Coin-op conversions: from the arcades to your home sorted by release date
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.
Most popular coin-op conversion games
shooterWindows XP/98/95
racingWindows XP/98/95
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BurgerTime
DOS1982 Data East
Novatron
DOS1982 Verisoft
PC-Man
DOS1982remake Orion Software
PC-Man is an abandoned top-down Pac-Man clone in every regard: from the shape of the protagonist, to the cute ghosts. PC-Man was designed by Greg Kuperberg, developed by Orion Software and released in 1982 for DOS. As PC-Man, you have to move through a one screen maze to collect dots (pills? wafers?) and avoid being touched by one of the usual Pac-...
Battlezone
DOS1983 Atari
Dig Dug
DOS1983 Namco
Dig Dug is a classic maze arcade action game that was first released by Namco in 1982 as a coin-op and later for a number of other systems. The gameplay of Dig Dug involves digging tunnels through the earth to reach and defeat the various creatures that inhabit the underground maze. The player has an air pump, which he can use to inflate the monste...
Donkey Kong
DOS1983 Nintendo
Donkey Kong is a landmark video game franchise created by Shigeru Miyamoto and first released by Nintendo in 1981. The original arcade game introduced players to a narrative where a carpenter named Jumpman, who would later become known as Mario, must rescue his girlfriend Pauline from a giant, barrel-throwing ape named Donkey Kong. This game is oft...
Frogger
DOS1983 Konami
Galaxian
DOS1983 Namco
Pango
DOS1983remake
Robotron 2084
DOS1983 Williams Entertainment
Space Commanders
DOS1983remake Columbia Data Products
Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
DOS1983 Sega
Stargate
DOS1983 Williams Entertainment
Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom
DOS1984 Sega
Ms. Pac-Man
DOS1984 Atarisoft
Ms. Pac-Man is a classic arcade game released by Midway in 1982 (1984 for DOS) as a follow-up to the original Pac-Man (1980), developed by Namco. While its core gameplay is similar - navigating a maze, eating dots, and avoiding ghosts - there are key differences. Ms. Pac-Man features four distinct maze designs, moving bonus fruits, and mo...
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 ...
Tapper
DOS1984
Zaxxon
DOS1984 Sega
Zaxxon is a classic arcade video game that was first released by Sega in 1982 for the arcades and later for a number of platforms. It is considered one of the pioneering titles in the shoot 'em up or scrolling shooter genre. Zaxxon was notable for its use of isometric graphics, which gave the game a unique 3D perspective.
Yie Ar Kung Fu
DOS1985 Konami
Yie Ar Kung Fu 2: The Emperor Yie-Gah
DOS1985 Konami
Gauntlet
DOS1986 Mindscape
Ninja
DOS1986 Acclaim Entertainment
Tag Team Wrestling
DOS1986 Technos Japan
Guerrilla War
DOS1987 SNK Corporation
Karnov
DOS1987 Data East
Karnov is a classic side-scrolling action arcade game developed by Data East in 1987. The game features a unique protagonist named Jinborov Karnovski, or "Karnov", a fire-breathing, muscle-bound, bald, shirtless strongman from the fictional land of Karnov. Initially released in arcades, Karnov was later ported to home consoles like the Nintend...
Marble Madness
DOS1987 Atari
Marble Madness is an abandoned isometric action game designed by Mark Cerny and originally published by Atari as a successful and iconic arcade game. It was later converted for many platform in 1986 and for IBM PCs in 1987 by Atari.
Rockford: The Arcade Game
DOS1987protected Arcadia Systems
Aaargh
DOS1988 Binary Design
Arkanoid
DOS1988 Taito
Arkanoid is a classic arcade video game that was first released in 1986 by Taito. It is a breakout-style game, which means that the primary objective is to break a wall of bricks or blocks by bouncing a ball off a paddle at the bottom of the screen. The game takes its name and inspiration from Atari's Breakout, which was released in the 1970s. ...
Bad Dudes VS Dragon Ninja
DOS1988protected Data East