Arcade

'Arcade' is a style of gameplay that was developed in the '70s and gained widespread popularity in the '80s. Most of the notable early examples of arcades were released in the form of coin-operated machines in amusement arcades. Titles such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, Mortal Kombat, Metal Slug, Mario Bros., and Sonic the Hedgehog helped define and popularize the genre early on.

As time progressed, amusement arcades were de-emphasized and home consoles rose in popularity. Many arcade games adopted more modern gameplay styles in their transition to console gaming, while others retained their arcade gameplay. Modern styles of gameplay quickly began to eclipse 'arcade' in popularity, ditching points, timers, and levels altogether. 'Arcade' is still used today, but it's not as popular as it used to be.

'Arcade' game design is defined by numerous characteristics. Players can earn point by killing enemies, collecting items, completing levels in a short amount of time, or in the case of a game like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, performing tricks. This score can be saved and subsequently posted locally or publicly on a leaderboard (depending on the game) once the game is over. These points serve a competitive function, driving players to earn as many points as possible.

'Arcade' games typically have little or no plot, and as a result, the game doesn't always have a 'proper' end. If there is no ending, the game will be over either when a time limit has expired or the player has lost a set number of lives. Permanent death is a common consequence of running out of lives, stripping player's of earned progress and forcing them to return to the first level after running completely out of lives. 'Arcade' games are also extremely linear, split into separate, distinct levels, which are either played chronologically or selected via a menu or hub world.

Note: 'Arcade' doesn't literally mean any video games released for amusement arcades. The term is referring strictly to the gameplay style. Console games will be tagged with 'arcade' if they feature the styles outlined here.