The 50 best games of the '80s, ranked

2024-01-12

GamesThe 50 best games of the ’80s, rankedWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Legend of Zelda

Here it is, the very best games of the ’80s. Remembered as a period of wild experimentation, what you’ll find on this ranking is some of thebest retro gamesof all-time. From the sheer ingenuity of The Legend of Zelda to the unbridled scope of Elite, our pick of the 50 best games of the ’80s reflect just how unbelievable the era was for the industry.

50. Raid On Bungeling Bay

Developer: Will WrightReleased: 1984

This was the game that spurred its author Will Wright to become embroiled in all those Sim games. Although Wright’s first commercial title, Raid On Bungeling Bay was an enormously ambitious creation. What initially appears to be a polished, but typically single-minded eight-way scrolling shoot-em-up, is actually something rather more subtle and devious, with players flying over enemy islands where the urban sprawl actually evolves, grows factories and dispatches ever-more-deadly military technology. That changing landscape concept, along with some of the map visuals, would later work their way into Sim City.

49. 3D Deathchase (1983)

Developer: Mervyn EstcourtReleased: 1983

48. M.U.L.E.

Developer: Ozark SoftscapeReleased: 1983

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All but ignored at the time of its release, receiving little critical acclaim and selling poorly, despite the publishing power ofElectronic Arts, M.U.L.E. is now rightfully acknowledged as one of the most groundbreaking video games of all time. Though an update of the age-old Kingdom formula at heart, M.U.LE.’s innovative single screen multiplayer mode and arcade-style take on resource harvesting and economic strategy helped create a game style that would ultimately lead to the Civilization series, Dune, Command & Conquer and countless other real-time strategy titles. Author Dan Bunten (later Dani Berry) died in 1998, before completing an online version of the game.

47. Impossible Mission

Developer: EpyxReleased: 1984

Impossible Mission was the game that introduced many C64 owners to voice synthesis for the very first time. “Stay a while, stay forever!”, bellowed the player’s unseen nemesis at the start of a heroic, against-the-clock battle across multiple screens populated with platforms, lifts and robots. Possibly even more sinister was the digitized scream that accompanied the many inevitable deaths that followed. One side effect of the somewhat cheeky title is that many gamers of a certain age still have trouble correctly naming a certain 1960 TV spy show (and the associated Tom Cruise blockbusters).

46. Scramble

Developer:KonamiReleased: 1981

Along with Space Invaders, Asteroids, Centipede and Galaxians, Scramble is undoubtedly one of the all-time classic first generation video games, helping to play a crucial role in the rise of the coin-op in arcades and bars throughout the USA and Europe. Scramble’s USP was sideways scrolling, with players piloting a craft over mountainous landscapes, through tunnels, and over cities replete with alien craft, missile silos and fuel dumps. In addition to Konami’s own semi-sequel Super Cobra, it’s a formula that also went on to influence games like Vanguard and R-Type.

45. Lode Runner

Developer: Doug SmithReleased: 1984

It was generally the text-based adventurers that made the transition from the minicomputer platforms of the ’70s to the home computers of the ’80s, but Lode Runner is an honourable exception. Bizarrely, architecture student Douglas Smith originally coded his ladders-and-levels chase game for the VAX system, before rebuilding it and refining it for the Apple II. Though maddeningly addictive in its own right, much of the game’s popularity and enduring appeal can be attributed to inclusion of more than a hundred levels, along with an editor enabling gamers to fashion countless more. Lode Runner even transitioned to the arcades, while variants continue to thrive to this day.

44. Star Raiders

Developer: AtariReleased: 1980

43. The Sentinel

Developer: Geoff CrammondReleased: 1986

Sir Geoff Crammond spent much of the ’90s placed on a pedestal in recognition of his Formula One racing simulations, but for the more cerebrally inclined it was his earlier, weird and wonderful foray into puzzle-based games that inspired real devotion. It’s hard to fathom how Crammond actually conceived such an odd blend- the chess-style powerplays, energy absorption , and virtual reality-style, procedurally generated 3D chequerboard landscapes - but for whatever reason it worked (and still works) beautifully. Crammond gave his blessing to an official remake from Psygnosis just over a decade later.

42. Lords Of Midnight

Developer: Mike SingletonReleased: 1984

Released at a time when other games might offer ten, twenty, or gasp even a hundred locations to explore, Lords Of Midnight’s canny ability to somehow squeeze almost 4,000 into a mere 48K of memory was nothing short of incredible, and the ability to view each of these from multiple angles, and in 3D, was pretty much revolutionary. Somewhat shockingly, Lords Of Midnight creator Mike Singleton also appreciated that size isn’t everything, and so the vast, Tolkien-indebted game world merely served as the backdrop for a mammoth turns-based blend of role-playing, wargaming and strategy. Even today, game developers struggle to combine so many game strands so seamlessly or conjure up such a fully formed fantasy world.

41. Pinball Construction Set

Developer: BudgeCoReleased: 1982

Having already introduced the very first pinball simulation to the Apple II format with Raster Blaster, PhD student Bill Budge inadvertently stumbled upon fame, a degree of fortune, and the honour of inventing a whole new kind of computer game, with the creation of this follow-up. With the ability to drop pinball table components onto a blank canvas and even modify the physics governing ball behaviour, players were effectively handed a game of infinite possibilities. Electronic Arts, who snapped up publishing rights, went on to sell almost a third of a million copies and further develop the idea with a number of other Construction spin-offs. Budge’s game also made a belated appearance on the Genesis platform in the ’90s, under the name Virtual Pinball.

40. Emlyn Hughes International Soccer

Developer: Audiogenic SoftwareReleased: 1988

39. Ballblazer

Developer:LucasfilmGamesReleased: 1985

38. Thrust

Developer: Jeremy C. SmithReleased:1986

37. Out Run

Developer:SegaReleased: 1986

Age may have withered its charms, but Out Run’s place in history should not be forgotten. This was arguably the first coin-op to deliver a real sense of high-speed, against-the-clock road racing, largely thanks to the power of Sega’s own sprite-based 3D graphics hardware (also used to great effect on After Burner, Space Harrier, and Power Drift), and in part due to the shiny allure of a real steering wheel and even a vibrating sit-down cabinet version. Also innovative was the game’s use of music, with a selection of smooth numbers emulating a suitably beach-kissed radio station. Some home versions even included an audio tape featuring recordings of the original tunes, for enhanced sensory gaming pleasure.

36. Missile Command

Developer: AtariReleased: 1980

35. Dragontorc

Developer: GraftgoldReleased: 1985

We make no apologies for the inclusion of such an obscure title on a UK-centric format, or indeed its high ranking. Graftgold’s Steve Turner was pretty much responsible for the first truly convincing action/RPG gene-splice with 3D adventure movie Avalon, yet somehow few actually noticed. Predictably the same thing happened with this superior sequel, despite the game’s confident ability to put spellcasting, exploration and puzzle-solving within a real-time arcade context, without compromising either depth of story or accessibility. Genius.

34. Archon: The Light and the Dark

Developer: Free Fall AssociatesReleased: 1983

The more cynical might suggest the reason Archon exhibits such classic gameplay is that it borrows so liberally from the game of chess. Its fans, however, prefer to think of it as standing on the shoulders of giants. Though the action does indeed all take place on a familiar chequerboard, and while the various pieces move around in a rather familiar fashion, it is unlikely Kasparav and his cohorts ever had to deal with an additional combat arena, spellcasting, power points on the chequer board, and a distinction between ground-based and airborne pieces. Even today Archon feels at once reassuringly familiar and excitingly fresh.

33. World Class Leaderboard

Developer: Access SoftwareReleased: 1987

Long before Electronic Arts enlisted Tiger Woods to help in their plan for world domination of yet another sports simulation genre, golf fans got their leisurely kicks with the Links series. And prior to developing that winning franchise, American outfit Access first swung out with the Leaderboard games. The last in the series, World Class Leaderboard refined the wind/snap/power balance of earlier games, as well as mixing up fantasy courses with decent renditions of real fairways. PC owners were even treated to an early use of audio sampling, with a process dubbed RealSound adding interactive commentary to the proceedings.

32. Zork

Developer: InfocomReleased: 1980

In the beginning was the word, in the form of the text-based Colossal Cave Adventure. And then just after the beginning there was Zork. Like its predecessor, Zork was developed for the PDP-10 mini-computer system in the late ’70s, but crucially its developers quickly recognised the commercial potential for their creation, and set about reworking their creation as a trilogy of adventure games for home computer formats under the Infocom development banner. Boasting cunning puzzles and an ambitious text input system, Zork was to prove highly influential, also giving Infocom an foundation on which to build a whole series of interactive fiction titles.

31. Star Wars

Developer: AtariReleased: 1983

30. Exile

Developer: Superior SoftwareReleased: 1988

Any game that dares implement a physics-based control system inevitably risks alienating a large section of the gaming community, despite the fact that such a move invariably adds enormously to the subtly of the gameplay (see also Lunar Lander, Asteroids, Defender, Lunar Jetman, and so on). Exile is no exception. With the interplay between gravity, natural phenomena like fire and water, plus a protagonist equipped with a jetpack, Exile immediately presented players with a fairly steep learning curve, before further complicating matters with massive pseudo-random levels, uncommonly intelligent enemies, and a bewildering array of useful objects. Scary stuff, but Exile may just be the most ambitious title to emerge from those golden years of gaming.

29. International Karate+

Developer: System 3Released: 1987

28. Ms. Pac-Man

Developer: General Computer CorporationReleased: 1982

Having transformed expectations about the demographic coin-op games could attract with their US launch of Namco’s Pac-Man, Midway decided to target the female gaming market a little more blatantly with this sequel, creating one of the most popular arcade games of all time in the process. Initially released without permission from Namco, Ms. Pac-Man featured near-identical gameplay to its predecessor, but adds longevity via the inclusion of five mazes and more random ghost behaviours, and considerable charm via pastel colour schemes and suitably themed cut-scenes. The original home computer and console versions also add various features, such as a simultaneous two-player mode, though whether any of these actually improved the formula remains questionable.

27. Lunar Jetman

Developer: Tim and Chris StamperReleased: 1983

26. Mega Man 2

Developer:CapcomReleased: 1988

25. Ikari Warriors

Developer: SNKReleased: 1986

24. Ant Attack

Developer: Sandy WhiteReleased: 1983

23. Koronis Rift

Developer: Lucasfilm GamesReleased: 1985

Having initially showcased their fuzzy 3D landscape technique with Rescue On Fractalus, Noah Falstein and his LucasFilm team then proceeded to show how well the cutting edge technique could be twinned with equally ambitious gameplay mechanics, with The Eidolon and Koronis Rift. Although afforded less of the limelight, it was the latter game that really pushed the boundaries, casting gamers in the role of a scavenger of planet surface scrap. No other game at the time boasted such immersive environments, or such an ambitious blending of blasting, inventory building, and exploration.

22. Final Fantasy

Developer: SquareReleased: 1987

Nobody does epic role-playing quite like the Japanese, and no Japanese company does it quite like Square. So named because designer Hironobu Sakaguchi planned to retire after its completion, Final Fantasy was the game that brought Square back from the brink, while simultaneously established the NES system as the must-have system for role-playing fans. In truth the game lacked much in the way of innovation, but Hironobu’s knack for storytelling elevated the game to another plane altogether and kickstarted a franchise that now spans multiple sequels (with more than 80 million games sold to date), numerous printed spin-offs, and even two full-length CG animated movies.

21. Uridium (1986)

20. R-Type

Developer: IremReleased: 1987

Arguably the definitive sideways scrolling shooter of the ’80s, Irem’s R-Type is a game far more innovative and subtle than its basic premise suggests. Chief among its USPs was the way firepower could be accrued, not least through an advanced power-up system dubbed The Force. A living weapon, The Force trails the players craft until fired off in a specified direction using one fire button, with the collection of extra power-ups further increasing its destructive capabilities. Throw in a Zaxxon-like approach to level design (the correct pathways must be learned through repeated playing) and no small number of end-of-level bosses, and the result was a game strong enough to inspire several sequels and influence shoot-em-ups games all stripes.

19. Boulder Dash

Developer: Data EastReleased: 1984

18. Robotron: 2084

Developer: Vid KidzReleased: 1982

A spiritual brother to equally frenetic coin-ops Tempest and Defender, Eugene Jarvis' Robotron 2084 is incredibly viewed as more challenging than either of those pant-wettingly difficult games thanks to a then-unique twin joystick control system. Challenging gamers to get to grips with the notion of moving a lead character with one stick and firing independently with the other, and then throwing them into a robot-infested arena reminiscent of Berzerk and even Asteroids for good measure, Robotron was never going to be a game to enjoy mainstream appeal. More’s the pity, as the learning curve was never quite as bad as it first appeared. Ultraviolence has rarely been so simple yet profoundly satisfying.

17. Rainbow Islands

Developer: TatioReleased: 1987

Though Taito’s Bubble Bobble sequel undoubtedly enjoyed much success in arcades, it was Rainbow Islands' arrival in the home that catapulted it into the public consciousness. Much of the credit must go to UK development team Graftgold, which worked to produce near-perfect versions on a whole range of formats, the 1990 Amiga edition being regarded as the finest, despite the absence of the arcade game’s final levels (it held the number one position in Amiga Power’s highly influential All Time Top 100 list for several years). Rainbow Islands' colourful platform-based action retains enormous charm, and continues to find and gain new fans with additional versions periodically arriving on contemporary formats.

16. Metroid

Developer:NintendoReleased: 1986

Forget the famous reveal at the end of Metroid, it’s the non-linear sprite-based alien blasting that ensures its place in the gaming hall of fame. And yet the game that spawned one of Nintendo’s most-treasured franchises wasn’t even a great success when originally launched for the NES disk system add-on in Japan. It was only when the game was given a cartridge format release in the USA (perversely on the same day as Legend Of Zelda) that the game really began to resonate. Comic strips and more ambitious console sequels helped Samus become one of the best-known game characters of all time.

15. Paradroid

Developer:GraftgoldReleased:1985

14. Contra

Developer: KonamiReleased: 1987

13. The Legend Of Zelda

Developer: NintendoReleased: 1986

12. The Hobbit

Developer: Beam SoftwareReleased: 1982

In a time when even movie spin-offs were a rarity, an officially licensed game based on a literary classic seemed nigh-on revolutionary. Throw in lavish packaging that included a copy of the original book, and it’s little wonder The Hobbit caused such a sensation. Incredibly, Melbourne House invested just as much time developing the game itself as snagging that coveted licence. Closely following Tolkien’s original story, throwing in some handsome static visuals, and boasting an advanced input system dubbed Inglish, The Hobbit sold millions and gave tens of thousands their very first taste of text-based adventuring.

11. Ultima 4: Quest Of The Avatar

Developer: Origin SystemsReleased: 1985

Undoubtedly one of the industry’s more interesting larger than life characters, games designer, programmer, and budding astronaut Richard Garriott is one man who has always embraced the inner geek. Not content with simply updating the simple pleasures of the first three Ultima games, Garriott bravely chose to take things even further with the fourth in the series. Sending players on a quest to display proficiency in eight noble virtues and became a mythical saviour, Quest Of The Avatar added a whole new philosophical and moral edge to the hack and slash genre, and laid the groundwork for a series based in the land of Britannia that eventually spilled over into the groundbreaking MMORPG Ultima Online.

10. Dungeon Master

Developer:FTL GamesReleased: 1987

Wizardry and The Bards Tale may have been the first to successfully twin Dungeons & Dragons-inspired adventuring with 3D visuals, but it was Dungeon Master that finally brought the genre firmly into the mainstream. Dodgy genre staples like orcs, magical arm and hit points are all present and correct, but with its mouse driven interface and revolutionary use of real-time exploration and combat, Dungeon Master proved accessible enough to become the most popular game ever released on the Atari ST, and a heavy influence on Eye Of The Beholder, Might & Magic, and the highly revered Ultima Underworld.

9. Maniac Mansion

Developer: LucasFilm GamesReleased: 1987

8. Prince Of Persia

Developer: BroderbundReleased: 1989

Having already made a name for himself with 1984’s karate title Karateka, Jordan Mechner returned to close combat with his sophomore Apple II effort, this time swapping the fist for the blade and amping up the graphic fidelity through the use of rotoscoping. Its doubtful that Mechner was the first person to use live footage for reference when punching in pixel data, but at the time nobody had created such meticulously natural-looking animation in a humble computer game. Sadly Mechner only ever coded two further titles, although he did serve as a consultant on 2003’s Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time.

7. Sim City

Developer: MaxisReleased: 1989

6. Defender

Developer: Williams ElectronicsReleased: 1981

With its daunting array of controllers (five buttons and a joystick), a range of bad guys sporting complex behaviours, plus a weird control system drenched in inertia, it’s little wonder that so many chose to admire Defender from afar when it first arrived in arcades. Even today, Eugene Jarvis' uniquely challenging creation for Williams remains one of the most difficult-to-master video games ever conceived. Yet it’s also one of the most elegant and inspired narrative-and-character-free coin-ops ever created. While several Defender games finally made it to consoles and home computers, only the unofficial BBC version Planetoid really came close to recreating the finely tuned gameplay of the arcade original.

5. Donkey Kong

Developer: NintendoReleased: 1981

4. Tempest

Developer: AtariReleased: 1981

3. Super Mario Bros 3

Developer:NintendoReleased:1989

Who at the time would have guessed that it would be the plumber, rather than the ape, that would emerge from Donkey Kong to become the official Nintendo mascot? While it was the original Super Mario Bros. that introduced a groundbreaking platform-based action adventure formula, it was the third in the series that really turned the moustachioed one into a fully-fledged superstar. Evolving the format with the addition of minigames, map screens, and a range of now-familiar power-ups and environment designs, Super Mario 3 went on to sell over 18 million copies in its original NES format, before going on to enjoy SNES success in the ’90s.

2. Tetris

Developer: Alexey PajitnovsReleased: 1985

Smartarse pundits may have initially compared Alexey Pajitnovs maddeningly addictive falling blocks puzzler to the Rubik’s Cube, but Tetris has ultimately proved to have far greater longevity, despite the fact that it’s been the subject of more (and more ridiculous) legal battles than just about any other leisure product of the last hundred years. Originally developed at the Academy of Science in Moscow for the Elektronika 60, the game that most famously helped Nintendo turn the Gameboy into a multi-million seller has since been released on just about every computer, console and portable format imaginable, including the iPod.

1. Elite

Developer: Dave Braben / Ian BellReleased: 1984

Sacrilege? Heresy? Lunacy? All of the above? A lack of commercial success in the USA means many sadly never got the opportunity to appreciate Dave Braben and Ian Bell’s masterwork, so will doubtless view its top ranking in disbelief. But those lucky enough to experience the wireframe thrills back in the day know that nothing else came close to providing such an immersive, one-more-hit, all-consuming experience. Blending complex physics, trading elements, and plenty of Star Wars indebted shoot-em-up action, and framing the action in an open-ended universe, Elite is the spiritual predecessor of everything from Wing Commander through to the Grand Theft Auto series. Elite at number one? Damn right.

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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”

3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”

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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”

Shadow brandishes a gun in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”

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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

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1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Nicola Coughlan as Joy in Doctor Who Christmas special Joy to the World

1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”

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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

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3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”

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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

50. Raid On Bungeling Bay

49. 3D Deathchase (1983)

48. M.U.L.E.

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47. Impossible Mission

46. Scramble

45. Lode Runner

44. Star Raiders

43. The Sentinel

42. Lords Of Midnight

41. Pinball Construction Set

40. Emlyn Hughes International Soccer

39. Ballblazer

38. Thrust

37. Out Run

36. Missile Command

35. Dragontorc

34. Archon: The Light and the Dark

33. World Class Leaderboard

32. Zork

31. Star Wars

30. Exile

29. International Karate+

28. Ms. Pac-Man

27. Lunar Jetman

26. Mega Man 2

25. Ikari Warriors

24. Ant Attack

23. Koronis Rift

22. Final Fantasy

21. Uridium (1986)

20. R-Type

19. Boulder Dash

18. Robotron: 2084

17. Rainbow Islands

16. Metroid

15. Paradroid

14. Contra

13. The Legend Of Zelda

12. The Hobbit

11. Ultima 4: Quest Of The Avatar

10. Dungeon Master

9. Maniac Mansion

8. Prince Of Persia

7. Sim City

6. Defender

5. Donkey Kong

4. Tempest

3. Super Mario Bros 3

2. Tetris

1. Elite

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