Arcade gaming awards

From thecrankyhermit

This is a guide to the best games that were ever made for arcades, year-by-year. No sports games are included.

1976 awards!

  • Breakout



1978 awards!

  • Space Invaders



1979 awards!

  • Asteroids



1980 awards!

Action:

  • Pac-Man



1981 awards!

  • Defender
  • Donkey Kong
  • Frogger
  • Galaga
  • Ms. Pac-Man



1982 awards!

  • BurgerTime
  • Dig Dug
  • Joust
  • Moon Patrol



1983 awards!

  • Dragon's Lair
  • Mario Bros.
  • Star Wars



1984 awards!

  • 1942
  • Marble Madness
  • Paperboy



1985 awards!

  • Gauntlet
  • Ghosts 'N Goblins
  • Yie Ar Kung-Fu



1986 awards!

  • Bubble Bobble
  • OutRun
  • Rampage
  • Salamander



1987 awards!

  • 1943: The Battle of Midway
  • Contra
  • Double Dragon
  • Operation Wolf
  • Shinobi



1988 awards!

  • Altered Beast
  • Double Dragon II: The Revenge
  • Ghouls 'N Ghosts



1989 awards!

  • Final Fight
  • Golden Axe
  • Strider
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
  • U.N. Squadron



1990 awards!

  • Columns
  • Rampart
  • Smash T.V.



1991 awards!

  • The Simpsons
  • Street Fighter II
  • Sunset Riders
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time



1992 awards!

  • Virtua Racing



1993 awards!

  • Mortal Kombat II
  • Ridge Racer
  • Super Street Fighter II



1994 awards!

  • Cruis'n USA
  • Killer Instinct
  • Tekken
  • Virtua Fighter 2


1995 awards!

  • Mortal Kombat 3
  • Sega Rally Championship
  • Street Fighter Alpha
  • Tekken 2
  • Virtua Cop 2



1996 awards!

  • The House of the Dead
  • Metal Slug
  • Soul Edge
  • Street Fighter Alpha 2



1997 awards!

  • Tekken 3



1998 awards!

  • Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
  • SoulCalibur
  • Street Fighter Alpha 3



1999 awards!

  • Crazy Taxi
  • Garou: Mark of the Wolves
  • Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
  • Tekken TAG Tournament



2000 awards!

  • Marvel vs. Capcom 2
  • Metal Slug 3
  • Power Stone 2



2001 awards!

  • Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium
  • Ikaruga
  • Monkey Ball
  • Tekken 4
  • Virtua Fighter 4



2002 awards!

  • SoulCalibur II



2004 awards!

  • Tekken 5



2008 awards!

  • Street Fighter IV