Current Games

We are very proud of our beautiful collection of Arcade and Pinball machines. Our extensive and ever-growing collection of new and vintage machines means we can rotate the titles on the floor to keep the selection fresh. Here's what we currently have in the arcade:

*NEW* Arkanoid

Taito, 1986

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*NEW* Arkanoid

Taito, 1986

Arkanoid is a 1986 block breaker arcade game developed and published by Taito. In North America, it was published by Romstar. Controlling a paddle-like craft known as the Vaus, the player is tasked with clearing a formation of colorful blocks by deflecting a ball towards it without letting the ball leave the bottom edge of the playfield. Some blocks contain power-ups that have various effects, such as increasing the length of the Vaus, creating several additional balls, or equipping the Vaus with cannons. Other blocks may be indestructible or require multiple hits to break.

*NEW* Bubble Bobble

Taito, 1986

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*NEW* Bubble Bobble

Taito, 1986

Bubble Bobble is a 1986 platform game developed and published by Taito for arcades. It was distributed in the United States by Romstar, and in Europe by Electrocoin. Players control Bub and Bob, two dragons that set out to save their girlfriends from a world known as the Cave of Monsters. In each level, Bub and Bob must defeat each enemy present by trapping them in bubbles and popping, who turn into bonus items when they hit the ground. There are 100 levels total, each becoming progressively more difficult.

*NEW* Cactus Canyon

Chicago Gaming, 2021

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*NEW* Cactus Canyon

Chicago Gaming, 2021

Cactus Canyon is the fourth game in the exciting line of remakes of the greatest Bally/Williams pinball machines and features expanded game rules, new display art and new sounds all of which are exclusive to Cactus Canyon Remake. All new full-color display artwork, re-imagined within the framework of the original Williams display artwork at four times the resolution. Thousands of frames have been painstakingly animated to create a display that features full color and four times the number of dots as the original Williams game.

*NEW* Captain America

Data East, 1991

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*NEW* Captain America

Data East, 1991

Captain America and the Avengers is a beat ’em up arcade game developed and released by Data East in 1991. It features the Avengers team of Marvel Comics characters in a side-scrolling brawling and shooting adventure to defeat the evil Red Skull.

*NEW* Foo Fighters – Premium Edition

Stern, 2023

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*NEW* Foo Fighters – Premium Edition

Stern, 2023

Stern’s Foo Fighters machines bring the Foo Fighters concert experience home as players are immersed in an epic pinball adventure featuring 15 iconic songs spanning the band’s expansive catalog.

*New* James Bond 007 – Premium Edition

Stern, 2022

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*New* James Bond 007 – Premium Edition

Stern, 2022

Stern’s James Bond 007 cornerstone pinball machine will highlight film footage and iconic music from the films that built the 007 legend: Dr. No, From Russia With Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), and Diamonds Are Forever (1971).  Players are immersed into the world of espionage in this action-packed pinball experience, tackling assignments, teaming up with key allies, and stopping SPECTRE’s villainous schemes.

*New* Mario Kart Arcade GP DX

2013, Bandai Namco

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*New* Mario Kart Arcade GP DX

2013, Bandai Namco

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX is the third Mario Kart Arcade GP game. The game has ten redesigned courses, and features introduced in Mario Kart 7 such as gliders and underwater racing. Along with Grand Prix and Battle mode, two new modes are Alter-Ego and Team. Alter-Ego mode uses online functionality to allow players to race against ghosts records previously set by other players. Team mode allows two players to face against two computer-controlled opponents. The two players can combine their karts to form a more powerful kart, with one player driving and the other serving as the gunner, similar to Mario Kart Double Dash!!

*NEW* Super Punch Out!

Nintendo, 1994

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*NEW* Super Punch Out!

Nintendo, 1994

Super Punch-Out!![a] is a boxing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released on September 14, 1994 in North America and again in the same region in 1996. It was released in Europe on January 26, 1995 for the same console and in Japan in 1998 for the Nintendo Power flash RAM cartridge series and the Super Famicom. The game is also included in the GameCube version of Fight Night Round 2 as an extra game due to the inclusion of Little Mac in the game. The game was released for the Wii’s Virtual Console in Europe on March 20, 2009, in North America on March 30, 2009, and in Japan on July 7, 2009. The game was also released on the New Nintendo 3DS eShop on May 5, 2016. Nintendo re-released Super Punch-Out!! in the United States in September 2017 as part of the company’s Super NES Classic Edition. It is the fourth game in the Punch-Out!! series, taking place after the Punch-Out!! game for the NES.

*NEW* Virtua Fighter

Sega, 1993

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*NEW* Virtua Fighter

Sega, 1993

Virtua Fighter is a fighting game created for the Sega Model 1 arcade platform by AM2, a development group within Sega, headed by Yu Suzuki. An early prototype version was location tested in Japan by August 1993, before the complete game was released worldwide in December 1993. It is the first game in the Virtua Fighter series, and the first arcade fighting game to feature fully 3D polygon graphics.

After Burner

Sega, 1987

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After Burner

Sega, 1987

After Burner is a 1987 combat flight simulator arcade game designed by Yu Suzuki for Sega AM2. The player flies an F-14 (with moving seat, in some installations) using a specialized joystick. The game spawned several sequels.

Attack From Mars

Attack From Mars

Chicago Gaming Company, 2017

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Attack From Mars

Attack From Mars

Chicago Gaming Company, 2017

Attack from Mars is a 1995 pinball game designed by Brian Eddy, and released by Midway (under the Bally label). In 2017, the Chicago Gaming Company released a brand new edition of the classic Williams title.

Baby Pac-Man

Bally Midway, 1982

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Baby Pac-Man

Bally Midway, 1982

Baby Pac-Man is an arcade game released by Bally Midway in 1982. The game combines both standard Pac-Man gameplay and pinball.

Burgertime

Bally, 1982

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Burgertime

Bally, 1982

BurgerTime is a 1982 arcade game created by Data East initially for its DECO Cassette System. The player is chef Peter Pepper, who must walk over hamburger ingredients located across a maze of platforms while avoiding pursuing characters.

In the United States, Data East USA licensed BurgerTime for distribution by Bally Midway as a standard dedicated arcade game. Data East also released its own version of BurgerTime in the United States through its DECO Cassette System. The Data East and Midway versions are distinguished by the manufacturer’s name on the title screen and by the marquee and cabinet artworks, as the game itself is identical.

The game’s original Japanese title Hamburger was changed outside of Japan to BurgerTime, reportedly to avoid potential trademark issues. In addition to all releases in the Western world, “BurgerTime” was also the name used on the Japanese ports and sequels.

When Data East went bankrupt in 2003, G-Mode bought most of Data East’s intellectual properties, including BurgerTime, BurgerTime Deluxe, Super BurgerTime, and Peter Pepper’s Ice Cream Factory.

Centipede

Centipede

Atari, 1981

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Centipede

Centipede

Atari, 1981

Centipede is a vertically oriented fixed shooter arcade game produced by Atari, Inc. in June 1981. This game was the first game designed by a woman, Dona Bailey. It was one of the most commercially successful games from the video arcade’s golden age. The player fights off centipedes, spiders, scorpions and fleas, completing a round after eliminating the centipede that winds down the playing field.

Crazy Taxi

Sega, 1999

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Crazy Taxi

Sega, 1999

Crazy Taxi is an open world racing video game developed by Kenji Kanno and his team at Hitmaker and published by Sega. Gameplay is based on picking up taxi customers, and driving to their destination as quickly as possible. Along the way, money can be earned by performing stunts such as near misses with other vehicles. The player is directed to a destination by a large green arrow at the top of the screen. The arrow does not adjust based on obstacles, but rather points in the general direction of the destination. Once the player arrives near the destination, they must stop within a specified zone. When the destination is reached, that customer’s fare is added to the player’s total money earned. Ratings are then awarded depending on how long the player took to complete the journey. If the customer’s timer runs out before the player reaches the destination, the customer will jump from the taxi without paying the driver. The player has a choice of four drivers and their cabs, each of whom has slightly different attributes.

Donkey Kong

Nintendo, 1981

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Donkey Kong

Nintendo, 1981

Donkey Kong is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. An early example of the platform game genre, the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Mario (originally named Mr. Video and then Jumpman) must rescue a damsel in distress named Pauline (originally named Lady), from a giant ape named Donkey Kong. The hero and ape later became two of Nintendo’s most popular and recognizable characters. Donkey Kong is one of the most important games from the golden age of arcade video games as well as one of the most popular and greatest arcade games of all time. The game was the latest in a series of efforts by Nintendo to break into the North American market. Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo’s president at the time, assigned the project to a first-time video game designer named Shigeru Miyamoto. Drawing from a wide range of inspirations, including Popeye, Beauty and the Beast, and King Kong, Miyamoto developed the scenario and designed the game alongside Nintendo’s chief engineer, Gunpei Yokoi. The two men broke new ground by using graphics as a means of characterization, including cutscenes to advance the game’s plot and integrating multiple stages into the gameplay.

Although Nintendo’s American staff was initially apprehensive, Donkey Kong succeeded commercially and critically in North America and Japan. Nintendo licensed the game to Coleco, who developed home console versions for numerous platforms. Other companies cloned Nintendo’s hit and avoided royalties altogether. Miyamoto’s characters appeared on cereal boxes, television cartoons, and dozens of other places. A lawsuit brought on by Universal City Studios (later Universal Studios), alleging Donkey Kong violated its trademark of King Kong, ultimately failed. The success of Donkey Kong and Nintendo’s victory in the courtroom helped to position the company for video game market dominance from its release in 1981 until the late 1990s.

Donkey Kong 3

Nintendo, 1983

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Donkey Kong 3

Nintendo, 1983

Donkey Kong 3 is a platform shooter video game developed and published by Nintendo. It is the third instalment in the Donkey Kong series and it was released for arcades worldwide in 1983 and the Family Computer in 1984, then later released in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986. The gameplay departs from previous Donkey Kong games, being primarily a shooter game, and starring an exterminator named Stanley instead of Mario.

Donkey Kong Junior

Nintendo, 1982

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Donkey Kong Junior

Nintendo, 1982

Donkey Kong Jr. is a 1982 arcade platform game that was released by Nintendo. It is the sequel to Donkey Kong, but with the roles reversed compared to its predecessor: Mario (previously named “Jumpman”) is now the villain and Donkey Kong Jr. is trying to rescue his father. It first released in arcades and, over the course of the decade, was released for a variety of home platforms. The game’s title is written out as Donkey Kong Junior in the North American arcade version and various conversions to non-Nintendo systems.

Dr. Mario

Nintendo, 1990

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Dr. Mario

Nintendo, 1990

Dr. Mario is a 1990 action puzzle video game produced by Gunpei Yokoi, designed by Takahiro Harada, and features a soundtrack composed by Hirokazu Tanaka.

A falling block puzzle game, the player’s objective is to destroy the viruses populating the on-screen playing field by using coloured vitamin capsules that are tossed into the field by Mario, who assumes the role of a doctor. The player manipulates the capsules as they fall, with the goal being to align similar colours which removes the viruses. The player progresses through the game by eliminating all the viruses on the screen in each level.

Final Fight

Capcom, 1989

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Final Fight

Capcom, 1989

Final Fight is a side-scrolling beat-’em-up video game produced by Capcom. Originally released as an arcade game in 1989, it was the seventh title released for the CP System hardware. Set in the fictional Metro City, the game lets the player control one of three street fighters: former pro wrestler and city mayor Mike Haggar, expert brawler Cody Travers, and modern-day ninja Guy. The trio set out to rescue Jessica (Haggar’s daughter and Cody’s girlfriend) when she is kidnapped by the Mad Gear Gang.

Felix

Fix it Felix Jr.

See Notes!

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Felix

Fix it Felix Jr.

See Notes!

In the film, Fix-It Felix, Jr., is an arcade machine that debuted in 1982 from publisher TobiKomi. In reality, however, that game never actually existed. It is instead an homage to Nintendo’s Donkey Kong that the Walt Disney Corporation released in theatres all over the world in 2012.

Frogger

Frogger

Konami, 1981

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Frogger

Frogger

Konami, 1981

Frogger is a 1981 arcade game developed and published by Konami. In North America, it was published jointly by Sega and Gremlin Industries. The object of the game is to direct frogs to their homes one by one by crossing a busy road and navigating a river full of hazards.

Frogger was positively received and followed by several clones and sequels. By 2005, Frogger in its various home video game incarnations had sold 20 million copies worldwide, including 5 million in the United States. The game found its way into popular culture, including television and music.

Galaga

Galaga

Namco / Midway, 1981

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Galaga

Galaga

Namco / Midway, 1981

Galaga is a 1981 fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco. In North America, it was released by Midway Games. Controlling a starship, the player is tasked with destroying the Galaga forces in each stage while avoiding enemies and projectiles. Some enemies can capture a player’s ship via a tractor beam, which can be rescued to transform the player into a “dual fighter” with additional firepower. It is the sequel to Galaxian (1979), Namco’s first major hit in arcades.

Gauntlet Legends

Gauntlet Legends

Atari, 1998

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Gauntlet Legends

Gauntlet Legends

Atari, 1998

Gauntlet Legends is an arcade game released in 1998 by Atari Games. It is a fantasy themed hack and slash styled dungeon crawl game, a sequel to 1985’s popular Gauntlet and 1986’s Gauntlet II and marks the final game in the series to be produced by Atari Games. Its unusual features for an arcade game included passwords and characters that could be saved, enabling players to play over the course of a long period.

Ghosts N’ Goblins

Capcom, 1985

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Ghosts N’ Goblins

Capcom, 1985

Ghosts ‘n Goblins is a run and gun platformer video game series created by Tokuro Fujiwara and developed by Capcom. The first entry in the series was Ghosts ‘n Goblins, released as an arcade title on September 19, 1985. The series has subsequently been released on and ported to a variety of game consoles and mobile platforms and spawned several sequels and spin-offs.

The main series contains seven games: Ghosts ‘n Goblins, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, Makaimura for WonderSwan, Ultimate Ghosts ‘n Goblins, Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Gold Knights, and Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Gold Knights II. The series focuses on the knight Arthur’s quest to save princess Prin-Prin from the demon king Astaroth. The primary spin-offs include the Gargoyle’s Quest and Maximo game series.

The series as a whole has sold over 4.4 million units and stands as the 8th best-selling Capcom game franchise. It has gained a reputation among players for its high level of difficulty.

Godzilla – Premium Edition

Stern, 2021

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Godzilla – Premium Edition

Stern, 2021

In this monster-packed pinball adventure, players become Godzilla! The evil aliens, the Xiliens, use mind control rays to take control of the monsters King Ghidorah, Gigan, Megalon, Ebirah, and Titanosaurus. The Xiliens are demanding all of Earth’s resources. Godzilla and its allies, Mothra, Rodan, and Anguirus, battle the Xilien invasion with the goal of conquering Mechagodzilla to become King of the Monsters!

HOTD2

House of the Dead II

Sega, 1998

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HOTD2

House of the Dead II

Sega, 1998

The House of the Dead 2 is a first-person light gun shooter arcade game with a horror theme and the second game in The House of the Dead series of video games. The direct sequel to The House of the Dead, it was developed by Sega for arcades on the Sega NAOMI board in November 1998 and later ported to the Dreamcast in 1999 and Microsoft Windows in 2001, and also found on the Xbox as an unlockable bonus in The House of the Dead III. The game appears in the compilation The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return for Wii. The Dreamcast version became a Sega All Stars title.

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

Stern, 2018

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Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

Stern, 2018

The Iron Maiden pinball machines aim to reflect the same excitement, energy, and experience of a live Iron Maiden concert. Players will immerse themselves in an interactive Iron Maiden universe transforming into various forms of Eddie, the band’s legendary mascot. Players, as Eddie, will embark on a quest to defeat the Beast and his minions across the Legacy of the Beast mobile game and comic book world. Iron Maiden pinball entertains with an amazing array of modern and classic features, making it suitable for all skill levels.

Jurassic Park Premium

Stern, 2019

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Jurassic Park Premium

Stern, 2019

Like the blockbuster movie, the Jurassic Park pinball experience generates heart pounding excitement as the player progresses through the game. As the game starts, the player is transported to Isla Nublar, an amusement park where escaped dinosaurs are running amok! The player’s mission is to rescue park staff and recapture dinosaurs from the chaotic environment unleashed by Dennis Nedry’s computer virus. All dinosaurs, however, are not created equal as players will battle Raptors and the mighty T. Rex! The game immerses players in the fun world of battling dinosaurs in an action-packed adventure filled with twists and turns.

Lord of the Rings

Lord of the Rings

Stern, 2003

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Lord of the Rings

Lord of the Rings

Stern, 2003

The Lord of the Rings is a 2003 pinball game designed by George Gomez and distributed by Stern Pinball. It is based on The Lord of the Rings, which was first released in 2001.

Marble Madness

Atari, 1984

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Marble Madness

Atari, 1984

Marble Madness is an arcade video game designed by Mark Cerny and published by Atari Games in 1984. It is a platform game in which the player must guide a marble through six courses, populated with obstacles and enemies, within a time limit. The player controls the marble by using a trackball. Marble Madness is known for using innovative game technologies: it was Atari’s first to use the Atari System 1 hardware, the first to be programmed in the C programming language, and one of the first to use true stereo sound (previous games used either monaural sound or simulated stereo).

In designing the game, Cerny drew inspiration from miniature golf, racing games, and artwork by M. C. Escher. He aimed to create a game that offered a distinct experience with a unique control system. Cerny applied a minimalist approach in designing the appearance of the game’s courses and enemies. Throughout development, he was frequently impeded by limitations in technology and had to forgo several design ideas.

Upon its release to arcades, Marble Madness was commercially successful and profitable. Critics praised the game’s difficulty, unique visual design, and stereo soundtrack. The game was ported to numerous platforms and inspired the development of other games. A sequel was developed and planned for release in 1991, but canceled when location testing showed the game could not succeed in competition with other titles.

Medieval Madness

Medieval Madness

Chicago Gaming Company, 2013

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Medieval Madness

Medieval Madness

Chicago Gaming Company, 2013

Medieval Madness is a Williams pinball machine released in June 1997. Designed by Brian Eddy and programmed by Lyman Sheats, it had a production run of 4,016 units. It is often regarded by many to be the greatest pinball machine of all time.

In 2013, the Chicago Gaming Company released two editions of the classic Williams title: Medieval Madness Remake, and Medieval Madness Remake Limited Edition. Both editions of the game include LED lighting on the playfield and a new color display.

Monster Bash

Chicago Gaming Company, 2018

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Monster Bash

Chicago Gaming Company, 2018

Monster Bash is a pinball machine produced by Williams. The game features some Universal Monsters including The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Wolfman, Frankenstein’s monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy.

Monster Bash is the highly anticipated third game in the Chicago Gaming Companies series of remakes of the greatest Bally and Williams pinball machines.

Monster Bash Remake was recreated to exceed the high standards of the original game. By using modern electronics, LED lighting, and today’s manufacturing technology, the game will provide the pinball experience you have grown to love along with the reliability and craftsmanship that is demanded in today’s pinball market.

Mortal Kombat II

Midway, 1993

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Mortal Kombat II

Midway, 1993

Mortal Kombat II is a fighting game produced by Midway for the arcades in 1993.

It is the second entry in the Mortal Kombat series and is the sequel to Mortal Kombat, improving the gameplay and expanding the mythos of the original Mortal Kombat, notably introducing more varied finishing moves (including several Fatalities per character and new finishers, such as Babality and Friendship) and several iconic characters, such as Kitana, Mileena, Kung Lao, Noob Saibot, and the series’ recurring villain, Shao Kahn. The game’s plot continues from the first game, featuring the next Mortal Kombat tournament set in the otherdimensional realm of Outworld, with the Outworld and Earthrealm representatives fighting each other on their way to challenge the evil emperor Shao Kahn.

Mr. Do!

Universal, 1982

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Mr. Do!

Universal, 1982

Mr. Do! is a 1982 maze game developed by Universal. It is the first arcade video game to be released as a conversion kit for other arcade machines; Taito published the conversion kit in Japan. The game was inspired by Namco’s Dig Dug released earlier in 1982. Mr. Do! was a commercial success in Japan and North America, selling 30,000 arcade units in the US, and it was followed by several arcade sequels.

Ms Pacman

Ms. Pac-Man

Midway, 1982

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Ms Pacman

Ms. Pac-Man

Midway, 1982

Ms. Pac-Man is a 1982 maze arcade game developed by General Computer Corporation and published by Midway. It is the sequel to Pac-Man (1980), and the first entry in the series to not be made by Namco. Controlling the titular character, the player is tasked with eating all of the pellets in an enclosed maze while avoiding four colored ghosts. Eating large flashing “Power Pellets” will cause the ghosts to turn blue and flee, which can be consumed for bonus points.

NARC

NARC

Williams, 1988

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NARC

NARC

Williams, 1988

Narc is a 1988 run and gun arcade game designed by Eugene Jarvis for Williams Electronics and programmed by George Petro. It was one of the first ultra-violent video games and a frequent target of parental criticism of the video game industry. The object is to arrest and kill drug offenders, confiscate their money and drugs, and defeat “Mr. Big”. It was the first game in the newly restarted Williams Electronics coin-op division, after being acquired by Midway.

Operation Wolf

Taito, 1987

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Operation Wolf

Taito, 1987

Operation Wolf (オペレーションウルフ Operēshon Urufu) is a one-player shooter video game made by Taito in 1987.[1] It spawned three sequels: Operation Thunderbolt (1988), Operation Wolf 3 (1994) and Operation Tiger (1998). Assuming the role of Special Forces Operative Roy Adams, the player attempts to rescue five hostages who are being held captive in enemy territory. The game is divided into six stages, each of which advances the story when completed. For example, after the Jungle stage is completed, Adams interrogates an enemy soldier and learns the location of the concentration camp where the hostages are being held. This was one of the first shooter games to feature a storyline.

Out Run

Sega, 1986

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Out Run

Sega, 1986

Out Run is an arcade driving video game released by Sega in September 1986. It is known for its pioneering hardware and graphics, nonlinear gameplay, a selectable soundtrack with music composed by Hiroshi Kawaguchi, and the hydraulic motion simulator deluxe arcade cabinet. The goal is to avoid traffic and reach one of five destinations.

Paperboy

Atari, 1985

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Paperboy

Atari, 1985

Paperboy is an arcade game developed and published by Atari Games. It was released in North America in April 1985. The player takes the role of a paperboy who delivers a fictional newspaper called “The Daily Sun” along a suburban street on his bicycle. The player attempts to deliver a week of daily newspapers to subscribing customers, attempts to vandalize non-subscribers’ homes and must avoid hazards along the street. Subscribers are lost by missing a delivery or damaging a subscriber’s house.

The game begins with a choice of difficulty levels: Easy Street, Middle Road and Hard Way. The object of the game is to perfectly deliver papers to subscribers for an entire week and avoid crashing (which counts as one of the player’s lives) before the week ends. The game lasts for seven in-game days, Monday through Sunday. Controlling the paperboy with the handlebar controls, the player attempts to deliver newspapers to subscribers. Each day begins by showing an overview of the street indicating subscribers and non-subscribers. Subscribers and non-subscribers’ homes are also easy to discern in the level itself, with subscribers living in brightly colored houses, and non-subscribers living in dark houses.

The player scores points for each paper delivered successfully, and more points if they throw it into the mailbox, as well as breakage points by damaging the houses of non-subscribers. A perfect delivery results in all the points being worth double for that day. At the end of each stage is a training course with various obstacles to throw papers at and to jump over, and the player scores a bonus for finishing the course. Crashing on the course ends the round, but does not cost the player a life.

When a player fails to deliver a paper to a house, the resident will cancel their subscription, and the house turns dark. Doing a perfect delivery can gain back subscribers previously lost.

In Japan, Game Machine listed Paperboy on their November 1, 1985 issue as being the fifth most-successful upright arcade unit of the year.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean

Stern, 2006

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Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean

Stern, 2006

Pirates of the Caribbean is a pinball machine designed by Dennis Nordman and produced by Stern Pinball. It is based on the motion picture franchise of the same name and was advertised with the slogan “The Greatest Pinball Adventure Of All-Time!”

Pole Position

Namco, 1982

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Pole Position

Namco, 1982

Pole Position is an arcade racing video game that was released by Namco in 1982 and licensed to Atari, Inc. for US manufacture and distribution, running on the Namco Pole Position arcade system board. It was the most popular coin-operated arcade game of 1983, and is considered one of the most important titles from the video arcade’s golden age. Pole Position was released in two configurations: a standard upright cabinet, and an environmental/cockpit cabinet. Both versions feature a steering wheel and a gear shifter for low and high gears, but the environmental/cockpit cabinet featured both an accelerator and a brake pedal, while the standard upright one only featured an accelerator pedal.

By 1983, it had become the highest-grossing arcade game that year in North America, where it had sold over 21,000 machines for $61 million ($158 million in 2019), in addition to earning $450 ($1168 in 2019) weekly revenues per machine. It was the most successful racing game of the classic era, spawning ports, sequels, and a Saturday morning cartoon, although the cartoon had nothing in common with the game. The game established the conventions of the racing game genre and its success inspired numerous imitators. Pole Position is regarded as one of the most influential video games of all time and “arguably the most important racing game ever made.”

Popeye

Nintendo, 1982

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Popeye

Nintendo, 1982

Popeye arrived in the arcades in 1982. Like all of Nintendo’s early arcade hits, this game was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. Nintendo’s acquisition of the Popeye license was rumored to have coincided with the motion picture release of Popeye staring Robin Williams as the title character. Though it is not unusual in this day and age for a game to be based on a license, it was a rarer sight in the early 80s.

Q*bert

Gottlieb, 1982

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Q*bert

Gottlieb, 1982

Q*bert is an arcade game developed and published for the North American market by Gottlieb in 1982. It is a 2D action game with puzzle elements that uses isometric graphics to create a pseudo-3D effect. The objective of each level in the game is to change the color of every cube in a pyramid by making Q*bert, the on-screen character, hop on top of the cube while avoiding obstacles and enemies. Players use a joystick to control the character.

The game was conceived by Warren Davis and Jeff Lee. Lee designed the title character and original concept, which was further developed and implemented by Davis. Q*bert was developed under the project name Cubes.

Q*bert was well-received in arcades and among critics. The game was Gottlieb’s most successful video game, and is among the most recognized brands from the golden age of arcade games. It has been ported to numerous platforms. The game’s success resulted in sequels and the use of the character’s likeness in merchandising, such as appearances on lunch boxes, toys, and an animated television show. The Q*bert character became known for his “swearing” – an incoherent phrase made of synthesized speech generated by the sound chip and a speech balloon of nonsensical characters that appear when he collides with an enemy.

Because the game was developed during the period when Columbia Pictures owned Gottlieb, the intellectual rights to Q*bert remained with Columbia, even after they divested themselves of Gottlieb’s assets in 1984. Therefore, the rights have been owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment since its parent, Sony, acquired Columbia in 1989. Q*bert appeared in Disney’s computer-animated film Wreck-It Ralph under license from Sony, and later appeared in Columbia’s live-action film Pixels in 2015.

Rampage

Bally, 1986

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Rampage

Bally, 1986

Rampage is a 1986 arcade game by Bally Midway. Players take control of a trio of gigantic monsters trying to survive against onslaughts of military forces. Each round is completed when a particular city is completely reduced to rubble. Warner Bros. currently owns all rights to the property via their purchase of Midway Games.

Rampage was inspired by the monster film King Kong, the kaiju film Godzilla, and the platform game Donkey Kong. In turn, Rampage inspired a 2018 film adaptation of the same name. It was a horrible movie. (ES)

RoadBlasters

RoadBlasters

Atari, 1987

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RoadBlasters

RoadBlasters

Atari, 1987

RoadBlasters is a combat racing arcade game released by Atari Games in 1987. In RoadBlasters, the player must navigate an armed sports car through 50 different rally races, getting to the finish line before running out of fuel.

Silent Scope

Silent Scope

Konami, 1999

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Silent Scope

Silent Scope

Konami, 1999

Silent Scope is an arcade game created in 1999 by Konami. The game puts the player in the shoes of a sniper during a series of terrorist incidents. It is the first in the Silent Scope series.

Simpsons, The

Konami, 1991

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Simpsons, The

Konami, 1991

The Simpsons is an arcade beat ’em up developed and published by Konami released in 1991. It was the first video game based on the Simpsons franchise to be released in North America. The game allows up to four players to control members of the Simpson family as they fight various enemies to rescue the kidnapped Maggie.

Spy Hunter

Bally Midway, 1983

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Spy Hunter

Bally Midway, 1983

Spy Hunter is a vehicular combat action game developed by Bally Midway and released for arcades in 1983.The game draws inspiration from the James Bond films and was originally supposed to carry the James Bond brand. The object of the game is to drive down roads in the technologically advanced “Interceptor” car and destroy various enemy vehicles with a variety of onboard weapons.

Street Fighter 2

Street Fighter II

Capcom, 1992

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Street Fighter 2

Street Fighter II

Capcom, 1992

Street Fighter II: Champion Edition is a fighting game released for the arcades by Capcom in 1992. It was the first of several updated versions of Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, part of the Street Fighter II sub-series of Street Fighter games. The main changes were the addition of the Grand Masters (the final four computer-controlled opponents in the single-player mode) as playable characters and mirror matches (vs. matches using the same character). The fighting techniques of the eight main characters from the original game were also further refined to allow for more-balanced competitive play.

Super Off Road

Super Off Road

Leland, 1989

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Super Off Road

Super Off Road

Leland, 1989

Ivan “Ironman” Stewart’s Super Off Road is an arcade video game released in 1989 by Leland Corporation. The game was endorsed by professional off road racer Ivan Stewart. Virgin Games produced several home versions in 1990. In 1991, a home console version for the Nintendo Entertainment System was later released by Leland’s Tradewest subsidiary, followed by versions for most major home formats including the Master System, Genesis, Super NES, Amiga, and MS-DOS. A port for the Atari Jaguar was announced but never released. Some of the ports removed Ivan Stewart’s name from the title due to licensing issues and are known simply as Super Off Road.

Super Sprint

Super Sprint

Atari, 1986

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Super Sprint

Super Sprint

Atari, 1986

Super Sprint is a 1986 arcade game by Atari Games. The player drives a Formula One-like car on a circuit that is viewed from above. The game is a successor to Gran Trak 10 and the Sprint series, which were black-and-white games from the 1970s. A sequel, Championship Sprint, was released later in the same year.

Terminator 2

T2: Judgement Day

Midway, 1991

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Terminator 2

T2: Judgement Day

Midway, 1991

Terminator 2: Judgment Day or T2 is a gun shooting video game based on the film of the same name, produced by Midway Manufacturing Company for the arcades in 1991. Home conversions were released by Acclaim Entertainment for various platforms under the title of T2: The Arcade Game in order to avoid confusion with the numerous tie-in games also based on the movie.

Tapper

Tapper

Bally, 1983

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Tapper

Tapper

Bally, 1983

Tapper, also known as Root Beer Tapper, is a 1983 arcade game developed by Marvin Glass and Associates and released by Bally Midway. Tapper puts the player in the shoes of a bartender who must serve eager, thirsty patrons (before their patience expires) while collecting empty mugs and tips.

Originally sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, the arcade version features a Budweiser motif. It was intended to be sold to bars, with cabinets sporting a brass rail footrest and drink holders. Early machines had game controllers that were actual Budweiser beer tap handles, which were later replaced by smaller, plastic versions with the Budweiser logo on them. The re-themed Root Beer Tapper followed in 1984, which was developed specifically for arcades because the original version was construed as advertising alcohol to minors.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time

Konami, 1991

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time

Konami, 1991

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time is a beat ’em up arcade video game produced by Konami and released in 1991 based mainly on the 1987 TMNT animated series.

Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation

Raw Thrills, 2010

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Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation

Raw Thrills, 2010

Terminator Salvation was released in 2010 in the arcades. It’s a light gun shooter developed by Play Mechanix and published by Raw Thrills.

Tetris

Tetris

Atari, 1987

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Tetris

Tetris

Atari, 1987

Tetris is a tile-matching puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Soviet Russian software engineer Alexey Pajitnov. The first playable version was completed on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the Soviet Union in Moscow. He derived its name from combining the Greek numerical prefix tetra- (the falling pieces contain 4 segments) and tennis, Pajitnov’s favorite sport. The name is also used in-game to refer to the play where four lines are cleared at once.

Tron

Bally, 1982

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Tron

Bally, 1982

Tron is a coin-operated arcade video game manufactured and distributed by Bally Midway in 1982. The game consists of four subgames inspired by the events of the Walt Disney Productions motion picture Tron released in the same year. The lead programmer was Bill Adams.

Tron was followed by the 1983 sequel, Discs of Tron, which was not as successful as the original. A number of other licensed Tron games were released for home systems, but these were based directly on elements of the movie and not the arcade game; the arcade game was not ported to any contemporary systems.

X-Men

X-Men

Konami, 1992

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X-Men

X-Men

Konami, 1992

X-Men is an arcade game produced by Konami in 1992. It is a side-scrolling beat ’em up based on the Marvel Comics characters of the same name. The character designs of the X-Men and the supervillains in the game are based on the 1989 X-Men pilot episode X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men. In the game, players control one of the six playable X-Men to defeat their enemy Magneto. Konami made a six-player version of the game utilizing two screens housed in a deluxe cabinet.

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