The 1980s proved to be a truly iconic period in history when it came to video games. It was the decade that saw the debut of Mario, Donkey Kong and Street Fighter.
It was a time when Pac-Man dominated the arcades and Out-Run devoured all of your coins. However, while everyone can name that famous Italian plumber who shouts ‘yahoo’ - only a true gamer will be able to recall the classics from the decade.
To see if you pass the test and can claim your gaming credit, we’ve put together a trip down memory lane through the 1980s. See if you can remember all of the games featured in our gallery.
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7. The Legend of Zelda - 1986
Yet another of Nintendo’s iconic franchises got its start in the 1980s. Link and Zelda got their first outing with this title for the NES and it laid the groundwork for huge swathes of modern gaming. Pictured is creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Photo: TORU YAMANAKA/AFP via Getty Images | TORU YAMANAKA/AFP via Getty Images Photo: TORU YAMANAKA/AFP via Getty Images
8. Street Fighter - 1987
Ryu, Ken and the gang came out fists-a-blazing in the back half of the 1980s. Street Fighter, the long running franchise (the acclaimed Street Fighter 6 came out in 2023), started here - albeit it wasn’t until 1991’s Street Fighter II that it became a true cultural juggernaut. Photo: Thibaut Durand / Hans Lucas/ AFP via Getty Images | Thibaut Durand / Hans Lucas/ AFP via Getty Images Photo: Thibaut Durand / Hans Lucas/ AFP via Getty Images
9. SimCity - 1989
The decade ended incredibly strong with the launch of SimCity, the granddaddy of the Sims. Its addictive blend of city building, time-limits and the looming threat of disasters, proved to be a huge hit. Its launch was rather long awaited because it lacked features that could have seen it run in arcades. Photo: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images | EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images Photo: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images