I used to work at an arcade with my best friend when we were teenagers. It’s been quite a while since then, but when he sent me over a list of the best arcade games for my phone, my old memories started rushing back. I had so much fun playing these games because they reminded me of all of the fun I had back then.
I shared a few of them with my kids, and even they loved playing them. We’ve made plans to go visit an arcade as a family sometime soon, so I can share my love of retro games with them too. And it’s all because of these super fun apps! I’ve written my review below for my favorite three in the hopes that they will be just as fun for you and your crew. Or create your own arcade cabinet that is powered by hyperspin which has multiple pre loaded games
Sonic Dash – Rating: 4.5, Downloads: 100M
Sonic the Hedgehog is a classic, beloved character. Honestly, if any older character-driven game can give Angry Birds a run for its money (pun intended), it’s – without a shadow of a doubt – Sonic Dash. In this game (just like the original Nintendo game) lets you run around the expansive, endless world of speedy hedgehogs and stop Sonic’s enemies from executing their evil plans.
Like other free game apps out there, this one does come equipped with ads. I know that ads frequently annoy players, so if you find this to be true about yourself, you may want to give this one a pass.
Pros: Ability to race with characters from one of the world’s most beloved franchises
Cons: Does have ads
Overall: As long as you don’t mind exiting out of an ad or two, you’ll love experience Sonic the Hedgehog in a completely new way
Home Arcade – Rating: 4.2, Downloads: 500K
Home Arcade is really enjoyable because it lets you pick from 10 retro-inspired games and play them to your heart’s content. Just like the old stand-up games, the graphics in this app are completely immersive in the classic arcade style. Even if you haven’t heard of the games in here (I didn’t recognize the majority of them), it still feels like you’re getting the entire arcade experience, which I love.
With this game, you need coins to play the games (just like in a real arcade) but it is possible for you to run out. The realism of that is fun, but it can be irritating if you’re trying to play a bunch of games in a row.
Pros: Similar formatting to a real arcade, 10 different games to play
Cons: It is possible to run out of coins
Overall: As long as you pace yourself (so you don’t run out of coins), you’ll have a blast playing with a variety of arcade-style games
Angry Birds Classic – Rating: 4.4, Downloads: 100M
According to my sons, this game is a “classic.” While I wouldn’t necessarily say that, it was so popular that it earned its very own major movie. Angry Birds is particularly fun because of its diverse amount of levels and gameplay options. There are literally millions of players who have been played and loved this game – just look at the reviews.
I’ve had this app freeze on me occasionally. Yes, I find this to be a bit frustrating, but all I have to do is restart the app and it’s good to go again. It doesn’t happen that often, but I thought I’d let you know about it regardless.
Pros: Guaranteed fun (given how many users this game has), lots of levels to play
Cons: The app freezes sometimes
Overall: The app freezes on occasion, but the fun you will have to play it will far outweigh the annoyance
Conclusion
I’m so happy that I’ve been able to share my love of arcade games with my kids, and it’s all because my friend just happened to send me a list of really great mobile apps. If you’ve been hankering for some of that good-ole retro game feel, then I can’t recommend these games enough. Definitely check them out – maybe even share them with the people you love – I think you’ll have a really good time.
