These are our personal favourite games by year. We are beginning at 1978. Before we start, these pioneering ‘Bronze Age’ Games (1971 – 1977) are worth talking about:
Listen to podcast #102 for details on why we think these games are important.
1971 – Computer Space (Nutting Associates)
1972 – Pong (Atari)
1973 – Gotcha (Atari)
1974 – Clean Sweep (Ramtek)
1974 – Gran Trak 10 (Atari)
1974 – Speed Race (Taito)
1974 – Tank! (Kee Games)
1974 – Qwak! (Atari)
1975 – Western Gun (Taito) / Gun Fight (Midway)
1975 – Jet Fighter (Atari)
1976 – Avenger (Taito) *** INFO WANTED! *** What is this game?
1976 – Blockade (Gremlin)
1976 – Night Driver (Atari)
1976 – Sea Wolf (Midway)
1977 – Space Wars (Cinematronics)
‘Golden Age’ Games (1978 – 1986 (end year debated))
1978 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #102 for details.
Super Breakout (Atari)
Acrobat (Taito) / Circus (Exidy) / Clowns (Midway)
Avalanche (Atari)
Gee Bee (Namco)
Sea Wolf II (Midway)
Fire Truck (Atari)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’78 – Space Invaders (Taito)
Vic’s pick for an alternative best of ’78 – Blasto (Gremlin)
1979 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #103 for details.
Asteroids (Atari)
Atari Football (cocktail)
Head-On (Sega / Gremlin)
Lunar Rescue (Taito)
Ozma Wars (Shin Nihon Kikaku)
Sheriff (Nintendo)
Space Fever / High Splitter (Nintendo)
Star Fire (Exidy) Technically Dec ‘78 release.
Astro Fighter (Data East)
Video Pinball (Atari)
Lunar Lander (Atari
Warrior (Vectorbeam)
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘79 – Galaxian (Namco)
Vic’s pick for best of ‘79 – Cosmic Alien (Universal)
1980 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #104 for details.
Warlords (Atari)
Tempest (Atari)
Missile Command (Atari)
Centipede (Atari)
Battle Zone (Atari)
Wizard of Wor (Midway)
Space Panic (Universal)
Rally-X (Namco)
Pac-Man (Namco)
Phoenix (Amstar)
Moon Cresta (Nichibutsu)
Defender (Williams)
Carnival (Sega)
Monaco GP (Gremlin / Sega)
Speed Race CL-5 (Taito)
Asteroids Deluxe (Atari)
Space Duel (Atari)
Red Baron (Atari)
Magical Spot (Universal)
Radar Scope (Nintendo)
Space Zap (Midway)
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘80 – Berzerk (Stern)
Vic’s pick for best of ‘80 – Berzerk (Stern)
1981 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #105 for details.
Crush Roller (Kural) / Make Trax (Williams)
Lock ’n’ Chase (DECO)
Ms. Pac-Man (Midway)
New Rally-X (Namco)
Lady Bug (Universal)
Pulsar (Sega)
Jungler (Konami)
Gorf (Midway)
Galaga (Namco)
Pleiads (Tehkan)
Satan’s Hollow (Bally Midway)
Astro Blaster (Sega)
Frogger (Konami)
Qix (Taito)
Bosconian (Namco)
Vanguard (SNK)
Stargate (Williams)
Donkey Kong (Nintendo)
Turbo (Sega)
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘81 – Scramble (Konami)
Vic’s pick for best of ‘81 – Turtles (Konami)
1982 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #106 for details.
Amidar (Konami)
Ant Eater (Tago Electronics)
Bagman (Valadon Automation)
Black Widow (Atari)
Bump ‘n’ Jump / Burnin’ Rubber (Data East)
Burger Time (Data East)
Donkey Kong Jr (Nintendo)
Eyes (Rock-Ola)
Food Fight (Atari)
Gravitar (Atari)
Jungle King / Jungle Hunt (Taito)
Kangaroo (Sun Electronics)
Millipede (Atari)
Mr Do! (Universal)
Nibbler (Rock-Ola)
Pengo (Sega)
Pole Position (Namco)
Popeye (Nintendo)
Q*Bert (Gottlieb)
Rescue (Stern)
Robotron (Williams)
Sinistar (Williams)
Time Pilot (Konami)
Xevious (Namco)
Zaxxon (Sega)
Zoo Keeper (Taito)
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘82: Moon Patrol (Irem)
Vic’s pick for best of ‘82: Dig Dug (Namco)
1983 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #107 for details.
Astron Belt (Sega)
Crystal Castles (Atari)
Donkey Kong 3 (Nintendo)
Dragon’s Lair (Cinematronics)
Elevator Action (Taito)
Gyruss (Konami)
I, Robot (Atari)
Journey (Bally Midway)
Jr. Pac-Man (Bally Midway)
Mad Planets (Gottlieb)
Major Havoc (Atari)
Mappy (Namco)
Mario. Bros (Nintendo)
Pole Position II (Atari)
Spy Hunter (Bally Midway)
Star Wars (Atari)
Tapper (Bally Midway)
Track & Field (Konami)
Up’n Down (Sega)
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘83: Juno First (Konami)
Vic’s pick for best or ‘83: Uncle Poo (Diatec)
1984 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #108 for details.
Balloon fight (Nintendo)
Bank Panic (Sanritsu / Sega)
Bomb Jack (Tehkan)
Circus Charles (Konami)
Flicky (Sega)
Hyper Sports (Konami)
Karate Champ (Data East)
Kung-Fu Master (Irem)
Marble Madness (Atari)
Pac Land (Namco)
Pirate Ship Higemaru (Capcom)
Star Force (Tehkan)
Vulgus (Capcom)
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘84: 1942 (Capcom)
Vic’s pick for best or ‘84: 1942 (Capcom)
1985 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #109 for details.
Boulder Dash (Data East)
Spelunker (Irem)
Choplifter (Sega)
Commando (Capcom)
Exed Exes (Capcom)
Gauntlet (Atari)
Ghosts n Goblins (Capcom)
Green Beret (Konami)
Gun.Smoke (Capcom)
Hang On (Sega)
Gradius / Nemesis (Konami)
Paperboy (Atari) – 1984 on attract screen but released April ‘85.
Sky Kid (Namco)
Terra Cresta (Nichibutsu)
Yie Ar Kung Fu (Konami)
Duck Hunt (Nintendo) – One of many Playchoice-10 games released this year.
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘85: Space Harrier (Sega)
Vic’s pick for best of ‘85: Kicker / Shao-Lin’s Road (Konami)
1986 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #110 for details.
720 Degrees (Atari)
Alcon / Slap Fight (Taito)
Arkanoid (Taito)
Bubble Bobble (Taito)
Super Sprint / Championship Sprint (Atari)
Darius (Taito)
Enduro Racer (Sega)
Fantasy Zone (Sega)
Gauntlet 2 (Atari)
Ikari Warriors (SNK)
Iron Horse (Konami)
Out Run (Sega)
Rampage (Bally Midway)
Rolling Thunder (Namco)
Rygar (Tecmo)
Salamander (Konami)
Side Arms (Capcom)
Solomon’s Key (Tecmo)
A handful of Nintendo Vs Series games like Vs. SMB and Vs. Gradius
Tehkan World Cup (Tehkan) 1985 on attract screen, but Jan ’86 release
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘86 – Wonder Boy (Sega)
Vic’s pick for best of ‘86 – Sky Kid Deluxe (Namco)
1987 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #111 for details.
1943 (Capcom)
After Burner (Sega)
Alien Syndrome (Sega)
APB (Atari)
Arkanoid – Revenge of Doh (Taito)
Battlantis (Konami)
Bionic Commando (Capcom)
Black Tiger / Dragon (Capcom)
Contra (Konami)
Double Dragon (Technos)
Dragon Spirit (Namco)
Dr Toppel’s Adventure (Taito)
Flying Shark (Toaplan / Taito)
Galaga 88 (Namco)
Gemini Wing (Tecmo)
Karnov (Data East)
The Ninja Warriors (Taito)
Operation Wolf (Taito)
R Type (Irem)
Rainbow Islands (Taito)
Rastan Saga (Taito)
Road Blasters (Atari)
Shinobi (Sega)
Street Fighter (Capcom)
Super Hang-On (Sega)
Thunder Blade (Sega)
Xybots (Atari)
Wonder Boy In Monster Land (Westone / Sega)
Xenonphobe (Bally Midway)
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘87 – Twin Cobra (Toaplan / Taito)
Vic’s pick for best of ‘87 – Pac Mania (Namco)
1988 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #112 for details.
Altered Beast (Sega)
Bad Dudes Vs. Dragon Ninja (Data East)
Chase H.Q. (Taito)
Fantasy Zone II – The Tears of Opa Opa (Sega)
Forgotten Worlds (Capcom)
Galaxy Force II (Sega)
Ghouls’n Ghosts (Capcom)
Hard Drivin’ (Atari)
Haunted Castle (Konami)
Hot Rod (Sega)
Narc (Williams)
P-47 The Phantom Fighter (Jaleco)
Power Drift (Sega)
Robocop (Data East)
Shadow Warriors (Tecmo)
Splatterhouse (Namco)
Lots of Playchoice 10 games.
The New Zealand Story (Taito)
Toobin’ (Atari)
Vulcan Venture (Konami)
Vigilante (Irem)
Xenon (Arcadia)
Shaun’s pick for best of ‘88 – Truxton (Toaplan / Taito)
Vic’s pick for best of ‘88 – Tetris (Atari)
1989 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #113 for details.
Bad Lands (Atari)
Dragon Breed (Irem)
Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters (Atari)
Final Fight (Capcom)
Golden Axe (Sega)
Gradius 3 (Konami)
Hellfire (Toaplan / Taito)
Insector X (Taito)
Ironman Ivan Stewart’s Super Off-Road (Leland)
Klax (Atari)
Legend of Hero Tonma (Irem)
Pang (Capcom)
Plus Alpha (Jaleco)
Prehistoric Isle In 1930 (SNK)
R Type 2 (Irem)
S.T.U.N. Runner (Atari)
Strider (Capcom)
Toki (TAD)
X Multiply (Irem)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’89 – Block Hole / Quarth (Konami)
Vic’s pick for best of ’89 – Volfied (Taito)
1990 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #114 for details.
1941 (Capcom)
Aliens (Konami)
Columns (Sega)
Dragon Saber (Namco)
Football Champ (Taito)
Galaxian 3 Theater (Namco)
Hatris (Video System)
League Bowling (SNK)
Mad Dog McCree (American Laser Games)
Mercs (Capcom)
Moonwalker (Sega)
Lots of NEO GEO MVS games
Parodious Da! (Konami)
Pit Fighter (Atari)
Raiden (Seibu Kaihatsu)
Rad Mobile (Sega)
SAR Search And Rescue (SNK)
Smash TV (Williams)
Snow Bros (Toaplan)
Super Space Invaders ‘91 (Taito)
Thunder Force AC (Sega)
Trog (Williams)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’90 – OutZone (Toaplan)
Vic’s pick for best of ’90 – Raiden (Seibu Kaihatsu)
1991 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #115 for details.
Acrobat Mission (UPL)
Bells & Whistles (Konami)
Blade Master (Irem)
Captain America And The Avengers (Data East)
Caveman Ninja Joe & Mac (Data East)
Cotton (Sega)
Driver’s Eyes (Namco)
Dragon’s Lair II (Leland)
Gun Force (Irem)
Lethal Thunder (Irem)
Metal Black (Taito)
Rezon (Allumer)
Starblade (Namco)
Simpsons and TMNT – (Konami)
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (Midway)
Time Traveller (Sega)
Vimana (Toaplan)
WWF Wrestlefest (Technos)
XEXEX (Konami)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’91 – Sunset Riders (Konami)
Vic’s pick for best of ’91 – Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior (Capcom)
1992 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #116 for details.
Aero Fighters / Sonic Wings (Video System)
Blaze On (Atlus)
Bomberman World (Irem)
Dogyuun (Toaplan)
Diet Go Go (Data East)
Final Star Force (Tecmo)
Grind Stormer / V-Five (Toaplan)
Lucky & Wild (Namco)
Major Title 2 (Irem)
Mortal Kombat (Midway)
Street Fighter II: Champion Edition & Hyper Fighting (Capcom)
Truxton II / Tatsujin Oh (Toaplan)
Virtua Racing (Sega)
X Men (4 players version) (Konami)
Shaun’s fave of ‘92 – R-Type Leo (Irem)
Vic’s fave of ‘92 – Puyo Puyo (Compile / Sega)
1993 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #117 for details.
Cadillacs And Dinosaurs (Capcom)
Daytona USA (Sega)
Gunlock / Rayforce (Taito)
In The Hunt (Irem)
Mortal Kombat II (Midway)
NBA Jam (Midway)
Ridge Racer (Namco)
Samurai Aces / Sengoku Ace (Psikyo)
Samurai Shodown / Samurai Spirits (SNK)
Saturday Night Slam Masters (Capcom)
Sorcer Striker / Mahou Daisakusen (Raizing)
The Punisher (Capcom)
Tinkle Pit (Namco)
Virtua Fighter (Sega)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’93 – Batsugun (Toaplan)
Victor’s pick for best of ’93 – Raiden II (Seibu Kaihatsu)
Alex’s pick for best of ’93 – Dungeons & Dragons: Tower Of Doom (Capcom)
1994 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #118 for details.
1000 Miglia / Great 1000 Miles Rally (Kaneko)
Aliens vs Predator (Capcom)
Bubble Bobble 2 (Tato)
Cruis’n USA (Midway)
Darius Gaiden (Taito)
Elevator Action Returns (Taito)
Point Blank (Namco)
Primal Rage (Atari)
Raiden DX (Seibu Kaihatsu)
Revolution X (Midway)
Street Fighter 2 Turbo (capcom)
Space Invaders DX (Taito)
Tekken (Namco)
Virtua Cop (Sega)
XMen Children Of The Atom (Capcom)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’94 – Gunbird (Psikyo)
Victor’s pick for best of ’94 – Puzzle Bobble (Taito)
1995 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #119 for details.
Bubble Memories – The Story of Bubble Bobble III (Taito)
DonPachi (Cave / Atlus)
Deroon Dero Dero (Tecmo)
Game Paradise – Master of Shooting! (Jaleco)
Hyper Pacman (SemiCom)
Jackie Chan – The Kung-Fu Master (Kaneko)
Magical Drop (Data East)
Manx TT Super Bike (Sega)
Mortal Kombat 3 (Midway)
P-47 Aces (Jaleco)
Puzzle Bobble 2 (Taito)
Rave Racer (Namco)
Space Invaders ’95 – The Attack of Lunar Loonies (Taito)
Street Fighter Alpha (Capcom)
Strikers 1945 (Psikyo)
Time Crisis (Namco)
Viper Phase 1 (Seibu Kaihatsu)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’95 – Sega Rally Championship (Sega)
Victor’s pick for best of ’95 – Namco Classics Edition (Namco)
1996 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #120 for details.
19xx – The War Against Destiny (Capcom)
Battle Garegga (Raizing / Eighting)
Dancing Eyes (Namco)
Dead Or Alive (Tecmo)
Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystaria (Capcom)
GTI Club (Konami)
Hotdog Storm (Marble)
Metal Slug (Nazca)
Miss World ‘96 Nude (Comad)
Neo Drift Out – New Technology (Visco)
Osman (Mitchell)
Police Trainer (P&P Marketing)
Prop Cycle (Namco)
Puzzle Bobble 3 (Taito)
Ray Storm – (Taito)
Salamander 2 (Konami)
Soul Edge V2 (Namco)
Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Capcom)
Street Fighter EX (Capcom)
Tekken 3 (Namco)
Waku Waku 7 (Sunsoft)
X-Men Vs. Street Fighter (Capcom)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’96 – Raiden Fighters (Seibu Kaihatsu)
Victor’s pick for best of ’96 – Raiden 2 New / Raiden DX (Seibu Kaihatsen)
1997 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #121 for details.
Arkanoid Returns (Taito)
Armed Police Batrider (8ing / Raizing)
Beatmania (Konami)
Cotton 2 (Success)
G – Darius (Taito)
House Of The Dead (Sega)
Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter (Capcom)
Mortal Kombat 4 (Midway)
Puzzle Bobble 4 (Taito)
Raiden Fighters 2 (Seibu Kaihatsun)
Rampage World Tour (Midway)
Rival Schools (Capcom)
Shienryu (Warashi)
Shock Troopers (Saurus)
Sol Divide (Psikyo)
Strikers 1945 II (Psikyo)
Tetris Plus 2 (Jaleco)
Time Crisis II (Namco)
Vampire Hunter 2 and Vampire Saviour (Capcom)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’97 – DoDonPachi (Cave)
Victor’s pick for best of ’97 – Puchi Carat (Taito)
1998 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #122 for details.
Dangun Feveron / Fever SOS (Cave)
Esp Ra. De. (Cave)
Gauntlet Legends (Atari)
Panic Park (Namco)
Pop ‘n Music (Konami)
Sega Rally 2 (Sega)
Star Wars Trilogy Arcade (Sega)
Tetris The Grand Master (Arika)
Time Crisis II (Namco)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’98 – Cyvern – The Dragon Weapons (Kaneko)
Victor’s pick for best of ’98 – Soul Calibur (Namco)
1999 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #123 for details.
Crazy Taxi (sega)
Cyvern PLUS! (Kaneko)
Ferrari F355 Challenge (Sega)
Gaia Crusaders (Noise Factory)
Garou – Mark of The Wolves (SNK)
Gauntlet Dark Legacy (Midway)
Giga Wing (Takumi)
Guwange (Cave)
Hyper Bishi Bashi Champ (Konami)
Knights of Valour (3 versions) (IGS)
Metal Slug X (SNK)
Mr Driller (Namco)
Samba De Amigo (Sega)
Point Blank 2 (Namco)
Pump It Up The 1st Dance Floor (Andamiro)
Silent Scope – (Konami)
Street Fighter 3 – 3RD Strike (Capcom)
Strider 2 (Capcom)
Strikers 1945 III and PLUS (Psikyo)
Tekken Tag Tournament (Namco)
Virtua Tennis 1 and 2 (Sega)
Shaun’s pick for best of ’99 – Battle Bakraid (Eighting)
Victor’s pick for best of ’99 – Mr. Driller (Namco)
2000 Contenders:
Listen to podcast #124 for details.
1944: The Loop Master (Capcom)
Big Buck Hunter (Play Mechanix)
Block Kazushi – (Tamsoft)
Capcom Vs SNK: Millenium Fight (Capcom) – few of these crossovers
Class Of ‘81 (Namco)
Loads of DDR and Beatmania (Konami)
Dimahoo (8ing / Raizing)
Dragon Blaze (Psikyo)
Gauntlet Dark Legacy (Midway)
Guilty Gear X (Sammy)
Gunpey (Bandai / Banpresto)
Mars Matrix (Takumi)
Metal Slug 3 (SNK)
Mighty Pang! (Mitchell)
Ridge Racer 5: Arcade Battle (Namco)
Sega Strike Fighter (Sega)
Star Wars Racer Arcade (Sega)
The Typing Of The Dead (Sega)
Shaun’s pick for best of 2000 – Vasara (Visco)
Victor’s pick for best of 2000 – Mr. Driller 2 (Namco)
That’s All Folks!