10 Definitive Golden Age Classic Games

Phetishboy

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I know we've done top x lists before, but in all the confusion since I started getting into this hobby, I've kinda lost sight of what a 'classic' game really is. Whether it be because I have owned and gotten bored with a certain title, popular opinion has turned against a certain title, or I bought the hype on a game I never played BITD and ended up hating it once I owned it, I have forgotten what I used to think a classic game was/is. When I was about age 8-12 (1980-1984), it seemed I knew what the classics were. How you ask? Arcade-themed Cartoons, cereals, sweepstakes, etc usually targeted and touted them endlessly. After careful consideration, I have decided on 10 arcade games that still scream classic! to me. This list is somewhat biased of course, but I am also basing it on the hype and the general overwhelming exposure certain titles had when they were still new to popular culture. I'll show you my 10, then you can show me yours.

Asteroids
Pacman
*Zaxxon
Q*bert
*Dig Dug
Centipede
Pole Position
*Frogger
Donkey Kong
Berzerk

That's what I remember the classics to be during the arcade's reign in popular culture. I am not asking for your favorite games, or some rare obscure title that now commands thousands. I am asking you to give me the 10 most classic arcade game titles you can think of from the Golden Age.

*I can't believe how many of these games I still don't own or have never owned.
 
Asteroids
Pacman
*Zaxxon
Q*bert
*Dig Dug
Centipede
Pole Position
*Frogger
Donkey Kong
Berzerk

I like your list and where you're coming from, but I think I would replace Berzerk and Zaxxon. Possibly add Joust and Ms. Pac-Man. I'm on the fence about Dig Dug...

Asteroids
Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Q*bert
Dig Dug
Centipede
Pole Position
Frogger
Donkey Kong
Joust
 
I like your list and where you're coming from, but I think I would replace Berzerk and Zaxxon. Possibly add Joust and Ms. Pac-Man. I'm on the fence about Dig Dug...

Asteroids
Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Q*bert
Dig Dug
Centipede
Pole Position
Frogger
Donkey Kong
Joust

I can see Joust for Berzerk, but I cannot agree on Ms. Pacman. Pacman was everywhere (some would say still is). The song was titled "Pacman Fever" for a reason. Ms. Pacman was a later afterthought. Popular sure, but really, it was a game based on Pacman and rode that game's coat tails harder than Fritz ride's the Janitor's 'broom stick" down at the Y.
 
I like this list ^^^, but I would replace Joust with Galaga.

Asteroids
Pac-Man
Space Invaders
Q*bert
Dig Dug
Centipede
Pole Position
Frogger
Donkey Kong
Galaga
 
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10 classics...

The best classics all had sequels! :p

Space Invaders / Space Invaders Deluxe
Asteroids / Asteroids Deluxe
Pacman / Ms. Pacman
Galaga
Robotron
Tempest
Frogger
Centipede / Millipede
Q*Bert
Donkey Kong / Donkey Kong Jr. (not DK 3!)

Very Honorable Mentions:
Zoo Keeper
Tron
Missile Command
Battlezone
Bezerk
Pole Position / Pole Position II
(hmmm this should be a top 20 list!)

One thing in common with most classics they are all simple gameplay. Easy to learn how to play (eat dots and blue guys) and difficult to master (255 board).
 
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Fail x 4 people...

Asteroids came out in 1979... Space Invaders 1978...

The "Golden Age" started in 1980... prior = "Bronze Age"...

;)
 
When talking about "ages", most (including I) subscribe to the manufacture date to determine where they sit in a timeline.

My list:

Pac Man
Ms. Pac Man
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Jr.
Galaga
Joust
Robotron
Star Wars
Tempest
Tron
 
Fail x 4 people...

Asteroids came out in 1979... Space Invaders 1978...

Hi guy, who said what year the game had to come out? I said when they were popular. Asteroids was still pretty popular in 1980. I also gave those years 1980-84 as a reference, that's when I actually cared about arcade games 'myself'. I remember seeing a few Sea Wolfs out in the wild well into 1983, and that game came out in 1976. Does that make the game less relevant? No, the fact that it had no cartoon or cereal based on it does. Though for some reason I always think of Johnny Quest when I think of Sea Wolf.
 
Star Wars
Tempest
Tron

See, these were cool games, but not really part of the 'popular' arcade game scene. Star Wars hype had nothing to do with an arcade game (especially one that came out 6 years after the movie was released). I would also argue not many people played TRON or even saw or liked the movie back then. Yeah it's an awesome cabinet and we as collectors just love it and the movie now, but back then? No one gave 2 shits. Tempest? I doubt many of them were working long enough to gain much popularity after the game's initial release year.
 
I have heard Golden Age used to signify more than one set of dates. I think the Golden age was 1978-1983.

My Top 10 list of games that defined the era:

Asteroids
Defender
Ms Pac
Pac-man
Galaga
Pole Position
Robotron
Donkey Kong
Frogger
Centipede
 
See, these were cool games, but not really part of the 'popular' arcade game scene. Star Wars hype had nothing to do with an arcade game (especially one that came out 6 years after the movie was released). I would also argue not many people played TRON or even saw or liked the movie back then. Yeah it's an awesome cabinet and we as collectors just love it and the movie now, but back then? No one gave 2 shits. Tempest? I doubt many of them were working long enough to gain much popularity after the game's initial release year.

Maybe not where you were... but my local arcade had 2 cockpits and 4 uprights to begin with and toward the end the cockpit and 2 uprights stood. Tempest was huge... as was TRON. Hell, TRON had a dedicated "wing" of the arcade for a bit. It's pretty much common knowledge that TRON the video game was "HUGE" ... much more so than the movie which was considered a stinker for the most part. (by the guys who do the numbers)
 
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Don't know how I left out Galaga- definitely in my list. I still stand firm on Ms. Pac-Man being in there along with Pac-Man.

I can see Star Wars and Tron as well. We played the shit out of them BITD and I do remember my local arcade having at least 2 of each...
 
Lookie... Tempest right there in the front:

TimeOut.jpg


Oooo.... Tempest right in the front here too...

funTerminal.jpg

funTerminal2.jpg


Another Tempest... seems they were pretty popular...

EG82March153.jpg


The more I think about it though... my list needs to be expanded/modified.

Frogger... HUGE for the time. There were Frogger's everywhere.
Defender... also huge... Defender was at even Grocery stores.
Gorf... there were multiple Gorf cabs in my area.

Just so many...
 
Fritz, quit being such a dick. This isn't the political forum, you don't have to try and 'win'. Did Tempest have a cartoon, a cereal, a pack of gum, anything? Again, I'm not asking for your favorite game, or a game that is now the darling of collectors, or a game that made it into arcades for a year or so, I am talking about definitive, everybody-loves-and-remembers-them pop culture games. I did mention Frogger, and I agree that Defender is a good one. But GORF? WTF is wrong with you? Awesome cabinet but who, outside of arcade collector's circles even knows about or remembers that game? No one that I've ever talked to in the real world, that's for sure.
 
I would think the following would be near concensus picks:
Space Invaders
Asteroids
Pacman
Galaga
Defender
Donkey Kong

and then filling out the top ten...
Centipede
Pole Position
Frogger
Q*bert

"bubble teams" in no order...
Tempest
Zaxxon
Berzerk
Gorf
Galaxian
Missile Command
Track & Field
Joust
Phoenix
Monaco GP
 
Fritz, quit being such a dick. This isn't the political forum, you don't have to try and 'win'. Did Tempest have a cartoon, a cereal, a pack of gum, anything? Again, I'm not asking for your favorite game, or a game that is now the darling of collectors, or a game that made it into arcades for a year or so, I am talking about definitive, everybody-loves-and-remembers-them pop culture games. I did mention Frogger, and I agree that Defender is a good one. But GORF? WTF is wrong with you? Awesome cabinet but who, outside of arcade collector's circles even knows about or remembers that game? No one that I've ever talked to in the real world, that's for sure.

I simply disagree. Atari released 4 licensed drinking glasses recently... one of them was Tempest. Hmmm...

I think it may be a West Coast vs East Coast thing. Tempest was everywhere here. Tempest was at Ace Hardware for crying out loud. Stu's liquor, Time out, multiple cabs at Family Fun Center, etc... etc... etc...

Sorry you don't agree...

PS: There were at least a dozen Gorf cabs in my area growing up as well.
 
I simply disagree. Atari released 4 licensed drinking glasses recently... one of them was Tempest. Hmmm...

I think it may be a West Coast vs East Coast thing. Tempest was everywhere here. Tempest was at Ace Hardware for crying out loud. Stu's liquor, Time out, multiple cabs at Family Fun Center, etc... etc... etc...

Sorry you don't agree...


I thought we wuz buddies.
 
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