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Rise of the Triad (1994/95) took the Wolfenstein-style corridor shooter, chugged a can of soda, then started doing backflips.

Rise of the Triad

1994 • PC

Pixel8Games 86% Users —

Ludicrous gibs!

Tetris was the sort of game that looked like office software, then quietly stole entire evenings.

Tetris

1984 • Amstrad • Commodore 64 • PC +1 more

Pixel8Games 80% Users —

One more piece

Gryzor (1987) strapped a machine gun to your thumbs and dared you to run right, shoot everything, and still look cool doing it.

Gryzor (aka Contra)

1987 • Amstrad • Arcade • Commodore 64 +1 more

Pixel8Games 83% Users —

Run. Gun. Regret.

Sorcery (1984) flung you across up to 40 flip-screen fantasy scenes as a last-ditch wizard, trying to rescue your kidnapped mates before the timer and your energy bar both had a tantrum.

Sorcery

1984 • Amstrad • Commodore 64 • MSX

Pixel8Games 81% Users —

It's a kind of magic

Descent (1995) took a normal corridor shooter, spun it in every direction, then asked you not to be sick.

Descent

1995 • PC

Pixel8Games 90% Users —

Six degrees of panic

Entering a martial arts tournament at the height of the genre's mid-80s popularity, The Way of the Exploding Fist draws clear inspiration from Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, reinforced by its digitised kiai sample and visual nods.

The Way of the Exploding Fist

1985 • Amstrad • BBC • Commodore 64 +1 more

Pixel8Games 81% Users —

Participate in this morning's edification

Gauntlet (1985), by Atari Games, cheerfully tossed players into a neon-soaked fantasy dungeon where health drained faster than loose change in an arcade pocket.

Gauntlet

1985 • Amstrad • Apple II • Arcade +2 more

Pixel8Games 77% Users 100%

Eat the food. Survive the dungeon.

Target: Renegade (1988) strutted in like a street brawler with a bad attitude and a worse neighborhood.

Target Renegade

1988 • Amstrad • Commodore 64 • NES +1 more

Pixel8Games 75% Users —

Street justice, cheap shots

Prince of Persia (1989) locked you beneath a palace, started a sixty-minute timer, and expected elegance under pressure.

Prince of Persia

1989 • Amstrad • Apple II • PC

Pixel8Games 90% Users —

Hardcore Parkour

Micro Machines (1991) shrank racing down to tabletop size and somehow made breakfast tables more dangerous than Silverstone.

Micro Machines

1991 • Amiga • Mega Drive • NES

Pixel8Games 70% Users —

Small engines, big trouble

Rolling Thunder (1986) dropped players into a stylish spy thriller where trench coats were sharp, enemies were ruthless, and bullets were strictly rationed.

Rolling Thunder

1986 • Amiga • Amstrad • Arcade +2 more

Pixel8Games 83% Users —

Cool under fire

Ghostbusters (1984) dumped you into a bouncy, cash-hungry loop of buying gear, cruising the city, and praying you earned enough to keep the business afloat.

Ghostbusters

1984 • Amstrad • Apple II • Atari 8-bit +6 more

Pixel8Games 76% Users —

Busting makes you feel good

Roland on the Ropes (1984) sent Amstrad's unlucky hero scrambling through a pyramid packed with ropes, treasure, ghosts, mummies, spiders, and absolutely no health-and-safety inspector.

Roland on the Ropes

1984 • Amstrad • Commodore 64 • Spectrum

Pixel8Games 67% Users —

I'll protect you from the hooded claw

Get Dexter (aka Crafton & Xunk) dropped you into a glossy isometric sci-fi maze where an android and his tiny sidekick had to blag, dodge and gadget their way to an all-important code.

Get Dexter

1986 • Amstrad

Pixel8Games 82% Users —

Crack the code, survive

Batman: The Movie (1989) wasted no time brooding, throwing players straight into Gotham's grime with surprising confidence for an '80s movie tie-in.

Batman: The Movie

1989 • Amiga • Amstrad • Commodore 64 +1 more

Pixel8Games 87% Users —

Fear is the tool. Justice is the Knight.

Bubble Bobble (1986) turned monster-hunting into something suspiciously adorable.

Bubble Bobble

1986 • Arcade • Atari ST • BBC +1 more

Pixel8Games 76% Users —

Bursting with joy

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