10 Best Arcade Shooters of the 1980s, Ranked

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Video game arcades in the 1970s quickly became popular, and shooting games were one of the most common types. While “shooters” today usually means first-person games, the term covered a wide variety of styles in the 80s and 90s, including games played with light guns, on rails, and fast-paced action titles. We reviewed 75 shooters from the 1980s and picked out the 10 best. Our ranking considers what critics thought of the games when they first came out, how enjoyable they were to play, and how influential they were to the evolution of the shooter genre.

10) Tempest

Man, Tempest from 1981 is a seriously cool game. It’s a tube shooter with this really unique vector graphics style that makes it feel like you’re actually moving through 3D space. You control this little claw thing and basically spin around the inside of these tubes, blasting enemies as they come at you. It’s a total classic from the golden age of arcades, and honestly, it’s tough! But that’s what makes it so addictive. I love that you can pick your starting level with the SkillStep feature – it’s a great way to keep improving and pushing yourself to get better.

9) Centipede

Okay, so Centipede is a classic arcade shooter from way back in 1981, and it was a massive deal when it came out. Basically, you’re shooting at this centipede that’s constantly coming down the screen, and it’s trying to reach you. There are mushrooms you can use to change its path, but you have to watch out for spiders and other stuff that can kill you as you move around with the trackball. If the centipede makes it to the bottom, game over! But if you destroy all its segments, you move on to the next level. It was so popular, tons of games copied it, and they even made a sequel called Millipede in 1982.

8) Contra

Though many remember it from the Nintendo Entertainment System, Contra first appeared in arcades, and the arcade and console versions are essentially the same game. Contra is a fast-paced, action-packed shooter for up to two players, where you run through various levels – some require you to stand still and shoot, while others are classic side-scrolling platformers – and destroy countless aliens. The game became incredibly popular and is famous for the Konami Code, which gives players 30 extra lives. Contra‘s success launched a whole series of games, but the original is still considered a standout title.

7) Robotron: 1984

Released in 1982, Robotron: 2084 takes place in a bleak future—the year 2084—where robots have rebelled against humanity. The game is a fast-paced shooter where you battle endless waves of robots, save humans, and rack up points. What set Robotron: 2084 apart for its time was its use of two joysticks—one to move and one to shoot in any direction. It was a huge success when it came out and went on to inspire many shooting games that followed.

6) Missile Command

Released in 1980, Missile Command clearly reflects the anxieties of the Cold War era. The game puts you in charge of a missile defense network, using a trackball to shield six cities from incoming ballistic missiles. Like many games from the early 80s, it gets increasingly challenging, demanding skill to master. Despite its difficulty, Missile Command is celebrated as a classic from the Golden Age of Arcade Games and has inspired countless similar titles since.

5) Moon Patrol

Released in 1982, Moon Patrol is a side-scrolling shooting game where you drive a lunar rover across the moon’s surface. You’ll shoot at obstacles, jump over gaps, and even shoot flying saucers above you. The game features checkpoints along the way to help you progress. Moon Patrol is enjoyable to play and is historically significant as the first game to use full parallax scrolling, creating a more realistic sense of depth in the background.

4) Star Wars

As a huge fan of classic arcade games, I have to say the original Star Wars arcade game from the 80s is still amazing. It really captured the feeling of flying an X-Wing during the attack on the Death Star! The way it used vector graphics gave a cool sense of depth, and the special flight controller made it feel so realistic. Everyone agrees it’s one of the best games from that time. They did release an update in ’85 to The Empire Strikes Back, but honestly, it’s the original Death Star run that everyone remembers and loves!

3) Commando

Despite sharing a name with the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie released in the same year, the arcade game Commando is completely unrelated. It’s a fast-paced action game where you play a soldier fighting through the jungle, and it helped kickstart the popularity of military-themed video games. Games like Call of Duty, which came later, owe a lot to Commando‘s success. It was praised by both critics and players for its clever level design and smart enemy behavior, making it a top arcade hit.

2) Space Harrier

Released in 1985, Sega’s Space Harrier was a groundbreaking rail shooter with impressive graphics for its era. Players controlled a jetpack-powered character, battling fantastical creatures from a third-person perspective using a flight stick. The arcade version was particularly immersive, featuring a dedicated cockpit and motion simulation. While successful on home consoles, Space Harrier is best known for its innovative gameplay, which was a remarkable achievement considering the technical constraints of the time. Despite these limitations, Sega created a truly influential and memorable game.

1) Galaga

Released in 1981, Galaga is widely considered the best and most enjoyable shooter from the 1980s. As a follow-up to 1979’s Galaxian, it refined the gameplay with exciting additions like the tractor beam. This unique feature allowed players to recapture their ship – adding it to their own for double the firepower. This innovative mechanic helped Galaga become a huge hit and one of the defining games of the arcade era.

What’s your top pick for a shooter game from the 1980s? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-21 16:15