade game has to be Space Invaders, which is a fixed shooter game in which the player will move a laser canon across the bottom of the screen to fire at the aliens above them.
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