The most popular coin-op conversion games

Arcades experienced immense popularity during the 1980s and 1990s, serving as social hubs where people gathered to enjoy video games. Before the rise of poker machines, individuals frequented pubs or dedicated arcades to play video games known as coin-operated machines or coin-ops. These machines required players to insert coins to start playing, creating a pay-to-play model that was both thrilling and addictive.

As home video game consoles and computers advanced, many popular arcade games were adapted for these platforms. The transition allowed players to enjoy their favorite games in the comfort of their own homes. Systems like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Sega Genesis, and various home computers saw ports of arcade hits, often with slight modifications due to hardware limitations.

Coin-operated machines not only provided entertainment but also influenced game design, community building, and the overall trajectory of the gaming industry.

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Ajax

DOS1989 Konami

Rockford: The Arcade Game

DOS1987protected Arcadia Systems

Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone

DOS1992 East Technology Corp.

Stargate

DOS1983 Williams Entertainment

Rampart

DOS1992 Atari

Rampart is an abandoned mix of strategy and shooter game designed by Dave Ralston and John Salwitz, developed by Atari and released by Electronic Arts in 1992 for DOS. Rampart was converted from the original arcade version to a number of platforms, including Amiga, Atari ST, C64, Game Boy, Genesis, Lynx, NES, SEGA Master System, SNES. Rampart is a ...

Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator

DOS1983 Sega

Klax

DOS1990 Atari

Space Commanders

DOS1983remake Columbia Data Products

Q*Bert

DOS1984 Parker Brothers

Q*bert is a classic arcade game that was created by Warren Davis and Jeff Lee and was released by Gottlieb in 1982. The main goal of Qbert is to change the color of every cube in a pyramid by having the character, Qbert, hop on each cube. Once all cubes have changed to the target color, the player advances to the next level. Various ...

Yie Ar Kung Fu

DOS1985 Konami

Gauntlet

DOS1986 Mindscape

Dragon's Lair 3: The Curse of Mordread

DOS1992protected Sullivan Bluth Interactive Media

Dragon's Lair III, also known as Dragon's Lair III: The Curse of Mordread, is an installment in the classic Dragon's Lair series of animated arcade games. The game was released in 1991 and represents a continuation of the series known for its full-motion video (FMV) animation and interactive gameplay. Players control the hero, Dirk the Daring,...

Turbo OutRun

DOS1990 Sega

Turbo OutRun is an abandoned DOS action racing game set in North America, developed and published by Sega in 1990. Turbo OutRun is a conversion from the arcade classic of the same name and it's the sequel of the popular OutRun. The OutRun games are regarded as iconic and representative of the late 80s/early 90s, often cited by retrowave enthusiasts.

Magic Johnson's Basketball

DOS1989 Sculptured Software

CHAMP Kong

DOS1996remake ChamProgramming corp.

S.T.U.N. Runner

DOS1990 Atari

Blades of steel

DOS1990 Konami

Pit Fighter

DOS1991 Atari

Pit Fighter is an arcade-style fighting game that was originally released in arcades in 1990 by Atari Games. It was later ported to various home gaming platforms, including DOS, the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and others. It was one of the first arcade games to feature digitized live-action charactersThe game is a...

Tapper

DOS1984

Blasteroids

DOS1989 Atari

Blasteroids is a video game developed and released by Atari, Inc. in 1987. It's a sequel to the classic arcade game Asteroids, which was released in 1979. In Blasteroids, players control a spaceship tasked with destroying asteroids and enemy ships while avoiding collisions and enemy fire. The game features updated graphics and gameplay mechanics co...

Aaargh

DOS1988 Binary Design

Qix

DOS1989 Taito

Cabal

DOS1989 TAD Corporation

Cabal is an abandoned arcade conversion of a popular shooter game set in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Cabal was developed by TAD Corporation and released by Capcom in 1989 for DOS.

Joe and Mac Cavemen Ninja

DOS1991 Data East

Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja is a side-scrolling platformer video game developed and released by Data East in 1991. Known as "Joe & Mac" in North America and "Caveman Ninja" in other regions, the game gained popularity for its humorous take on prehistoric themes, cooperative gameplay, and challenging levels.The game is set in a colorful and car...

X-Men: Children of the Atom

DOS1997demo Capcom

X-Men: Children of the Atom is a fighting video game developed by Capcom and released in arcades in 1994. The game features characters from Marvel Comics' X-Men series, including popular mutants like Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, and Magneto, among others.The gameplay follows traditional fighting game mechanics, with players selecting a character and ...