The 1980s proved to be a truly iconic period in history when it came to video games. It was the decade that saw the debut of Mario, Donkey Kong and Street Fighter.
It was a time when Pac-Man dominated the arcades and Out-Run devoured all of your coins. However, while everyone can name that famous Italian plumber who shouts ‘yahoo’ - only a true gamer will be able to recall the classics from the decade.
To see if you pass the test and can claim your gaming credit, we’ve put together a trip down memory lane through the 1980s. See if you can remember all of the games featured in our gallery.
Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at www.yourworld.net/submit. It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
5. Super Mario Bros - 1985
As mentioned in the section about Donkey Kong, Mario made his debut in the early 1980s in the arcade game Donkey Kong. He later had his own arcade title Mario Bros, but it was Super Mario Bros - the side scrolling adventure turned Mario into a household name. Photo: KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images | KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images Photo: KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images
6. Dragon Quest - 1986
The storied Japanese role-playing franchise got its start in the mid-1980s. Featuring characters designed by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, it launched on the NES in Japan in 1986 - and arrived in the west in 1989. Dragon Quest has endured until the modern day. Photo: MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images | MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images Photo: MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images
7. The Legend of Zelda - 1986
Yet another of Nintendo’s iconic franchises got its start in the 1980s. Link and Zelda got their first outing with this title for the NES and it laid the groundwork for huge swathes of modern gaming. Pictured is creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Photo: TORU YAMANAKA/AFP via Getty Images | TORU YAMANAKA/AFP via Getty Images Photo: TORU YAMANAKA/AFP via Getty Images
8. Street Fighter - 1987
Ryu, Ken and the gang came out fists-a-blazing in the back half of the 1980s. Street Fighter, the long running franchise (the acclaimed Street Fighter 6 came out in 2023), started here - albeit it wasn’t until 1991’s Street Fighter II that it became a true cultural juggernaut. Photo: Thibaut Durand / Hans Lucas/ AFP via Getty Images | Thibaut Durand / Hans Lucas/ AFP via Getty Images Photo: Thibaut Durand / Hans Lucas/ AFP via Getty Images