# What is the best Pre 1985 Video Arcade game? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730 "2005-04-23T04:39:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/81 "2005-04-26T14:27:01Z")
The answer is so clearly **Tron** , though **Joust** and **Zaxxon** come in a close second and third. I’d have nominated **Gauntlet** as well, but it just misses the cut off date. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/82 "2005-04-26T14:33:07Z")
I should also note that **Star Wars** would have won if it were considered a arcade game, it is actually a way of life. A religious experience if you will. Special mention to **1942** , since I just now see that it was pre-1985…suprising. ---
**Author:** ![Arwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Arwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arwin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/83 "2005-04-26T14:35:03Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > This shatters the hopes of Linux fans everywhere who had already modded their [Xboxes](http://www.xbox-linux.org/), and were looking for new frontiers to conquer. > > No Linux-on-Pong. How sad. Yeah well, they already found a new project - Linux on PSP … (not kidding) I have heaps of games I loved but I don’t know which of them were also slot versions. However, I know that Atari’s **Super Sprint** was one, which the giant wheels as controllers in a three way cabinet. That was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![My\_Dog\_Klaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@My\_Dog\_Klaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Dog_Klaus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/84 "2005-04-26T14:42:22Z")
Nothing that hasn’t been mentioned…but I’ll put in my votes OmegaRace - haven’t seen any other version of this anywhere Tempest - the online version _sucks_ Defender Robotron and too many pinball machines to mention! ---
**Author:** ![MikeTheTiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@MikeTheTiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeTheTiger)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/85 "2005-04-26T14:46:38Z")
Donkey Kong Rules! I especially liked the elevator screen. If you did it just right, you could jump off of one elevator and it would bounce you off a girder back onto the elevator. It didn’t get you anything, it was just fun to do (the first 700 times…then it got old!) ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/86 "2005-04-26T15:11:39Z")
I need to get myself an emulator and a simple joystick so I can play all these goodies whenever the mood hits the way god intended. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/87 "2005-04-26T15:27:45Z")
[Somebody should ask these guys.](http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/88 "2005-04-26T16:26:42Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > [**High Speed**](http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1176) forever, baby! _Steve Ritchie roolz!_😃 I liked [the sequel](http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1000) better. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/89 "2005-04-26T16:41:09Z")
Bank Panic two direction joystick 3 buttons and a whole lotta fun. Bezerk (Intruder alert Intruder alert! get the Humanoid Stop the Humanoid) STAR TREK a vector graphics geek fest hell you even get to battle Nomad!! ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/90 "2005-04-26T17:08:11Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > What was the Pac-Man version with the pinball machine in the cabinet? When you got a certain object or went out one of the tunnels (I don’t remember which), the ball dropped into the pinball chamber and you played down there until you lost it (and I think at that point your Pac-Man sprite emerged from the tunnel on the opposite side). In addition to Baby Pac-Man (as mentioned above), there were two other video game/pinball combinations, not counting the dreaded ‘Pinball 2k’ that Williams launched to try to save their pinball line (weep). The other two titles were ‘Granny & the Gators’ and ‘Caveman’. Also, speaking of unusual pinballs with a video game theme (what?), there was also the ‘Joust’ pinball machine which was set in a cocktail like cabinet and allowed two players to play against each other AT THE SAME TIME! I remember it being a pretty machine, although the gameplay was painfully dull because of the small playfield. Here’s some photos of someone’s: [http://www.appolo.com/projects/joustpinball/joust\_pinball.htm](http://www.appolo.com/projects/joustpinball/joust_pinball.htm) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/91 "2005-04-26T20:06:07Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > Was it Robot Ron or Berzerk where the game had a synthesized voice? CHICKEN! FIGHT LIKE A ROBOT! **Berzerk.** > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > I liked [the sequel](http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1000) better. Nah, the first was better. The accelerator loop was a fun gimmick, but it _was_ a gimmick – and rather distracting, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/92 "2005-04-26T20:59:53Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > [**High Speed**](http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=1176) forever, baby! _Steve Ritchie roolz!_😃 High Speed, or its lalternate title: All of Spring Semester, Freshman year at college. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/93 "2005-04-26T21:02:14Z")
Although you haven’tplayed pinball until you’ve played: The Addams Family ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/94 "2005-04-26T21:41:09Z")
I’m of the old school of pinball. 8 Ball Deluxe for me. Althought I do remember playing both Black Knight and High Speed and enjoying them. Just not as much. Shoot for… 8 Ball ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/95 "2005-04-26T21:43:45Z")
[Astro Blaster](http://www.arcadeflyers.net/?page=flyerdb&subpage=flyer&id=3874&image=2) Sega / Gremlin 1981 If I had a quarter for every quarter I spent in that machine, I bet I’d have alot of quarters 😛 ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/96 "2005-04-26T21:44:41Z")
Count 1 more vote for Marble Madness–also Galaga, Qix, and kudos to the member who remembered Burger Time! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/97 "2005-04-26T22:28:06Z")
Don’t forget _Hyperball_, which I had a friggin’ blast with back in '81-82. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/98 "2005-04-26T23:48:16Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Although you haven’tplayed pinball until you’ve played: The Addams Family Oh god, I payed a ton of that in '92/'93. There was one in a bowling alley next door to where I worked, and I went over there every day at lunch and played it for an hour. Rolled it over several times. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/99 "2005-04-26T23:49:30Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > **Berzerk.** “Kill the humanoid. Kill the intruder!” ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730/100 "2005-04-27T00:22:08Z")
Bump N’ Jump And now two that I simply can’t remember by title. But I can describe them. The first one was an old west “shoot 'em up” type game, where the control was a dial that you rotated and pushed in to shoot. It rotated the six-shooter in your hand. The bonus level was you by the campfire trying to shoot a rusty tin can for bonus points. One level featured you riding along a speeding locomotive, and there was another button on the game whose sole purpose was “jump off of train”. Anyone? This one will be easier b/c I remember one of the words - “Quest”. It was something like "Vision Quest or “Galaxy Quest” (You see my problem here? ;)). It was a very old game, with graphics similar to the arcade version of Asteroids. The cool thing was you each had a ASCII looking ship that you could thrust and shoot, and you chased each other around a star in the middle with slow gravity. The controls were rather accurate - slow moving ships that increased speed as they neared the star and did not stop on a dime. The bullets didn’t shoot super-fast either. The best part was that you could partially disable your opponent’s ship - the ship would appear damaged, and may be only able to fly in tight clockwise circles. But, you didn’t know if they could still thrust and / or shoot or not, so you had to be cautious as you approached to finish them off. Of course, your opponent didn’t know either (unless you didn’t notice him try those buttons or unless he did try them and exposed his still-funtioning ship). Sometimes both ships could no longer shoot, but you still had to time your thrusts to outlast getting sucked into the star. Great, great game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-pre-1985-video-arcade-game/300730.md?page=6)