It is true that for 80s arcade games, Pong itself was a big thing ? the first ever thing to be done virtually, but it was far in the 60s and it was one considered a great means of entertainment that was only reached by few and very few kids nowadays will consider them worthy to even look at. Same is the case with the game enthusiasts of that time confessing that they would have loved it to be born and raised in this age, in the time when things have been new and cheap as the first video games. Arcade games began to be so popular in the early 70s after the release of the Pong video game based on ping-pong or table tennis by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney that made Atari.
The success of the Pong video game bred lots of copies and created more and more desirous video players that eventually led to the availability of abundance arcade games around the year 1980. It became available everywhere in the malls, department stores, bars and even in restaurants and movie houses in the United States. Among the most popular 80s Arcade Games were Space Invaders one of the predecessors of modern video games, first released in 1978 in Japan. Japanese Toshihiro Nishikado is the proud creator of this game. These arcade game mimics a shooting gallery with a movable laser resembling a cannon placed below the video screen in which the goal of the player is to avoid the deadly rays and bombs and shoot the aliens to prevent them to reach the bottom of the screen to win the game. Pac-Man created by Namco and was first distributed in 1980, still remains to be popular today in their new form. It was non-violent, easy to play and enjoyable. Donkey Kong made by Nintendo and was introduced in 1981 is played by maneuvering the chief character, Mario (formerly Jump man), across a series of platforms to get rid of obstacles that prevent him from rescuing a maiden in distress from the hands of Donkey Kong. There were also many other arcade games like the Battlezone, Pengo, Tron, Tetris, Rubik's cube and many others played at that time.
The craze for 80s arcade games only began to subside with the advent of advanced home video game consoles until the coming of fighting games like the Street Fighter ll that required two players saved these games from dieing completely.
Reminiscing the 80s would never be complete without mentioning about 80s arcade games. An arcade game is a coin-operated gaming machine that you would usually find in entertainment centers, video arcades, and even in restaurants. Popular arcade games are redemption games that give players rewards based on their score in the game; computer-controlled video games; and pinball games wherein the player manipulates one or more metal balls on a playfield.
Flashback
Arcade games began to be so popular in the early 70s. Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney made Atari that released the Pong video game (based on ping-pong or table tennis) that became almost everyone's favorite. The success of the Pong video game spawned lots of imitations and created more and more avid video players. Eventually video game arcades abounded through the 80s. They can be found in the malls, department stores, bars and even in restaurants and movie houses. They're everywhere in the United States
Popular 80s Arcade Games
In the 80s, arcade games became even more popular. Some of the most influential 80s arcade games were the following:
Space Invaders ? This game, one of the predecessors of modern video games, was created by the Japanese Toshihiro Nishikado. It was first released in 1978 in Japan. This arcade game mimics a shooting gallery with a movable laser (resembling a cannon) placed below the video screen. There were video aliens that were designed to disrupt the game by passing across the screen and by raining bombs and rays that are deadly. The goal of the player is to avoid those deadly rays and bombs and shoot the aliens so that they won't reach the bottom of the screen or else, he or she will lose in the game.
Pac-Man ? This was created by Namco and was first distributed in 1980. It game remains to be popular today though it has already taken new forms. Compared to many 80s arcade games, Pac-Man was not violent, was easy to play and was enjoyable, which explains why it clicked both to young and old, girls and boys alike.
The yellow circle with a mouth called Pac-Man makes people remember this game so well through the years. The game is played by maneuvering Pac-Man through the maze, letting him eat small dots and different item prizes along the way. Ghosts named Blinky, Inky, Pinky and Clyde on the other hand chase Pac-Man.
Donkey Kong ? Another video game that emerged so popular among other 80s arcade games was the Donkey Kong. It was made by Nintendo and was introduced in 1981. Basically the game is played by maneuvering the chief character, Mario (formerly Jumpman),across a series of platforms. As Mario goes through the platforms, he has to get rid of obstacles that prevent him from rescuing a damsel in distress from the hands of Donkey Kong.
The abovementioned are only some of the most popular 80s arcade games. There were also the Battlezone, Pengo, Tron, Tetris, Rubik's cube and many others. The craze for 80s arcade games only began to subside in the late 80s when newer forms of entertainment were being introduced such as advanced home video game consoles but 80s arcade games didn't totally die out until the coming of fighting games like the Street Fighter ll that required two players.
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