Specific Games

Qix turned a blank field into a high-pressure territory war. Its minimalist design, unpredictable enemy movement, and risk-versus-reward scoring helped make it one of the most distinctive arcade games of the early 1980s.

Breakout turned a simple paddle, a single ball, and a wall of bricks into one of the most influential arcade designs ever made. Its tight scoring, rising speed, and minimalist hardware helped define the block-breaker era

From a single cabinet in the early 1980s to one of Nintendo’s longest-running franchises, Donkey Kong shows how an arcade hit can grow into a multi-generation series. Here’s how the games evolved, why the original stillm

Mortal Kombat turned heads in the arcade with digitized visuals, sharp competitive play, and finishing moves that made it one of the most talked-about games of the 1990s. Here’s why it mattered at the cabinet, in the rec

Street Fighter II changed arcade culture by turning solitary high-score chasing into crowded head-to-head competition. Its six-button cabinet layout, cast of distinct fighters, and endlessly repeatable matches helped it

Pong turned a basic idea into a commercial turning point. Its readable gameplay, easy rules, and strong cabinet appeal helped show operators and players that video games could earn real money in arcades.

Centipede turned a simple fixed-shooter setup into a tense, highly readable arcade battle. Its trackball controls, mushroom field, and constantly shifting enemy flow made it feel fast, physical, and unusually personal at

Defender turned a simple rescue mission into one of the toughest coin-op challenges of the early 1980s. Its unusual controls, relentless pressure, and unforgettable sound made it a cabinet that players respected as much,

Frogger turned a straightforward idea into lasting arcade fame: time your hops, read the traffic, and survive the river. Its simple controls, clear goals, and broad appeal helped make it a coin-op classic, while its home

Galaga took the fixed-shooter formula and sharpened it into a tense, replayable arcade loop built on risk, timing, and reward. Its enemy formations, tractor-beam captures, and dual-fighter mechanic helped turn a sequel,