You probably enjoyed playing video games when you were younger. Hearing a game begin was thrilling. We miss our friendly rivalries with our classmates and the hours we spent playing together after school. In retrospect, those were wonderful times.
These games used to cost a lot of money, but now they’re rather cheap. You may find many of them for nothing on the internet. You can buy them and play them whenever you like. These days, I rarely get the urge to pick up a game, let alone one of the many new releases on the market. But, once in a while I like to give in to sentimentality and reminisce.
What follows is a countdown of the twenty best classic video games I played in the ’80s and ’90s.
1. 1942
It’s up to you to shoot down enemy planes and evade their fire in order to progress through all 32 levels of this classic arcade game. Gathering power-ups allows you to upgrade your weaponry.
Though it’s a rather basic vertical shooter, this game will quickly become one of your favorites. After its initial success in 1984, various companies have ported it to video game consoles and mobile devices.
2. Adventure Island
In order to keep going as Master Higgins in this platforming adventure, you’ll need to keep snacking on fruit. There are many adversaries and obstacles on the stage that you must avoid. You’ll have to make do with an ax at first, but later on, you’ll unlock access to fireballs. Boss battles await you at the conclusion of each area.
Although challenging at times, this game is also loads of fun. There have been numerous ports and sequels to it throughout the years.
3. Aladdin
Many gamers look down on licensed video games, but the 1990s actually saw several quite solid titles based on movies. There are two games with the name “Aladdin” that were released for the Super Nintendo and the Genesis. They’re both platformers with a side-scrolling view.
In the Genesis adaptation, Disney animators helped create the aesthetics, which is a remarkable fact in and of itself. Shinji Mikami, who made his name with the Resident Evil series, was responsible for the SNES adaptation. Whilst Aladdin may be a challenging game, it exemplifies the type of high-quality licensed game that is out there.
4. Battle City
This is such a fun and simple game. When defending your base, you must eliminate opposing tanks on the map. The game consists of 35 levels, each with its own challenges. Moreover, there are a number of other upgrades you may acquire.
Games like Tank Force owe a debt to this multidirectional shooter.
5. Bomberman
Defeat foes and make your way through mazes as Bomberman. To complete levels, you must utilize bombs to smash rocks and demolish adversaries. Bombs can cause serious injury, so be careful where you position them. There are upgrades you may buy for your bombs.
From this original video game came a series of games that have become cultural icons in their own right. Bomberman was rechristened Eric and the Floaters for the original European computer versions of the game. This was done to disassociate ourselves from the IRA.
6. Circus Charlie
There are six main levels in Circus Charlie, each of which is further subdivided by a number of smaller levels. The player’s objectives change from minigame to minigame during the game. These range from trampoline jumping to lion riding.
It’s easy to get through the first four steps, but the final two can be challenging. For the DS, you can get this title in the compilation Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits.
7. Contra
One of the most well-known titles here. There were eight exciting levels of gunplay and chases in Contra. Due of its notoriously high difficulty, this game has gained a bad reputation. You only have three lives total, and your character will die in one hit if it takes any damage.
Many gamers owe their knowledge of the Konami Code to Contra. You were given 30 lives after entering it into the game. Because of this, the majority of players were able to win.
8. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest
With Aladdin, I spent many hours on this game. Donkey Kong Country 2 improved upon its predecessor in many ways, making it one of the best platformers ever made. A single misstep might spell instant death in this game.
Because it used 3D pictures that had already been produced, this game looked great. Stores had a hard time keeping Donkey Kong Country 2 in stock because of its high demand. It was the SNES’s sixth best-selling game overall.
9. Galaga
One of the most well-known arcade shooters is Galaga, the sequel to Galaxian. It is your ship’s mission to eliminate all alien enemies that appear on the screen. While you’re limited to walking in a straight line, some foes can dive at you.
It’s widely agreed that Galaga is one of the most popular arcade games ever. There have been numerous conversions and re-releases.
10. Kung-Fu
In Kung-Fu, the player had to defeat foes in order to advance. Each of the game’s five acts concludes with the player vanquishing a boss. Once you finish the game, it will start over at a harder level.
Because I was able to breeze through each level, I really enjoyed this game. Spartan was the name given to it in our region. One could say that this was the first “beat ’em up” video game. Final Fight and Streets of Rage, two subsequent games in the genre, took inspiration from it.
11. Mario Bros
The objective of this Nintendo arcade game is to wipe out every single opponent. You accomplish this by slamming into them from below, causing them to fall on their bellies. After that, you can only run up to them and kick them. In video games, a level is considered complete when all opponents have been vanquished and the player is given access to the next one. There’s also a bonus round where picking up coins can score you big points.
Due to the lack of variety in the game’s mechanics, it can get a little old. The challenge of seeing how far you can get is, however, enjoyable. Seeing the famed plumbers, the Mario Bros., go about their day is equally fascinating. Historically, this game is significant because it marked Luigi’s first appearance in a video game.
12. Pac-Man
It’s probably reasonable to assume that this is the video game that most people have played if they’ve only ever played one. While it was a popular game when I was little, I rarely played Pac-Man. Even though it didn’t thrill me much, it’s a fun diversion for a short break.
The objective of each stage is to eat all of the pellets and complete the maze. In doing so, you must avoid ghosts. You can be stopped with a single touch. Nevertheless, if you consume a “super pellet,” you can actually feast upon the specters instead of them. This will render them useless for the time being.
That little Pac-Man arcade game was a must-have, so I picked one up. Astonishingly, the game sounds and feels just like the actual thing. Along with my nephew, this is a lot of fun. Play more versions pacman 30th anniversary.
13. Pooyan
Pooyan is an entertaining pastime that may easily occupy a person for a number of hours. Your mission is to pop the balloons transporting the wolves by shooting them down. They will try to climb the stairs and eat you if you don’t pop their balloons. As an alternative, you can throw meat at the wolves to draw their attention elsewhere.
Despite its lack of complexity, this shooter is a lot of fun. It has seen a port to the Switch and PlayStation 4, and it has appeared on a number of compilation packages.
14. Popeye
The Popeye cartoons are well-known and enjoyed by many. Have you actually tried out the coin-op? The goal is to escape being killed by foes like Bluto while picking up goods dropped by Olive Oyl. Popeye may not be able to jump, but he has a mean punch.
That Nintendo created this game is interesting in and of itself. It was planned to use Popeye characters in the game that eventually became Donkey Kong. They tried to get the license, but they couldn’t because of timing issues.
15. Road Fighter
As a racing game, Road Fighter is rather basic. If you press the gas or use your turbo, you can only go left or right. Moving uses up fuel, therefore you’ll need to touch designated vehicles in order to replenish your supply. There are hazards on the road that you need to avoid as you travel. Many versions of this game were ported to video game consoles and personal computers. The success of the original film spawned several sequels.
16. Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Bringing new life to the arcade environment, Street Fighter II completely revamped the fighting game genre. There was nothing like proving yourself superior to your buddies with legendary fighters like Ryu, Ken, and Chun Li in an arcade tournament. There has never been a better upgrade than Super Street Fighter II Turbo. For the first time in the series, Super Combos were playable. A covert battle against the ruthless Akuma was also a part of it. It was a great accomplishment to beat such a formidable foe.
New installments in the Street Fighter franchise keep coming out. Despite the release of more modern games, many fans continue to enjoy this 90s staple.
17. Super Mario Bros
As Atari’s home video game industry collapsed in 1983, the NES was a key factor in its recovery. Players were reluctant to pick up a controller again, but Super Mario Bros. In this adventure, the player assumes the role of Mario and embarks on a journey through the Mushroom Kingdom. He intended to win over the Koopas so that he might save Princess Toadstool. The game was bright and fun, with plenty of difficulty and strategy to keep you engaged.
Since I was so skilled at the game, I had no problem showing off my skills in front of my buddies. I sunk a lot of money into those coin-op machines, but I finally beat all eight worlds. I didn’t feel any remorse.
18. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters is a competitive fighting game starring the infamous turtles and their allies and foes, and it follows in the footsteps of Street Fighter II. There were three separate console releases of this game, and each one had a unique cast of characters.
When there were several games that were similar to Street Fighter II, Tournament Fighters stood out as a top contender. The online component of the SNES version of the game was one of the reasons it was included in The Cowabunga Collection, a re-release of the game for newer systems.
19. Tetris
Tetris was a colossal hit in the 1990s. In my opinion, this was the best game to play while traveling for an extended period of time. Clear lines by strategically rearranging fallen tetrominos. The rate at which pieces fall increases as the game proceeds. If any of your pieces reach the top of the screen, the game will terminate immediately.
Many people today still take pleasure in playing Tetris. Dozens of adaptations exist for every conceivable gaming system.
20. Tiny Toon Adventures
This Nintendo Entertainment System game was inspired by the same-named animated series. The player takes charge of Buster Bunny, the Dizzy Devil, Furrball, and Plucky Duck on a mission to save Babs Bunny. Every single one of the characters have special skills.