Game not over!

mc Sun, Jun 8, 2008 at 04:13 PM EST

I'm looking for the name of this great coin-op arcade mech battle game I played in the mid 90's. Two joysticks with multiple fire buttons used to control your choice of mechbot in best 2 of 3 duels against computer operated character or live opponent. Very fast paced action with 360 degree movement & views within the arena, radar screen to track opponents, both launched and hand-to-hand weapons. The game was seen in both stand-up and pod versions. Any ideas?

Silv Wed, Aug 22, 2007 at 10:45 AM EST

1. Centipede! Who didn't love 'pede?? They even came out with Millipede!
2. Frogger. Damned frog never hopped very far for me, tho!
3. Galaga. Just say it. Ga-la-ga. You had to laugh over that one!
4. Q-bert.
5. Tempest.

Chuck Helleksen Wed, Aug 22, 2007 at 08:32 AM EST

How about Joust, Nothing better than riding an ostrich around.

Also Moon Patrol with the moon buggy that jumps.

Venture, a Sword and Sorcrery type.

Scramble, You moved through a maze in a spaceship and shot missiles and tried to drop bombs.

VEry Old one was Space Wars, Black screen with White lines like Asteroids, but you fought other people and you could put a Black Hole in the middle of the screen that would suck you in.

Anyone remember Lunar Lander Black and white game trying to land your spaceship on a rock.

Also Tutankham,. Toobin, Crazy Climber and Berzerk

Loved the mention of the old Football game with the X's and O's

Jeanette Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 07:58 PM EST

One word, and one word only... Frogger.

Jenn Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 05:38 PM EST

I love me some Megaman!

burton Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 02:43 PM EST

OK, here are a few I don't believe I have seen yet:
Mr. Do - Make the music stop!
Commando - Mayhem at its finest
Kangaroo - a boxing kangaroo - classic

Joe Cool Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 02:42 PM EST

My favorites are:

1) Gorf
2) Galaga
3) Missile Command

I can remember the sound be so loud on Gorf that it should my insides. I can still feel the blisters on my palms from that wheel on Missile Command.
Those were the DAYS!!

Andy N. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 02:41 PM EST

Oh, I have to change my answer because I see that it was called "Burger Time". My 5 yr-old self called it Hamburger Heaven

Andy N. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 02:38 PM EST

Hamburger Heaven... was I the only one who loved that game?

fluff daddy Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 02:27 PM EST

How can you forget the Star Wars game, you actually got to feel like Luke Skywalker destroying the death star (which by the way was an awesome display of graphics back in the day).

GMoney Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 02:26 PM EST

Black Tiger is one of my favorite platform arcade games of all time. You should all check out gametap.com if you want to play many of the games showing up in this discussion.

Stephanie T. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 02:20 PM EST

I once saw Mario Bros. as a wooden panel arcade game. I always thought that it was released only for Nintendo systems.

Donovan Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:55 PM EST

Although just like the TMNT arcade game, I was a big fan on The Simpsons Arcade game...loved Marge and her vacuum cleaner.

Tygor1 Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:49 PM EST

There's a little gem that I'm sure for those of you who loved Pac Man and Ms. Pac Man. Remember Super Pac Man? It was similar to Pac Man, and when you ate certain powerballs, you could actually eat almost everything on the screen! That was cool. Also where's the love for Mario Bros., and I mean the original? Mario and Luigi, fighting in the sewers against the turtles, crabs, flies, fireballs, ice creatures, grabbing coins, hitting the POW button? Many a nights did I have arguments with my parents as to what I did with my lunch money... :)

Cole Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:30 PM EST

I don't think you understand WK, that the mere mentioning of the Journey arcade game has paralyzed my emotions.

I had the honor of playing this game, once, on a Youth Group outing to a Roller Skating rink in W. Phx, Az, while my compadres spent a blissfully ignorant evening zipping around the lineoleum floor on 20 yr old skates, I stood before the greatest creation my young mind had ever encountered -- the Journey arcade game. Quarter after quarter, minute after minute, sweat pouring from my head, finding the perfect balance on the skates (yes I had changed out to wheels, not knowing the discovery I was about to find) ... desperately wanting to hear Steve Perry tell me about our Separate Ways.

I have spent many a day at work, searching the internet high and low for an opportunity to purchase the Journey game, to no avail.

Further disheartening was that no one else in my inner circle had even heard of the game, UNTIL NOW, my search renewed and my plight redeemed. Thank you WK

Hi Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:29 PM EST

No Frogger?!?!

kats Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:27 PM EST

This probably came along later because we actually lived near a mall by then, but I recall a game called something like "Tapper" where you were a bartender responsible for getting people their beer. Weird but fun.

Bruce in NC Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:11 PM EST

In the summer of 88 my friend and I spent tons of money playing Rolling Thunder where you had to keep killing these hooded villains.

Kate Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:59 PM EST

Oh and Phoenix was also a really cool game!

Persphone... Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:58 PM EST

Fav games:
1. Tempest
2. Burgertime
3. Q-bert (even the little table-top handheld one - I wish I still had that)
4. Ms Pac-Man
5. Galaga ( I think thats the name, the one where they capture your ship and you have to shoot to get it back)
6. Space Invaders (the original)
7. Pit-fall
8. Frogger

Kate Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:56 PM EST

What everyone else has mentioned, Adventure (god what a silly game thinking of it now!) Paperboy with the handlebars and Q*Bert (my 7 year old self cracked up when he swore after getting hit on the head by a ball) I have to add I liked Yar's Revenge quite a bit on the 2600 and E.T. was also OK back then. My overactive childhood imagination was scared by GORF though and another game from ColecoVision...maybe called Space Commander which had this freaky looking space alien leader, green skinned with one large pinkish eye who talked in typewriter (and other)sounds. He was really scary when I was 6. I'd probably have a field day laughing about how bad the graphics were now.

Neil Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:47 PM EST

I second Robotron ... didn't that have 2 joysticks? One to control which way you were running, and one to control which way you were shooting? Those big guys with the green bodies that you couldn't kill ... I hated those guys.

joecab Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:39 PM EST

Dragon's Lair and Space Ace! Duh! oh and Dragon's Lair 2 as well, which lots of people missed because it was released in arcades way after the craze had passed.

to Kevin Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:39 PM EST

I think the holographic game was called Time Traveler.

MaryAnn Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:30 PM EST

Loved Tempest!! I was totally addicted to that one. And Dragon's Lair - I remember playing over and over just trying to get the right timing down - and those awwhh moments when the next screen would come up, and you realized you didn't nail it!

Kevin Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:27 PM EST

Stun Runner!!! Thank you ohsohappydaddy! What a great game!!!

Kara Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:15 PM EST

Ikari Warriors!!! I dont know how many times I made it to the end, and everytime, you couldnt kill the creepy looking dude behind the desk. stupid glitch! Especially loved the random hot girl that popped up in a red swimsuit.

ohsohappydaddy@aol.com Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:07 PM EST

Kevin I believe the bike game was Stun Runner by Atari. I too remember the holographic game but all I remember is that it was by Sega.

Kathleen Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:59 AM EST

For the first time, I feel like there are others out there . . . folks around my actual age. *sigh* Thank you, EW!!
Oh - and Burgertime ruled. And I have very fond memories of my mom playing Ms Pacman with me. OH! Baby Pacman was awesome! You'd go down the bottom tunnel and get to play pinball!

Kevin Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:58 AM EST

Can anyone help me? I'm thinking of 2 games that I can't think of the names for. One was terrible, but it might be the only holographic game ever (around mid- to late-80s). I believe the console was a sort of a glass dome that you would look down on. I played it once...it was a waste of money.

The other one was a racing game (late-80s/early-90s). You sat on a futuristic motorcycle and you would ride this jet/motorcycle down a sort of bobsled course. It was cool because you would drive throug tunnels and you could ride up the walls and upside-down. One of my all-time favorite driving games.

Also, there was a pre-Madden football game in the arcade that was GREAT and how can we be forgetting the original arcade Punch-Out! with Glass Joe...one of the best games ever!!!

salyabyum Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:58 AM EST

Paper Boy is awesome.
Marble Madness.
Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr.
and yes, Galaga should definitely be on teh list.

Stephanie T. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:57 AM EST

Outrun was awesome, and it's still popular today. Excitebike! That's it. Thanks.

CitizenVA Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:51 AM EST

TEMPEST! That one was a blast! Spin the dial, shoot everything in sight, and avoid the clamps on the outer ring! And just when you thought the level was over, you could STILL be killed by the little spikes as the game board changed levels!

CVA

Mario Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:39 AM EST

Uh... where's the love for Ghost N'Goblins (or was it Ghouls N Ghosts?? - It was the same game, just don't remember what the name was for the arcade) --

That game kicked ass.. and it stole my quarters several summers in a row.

Also, Where's the love for Altered Beast?!? That game rocked! I got kicked out of a magazine store cuz I figured a way to add quarters to the machine without actually depositing quarters.. :)

Mario Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:39 AM EST

Uh... where's the love for Ghost N'Goblins (or was it Ghouls N Ghosts?? - It was the same game, just don't remember what the name was for the arcade) --

That game kicked ass.. and it stole my quarters several summers in a row.

Also, Where's the love for Altered Beast?!? That game rocked! I got kicked out of a magazine store cuz I figured a way to add quarters to the machine without actually depositing quarters.. :)

Kevin Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:37 AM EST

You mentioned my all-time favorite, Centipede (I still play it), so your list is fine by me.

Still, you missed a few. These are the others that I LOVED in my youth:
Excitebike
The Simpsons game (spent $30 to finish it one day)
Arch Rivals (far more fun than NBA Jam)
Smash TV (my second favorite game)

LeapDayBaby Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:36 AM EST

I am shocked that no one has mentioned one of my all time faves: Karate Champ! ("Full Point!") :) Also, I second Scott P's mention of Discs of Tron!

Danielle Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:27 AM EST

Asteroids, Galaga, Space Invaders

Matt Clark Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:25 AM EST

Stephanie, the game you are referring to is called Excitebike.

jonathan Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:24 AM EST

growing up, Skate or Die was my favorite arcade game. I thought it was a classic, but no one seems to remember it!

Matt Clark Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:23 AM EST

In the same vein as Double Dragon, Bad Dudes was one of my great child hood memories in the arcade. I pumped in quarter after quarter to here the end of the level pay off of "I'm BAD!" from the title characters.

Operation: Wolf is another groundbreaking arcade game as it was the first time I saw an Uzi attached to a game cabinet and as an 8-year-old, I was in love.

Let's also pay homage to Hard Drivin'...I put 50 cents into that machine just to drive the car into a loop de loop! Who cares if it was the worst driving game ever?!?!?!

Larry Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:23 AM EST

While I loved Paperboy, Pole Position, Star Wars (with the sitdown X-Wing action)...I really was a big fan of the brief laserdisc game movement in the early-mid 80s with Dragon's Lair and Space Ace. My friends and I were obsessed with beating Dragon's Lair, which we finally did by mastering the moves. That game was so popular the arcade installed a TV on top of the machine so others could watch, especially when we made it to the end.

Space Ace was a little more manic, but still fun. There were some others also, with different animation (that the Don Bluth Lair) and not as popular.

GeeMoney Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:20 AM EST

Double Dribble, Excitebike, Karate Kid, Metroid... the list goes on!

babaloo06 Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:18 AM EST

How could you forget these games? Rygar- The ultimate...I wowed many a kid when I broke records at the local corner grocery store... Also Tapeworm was equally as awesome!

Auriana Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:17 AM EST

I was always more of a console girl myself (Final Fantasy 1, Dragon Warrior, etc.) but the one arcade game I remember always wasting quarters on was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I was horrible at it but I couldn't step away.

ok i'm a little nerdy Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:07 AM EST

tempest was awesome. and i also really loved to play pengo, it was such a cute little penguin.

Jilly Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 11:02 AM EST

Wasn't there a game called "Centipede"?? Where you had to shoot the ever-growing bug and more and more things were shooting at you at the same time? I have fond memories although this would've been back in '83 or '84......

ward Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 10:48 AM EST

I'm going to go for Choplifter as my number 1 favorate. Oh and I definately agree with The Simpsons game and TMNT being defining points of my adolecence. I am so glad the bowling alley by me had those and the Return of the Jedi game, where you were on a Leia on a speeder bike, Chewie on an AT-ST, and Lando in the Falcon.

Stephanie T. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 10:35 AM EST

We can't forget Castlevania. It is supposed to be made into a movie but I hope it is not going to be lame.

Does anyone remember a game from Nintendo where there was a guy on a dirt bike and the object was for him to leap over hilled obsticles?

Scott P Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 10:29 AM EST

The greatest ommission of the list was definitely Discs of Tron, especially the version where you had to step inside the booth in order to play it.

Liza Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 10:25 AM EST

Does anyone remember Vectrex?
We only had one TV set at home, and my dad did not want to buy us an Atari or Intelevision, cause he knew we would hog up the TV all the time. So we got a Vectrex. It came with it's own black and white TV screen. Man was it awful. But there was a spaceship game I use to play all the time, can't remember the name. That's how forgettable Vectrex was. Later thought, when we got a Nintendo, I got hooked on Tetris, and still am till today.

davkat Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 10:16 AM EST

There are two games that I have fond memories of. One is a football game that was in black and white, had X's and O's for the "players" and was operated using two track balls. The other is the Star Trek game where you are the USS Enterprise and you are shooting at Klingon warships. At the end of each level, you had to shoot this probe that kept moving at blinding speed. The fun part of the game was the voice of Spock naming the "sector" you were in before each level. Really cool game and very hard to find.

Stephanie T. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 10:06 AM EST

I don't know about anyone else, but when I was six, the voice for "Wizard of Wor" creeped me out. I remember hearing that in the arcades when my parents had to take me to the mall.

Anyway, the EW people forgot "Bubble Bobble", "Arkynoid", "Shinobi (one of the first games for the Sega, system)", Punch Out,and "Smash TV". One of the worst games was probably ALF where the purpose was to store cats on to his ship before Willie caught him.

C B H Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 10:05 AM EST

Guys, guys... let's PLEASE stick to coin-op games. *sigh* Okay, this sounds nerdy, but one of my favorites was actually a trackball game (whose name I can't find) where you played a soap bubble in a sink, "cleaning up" your enemies. That one and Operation: Wolf (a gunner game) were my two early favorites.

ohsohappydaddy@aol.com Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 10:03 AM EST

I remember the big three Sega arcade games that blew my mind and money those being Space Harrier(first truely awsome sit in machine) Outrun(first really amazing music, I still have the audio cassette of the music that came with the computer versions) and Afterburner(A truly adrenaline rush of a game)... Also anything from Konami... Nemesis(Gradius), Salamander("Pick it up for multiple") Jailbreak, Track and Field, Hyper Sports the list goes on... Great memories and thanks to the team who work on MAME(Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) I can still relive those wonderful childhood memories.

D Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:50 AM EST

I loved the mention of Contra, one of my favorites, but how could you not at least give a mention to the Nintendo version? You COULD NOT win that game without "up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a, b, a, start" (or "select, start" if you were playing two players). I was never into video games, but that's the one cheat I will never forget (and it's probably the most well-known).

sowhatnow Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:43 AM EST

I am the worst. Video game palyer. Ever. But Galaga somehow allowed my very severe lack of hand/eye coordination to subside. This was the only game that I could advance above the first level. I also like the other game for which I cannot remeber the name, that was the 3-d version of Galaga. Same concept but your fighter ship spin in circles around the enemies. Games are not my thang.

Catherine Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:43 AM EST

YES!! Burgertime was awesome!!!
There was alaso this game which I don't remember the name, but we had to run over chicken who tried to cross the road!!! Hilarious!

www.virtualnes.com Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:42 AM EST

You MUST check out this website - it has many of the Nintendo NES video games to play online - Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., Paperboy, Burgertime, whatever - and all you need to have to play them is the Java applet.

Found out about this website from Good Day New York.

Jim Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:34 AM EST

Virtua Cop was my favorite shooter. I really had good aim in that one, opposed to others that I have tried. But I always managed to kill a civilian, think it was a baddie. X-Men: Children of the Atom is my favorite fighter. I kicked ass as Wolverine. And I will take on Captain America with Spider-Man on Marvel Super Heroes any day. Not a lot of side-scrollers anymore. It's all Dance Dance and driving games. Of course, there's always pinball. Star Trek: The Next Generation was my addiction.

Jeff Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:33 AM EST

The Simpsons arcade game was one of the defining elements of my awkward youth. I felt like a young Comic Book Guy, caring more about kicking ass with Marge and my relentless vacuum cleaner, than hitting on girls at the food court. Best...Game...Ever.

Ames Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:26 AM EST

I was/am very bad at video games. Except Pole Position. Just last year there was an old game at a pizza joint and I actually scored high enough to enter my name. then the pizza place was razed for condo developments. I had a moment of glory, at least.

Tipper Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:19 AM EST

I used to have dreams about Space Invaders, marching across the sky, slowly, slowly, slooooowly descending...

Canadian Girl Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 09:11 AM EST

Well, being born in 1976 meant that I got to play most of those games as they were released...and that was a good thing!

I have to give my love to :

- Burgertime! Who knew that trying to build hamburgers could be so addictive?

- Paperboy. Oh, the hours I wasted trying to chuck newspapers at teeny tiny mailboxes

- Double Dragon. My brother and I used to play this together.

- Frogger. I can't believe that this wasn't on the list.

- Duck Hunt. It is kind of lame but it was the first (and until now only) game that let me shoot a "gun" at the TV.

Nick Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 08:24 AM EST

More Q-bert love from here. That game was totally addicting.

Also, points to "Marble Madness", a totally original eye-popping game, in which you guide a marble thru crazy space terrain.

But my absolute favorite video-game addiction has to be real-old-school "Major Havoc"--part "Tempest", part Qix, part Astoroids, part "Breakout" (in the corner), and part "Raisers of the Lost Ark"--had Indiana Jones worked in space, with a laser gun and a rocket pack.

For those who played video games via Atari 2600--remember "Adventure"? Remember the odd little tricks to get to the hidden screen? Didn't that just completely rock?!?

A. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 08:23 AM EST

Bubble Bobble

NineDaves Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 07:53 AM EST

i'll second that rampage mention. ralph (the werewolf), george (the gorillia), and lizzie (the godzilla) were three of my closest friends as a kid. and there was nothing more fun for me than making them destroy helicopters, cars, tanks, and more at the pizza joint after school. oh, and bonus points for any game that involves eating people.

professor74 Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 07:44 AM EST

I second the Zaxxon mention and I'll add Rampage. Nothing like tearing a city apart!

Amers Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 07:41 AM EST

Does anyone remember an 80's video game called Food Fight? That was my favorite.

Can't forget Pitfall, Burgertime, Q-Bert, Frogger...

Anyone have Intelevision? I think that is what it was called (kinda like Atari). I remember playing a game called Kool Aid Man that was pretty fun.

Tracie Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 05:30 AM EST

Always enjoyed QBert, but my personal favorite was Paperboy! The machine even had handlebars on it as you rode, delivering the paper onto people roofs, through windows, hitting random bystanders to get points.

Celi Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 03:01 AM EST

The Simpsons Arcade game was my personal weakness as a kid. When other girls would be roller skating and flirting with boys, I'd be preparing to fight the big bowling ball with arms. Ah, the memories.

And of course, who can forget the crapfest that was "Michael Jackson's.... Moonwalker". Not really a favorite per se, but I remember thinking it was a really poor game.

Loved the shout-out to Dig Dug - pookas and fygars forever!

Jer Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:27 AM EST

Galaga is my personal favorite, but the X-Men, Avengers & Simpsons games in the Ninja Turtle 4 and 6-player style ate more or my quarters than anything else in the arcades.

Was Contra ever a coin-op? That same requirement is what would keep Mario 3 from the list...

And how has nobody mentioned Journey, the video game? You collected musical instruments people! Don't Stop Believin' that without them, Journey would have had Open Arms and would have had to Faithfully go their Seperate Ways without any Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin. Who's Crying Now? Be Good To Yourself, Journey-haters.

T.L. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:10 AM EST

Oh, and Galaga... and Galaxian.

T.L. Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 01:08 AM EST

Tail Gunner; Tempest; Battlezone; Star Trek Combat Simulator; Star Wars; Robotron

x302 Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:33 AM EST

The driving game where you pick up the gas balls-forget the name but my kids played it all the time!!!
Turned over Astoriods many times-my kids had colic.
Defender, space invaders, bump and jump, Galaxian.
The basketball game on nintendo that you could cause mayhem, break rules, and knock the other players out to score a basket.
Any game that you could cause mayhem-those old sound efects were the best!!!!

x302 Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:33 AM EST

The driving game where you pick up the gas balls-forget the name but my kids played it all the time!!!
Turned over Astoriods many times-my kids had colic.
Defender, space invaders, bump and jump, Galaxian.
The basketball game on nintendo that you could cause mayhem, break rules, and knock the other players out to score a basket.
Any game that you could cause mayhem-those old sound efects were the best!!!!

t3hdow Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 12:01 AM EST

Man...I wish I wasn't born in the mid-80's, when most of these arcade hits came about. The only ones I played besides the Nintendo and Namco made ones (through various compilation packs) was Double Dragon, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. I never played Donkey Kong, except the mini-game that contained it in Donkey Kong 64. Most of my favorite arcade games were in the late '90s. Time Crisis 2 (which I've memorized to death), Crisis Zone, Point Blank, Marvel vs. Capcom 2; even Gauntlet Legends before I bought it on my N64. It's too bad that arcades are next to dead in the social aspect (besides the Dance Dance Revolution obsessives), since LAN cafes/online gaming took that away. Sigh...the 80s and 90s were much simpler times.

Becca Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 11:57 PM EST

my mom once schooled me at ms. pac man. in front of all my friends too... but despite that, ms. pac man is still the best coin-op game ever! lol

adam Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 10:47 PM EST

If we're talking strictly arcade machines, i've got to go with the sit-in-the-cockpit of an x-wing all-polygon Star Wars game from the early 80s (this game blew my five year old mind and turned me into a video game fanatic for its pure escapsim alone), the Turtles-styled six-player awesomeness of X-MEN (if you beat Magneto at the end, it's really Mystique! you have to start over!), and Marvel Superheroes, which was STreet Fighter, but with Marvel's finest. I will defeat anyone of you with Captain America. FINAL JUSTICE!

oh, ive also got Journey Escape for the Atari here, somewhere. I'll start the bidding at ten bucks.

Beachie841 Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 10:20 PM EST

Was the Journey game for real? I thought it might just be a product of my overactive imagination. My neighbor had the game on Colecovision. What I remember was basically just a rehash of Space Invaders with the first couple of bars of "Don't Stop Believin'" looped over and over again. I think the beginning was so boring we didn't get to any other levels.

Snarf Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 10:10 PM EST

I remember the Atari system we got for X-mas one year. Asteroids was a lot of fun on those winter nights when it was "too cold" to be outside.

(JL) Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 09:35 PM EST

My favorite old skool arcade game has to be Tempest, but Q-Bert, Zaxxon, Dig-Dug, Tron, and Rally-X all took more than a few of my quarters.

kats Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 09:10 PM EST

Mostly played on the original Atari and various rental machines at home 'cause we lived too far in the sticks to get anywhere near an arcade. So off my old machine my favorites would be:

Super Breakout
Frogger
Kaboom!
Pitfall!
Adventure
Keystone Kapers
Q*bert
Defender
Galaxian
Miner 2049er
Skiing because it made the best sound when you ran into something.
Stampede
Smurfs on the Coleco because although we only rented it for a week, the song drove my father absolutely nuts which was fun.

As I was looking over game listings I found one for something called Tapeworm?!?

Nik Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 08:48 PM EST

I loved the list myself, there were many favourites... Paperboy was the best. I loved causing mahem as well. And that zombie that comes at you is classic, like, WTF is going on at that house?

Jesse Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 08:46 PM EST

I am far more confused/shocked at the omission of "The Alien" from the Alien Quadrilogy series on your staff-chosen list of "Top 18 Aliens". I kept waiting for that queen b*tch to be number 1, but alas - she wasn't even positioned on the list! (no - the ragtime dancing knockoff from "Spaceballs" doesn't count!!!) How is this glaring omission even possible?!? It makes my stomach hurt (hopefully in a non-chestbursting way!) ;-)

Slimjimmy Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 08:44 PM EST

Great article, since there are so many choices, a few more: Tempest, Zaxxon, Battlezone, Asteroids, Dragon's Lair, Rampage, Star Castle, and the grandaddy, Pong. Yes, I'll admit I played this at the arcade with my dad (God I feel old).

Cece Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 08:31 PM EST

Um, excuse me, but where was the greatest game of all time: Super Mario Bros. 3? I mean seriously, where was it? While I loved, LOVED, the shout out to Contra (second-best game ever created), no true video game fan began their love affair with the art of gaming with stomping on some goombas in Super Mario Bros. 3, the BEST of the Mario series. You know, I know it. Let's be sure to let the rest of the world know it. Now, excuse my while I un-pause the game I started this morning. No new-fangled memory cards for me!

Katechill Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 08:15 PM EST

There can be only one: Burgertime.

Ceballos Mon, Aug 20, 2007 at 08:08 PM EST

Well, Galaga was already mentioned, which I thought was the most egregious omission.

Also...no mention of Frogger?