For many people around the world, the golden age of video games didn’t arrive in the ’70s; It emerged in the 1980s. During that decade, the Sega Genesis, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Nintendo Gamy Boy were all released.
The arcade games of the 80’s produced some of the best arcade games, many of which continued to produce sequels decades later. These 10 games are among the most important games of all time because their influence didn’t just affect the ’80s; It built the video game industry.
Towards the end of the decade, innovations in graphics processors made the competitive fighting game one of the biggest draws for arcades. They popped up throughout the decade, but the one title that influenced the genre the most was Street Fighter. The Capcom game was released in 1987, and it set the standard for every fighting game that followed.
The game was directed by Kung-Fu Master’s designer Takashi Nishiyama, who wanted to explore a fighting game centered around boss battles. The concept left the beat ’em up style behind, so players no longer had to make their way through hordes of minions to get to the real battle.
Street Fighter was successful, and its impact can be seen in just about every fighting game that followed. It established conventions found in fighting games today, with the use of a six-button player control being the most important.
Street Fighter was successful, though it does pale in comparison to its sequel. Street Fighter II (1991) is an infinitely better game than its predecessor. Still, it didn’t come from nothing. While Street Fighter may not be considered a classic like its sequel, its importance in the fighting genre is undeniable.
