Best 100 Video Games of the 80s Voted by Fans - NSF News and Magazine (2024)

The 1980s were a seminal decade for video games, a period that saw the medium come into its own with an explosion of creativity and technological advances. Over the span of ten years, we saw a myriad of innovative titles across different platforms, shaping the landscape of gaming as we know it today. This guide aims to take you on a nostalgic journey through the top 100 video games of the 80s.

Starting with renowned classics such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Pac-Man, the list includes a number of games that have left an indelible mark on the industry. These titles have spawned numerous sequels, spin-offs, and reboots, and their characters and gameplay mechanics have become firmly embedded in popular culture.

The 80s also saw the emergence of the RPG genre with games like Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar, Dragon Warrior, and The Bard’s Tale. These games were known for their expansive worlds, intricate narratives, and complex systems that let players tailor their characters and strategies.

Top 100 video games from the 1980s

1. Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988, NES): The third installment in the Super Mario series brought more depth and variety to the platforming genre.
2. The Legend of Zelda (1986, NES): This game set the standard for open-world adventure games with its vast world and non-linear gameplay.
3. Tetris (1984, Multiple platforms): This puzzle game became a worldwide phenomenon due to its simple, yet addictive gameplay.
4. Donkey Kong (1981, Arcade): One of the earliest platform games, introducing the world to Mario (then known as Jumpman) for the first time.
5. Pac-Man (1980, Arcade): An icon of 1980s pop culture, this maze arcade game is still widely recognized and played today.
6. Super Mario Bros. (1985, NES): Mario’s first adventure on the NES set a new standard for platformers and video games in general.
7. Mega Man 2 (1988, NES): The second installment in the Mega Man series refined the gameplay and is often considered the best in the series.
8. Metroid (1986, NES): This action-adventure game is notable for its atmospheric exploration and the revelation that its protagonist, Samus, is female.
9. Final Fantasy (1987, NES): The first in a long series of RPGs, Final Fantasy set the standard for the genre with its story and gameplay mechanics.
10. Space Invaders (1980, Arcade): As one of the earliest shooting games, Space Invaders had a major impact on the future of the video game industry.
11. Duck Hunt (1984, NES): This light gun shooter game is remembered for its engaging gameplay and its role as a pack-in game for the NES.
12. Castlevania (1986, NES): This action-adventure game introduced the world to Simon Belmont and his fight against Dracula and his minions.
13. Galaga (1981, Arcade): This fixed shooter game is still recognized for its gameplay mechanics and design.
14. Zork I: The Great Underground Empire (1980, PC): This interactive fiction game offered a deep narrative and introduced many to the potential of computer-based storytelling.
15. Contra (1987, NES): This run-and-gun action game is remembered for its cooperative gameplay and high level of difficulty.
16. The Secret of Monkey Island (1990, PC): Although it technically falls just outside of the 80s, this point-and-click graphic adventure game is notable for its humor and innovative design.
17. Bubble Bobble (1986, Arcade): This platform game is remembered for its fun two-player cooperative gameplay and catchy music.
18. Dig Dug (1982, Arcade): This arcade game combined elements of puzzle and action games and has been ported to numerous platforms.
19. Adventure (1980, Atari 2600): One of the earliest action-adventure games, Adventure is recognized for pioneering numerous gameplay elements.
20. Elite (1984, BBC Micro and Acorn Electron): One of the earliest space trading and combat simulators, Elite’s open-ended game model and revolutionary 3D graphics had a significant impact on subsequent game design.
21. Dragon Warrior (1986, NES): Known as Dragon Quest in Japan, this game helped define the RPG genre and became a cultural phenomenon.
22. Street Fighter (1987, Arcade): This game pioneered the fighting game genre and led to numerous successful sequels.
23. SimCity (1989, PC): This city-building and management simulation game inspired countless other simulation games.
24. Centipede (1980, Arcade): A classic fixed shooter arcade game, notable for its fast-paced gameplay.
25. Gauntlet (1985, Arcade): A revolutionary multiplayer dungeon crawl arcade game.
26. Punch-Out!! (1987, NES): Known for its challenging gameplay and memorable characters, this boxing game was a huge hit.
27. Ms. Pac-Man (1982, Arcade): A popular sequel to Pac-Man with new mazes and improved gameplay.
28. Double Dragon (1987, Arcade): One of the earliest beat ’em up games, it introduced co-operative two-player action.
29. Excitebike (1984, NES): This motocross racing game is known for its fun gameplay and track editor.
30. Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985, PC): This RPG was praised for its deep storyline and character development.
31. Ghosts ‘n Goblins (1985, Arcade): Known for its high level of difficulty, this game became a classic of the platform genre.
32. King’s Quest III: To Heir Is Human (1986, PC): The third game in the groundbreaking adventure game series.
33. Q*bert (1982, Arcade): A unique action game with puzzle elements that became an arcade classic.
34. Asteroids (1980, Arcade): A popular and influential multi-directional shooter.
35. Prince of Persia (1989, Apple II): This platformer is known for its realistic animation and level design.
36. BurgerTime (1982, Arcade): A fun and challenging game where you make hamburgers while avoiding enemies.
37. R-Type (1987, Arcade): This horizontally scrolling shooter game is known for its challenging gameplay and design.
38. Lode Runner (1983, Apple II): This platformer includes puzzle elements and a level editor.
39. Kings of the Beach (1988, PC): One of the first successful beach volleyball video games.
40. Wing Commander (1990, PC): Although technically released in 1990, this space combat simulator had a significant impact on future games in the genre.
41. Defender (1980, Arcade): This game revolutionized the shooter genre with its horizontal scrolling and complex controls.
42. Boulder Dash (1984, Various platforms): This is a popular puzzle/arcade game that involved digging through caves and avoiding enemies and obstacles.
43. Pitfall! (1982, Atari 2600): This early platform game set the stage for the genre, introducing concepts like jumping and swinging over hazards.
44. Zaxxon (1982, Arcade): Known for its isometric perspective, this arcade shooter was a pioneer in its genre.
45. Maniac Mansion (1987, PC): This point-and-click graphic adventure was one of the earliest games to use the SCUMM game engine.
46. Ninja Gaiden (1988, NES): This game brought cinematic storytelling to the action-platformer genre.
47. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1982, Atari 2600): Based on the successful movie franchise, this game let players take on the role of Luke Skywalker in the Battle of Hoth.
48. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! (1987, NES): This sports game is still fondly remembered for its fun boxing gameplay and challenging boss fights.
49. The Bard’s Tale (1985, PC): This fantasy role-playing game is known for its complex gameplay and is considered one of the forefathers of the RPG genre.
50. Frogger (1981, Arcade): This arcade game became a classic with its simple but addictive gameplay of helping a frog cross a busy street and river.
51. Battlezone (1980, Arcade): This game is known for its 3D vector graphics and first-person perspective, which was a novelty at the time.
52. OutRun (1986, Arcade): This driving game allowed players to choose their route, a unique feature at the time.
53. Shadowgate (1987, Macintosh): This point-and-click adventure game is known for its atmospheric graphics and high level of difficulty.
54. Joust (1982, Arcade): This game introduced cooperative two-player gameplay to the platform genre.
55. Spy Hunter (1983, Arcade): An action/driving game where the player controls a spy car equipped with various weapons.
56. Tempest (1980, Arcade): One of the first vector graphic arcade games, it’s known for its fast-paced gameplay.
57. Missile Command (1980, Arcade): This arcade game was one of the first to use a trackball controller.
58. Robotron: 2084 (1982, Arcade): This game introduced twin-stick controls and frantic gameplay to the shoot ’em up genre.
59. Karate Champ (1984, Arcade): Considered the precursor to modern fighting games.
60. Wizard of Wor (1980, Arcade): This maze-like shooter offered cooperative two-player gameplay and speech synthesis, which was quite innovative at the time.
61. Ikari Warriors (1986, Arcade): A vertically scrolling, run-and-gun shoot ’em up arcade game.
62. Tron (1982, Arcade): This game capitalized on the success of the movie, with gameplay inspired by scenes from the film.
63. 1942 (1984, Arcade): This vertically scrolling shoot ’em up game set in the Pacific theater of World War II was a staple in arcades.
64. Elevator Action (1983, Arcade): This game combines elements of platforming and shooting in a multi-level building.
65. Qix (1981, Arcade): This unique and innovative game involves sectioning off portions of the screen while avoiding enemies.
66. Paperboy (1984, Arcade): This game stood out with its unique premise of delivering newspapers.
67. Rampage (1986, Arcade): Players take on the role of giant monsters destroying cities in this fun, cooperative game.
68. Kung-Fu Master (1984, Arcade): This game established many of the conventions of the beat ’em up genre.
69. Archon: The Light and the Dark (1983, Various platforms): A strategic board game with real-time battle sequences, it’s considered a precursor to the modern battle chess genre.
70. Gauntlet II (1986, Arcade): This follow-up to the popular original game added new features and allowed any player to select the same character.
71. Gyruss (1983, Arcade): This space-themed shoot ’em up is notable for its use of music and its tube shooter design.
72. Tapper (1983, Arcade): This game offers a unique premise of serving patrons at a bar as quickly as possible.
73. Moon Patrol (1982, Arcade): This side-scrolling shooter introduced parallax scrolling to the genre.
74. Crazy Climber (1980, Arcade): One of the first climbing games which requires players to use two joysticks for control.
75. Marble Madness (1984, Arcade): This game introduced the use of physics and a trackball controller to navigate a marble through a maze.
76. Xenon 2: Megablast (1989, PC): This vertical scrolling shooter is known for its power-up system and soundtrack.
77. Track & Field (1983, Arcade): This sports-themed arcade game popularized the button-mashing gameplay mechanic.
78. Dig Dug II (1985, Arcade): The sequel to Dig Dug, introducing new mechanics and gameplay to the series.
79. Crystal Castles (1983, Arcade): One of the first arcade games with a true 3D perspective.
80. Food Fight (1983, Arcade): This quirky game is known for its unique premise of a food fight against chefs.
81. Choplifter (1982, Various platforms): This game innovated the side-scrolling shooter genre with rescue missions using a helicopter.
82. Breakout (1986, Arcade): A block-breaking game that influenced countless successors.
83. Starflight (1986, PC): A space exploration, combat, and trading game that is notable for its large open world.
84. The Oregon Trail (1985, Apple II): This educational game was a staple in many schools, teaching about 19th-century pioneer life.
85. Yie Ar Kung-Fu (1985, Arcade): One of the earliest fighting games that inspired future franchises in the genre.
86. Pole Position (1982, Arcade): This Formula 1 racing game was one of the first to offer a realistic driving experience.
87. Rygar (1986, Arcade): This action-adventure platformer introduced new mechanics and power-ups that influenced later games.
88. Moonmist (1986, PC): A text adventure game from Infocom, known for its atmospheric narrative and multiple endings.
89. Sinistar (1982, Arcade): This game is known for its fast-paced gameplay and synthesized voice of the antagonist, Sinistar.
90. Golden Axe (1989, Arcade): This side-scrolling beat ’em up game is known for its cooperative multiplayer gameplay.
91. Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards (1987, PC): This adult-themed adventure game is known for its humor and risqué content.
92. Jungle Hunt (1982, Arcade): This game offers diverse gameplay with different stages including vine swinging, swimming, and rock dodging.
93. After Burner II (1987, Arcade): This flight combat simulator introduced innovative gameplay and immersive cabinet design.
94. Bump ‘n’ Jump (1982, Arcade): This game combined car racing with platform jumping mechanics.
95. Arkanoid (1986, Arcade): A popular Breakout-style game that introduced power-ups and enemy types.
96. The Bard’s Tale II: The Destiny Knight (1986, PC): The sequel to the popular RPG game, offering a larger world and more complex puzzles.
97. Raid on Bungeling Bay (1984, Commodore 64): This was one of the earliest helicopter shoot ’em up games, designed by Will Wright who later created SimCity.
98. Stunt Car Racer (1989, Various platforms): Known for its elevated tracks and realistic physics, it’s considered one of the best early racing games.
99. Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja (1988, Arcade): A side-scrolling beat ’em up game, known for its memorable catchphrase “Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the President?”.
100. Spy vs. Spy (1984, Various platforms): Based on the comic strip of the same name, this game offered unique competitive multiplayer gameplay.

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