Frogger, The Simpsons Arcade Game, and NBA Jam would be my main arcade games, I may have to throw in a fighter like Mortal Kombat 2.

I wanted the simpsons on my list. The problem is there are so many classics that good stuff will always be left out.

I had chose MK3 rather than MK2 though

Those are good ones.  I'd add Q*bert too.  Although it came later I'd also go for some Killer Instinct

Heck, Killer Instinct counts regardless of it being a later game. The fact that it's literally the only "Mortal Kombat clone" to survive alone merits a spot aside from the fact that the game was good

I remember the arcade days and I'm glad there's Arcade 1up to try and bring some of it back, even though its still not quite the same. But here are a list of some of my favorite arcade games that I loved playing:

- TMNT2 Arcade
- TMNT Turtles in Time
- X-men
- The Simpsons
- Aliens vs Predator (Capcom)
- Time Crisis 2
- Terminator 2
- Street Fighter 2
- X-men vs Street Fighter
- Marvel vs Capcom 1 & 2

As much as I loved the arcade and great socializing experience, but it was also a spot were numerous delinquents hung around and didn't always provide a safe haven. I saw numerous fights break out, vandalism towards the machines, I remember when I was a small kid I was shoved to the ground hard by some older teenager because I beat him in SF2.

That sucks, our arcade was pretty chill.  Worst you would get is a dirty look and maybe a cuss word when you beat on older kid. Normally they'd just keep feeding the machine until they beat you (assuming no line). No fights or vandalism that I can remember in our arcade.

Edit- also X-men is another good call ... 4 player cabinet if I remember correctly. right?

I have an arcade in my town. The guy helped make Amazon so he just buys expensive cabinets and takes a loss on revenue. It’s a sleepy retirement town. I worked there one summer.

My arcade would have

Arch Rivals
Killer Instinct
Four player Off-road
ikari warriors
Break Out
Joust
Bad Dudes
Alien Vs Predator
Contra
Y Ar Kung Fu
Wayne Gretzky 3D Hockey

I'm glad you had a better experience. These days the 'arcade' scene is more family-oriented so I would think the environment would be more safe and chill if more would pop up again.

X-men was surprisingly a 6 player cabinet. It was insane, still to this day where have you heard of a 6 player local coop game? Great game!

Thanks for the info.  I remember it being huge but I was also smaller then so I figured my perception / memory was just off.

Although there are/were 4 and 2 player cabinets I definitely remember people wrapping around it so ours had to have been a 6 player

You have an arcade in your town.....needless to say I AM envious