Donkey Kong Bananza/Awesome Arcade machines

10 Awesome Arcade Machines That Will Take You Back to the Good Old Days

ByLiesel Booker

Arcade machines are now largely seen as a cherished relic of the past, but there was a time when they were everywhere. Yes, there was a time when arcades weren’t dominated by rigged carnival machines that spit out tickets. Instead, they were filled with actual games. If you weren’t around for that time or you just want to relive the glory days, let me take you through ten of the best arcade machines of all time. We’ll be talking about the games themselves and the aesthetics of the cabinets. 

10 Awesome Arcade Machines You Should Seek Out

1. Ms. Pac-Man

Ms. Pac-Man Arcade Game
Image of Ms. Pac-Man Arcade Game, Courtesy of BANDAI NAMCO

It’s arguable that this is the most successful arcade game of all time, especially since Ms. Pac-Man arcade machines managed to stick around long after the traditional arcades faded away. This game took the Pac-Man formula and expanded on it with new mazes and more complex ghost behavior. Hearing that jolly opening tune and then using a real joystick to run from the ghosts is a feeling like no other.

2. Dance Dance Revolution

Whether you’re playing the original DDR or one of its many sequels and clones, this is an experience that can’t be duplicated at home (unless you happen to own an actual DDR machine). Stomping on those arrows and keeping time with the music gave you a rush of a workout, and scrambling to keep up as the songs got faster always ended in laughs – even with the inevitable loss.

3. Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong Arcade machine
Image of Donkey Kong Arcade machine, Courtesy of Nitendo

Do I have to explain Donkey Kong’s massive influence? In addition to introducing Mario and Donkey Kong to the world, this game is still super fun to play today. The cabinet is also gorgeous, with colorful artwork and a border around the screen, making you feel like you were peering into another world as you played the game. The Nintendo arcade cabinet design was so unique. 

4. Star Wars Trilogy

This game was a dream for “Star Wars” fans. Utilizing a first-person perspective, it let you fight in both Death Star battles and the Battle of Hoth. If you were skilled enough, you could even engage in a lightsaber battle with Darth Vader himself. The giant cabinet featured artwork of Luke, Leia, Han and the rest of the cast, making it one of the great arcade machines for the ages.

5. Luigi’s Mansion Arcade

Luigi's Mansion Arcade machine
Image of Luigi’s Mansion Arcade machine, Courtesy of Nintendo

All right, I threw in one modern title. As a huge fan of the Luigi’s Mansion trilogy, I was thrilled to play the arcade version. This version of the game is a rail shooter that comes in a beautiful sit-down cabinet covered with spooky artwork both inside and out. It’s full of the charm that the Luigi’s Mansion console games are known for. If you spot this game at your local arcade, definitely play it.

6. Sunset Riders

Oh wow, just look at that four-player cabinet. This amazing run-and-gun classic is basically Contra set in the Old West, which is awesome. The artwork on the cabinet perfectly complements the game’s title, with a gorgeous sunset shining over the cowboys riding into the distance. The game has fun, colorful graphics and tight, fast-paced action, making you want to keep inserting quarters to keep playing. 

7. Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles arcade machine
Image of Crystal Castles arcade machine, Courtesy of Atari

This Atari classic’s cabinet alone places it in the pantheon of great arcade machines. The cabinet is covered with colorful, elaborate M.C. Escher-inspired art of Bentley Bear trekking through the castle. As for the game itself, it’s like Pac-Man, but more elaborate. You’re a bear trekking through a colorful isometric castle, collecting gems and avoiding baddies. This game is available in the Atari 50 collection, so you can go try it out.

8. Space Harrier

This Sega classic took advantage of its super scaling technology to give a pseudo-3D experience of flying through distant planets while shooting down enemies. The cabinet also had cool alien artwork and a trigger instead of a joystick. If you were lucky enough to live near an arcade with a moving Space Harrier cabinet, you actually felt like you were flying your own ship with real motion.

9. X-Men

6-person X-Men arcade machine
Image of a 6-person X-Men arcade machine, Courtesy of Konami

There was a four-player version of this cabinet similar to The Simpsons and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but if your arcade had the giant six-player machine, it was a wonder to behold. Even if you didn’t have five friends to play with, you stared in awe at the oversized screen as you picked your favorite X-Man and beat your way through endless enemies. If you did have five friends to play with, it was a super-chaotic experience in the best way. 

10. Star Wars (1983)

Yes, we have another “Star Wars” game, this one from back in 1983. The colored vector graphics created a dramatic contrast of multicolored lines against the stark black of space. The game provided a psudo-3D experience that was mind-bending back in the day. If you could play the sit-down cockpit version with the awesome Darth Vader art on the side, you felt like you were really flying an X-Wing.

Go Seek Out Some Old-School Arcade Machines!

If there’s a retro arcade near you, I highly recommend that you go there and try your hand at some old-school arcade machines. Playing games in actual arcade machines is an experience that can’t be replicated on a console or PC. Here’s hoping that more retro arcades open and provide that experience to a new generation.

Liesel Booker holds a master's degree in English Literature from Salisbury University, and she has loved reading and writing her whole life. She is an avid gamer with a special love for Nintendo and indie games. Her two adorable cats love to sit with her while she writes for Total Apex. She also really, really loves Star Wars, to the point where she is proud to call herself a geek.

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