# 10 Greatest '80s Arcade Action Games Ranked > Top 10 arcade action games from the 1980s, ranked by impact and gameplay. - Title: 10 Greatest '80s Arcade Action Games Ranked · CBR | Shortify - Summary: 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… - Keywords: dragon's lair, tron, wizard of wor, robotron 2084, ghosts n goblins, golden axe, joust, galaga, arcade games, 1980s, action games, arcade - Source: CBR — https://cbr.com/greatest-80s-arcade-action-games-ranked - Author: Angelina Bonilla - Published: 2026-10-16T01:30:13+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: dragon's lair, tron, wizard of wor, robotron 2084, ghosts n goblins, golden axe, joust, galaga, arcade games, 1980s, action games, arcade ## 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Lair: Animated Arcade Masterpiece Dragon's Lair came out in arcades in 1983 from Cinematronics using the quickly outdated laserdisc technology.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 ## Key takeaway 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.