Hidden Gems from the Arcade Era You Might Have Missed

The golden age of arcade games lasted from the late '70s to the early '90s, a time when some of the most iconic games were made. Everyone knows games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong - titles that have left a lasting legacy - but there were many games just as good that, and even though they achieved lots of fame in their time, not a lot of users played them or even remember today.

So, in this article we’re shining a light on the top 8 hidden gems from the arcade era that you perhaps haven’t played, but definitely should.

Ninja Gaiden (1988)

This game was released by Tecmo for the NES in Japan, following Ryu Hayabusa, a ninja who travels to America to avenge his father’s death. In terms of gameplay, players progress through six Acts with 20 levels, facing enemies and bosses, including the “Malice Four.” The game is not as easy as some might think, especially in later stages - a true arcade!

This game was widely acclaimed for storytelling, received awards, and was followed by two sequels, Ninja Gaiden II and III. It also expanded through novels and comics. Although it seems its popularity was enormous, it appears people have forgotten about it!

Moon Patrol (1982)

This arcade game was developed by Irem, featuring a Moon buggy overcoming obstacles and dealing with enemies in horizontally scrolling landscapes. Players control the buggy in “Sector Nine” of Luna City, overcoming craters, mines, and aerial UFO attackers. The game is divided into stages marked by checkpoints, and you can play at either a beginner or champion level.

The game received high ratings and awards but, like Ninja Gaiden, was forgotten as modern games rolled out.

Elevator Action (1983)

This platform shooter arcade game was developed by Taito, where players control Agent 17 (Otto), a spy infiltrating a 30-story building to collect secret data documents and evade enemy agents. The goal is to reach red doors marking document locations and then escape the building after collecting all documents. Players can make Otto shoot, jump-kick, drop lights on enemies, or use elevators to crush them. If players take too long to find the documents, the enemies become angrier and more aggressive.

This game was played on platforms like Famicom, NES, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum, with re-releases on the Wii, Wii U, PS4, and Switch as part of the Arcade Archives series. Are you going to play this to get yourself back to the '80s?

Zaxxon (1982)

A true hidden gem, Zaxxon is an arcade game developed by Sega, and the first to use isometric projection, giving a pseudo-3D perspective. It was also the first arcade game with its own TV commercial. In Zaxxon, players pilot a spaceship through fortified space zones, avoiding obstacles and dealing with enemies.

It received numerous awards and positive reviews, resulting in a sequel, Super Zaxxon, and a Zaxxon-style game called Future Spy.

Gyruss (1983)

Gyruss is a shoot-'em-up arcade game developed by Yoshiki Okamoto for Konami, featuring space combat similar to Galaga, but with a unique circular perspective. Players can move their ship around the screen’s edge, aiming at enemies that appear from the center. The 1980s players enjoyed this game because of its interesting gameplay, and also its stunning stereo soundtrack - an electronic version of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, achieved through five 3-voice sound chips.

Overall, it was a popular arcade game, receiving many positive ratings and awards. It was included in many compilations and definitely deserves to be on the list of top hidden gems from the arcade era you probably missed.

Qix (1981)

This is a puzzle video game created by Randy and Sandy Pfeiffer and published by Taito America. It features a large empty playfield and an abstract entity called the Qix. Players must use the joystick and buttons to control a marker that draws lines to capture areas of the field, filling 75% to win each level.

Although it was popular and received awards and high rankings, it was soon forgotten due to being seen as too complex. Maybe it’s time to make this game popular again?

The Electric Yo-Yo (1985)

Another arcade gem by Taito America, The Electric Yo-Yo was made by modifying the Qix hardware. In fact, some people say Sandy and Randy Pfeiffer had a hand in its creation. In this game, players control the Electric Yo-Yo using a four-way joystick to clear “Blox” on the screen by extending the Yo-Yo’s string to latch onto them. However, the Yo-Yo only moves a short distance if directed where no "Blox" are present. It must avoid Bions, which move around and kill on contact, and Trions, which charge Blox they touch or carry Bions to the next Blox.

This arcade game received a lot of traction in its time, but today it’s another hidden gem. Do you think you’ll be playing it soon?

Vanguard (1981)

The last one on our list is Vanguard, a scrolling shooter arcade developed by TOSE and released by SNK in Japan and Europe. It features forced scrolling with both horizontal and vertical sections, as well as diagonal scrolling, controlled with an 8-way joystick and four shooting buttons.

The gameplay is intriguing - the player, tasked with defeating the villain Gond, pilots a fighter ship through zones, each with cool and unique challenges. Players must defeat a boss at the end of each tunnel to complete the mission.

This arcade was innovative, with directional shooting and digitized voices, and as a result, it earned awards and a sequel, Vanguard II.

The Arcade Era: Time to Rediscover Forgotten Classics!

These hidden arcade gems may not be popular today and some of them only had limited success in their time, but they were the ones that defined the golden arcade era.

So - buckle up, and let’s play some arcade!