Recommend a MAME Classic!

August 22, 2008 1:29 PM

Recommend an awesome vintage arcade game for me to play on MAME!

I'm looking to get back into MAME and do some great 80s and 90s gaming, but I have no idea what's good beyond some of the more obvious classics. I've read this thread but I'm looking for less of the modern stuff, more of the 2D simple arcade classics. I'm a big platformer and racing fan, but I also enjoy top-down flying games like 1941/2/3. Quirky, little-known arcade games welcome and appreciated.

If it matters, I'm running a 2 yr old Linux machine that ought be able to handle most graphical challenges.

Thanks MeFi!

posted by l33tpolicywonk to Computers & Internet (34 answers total)

I have about a million games but I always go back to playing Black Tiger and Rastan. Brainless hack and slash, but keeps me occupied.
posted by sanka at 1:37 PM on August 22, 2008

Rampage!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rampage_(arcade_game)
posted by Ponderance at 1:39 PM on August 22, 2008

Super Qix.
posted by box at 1:42 PM on August 22, 2008

Elevator Action!
posted by electroboy at 1:43 PM on August 22, 2008

Great platformers: New Zealand Story 1&2, Bubble Bobble, Snow Bros, Rodland. Little-known predecessor of Bubble Bobble: Chack'n Pop.
posted by martinrebas at 1:47 PM on August 22, 2008

Chicken Shift.
posted by uncleozzy at 2:00 PM on August 22, 2008

Galaga
posted by lee at 2:02 PM on August 22, 2008

Cyberball remains the best video football game ever created, IMO.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:06 PM on August 22, 2008

Oh, and Pengo sucked up many an afternoon at the bowling alley.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:07 PM on August 22, 2008

cashman
posted by cashman at 2:09 PM on August 22, 2008

It breaks my heart, CPB, that you've never played Tecmo Super Bowl.

Super Pang
Sunset Riders
the Gradius series
posted by box at 2:10 PM on August 22, 2008

Strike Force (one of two sequels to Defender) is a pretty fantastic side shooter.
posted by mkb at 2:13 PM on August 22, 2008

I always like the Mr. Do! series- Mr. Do!, Mr. Do! Run Run, Mr. Do's Castle, & Mr. Do's Wild Ride. Castle was my least favorite.
posted by Challahtronix at 2:15 PM on August 22, 2008

Rampage, wonderful game that it is, is best enjoyed with two or three players.

Seconding New Zealand Story (TNZS). A great quirky game.
posted by yohko at 2:17 PM on August 22, 2008

Crazy Climber
Battlezone
Armor Attack
Omega Race
Every Vector Game Ever
posted by Reverend John at 2:22 PM on August 22, 2008

One of my favorites is Peter Packrat. Ninja Spirit is also amazing. Neither were terribly popular, but I have no idea why.
posted by DanielDManiel at 2:23 PM on August 22, 2008

The insanity that is PuliRula.
posted by cog_nate at 2:24 PM on August 22, 2008

Ah yes! From the prior thread!
Moon Cresta!
(im gonna misspell this but) Pleidaes
Star Castle!
Vanguard
Scramble
Sinistar
Berzerk
Frenzy

OK, im stopping now to break out my own mame
posted by Reverend John at 2:29 PM on August 22, 2008

uninspired but.....

DK
DKjr
popeye
1942
posted by mefiskiing at 2:46 PM on August 22, 2008

It breaks my heart, CPB, that you've never played Tecmo Super Bowl.

I did play it! When the game includes an unstoppable Bo Jackson, I can't really call it the best ever. ;-)
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 2:47 PM on August 22, 2008

Defender
Tempest
Gravitar
Robotron
posted by Bearman at 2:47 PM on August 22, 2008

Yeah, Bojax is an irresistable force, but Christian Okoye is nearly as unstoppable, and Derrick Thomas is an immovable object. The Tecmo Super Bowl Chiefs are the most underrated team in football history--it's a shame they weren't nearly so good in real life.
posted by box at 2:55 PM on August 22, 2008

Son Son an original little side-scrolling platformer.

Did anyone mention R-Type II?

Galaga -- perhaps a little slow.

Sexy Parodius -- not 80s or 90s, but a bit of a furious arcade bugger.
posted by popcassady at 3:10 PM on August 22, 2008

Xenophobe (best with multiple players)
Joust
Space Harrier
posted by DanielDManiel at 3:27 PM on August 22, 2008

Twin Cobra
Yie Ar Kung Fu
Golden Axe
Kung Fu Master
Punch-Out!!
posted by steveminutillo at 3:42 PM on August 22, 2008

Strider
Sinistar
Time Pilot and Time Pilot '84
Tempest
Dig Dug
Super Sprint

Two Tigers is an exceedingly fun game, but I have not been able to tweak the settings to control it properly.
posted by ikkyu2 at 4:03 PM on August 22, 2008

Barely half way down the list, but I'm already having a crazy amount of fun. My flight will actually be bearable tomorrow.

If anybody's got more racing games...
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 6:36 PM on August 22, 2008

If anybody's got more racing games...

Not really a racing game but hella fun ... Bump n' Jump.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:56 PM on August 22, 2008

In the top-down shooter style, try DoDonPachi, very hardcore.
ddonpach.zip
posted by PowerCat at 9:06 PM on August 22, 2008

Blasteroids!
posted by ostranenie at 5:17 PM on August 24, 2008

Driving games:
Hard Drivin'
Roadblasters
S.T.U.N. Runner

Karnov was entertaining for a while. Bad Dudes vs. the Dragon Ninja was a classic... Final Fight as well.

Why has no one mentioned Jungle Hunt yet??!?
posted by ostranenie at 8:22 PM on August 24, 2008

Gyruss. ZOMG Gorf.

80s-90s arcade games? I could go all night.
posted by ostranenie at 8:24 PM on August 24, 2008

If you're looking into making flights more bearable, why stop with MAME? I suppose you've already checked into console emulation and abandonware?
posted by ostranenie at 8:27 PM on August 24, 2008

Oh and there's this.
posted by ostranenie at 8:45 PM on August 24, 2008