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| 1 | +The arcade landscape of the 1980s and 1990s was defined by a handful of legendary manufacturers like Atari, |
| 2 | +Namco, |
| 3 | +Nintendo, |
| 4 | +Capcom, |
| 5 | +and Sega. While thousands of titles were released, |
| 6 | +the "Top 100" typically features the industry-shaping classics that dominated the Golden Age (80s) and the fighting/3D revolution (90s). [1] |
| 7 | +## Top Arcade Games by Era and Manufacturer |
| 8 | +The following table categorizes the most iconic and highly-rated arcade games from these two decades based on their original manufacturers. [1, |
| 9 | +2, |
| 10 | +3] |
| 11 | + |
| 12 | +| Manufacturer | 1980s Classics | 1990s Heavy Hitters | |
| 13 | +|---|---|---| |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | +| Atari | Asteroids[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0jsd&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 16 | +Centipede[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/01sdy9&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 17 | +Missile Command[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/01kf7w&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 18 | +Paperboy[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/03ndrl&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 19 | +Marble Madness[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/014qlj&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | Pit-Fighter, |
| 20 | +Area 51, |
| 21 | +San Francisco Rush[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/hkb/1180094616&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +| Namco | Pac-Man[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0jt_x&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 24 | +Ms. Pac-Man[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02c22c&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 25 | +Galaga[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02xmmk&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 26 | +Dig Dug[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/033gs7&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 27 | +Pole Position[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0168jb&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | Tekken series, |
| 28 | +Ridge Racer[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0ddx60&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 29 | +Time Crisis[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/09sln&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +| Nintendo | Donkey Kong[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/03sdcm&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 32 | +Mario Bros.[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0kyl9&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 33 | +Punch-Out!, |
| 34 | +Popeye[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/hkb/-982554048&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | PlayChoice-10 (NES ports), |
| 35 | +Killer Instinct | |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | +| Capcom | 1942[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02dd1v&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 38 | +Commando[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/041b_j&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 39 | +Ghosts 'n Goblins[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/03z0lx&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 40 | +Bionic Commando[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/047d89t&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | Street Fighter II, |
| 41 | +Final Fight, |
| 42 | +Marvel vs. Capcom |
| 43 | + |
| 44 | +| Sega | Out Run[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/029s7j&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 45 | +After Burner[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02dq52&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 46 | +Hang-On[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/04ypcw&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 47 | +Altered Beast[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02t84g&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 48 | +Golden Axe[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/04bhys&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | Virtua Fighter, |
| 49 | +Virtua Racing, |
| 50 | +Daytona USA | |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | +| Konami | Frogger[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/022k5g&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 53 | +Track & Field[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02xbwx&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 54 | +Gradius[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/hkb/279987129&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 55 | +Contra[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02gs0m&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, |
| 56 | +The Simpsons Game | |
| 57 | + |
| 58 | +| Midway / Bally | Defender[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02k4l6&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 59 | +Joust[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/01gbwj&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 60 | +Robotron: 2084[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0380s1&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 61 | +Spy Hunter[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/hkb/155221604&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | Mortal Kombat I-III, |
| 62 | +NBA Jam[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/01f8k9&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 63 | +Cruis'n USA | |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | +| Taito | Bubble Bobble[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/01kmc&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 66 | +Arkanoid[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/017_wc&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 67 | +Qix[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02nttn&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 68 | +Operation Wolf[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0402bq&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | Puzzle Bobble (Bust-a-Move), |
| 69 | +Darius Gaiden[](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0293z_&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them) | |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | +------------------------------ |
| 72 | +## Era Highlights |
| 73 | + |
| 74 | +* The 1980s (Golden Age): Dominated by single-screen puzzle-action games ([Pac-Man](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0jt_x&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them)) and intense shooters ([Galaga](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02xmmk&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 75 | +[Defender](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02k4l6&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them)). Manufacturers like Atari and Namco were the primary leaders during this period. |
| 76 | +* The 1990s (Technical Evolution): Shifted toward multiplayer "beat 'em ups" (TMNT), |
| 77 | +the fighting game phenomenon started by Capcom's [Street Fighter II](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/01j8j2&q=top+100+arcade+games+of+the+80s-90s,+and+who+made+them), |
| 78 | +and the birth of 3D racing and fighting by Sega and Namco. [1, |
| 79 | +4] |
| 80 | + |
| 81 | +Since you're interested in the "Top 100" and have been looking at RetroPie and Batocera setups, |
| 82 | +would you like help filtering a MAME gamelist to include only these essentials? I can also help you find box art or original manuals for specific titles from this list. |
| 83 | + |
| 84 | +[1] [https://www.classicarcadegaming.com](https://www.classicarcadegaming.com/forums/index.php?topic=1306.0) |
| 85 | +[2] [https://forums.atariage.com](https://forums.atariage.com/topic/276458-list-of-80s-arcade-games/) |
| 86 | +[3] [https://digitaldreamdoor.com](https://digitaldreamdoor.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=487) |
| 87 | +[4] [https://arcadeheroes.com](https://arcadeheroes.com/2012/06/28/40-years-of-arcade-games-part-21990-2012/) |
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