From CBR · Angelina Bonilla · · 2m
10 Greatest '80s Arcade Action Games Ranked
Top 10 arcade action games from the 1980s, ranked by impact and gameplay.
In brief
Top 10 arcade action games from the 1980s, ranked by impact and gameplay. Dragon's Lair, TRON, Wizard of Wor, Robotron: 2084, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Golden Axe, Joust, Galaga, and two others define the most influential 1980s arcade action games. Originally reported by CBR.
Dragon's Lair: Animated Arcade Masterpiece
Dragon's Lair came out in arcades in 1983 from Cinematronics using the quickly outdated laserdisc technology.
“Dragon's Lair is Don Bluth's Animated Arcade Masterpiece”
TRON: Digital World in Arcades
TRON was brought to arcades in 1982 based on the movie of the same name released a month earlier.
“TRON brought the digital world to life in arcades”
Wizard of Wor: Maze Shooter with a Mean Streak
Wizard of Wor lets players control a Worrior to defeat enemies in mazes while surviving.
“Wizard of Wor is a maze shooter with a mean streak”
Robotron: 2084: Dystopian Action
Robotron: 2084 shows humans fighting back against robots turned against humanity in 2084.
“Twin-Stick Shooters in 1982 Didn't Get Better Than Robotron: 2084”
Ghosts 'n Goblins: Knight's Challenge
Ghosts 'n Goblins is a platforming game where players control Sir Arthur to rescue Princess Prin-Prin.
“Ghosts ’n Goblins will scare the pants off players”
Golden Axe: Fantasy Beat 'Em Up
Golden Axe is a Sega beat 'em up game released in arcades in 1989 with Conan-inspired fantasy.
“Golden Axe let players hack and slash their way through a fantasy epic”
Joust: Flying Knight Battles
Joust challenges players to battle enemy knights while riding flying ostriches.
“Joust takes jousting to new heights”
Galaga: Alien Dodging Mastery
Galaga challenges players to dodge waves of alien attackers in a space battle.
“Galaga made dodging alien swarms an arcade art form”
Dragon's Lair: Cinematic Presentation
Dragon's Lair's cinematic presentation helped demonstrate animation's potential in video games.
“Dragon's Lair's cinematic presentation helped demonstrate the potential of animation in video games”
TRON: Digital World Experience
TRON stands out for translating the film's digital world into interactive gameplay.
“TRON stands out for how it translates the film's digital world into interactive gameplay”
Wizard of Wor: Maze Survival
Wizard of Wor features players navigating mazes while hunting enemies like Burwors and Garwors.
“Wizard of Wor is a maze shooter with a mean streak”
Robotron: 2084: Dystopian Action
Robotron: 2084 shows humans fighting back against robots turned against humanity in 2084.
“Twin-Stick Shooters in 1982 Didn't Get Better Than Robotron: 2084”
Ghosts 'n Goblins: Knight's Challenge
Ghosts 'n Goblins is a platforming game where players control Sir Arthur to rescue Princess Prin-Prin.
“Ghosts ’n Goblins will scare the pants off players”
Golden Axe: Fantasy Beat 'Em Up
Golden Axe is a Sega beat 'em up game released in arcades in 1989 with Conan-inspired fantasy.
“Golden Axe let players hack and slash their way through a fantasy epic”
In short
Dragon's Lair, TRON, Wizard of Wor, Robotron: 2084, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Golden Axe, Joust, Galaga, and two others define the most influential 1980s arcade action games.
