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A pocketful of quarters and lightning-fast reflexes could get you far as a kid growing up in the ‘80s. Spending the afternoons at the local arcade was one of the best after-school activities — nothing compared to the rush of putting your initials on the high-score board of Pac-Man or Galaga. Arcade games became computer games in the ‘90s, where you could spend hours playing Pinball, Frogger, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Ah, those were the days!
Our kids’ video games may have better graphics and more choices now, but there’s something about the simplicity of those classic games that still holds up today. If you’re feeling nostalgic, just head to Apple Arcade. From Oregon Trail to Bowling, you can get lost playing these old school favorites with modern upgrades.
Apple Arcade offers over 200 fun games with no ads or additional purchases — so you can focus solely on play. Sign up for $4.99/month and get a three-month free trial with the purchase of any new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV.
Once you do, check out a few of these awesome throwback games available to play now! Your kids will be shocked at how skilled you are at these nostalgic video games.
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Solitaire by MobilityWare+
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Remember back before the Internet was widely available when games like Solitaire and Minesweeper were the most fun thing you could do on a computer? Well as it turns out, these entertaining brain games still hold up — and are even more fun now that you actually know how to play. Solitaire by MobilityWare+ offers more than the old-school version. There are daily challenges, achievements, and animations that are updated for 2023 (but still giving nostalgia!).
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Solitaire Stories
Image Credit: Apple Arcade While Solitaire on its own is fun, Solitaire Stories brings a whole new level of fantasy to the game. You’ll flip cards and journey through unique levels with fun deck designs and cool backgrounds. You can also play other versions of Solitaire, including Spider Solitaire (‘memba that one?!) and Draw 3.
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TMNT Splintered Fate (Paramount Global)
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael are back for more adventures! Parents who want to pass the fun of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — a franchise that has been around for more than 40 years (yup!) — onto their children will be thrilled to find TMNT Splintered Fate. Players help the turtles find clues, navigate hidden portals in New York City, and use their epic ninja skills as they search for their kidnapped father.
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PAC-MAN Party Royale
Image Credit: Apple Arcade You just think you liked PAC-MAN before — but you’ve never seen it like this before. PAC-MAN Party Royale allows you to challenge rival players as you try to catch the Power Pellet and avoid Ghosts. It’s a super fun way to play this long-time favorite.
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Galaga Wars+
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Destroy aliens, bees, and other baddies in Galaga Wars+, a modern update on the classic shooter game. Fire lasers to save the galaxy, all while collecting coins to upgrade your ship racking up your high score. You can even play as PAC-MAN for more nostalgic fun.
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Tetris Beat
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Challenge your mind with Tetris Beat, a puzzle game that puts your quick-thinking skills to the test. This game combines the challenge of fitting Tetris blocks together with the task of keeping to the beat. It features over 40 exclusive songs. And don’t worry: there’s an option to play traditional Tetris as well!
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Zen Pinball Party
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Pinball is a simple concept: use levers to hit the ball and score points. Zen Pinball Party is just as much fun, with tables designed with Star Wars, Peanuts, Garfield, Trolls, and more. You can also challenge your friends in party arena mode.
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Frogger in Toy Town
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Frogger has to avoid a lot more than cars in Frogger in Toy Town— a new spin on an old classic. This fun game has the frog overcoming furniture, toys, and even an arcade! Make it even more fun by dressing up Frogger in different costumes or inviting your friends for co-op mode.
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Frogger and the Rumbling Ruins
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Ready for even more Frogger? (Um, duh!) Then you have to try Frogger and the Rumbling Ruins, a puzzle game that takes you through distant ruins to find lost treasure, hidden mysteries, and disappearing froglets. It’s totally different from what you remember — but that’s OK!
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Amazing Bomberman
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Adrenaline seekers will love the Amazing Bomberman, a new twist on the classic grid game. The mazes will change to the background music, creating a bigger challenge as you race around trying to blow up your competitors.
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Sonic Racing
Image Credit: Apple Arcade The fastest blue hedgehog in town is even faster in Sonic Racing, a car-driving game that will take you through 15 tracks in a high-speed adventure. Play as Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and other characters as you race your friends, collect power-ups, and try to cross the finish line first. Too bad you don’t have one of those arcade racing chairs at home!
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My-Bowling-3D
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Kids today don’t appreciate the thrill of bowling on the computer. But for some reason, it’s still such a relaxing escape! My Bowling 3D+ is a 10-pin bowling game that is maneuvered from dragging and swiping. Practice your spin shot, customize your ball and pin designs, and challenge others in a bowling tournament! It’ll be your new favorite stress reliever.
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The-Oregon-Trail
Image Credit: Apple Arcade Travel back to the 1800s to experience life on The Oregon Trail! This beautifully designed game has everything you love from the original — snakebites, bad weather, dysentery! — with incredible new graphics and research to ensure accurate representation for the ultimate gaming experience. This historical game has several missions to complete and hundreds of random events to challenge you in a new way every time you play. It’s a wild adventure!
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