# Arcade video game

An arcade video game is an arcade game that takes player input from its controls, processes it through electrical or computerized components, and displays output to an electronic monitor or similar display. All arcade video games are coin-operated or accept other means of payment, housed in an arcade cabinet, and located in amusement arcades alongside other kinds of arcade games. Until the early 2000s, arcade video games were the largest and most technologically advanced segment of the video game industry.
Early prototypical entries Galaxy Game and Computer Space in 1971 established the principle operations for arcade games, and Atari's Pong in 1972 is recognized as the first successful commercial arcade video game. Improvements in computer technology and gameplay design led to a golden age of arcade video games, the exact dates of which are debated but range from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. This golden age includes Space Invaders, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong. The arcade industry had a resurgence from the early 1990s to mid-2000s, including Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, and Dance Dance Revolution, but ultimately declined in the Western world as competing home video game consoles such as the Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox increased in their graphics and gameplay capability and decreased in cost. Nevertheless, Japan, China, and South Korea retain a strong arcade industry in the present day.

## History

Games of skill were popular amusement-park midway attractions from the 19th century on. With the introduction of electricity and coin-operated machines, they facilitated a viable business. When pinball machines with electric lights and displays were introduced in 1933 (but without the user-controller flippers which would not be invented until 1947) these machines were seen as games of luck. Numerous states and cities treated them as amoral playthings for rebellious young people, and banned them into the 1960s and 1970s.
Electro-mechanical games (EM games) appeared in arcades in the mid-20th century. Following Sega's EM game Periscope (1966), the arcade industry experienced a "technological renaissance" driven by "audio-visual" EM novelty games, establishing the arcades as a suitable environment for the introduction of commercial video games in the early 1970s. In the late 1960s, college student Nolan Bushnell had a part-time job at an arcade where he became familiar with EM games such as Chicago Coin's racing game Speedway (1969), watching customers play and helping to maintain the machinery, while learning the game business.
The early mainframe game Spacewar! (1962) inspired the first commercial arcade video game, Computer Space (1971), created by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney and released by Nutting Associates. It was demonstrated at the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) show in October 1971. Another Spacewar-inspired coin-operated video game, Galaxy Game, was demonstrated at Stanford University in November 1971. Bushnell and Dabney followed their Computer Space success to create - with the help of Allan Alcorn - a table-tennis game, Pong, released in 1972. Pong became a commercial success, leading numerous other coin-op manufacturers to enter the market.
The video game industry transitioned from discrete integrated circuitry to programmable microprocessors in the mid-1970s, starting with Gun Fight in 1975. The arcade industry entered a "Golden Age" in 1978 with the release of Taito's Space Invaders, which introduced many novel gameplay features - including a scoreboard. From 1978 to 1982, several other major arcade-games from Namco, Atari, Williams Electronics, Stern Electronics, and Nintendo were all considered blockbusters, particularly Namco's Pac-Man (1980), which became a fixture in popular culture. Across North America and Japan, dedicated video-game arcades appeared and arcade-game cabinets appeared in many smaller storefronts. By 1981, the arcade video-game industry was worth US$8 billion in the US.
The novelty of arcade games waned sharply after 1982 due to several factors, including market saturation of arcades and arcade games, a moral panic over video games (similar to fears raised over pinball machines in the decades prior), and the 1983 video game crash as the home-console market impacted arcades. The arcade market had recovered by 1986, with the help of software-conversion kits, the arrival of popular beat 'em up games (such as Kung-Fu Master (1984) and Renegade (1986-1987)), and advanced motion simulator games (such as Sega's "taikan" games including Hang-On (1985), Space Harrier (1985), and Out Run (1986)). However, the growth of home video-game systems such as the Nintendo Entertainment System led to another brief arcade decline toward the end of the 1980s.
Arcade games continued to improve with the development of technology and of gameplay. In the early 1990s, the release of Capcom's Street Fighter II established the modern style of fighting games and led to a number of similar games such as Mortal Kombat, Fatal Fury, Killer Instinct, Virtua Fighter, and Tekken, creating a new renaissance in the arcades. Another factor was realism, including the "3D Revolution" from 2D and pseudo-3D graphics to "true" real-time 3D polygon graphics. This was largely driven by a technological arms-race between Sega and Namco. During the early 1990s games such as Sega's Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter popularized 3D-polygon technology in arcades. 3D graphics later became popular in console and computer games by the mid-1990s, though arcade systems such as the Sega Model 3 remained considerably more advanced than home systems in the late 1990s. Until about 1996, arcade video-games had remained the largest segment of the global video-game industry. Arcades declined in the late 1990s, surpassed by the console market for the first time around 1997–1998.
Since the 2000s, arcade games have taken different routes globally. In the United States, arcades have become niche markets as they compete with the home-console market, and they have adapted other business models, such as providing other entertainment options or adding prize redemptions. In Japan, where arcades continue to flourish, games like Dance Dance Revolution and The House of the Dead aim to deliver tailored experiences that players cannot easily have at home.

## Technology

Virtually all modern arcade games (other than the very traditional fair midway) make extensive use of solid state electronics, integrated circuits, and monitor screens, all installed inside an arcade cabinet.
With the exception of Galaxy Game and Computer Space, which were built around small form-factor mainframe computers, the first arcade games are based on combinations of multiple discrete logic chips, such as transistor–transistor logic (TTL) chips. Designing an arcade game was more about the combination of these TTL chips and other electronic components to achieve the desired effect on screen. More complex gameplay required significantly more TTL components to achieve this result. By the mid-1970s, the first inexpensive programmable microprocessors had arrived on the market. The first microprocessor-based video game is Midway's Gun Fight in 1975 (a conversion of Taito's Western Gun), and with the advent of Space Invaders and the golden era, microprocessor-based games became typical.$^{:64}$ Early arcade games were also designed around raster graphics displayed on a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display. Many games of the late 1970s and early 1980s use special displays that rendered vector graphics, though these waned by the mid-1980s as display technology on CRTs improved. Prior to the availability of color CRT or vector displays, some arcade cabinets have a combination of angled monitor positioning, one-way mirrors, and clear overlays to simulate colors and other graphics onto the gameplay field.
Coin-operated arcade video games from the 1990s to the 2000s generally use custom hardware often with multiple CPUs, highly specialized sound and graphics chips, and the latest in expensive computer graphics display technology. This allows more complex graphics and sound than contemporary video game consoles or personal computers. Many arcade games since the 2000s run on modified video game console hardware (such as the Sega NAOMI or Triforce) or gaming PC components (such as the Taito Type X). Many arcade games have more immersive and realistic game controls than PC or console games. This includes specialized ambiance or control accessories such as fully enclosed dynamic cabinets with force feedback controls, dedicated lightguns, rear-projection displays, reproductions of automobile or airplane cockpits, motorcycle or horse-shaped controllers, or highly dedicated controllers such as dancing mats and fishing rods. These accessories are usually too bulky, expensive, and specialized to be used with typical home PCs and consoles. Arcade makers experiment with virtual reality technology. Arcades have progressed from using coins as credits to smart cards that hold the virtual currency of credits.
Modern arcade cabinets use flat panel displays instead of cathode-ray tubes. Internet services such as ALL.Net, NESiCAxLive, e-Amusement and NESYS, allow the cabinets to download updates or new games, do online multiplayer gameplay, save progress, unlock content, or earn credits.

## Genres

Many arcade games have short levels, simple and intuitive control schemes, and rapidly increasing difficulty. The classic formula for a successful arcade video game is "easy to learn, difficult to master" along with a "multiple life, progressively difficult level" paradigm. This is due to the environment of the arcade, where the player is essentially renting the game for as long as their in-game avatar can stay alive or until they run out of tokens. Games on consoles or PCs can be referred to as "arcade games" if they share these qualities, or are direct ports of arcade games.
Arcade racing games often have sophisticated motion simulator arcade cabinets, a simplified physics engine, and short learning time when compared with more realistic racing simulations. Cars can turn sharply without braking or understeer, and the AI rivals are sometimes programmed so they are always near the player with a rubberband effect. Other types of arcade-style games include music games (particularly rhythm games), and mobile and casual games with intuitive controls and short sessions.

### Action

The term "arcade game" can refer to an action video game designed to play similarly to an arcade game with frantic, addictive gameplay. The focus of arcade action games is on the user's reflexes, and many feature very little puzzle-solving, complex thinking, or strategy skills. These include fighting games often played with an arcade controller, beat 'em up games including fast-paced hack and slash games, and light gun rail shooters and "bullet hell" shooters with intuitive controls and rapidly increasing difficulty.
Many arcade combat flight simulation games have sophisticated hydraulic motion simulator cabinets, and simplified physics and handling. Arcade flight games are meant to have an easy learning curve, in order to preserve their action component. Increasing numbers of console flight video games, such as Crimson Skies, Ace Combat, and Secret Weapons Over Normandy indicate the falling of manual-heavy flight sim popularity in favor of instant arcade flight action.
A modern subgenre of action games called "hack and slash" or "character action games" represent an evolution of traditional arcade action games, and are sometimes considered a subgenre of beat 'em up brawlers. This subgenre of games was largely defined by Hideki Kamiya, creator of the Devil May Cry and Bayonetta franchises.

## Industry

Arcade games are found in restaurants, bowling alleys, college campuses, video rental shops, dormitories, laundromats, movie theaters, supermarkets, shopping malls, airports, and other retail environments. They are popular in public places where people are likely to have free time.
Their profitability is expanded by the popularity of conversions of arcade games for home-based platforms. In 1997, WMS Industries (parent company of Midway Games) reported that if more than 5,000 arcade units are sold, at least 100,000 home version units will be sold.
The American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) is a trade association established in 1981 that represents the American coin-operated amusement machine industry, including 120 arcade game distributors and manufacturers. The Japan Amusement Machine and Marketing Association (JAMMA) represents the Japanese arcade industry. Arcade machines may have standardized connectors or interfaces such as JAMMA, or JVS, that help with quick replacement of game systems or boards in arcade cabinets. The game boards or arcade boards may themselves allow for games to be replaced via game cartridges or discs.

## Conversions, emulators, and recreations

Prior to the 2000s, successful video games were often converted to a home video game console or home computer. Many of the initial Atari VCS games, for example, were conversions of Atari's success arcade games. Arcade game manufacturers that were not in the home console or computer business found licensing of their games to console manufacturers to be a successful business model, as console manufacturer competitors would vie for rights to more popular games. Coleco famously bested Atari to secure the rights to convert Nintendo's Donkey Kong, which it subsequently included as a pack-in game for the ColecoVision to challenge the VCS.
Arcade conversions typically had to make concessions for the lower computational power and capabilities of the home console, such as limited graphics or alterations in gameplay. Such conversions had mixed results. The Atari VCS conversion of Space Invaders was considered the VCS's killer application, helping to quadruple the VCS sales in 1980. In contrast, the VCS conversion of Pac-Man in 1982 was highly criticized for technical flaws due to VCS limitations such as flickering ghosts and simplified gameplay. Though Pac-Man was the best-selling game on the VCS, it eroded consumer confidence in Atari's games and partially contributed to the 1983 crash.
The need for arcade conversions began to wane as arcade game manufacturers like Nintendo, Sega, and SNK entered the home console market and used similar technology within their home consoles as found at the arcade, negating the need to simplify the game. Concessions still may be made for a home release; notably, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System conversion of Mortal Kombat removed much of the gore from the arcade version to meet Nintendo's quality control standards.
Exact copies of arcade video games can be run through emulators such as MAME on modern devices. An emulator is an application that translates foreign software onto a modern system, in real-time. Emulated games appeared legally and commercially on the Macintosh in 1994 with Williams floppy disks, Sony PlayStation in 1996, and Sega Saturn in 1997 with CD-ROM compilations such as Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits and Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1, and on the PlayStation 2 and GameCube with DVD-ROM compilations such as Midway Arcade Treasures. Arcade games are downloaded and emulated through the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console service starting in 2009.
Using emulation, companies like Arcade1Up have produced at-scale or reduced-scale recreations of arcade cabinets using modern technology, such as LCD monitors and lightweight construction. These cabinets are typically designed to resemble the original arcade game cabinets, but may also support multiple related games. These cabinets can be offered in diverse and miniaturized styles, such as table-mounted and wall-mounted versions.

## Highest-grossing

For arcade games, success is usually judged by either the number of arcade hardware units sold to operators, or the amount of revenue generated. The revenue can include the coin drop earnings from coins (such as quarters, dollars, or 100 yen coins) inserted into machines, and/or the earnings from hardware sales with each unit costing thousands of dollars. Most of the revenue figures listed below are incomplete as they only include hardware sales revenue, due to a lack of available data for coin drop earnings which typically account for the majority of a hit arcade game's gross revenue. This list only includes arcade games that either sold more than 10,000 hardware units or generated a revenue of more than $10 million. Most of the games listed were released between the golden age of arcade video games (1978–1984) and the 1990s.
| Game | Release year | Hardware units sold | Estimated gross revenue (US$ without inflation) | Estimated gross revenue (US$ with 2023 inflation) |
| Pac-Man | 1980 | 400,000 (until 1982) | $6 billion (until 1982) | $18.9 billion |
| Space Invaders | 1978 | 750,000 (until 1979) | $3.8 billion (until 1982) | $17.8 billion |
| Street Fighter II | 1991 | 221,000+ (until 1995) | $5.31 billion+ (until 1999) | $11.9 billion |
| The King of Fighters '97 | 1997 | 150,000 (until 1998) | | |
| Donkey Kong | 1981 | 132,000 (until 1982) | $280 million (until 1982) (US hardware sales) | $940 million (US hardware sales) |
| Ms. Pac-Man | 1982 | 125,000 (until 1988) | $1.5 billion (until 1995) | $3.5 billion |
| Asteroids | 1979 | 100,000 (until 2001) | $800 million (until 1991) | $2.68 billion |
| Defender | 1981 | 70,000 (until 2020) | $1.5 billion (until 2020) | $2.54 billion |
| Print Club (Purikura) | 1995 | 45,000 (until 1997) | $1 billion (until 1997) | $2 billion |
| Centipede | 1981 | 55,988 (until 1991) | $115.65 million (hardware sales until 1991) | $259 million (hardware sales) |
| Galaxian | 1979 | 50,000 (in the US until 1982) | | |
| Virtua Fighter | 1993 | 40,000+ (until 1996) | | |
| Virtua Fighter 2 | 1994 | 40,000+ (until 1996) | | |
| Tekken 2 | 1995 | 40,000 (until 1996) | | |
| Starhorse2 | 2005 | 38,614 (until 2009) | $59.321 million (until 2011) (Fifth Expansion) | $92.5 million (Fifth Expansion) |
| Hyper Olympic (Track & Field) | 1983 | 38,000 (1983 in Japan) | | |
| Tekken 3 | 1996 | 35,000 (in 1997) | | |
| Donkey Kong Jr. | 1982 | 30,000 (1982 in the US) | | |
| Mr. Do! | 1982 | 30,000 (1982 in the US) | | |
| Karate Champ | 1984 | 30,000 (in the US until 1985) | | |
| Out Run | 1986 | 30,000 (until 1994) | $100 million+ (cabinet sales) | $280 million (cabinet sales) |
| Final Fight | 1989 | 30,000 (until 1991) | | |
| Virtua Fighter 3 | 1996 | 30,000 (until 1997) | | |
| NBA Jam | 1993 | 20,000 (until 2013) | $2 billion (until 2013) | $3.4 billion |
| World Club Champion Football | 2002 | 2,479 (until 2009) | $706.014 million (until 2012) | $1.2 billion |
| Mortal Kombat II | 1993 | 27,000 (until 2002) | $600 million (until 2002) | $1.1 billion |
| Frogger | 1981 | | $135 million+(US hardware sales) | $452 million (US hardware sales) |
| Tempest | 1981 | 29,000 (until 1983) | $62.408 million (hardware sales until 1991) | $140 million (hardware sales) |
| Q*bert | 1982 | 25,000 (until 2001) | | |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 1989 | 25,000 (US & EU until May 1990) | | |
| Beatmania | 1997 | 25,000 (until 2000) | $12.4 million (until 1998) (Japan hardware sales) | $23.5 million (Japan hardware sales) |
| Mortal Kombat | 1992 | 24,000 (until 2002) | $570 million (until 2002) | $966 million |
| Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors | 1994 | 24,000 | | |
| Robotron: 2084 | 1982 | 23,000 (until 1983) | | |
| Pole Position | 1982 | 21,000 (in the US until 1983) | $60.933 million (until 1983) (US hardware sales) | $192 million (US hardware sales) |
| Dig Dug | 1982 | 22,228 (in the US until 1983) | $46.3 million (until 1983) (US hardware sales) | $146 million (US hardware sales) |
| Popeye | 1982 | 20,000 (in the US until 1982) | | |
| Vs. Super Mario Bros. | 1986 | 20,000 (1986) | | |
| Pump It Up | 1999 | 20,000 (until 2005) | | |
| Tekken Tag Tournament | 1999 | 19,000 (until 2000) |
| Jungle Hunt | 1982 | 18,000 (in the US until 1983) | | |
| Raiden | 1990 | 17,000 | | |
| Killer Instinct | 1994 | 17,000 | $125 million+ | $257 million+ |
| Pokémon Mezastar | 2020 | | $187 million+ (until 2021) | $187 million+ |
| Dragon's Lair | 1983 | 16,000 (until 1983) | $68.8 million (hardware sales until 1983) | $210 million (hardware sales) |
| Asteroids Deluxe | 1981 | 22,399 (until 1999) | $46.1 million (hardware sales until 1999) | $84.3 million (hardware sales) |
| Missile Command | 1980 | 19,999 (until 2010) | $36.8 million (hardware sales until 1991) | $82.3 million (hardware sales) |
| Berzerk | 1980 | 15,780 (until 1981) | | |
| Scramble | 1981 | 15,136 (until 1981) | | |
| Champion Baseball | 1983 | 15,000 (in Japan until June 1983) | | |
| Mushiking: King of the Beetles | 2003 | 13,500 (until 2005) | $530 million (until 2007) | $878 million |
| Battlezone | 1980 | 15,122 (until 1999) | $31.2 million (hardware sales until 1999) | $57.1 million (hardware sales) |
| Stargate | 1981 | 15,000 (until 1983) | | |
| Space Duel | 1982 | 12,038 (until 1991) | | |
| Mahjong Fight Club 3 | 2004 | 13,000 (until 2004) | | |
| Super Cobra | 1981 | 12,337 (until 1981) | | |
| Capcom Bowling | 1988 | 12,000 (until 1991) | | |
| Sega Rally Championship | 1994 | 12,000 | | |
| Oshare Majo: Love and Berry | 2004 | 10,300 (until 2006) | $302.68 million (until 2007) | $488 million |
| Double Dragon | 1987 | 10,000+ (US in 1988) | | |
| Street Fighter | 1987 | 10,000+ (until 1991) | | |
| Dance Dance Revolution | 1998 | 10,000+ (until 1999) | | |
| Wheels / Wheels II (Speed Race) | 1974 | 10,000 (1975 in the US) | | |
| Gee Bee | 1978 | 10,000 | | |
| Big Buck Hunter Pro | 2006 | 10,000 (until 2009) | | |
| World Club Champion Football: Intercontinental Clubs | 2008 | 1,689 (until 2009) | $150.1 million (until 2012) | $212 million |
| Pokémon Battrio | 2007 | | $125 million+ (until 2012) | $184 million+ |
| StarHorse3 Season I: A New Legend Begins | 2011 | | $132.18 million (until 2012) | $179 million |
| Pokémon Tretta | 2012 | | $125 million+ (until 2014) | $166 million+ |
| Border Break | 2009 | 2,998 (until 2009) | $107 million (until 2012) | $152 million |
| Tron | 1982 | 800 (in the US until 1982) | $45 million (until 1983) | $102 million |
| Sengoku Taisen | 2010 | | $94.04 million (until 2012) | $131 million |
| Pokémon Ga-Olé | 2016 | | $92 million+ (until 2018) | $117 million+ |
| Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road | 2007 | | $78.2 million (until 2008) | $115 million |
| Samba de Amigo | 1999 | 3,000 (until 2000) | $47.11 million (until 2000) | $86.2 million |
| Sangokushi Taisen 3 | 2007 | | $54.4 million (until 2011) | $79.9 million |
| Pong | 1972 | 8,500–19,000 | $11 million (until 1973) | $75.5 million |
| Lord of Vermilion | 2008 | | $50.443 million (until 2008) | $71.4 million |
| Sega Network Mahjong MJ4 | 2008 | 12,892 (until 2009) | $47 million (until 2010) | $66.5 million |
| Kangaroo | 1982 | 9,803 (until 1983) | $20.58 million (until 1983) (US hardware sales) | $65 million (US hardware sales) |
| Hard Drivin' | 1989 | 3,318 (until 1989) | $22.9 million (until 1989) | $56.3 million |
| Gauntlet | 1985 | 7,848 (until 1985) | $18.01 million (until 1985) | $51 million |
| Sega Network Mahjong MJ5 | 2011 | | $34.87 million (until 2012) | $47.2 million |
| Millipede | 1982 | 9,990 (until 1991) | $20.669 million (until 1991) | $46.2 million |
| Race Drivin' | 1990 | 3,525 (until 1991) | $20.03 million (until 1991) | $44.8 million |
| Breakout | 1976 | 15,000 (until 1981) | $12.045 million (hardware sales until 1981) | $40.4 million |
| Time Traveler | 1991 | | $18 million (until 1991) | $40.3 million |
| Space Ace | 1984 | | $13 million (until 1984) | $38.1 million |
| Xevious | 1982 | 5,295 (in the US until 1983) | $11.1 million (until 1983) (US hardware sales) | $35 million (US hardware sales) |
| Atari Football | 1978 | 11,306 (until 1999) | $17.266 million (until 1999) | $31.6 million |
| Final Lap | 1987 | 1,150 (in the US until 1988) | $9.5 million (until 1988) (US hardware sales) | $25.5 million (US hardware sales) |
| Paperboy | 1984 | 3,442 (until 1991) | $8.6 million (until 1991) | $19.2 million |
| Star Wars | 1983 | 12,695 (until 1991) | $7.595 million (until 1991) | $17 million |
| Sprint 2 | 1976 | 8,200 (until 1999) | $12.669 million (until 1999) | $23.2 million |
| Championship Sprint | 1986 | 3,595 (until 1991) | $8.26 million (until 1991) | $18.5 million |
| Pole Position II | 1983 | 2,400 (in the US until 1983) | $7.43 million (until 1983) (US hardware sales) | $22.7 million (US hardware sales) |
| Sea Wolf | 1976 | 10,000 (until 2000) | | |
| Lunar Lander | 1979 | 4,830 (until 1999) | $8.19 million (until 1999) | $15 million |
| Super Sprint | 1986 | 2,232 (until 1999) | $7.8 million (until 1999) | $14.3 million |
| Marble Madness | 1984 | 4,000 (until 1985) | $6.3 million (until 1991) | $14.1 million |
| Rolling Thunder | 1986 | 2,406 (in the US until 1987) | $4.8 million (until 1987) (US hardware sales) | $13.3 million (US hardware sales) |
| Arabian | 1983 | 1,950 (in the US until 1983) | $3.9 million (until 1983) (US hardware sales) | $11.9 million (US hardware sales) |

### Franchises

These are the combined hardware sales of at least two or more arcade games that are part of the same franchise. This list only includes franchises that have sold at least 5,000 hardware units or grossed at least $10 million revenues.
| Franchise | Original release year | Total hardware units sold | Estimated gross revenue (US$ without inflation) | Estimated gross revenue (US$ with 2023 inflation) |
| Pac-Man | 1980 | 526,412 (until 1988) | $6 billion (until 1982) | $19 billion |
| Space Invaders | 1978 | 750,000 (until 1980) | $3.8 billion (until 1982) | $17.8 billion |
| Street Fighter | 1987 | 500,000 (until 2002) | $5.31 billion+ (until 1999) | $11.9 billion |
| Pac-Man clones | 1980 | 300,000 (until 2002) | | |
| Street Fighter clones | 1987 | 200,000+ | | |
| Mario | 1981 | 190,800 (until 1983) | $280 million (until 1982) (US hardware sales) | $938 million (US hardware sales) |
| Donkey Kong | 1981 | 167,000 (until 1983) | $280 million (until 1982) (US hardware sales) | $938 million (US hardware sales) |
| Asteroids | 1979 | 136,437 (until 1999) | $850.79 million (until 1999) | $1.56 billion |
| Virtua Fighter | 1993 | 110,000+ | | |
| Golden Tee Golf | 1989 | 100,000 (until 2011) | | |
| Data Carddass | 2005 | 100,000 (until 2012) | | |
| Tekken | 1994 | 94,000+ | | |
| Defender | 1981 | 85,000 (until 2020) | $1.5 billion (until 2020) | $2.54 billion |
| Centipede | 1981 | 65,978 (until 1991) | $136.3 million (until 1991) | $305 million |
| Mortal Kombat | 1992 | 51,000 (until 2002) | $1.17 billion (until 200) | $1.98 billion |
| Galaxian | 1979 | 50,986 (in the US until 1988) | | |
| Pokémon arcade games | 2007 | | $530 million+ (until 2021) | $788 million+ |
| Starhorse | 2000 | 38,734 (until 2009) | $191.501 million (until 2012) | $339 million |
| Bemani | 1997 | 35,000+ (until 2000) | $12.4 million (until 1998) (Beatmania hardware sales in Japan) | $23.5 million (Beatmania hardware sales in Japan) |
| Big Buck | 2000 | 33,500 (until 2010) | | |
| Mr. Do! | 1982 | 30,000 (in the US until 1982) | | |
| Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road | 2007 | | $78.2 million (until 2008) | $115 million |
| Lord of Vermilion | 2008 | | $50.443 million (until 2008) | $71.4 million |
| Scramble | 1981 | 27,473 (until 1981) | | |
| Sega Network Mahjong | 2000 | 25,986 (until 2006) | $81.87 million (until 2012) | $145 million |
| Darkstalkers | 1994 | 27,000+ | | |
| Pole Position | 1982 | 24,550 (in the US until 1983) | $77.9 million (until 1988) (US hardware sales) | $246 million (US hardware sales) |
| Dig Dug | 1982 | 22,228 (in the US until 1983) | $46.3 million (until 1983) (US hardware sales) | $146 million (US hardware sales) |
| Pump It Up | 1999 | 20,000 (until 2005) | | |
| Breakout | 1976 | 15,805 (until 1999) | $17.745 million (until 1999) | $32.5 million |
| Star Wars | 1983 | 14,039 (until 1991) | $9.275 million (until 1983) | $20.7 million |
| Sprint | 1976 | 14,027 (until 1999) | $28.729 million (until 1999) | $52.5 million |
| Mushiking | 2003 | 13,500 (until 2005) | $530 million (until 2007) | $878 million |
| Sea Wolf | 1976 | 14,000 (until 2000) | | |
| Mahjong Fight Club | 2002 | 13,000 (until 2004) | | |
| Gauntlet | 1985 | 11,368 (until 1991) | $20.41 million (until 1991) | $45.7 million |
| Love and Berry | 2004 | 10,300 (until 2006) | $302.68 million (until 2007) | $488 million |
| Sangokushi Taisen | 2005 | 9,929 (until 2008) | $148.44 million (until 2012) | $232 million |
| Pong | 1972 | 8500–19,000 | $11 million (until 1973) | $75.5 million |
| Hard Drivin' | 1989 | 6,843 (until 1991) | $42.93 million (until 1991) | $75.48 million |
| Samba de Amigo | 1999 | 3,000 (until 2000) | $47.11 million (until 2000) | $86.2 million |
| Border Break | 2009 | 2,998 (until 2009) | $107 million (until 2012) | $152 million |
| World Club Champion Football | 2012 | 2,479 (until 2015) | $706.014 million (until 2012) | $1.2 billion |