Arcade games
Short runs, high scores and rules you grasp instantly: An approach to games that comes from the coin-op tradition.
What is the arcade genre?
In its first sense, the word arcade describes coin-operated machines in game halls. Today it is the name of a design approach: Games whose rules are understood in seconds, whose runs are short and whose real goal is to reach the top of the high score table. Long stories, complex menus and deep progression systems are foreign to this approach.
The halls are mostly history, but the arcade mindset lives on. Racing games that put the sense of speed ahead of realism, indie games played in a single sitting and a large part of mobile gaming are still children of this tradition.
What defines it?
The rules are so clear that no tutorial is needed.
A run lasts a few minutes, and starting again takes seconds.
The goal is the leaderboard and your own record rather than progression.
Difficulty comes not over time but through speed that rises as you get better.
Landmark games
Well-known examples often used to explain the genre. For the list on our site, see the games section below.
At a glance
Arcade games (8)
Frequently asked questions
Is arcade a genre or a style?
Both. Its origin is a type of hardware, but today it is used more as a style label for game design with short runs, a focus on scores and rules you pick up quickly.
What does arcade racing mean?
It is the name for racing games that put the sense of speed and the joy of driving ahead of realistic physics. Grip is forgiving, drifting is easy and the aim is not the most realistic lap but the most exciting race.