Acclaimed Video Games

The top 1,000 most recommended games across 827 critic lists from 134 publications.

Updated: October 26, 2025

Most Acclaimed Apple II Games of All Time

Filters

30 of 30

#1 Tetris (1985) (#2)

Alexey Pajitnov | 8, DOS, NES, GB | Puzzle | ~3h | 94 lists

#2 Ms. Pac-Man (1982) (#140)

General Computer Corporation (GCC) | ARC, 4, DOS | Maze | ~1h | 28 lists

#3 Elite (1984) (#176)

Acornsoft, David Braben, Frontier Developments, Ian Bell | 6, DOS | Space Combat | 23 lists

#4 Prince of Persia (1989) (#188)

Brøderbund Software | 6, DOS, MAC, TG16 | Platform | ~2h | 25 lists

#5 Another World / Out of This World (1991) (#246)

Delphine Software | 3, DOS, GEN, SNES, 3DO | Action / Platform | ~2h | 18 lists

#6 Zork (1977) (#253)

Infocom | 6, DOS, MAC | Adventure / Interactive Drama | 19 lists

#7 Sid Meier's Pirates! (1987) (#258)

MicroProse Software, Inc. | 6, DOS, MAC, NES | Strategy / Action-Adventure | ~8h | 16 lists

#8 Robotron: 2084 (1982) (#284)

Vid Kidz | ARC, 6, DOS, A52, A78 | Shooter | ~18m | 15 lists

#9 Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985) (#298)

Origin Systems | 10, DOS, NES | Role-Playing | ~21h | 17 lists

#10 Bubble Bobble (1986) (#347)

Taito | ARC, 7, DOS, NES, FDS | Platform | ~3h | 14 lists

#11 Lode Runner (1983) (#370)

Brøderbund Software, Irem | ARC, 4, NES | Puzzle-Platformer | ~2h | 12 lists

#12 Marble Madness (1984) (#426)

Atari Games | ARC, 4, DOS | Racing / Platform | ~36m | 10 lists

#13 Ultima / Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness (1981) (#457)

California Pacific Computer, Sierra On-Line | A2, A8 | Role-Playing | ~6h | 10 lists

#14 Archon: The Light and the Dark (1983) (#470)

Free Fall Associates | 7, DOS | Action / Strategy | ~24m | 10 lists

#15 Arkanoid (1986) (#491)

Taito | ARC, 11, DOS, MAC, NES | Puzzle | ~2h | 9 lists

#16 Ultima III: Exodus (1983) (#494)

Origin Systems | 8, DOS, MAC | Role-Playing | ~14h | 9 lists

#17 Maniac Mansion (1987) (#501)

Lucasfilm Games | A2, C64, DOS, NES | Point-and-Click | ~3h | 11 lists

#18 Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny (1988) (#516)

Origin Systems | 4, DOS | Role-Playing | ~20h | 8 lists

#19 Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981) (#537)

Sir-tech Software | 7, NES, MAC | Role-Playing | ~25h | 8 lists

#20 Joust (1982) (#573)

Williams Electronics | ARC, A26, A52, A2, A8, DOS | Action | ~18m | 8 lists

#21 The Bard's Tale (1985) (#608)

Interplay Productions | 6, DOS | Role-Playing | ~22h | 7 lists

#22 Impossible Mission (1984) (#734)

Epyx | 5 | Puzzle / Platform | ~3h | 5 lists

#23 Spy Hunter (1984) (#747)

Bally Midway | ARC, A26, CV, 6, DOS, NES | Vehicular Combat | ~24m | 9 lists

#24 California Games (1987) (#760)

Epyx | A2, C64, LYNX | Sports | ~2h | 7 lists

#25 The Oregon Trail (1985) (#796)

MECC | A2, 3 | Strategy | ~1h | 4 lists

#26 The Hobbit (1982) (#820)

Beam Software | 6, DOS | Interactive Drama | ~1h | 5 lists

#27 King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown (1984) (#906)

Sierra On-Line | 3, DOS, MAC | Adventure | ~2h | 4 lists

#28 Boulder Dash (1984) (#942)

First Star Software | ARC, 7, CV | Maze / Puzzle | ~3h | 5 lists

#29 Paperboy (1985) (#993)

Atari Games, Vivid Games | ARC, 5, NES | Action | ~1h | 3 lists

#30 King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne (1985) (#999)

Sierra On-Line | 3, DOS | Adventure | ~3h | 3 lists

Alexey Pajitnov

AMI, A2, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, E60, GB, MSX, NES, ZXS

Puzzle

~3h

94 lists

Tetris 1985

#140

General Computer Corporation (GCC)

A2, ARC, A8, C64, DOS, ZXS

Maze

~1h

28 lists

Ms. Pac-Man 1982

#176

Acornsoft, David Braben, Frontier Developments, Ian Bell

CPC, A2, BBCM, C64, DOS, MSX, ZXS

Space Combat

23 lists

Elite 1984

#188

Brøderbund Software

AMI, CPC, A2, MAC, AST, DOS, FMT, PC98, TG16

Platform

~2h

25 lists

Prince of Persia 1989

#246

Delphine Software

3DO, AMI, A2, AST, DOS, GEN, SNES

Action / Platform

~2h

18 lists

Another World / Out of This World 1991

#253

Infocom

A2, MAC, A8, C64, PDP, DOS, T80, TCC

Adventure / Interactive Drama

19 lists

Zork 1977

#258

MicroProse Software, Inc.

AMI, CPC, A2, MAC, AST, C64, DOS, NES, PC88

Strategy / Action-Adventure

~8h

16 lists

Sid Meier's Pirates! 1987

#284

Vid Kidz

A2, ARC, A52, A78, A8, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, VC20

Shooter

~18m

15 lists

Robotron: 2084 1982

#298

Origin Systems

AMI, A2, A8, AST, C64, DOS, FM7, MSX, NES, PC88, PC98, SX1

Role-Playing

~21h

17 lists

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar 1985

#10

#347

Taito

AMI, CPC, A2, ARC, AST, C64, DOS, FDS, MSX, NES, ZXS

Platform

~3h

14 lists

Bubble Bobble 1986

#11

#370

Brøderbund Software, Irem

A2, ARC, A8, C64, NES, PC88

Puzzle-Platformer

~2h

12 lists

Lode Runner 1983

#12

#426

Atari Games

AMI, A2, ARC, AST, C64, DOS

Racing / Platform

~36m

10 lists

Marble Madness 1984

#13

#457

California Pacific Computer, Sierra On-Line

A2, A8

Role-Playing

~6h

10 lists

Ultima / Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness 1981

#14

#470

Free Fall Associates

CPC, A2, A8, C64, DOS, PC88, SX1, ZXS

Action / Strategy

~24m

10 lists

Archon: The Light and the Dark 1983

#15

#491

Taito

AMI, CPC, A2, MAC, ARC, A8, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, MSX, NES, PC88, TCC, ZXS

Puzzle

~2h

9 lists

Arkanoid 1986

#16

#494

Origin Systems

AMI, A2, MAC, A8, AST, C64, DOS, FM7, PC88, PC98

Role-Playing

~14h

9 lists

Ultima III: Exodus 1983

#17

#501

Lucasfilm Games

A2, C64, DOS, NES

Point-and-Click

~3h

11 lists

Maniac Mansion 1987

#18

#516

Origin Systems

AMI, A2, AST, C64, DOS

Role-Playing

~20h

8 lists

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny 1988

#19

#537

Sir-tech Software

A2, MAC, C64, FM7, MSX, NES, PC88, PC98, SX1

Role-Playing

~25h

8 lists

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord 1981

#20

#573

Williams Electronics

A2, ARC, A26, A52, A8, DOS

Action

~18m

8 lists

Joust 1982

#21

#608

Interplay Productions

AMI, CPC, A2, AST, C64, DOS, ZXS

Role-Playing

~22h

7 lists

The Bard's Tale 1985

#22

#734

Epyx

CPC, A2, BBCM, C64, ZXS

Puzzle / Platform

~3h

5 lists

Impossible Mission 1984

#23

#747

Bally Midway

CPC, A2, ARC, A26, A8, BBCM, CV, C64, DOS, NES, ZXS

Vehicular Combat

~24m

9 lists

Spy Hunter 1984

#24

#760

Epyx

A2, LYNX, C64

Sports

~2h

7 lists

California Games 1987

#25

#796

MECC

A2, MAC, DOS, WIN

Strategy

~1h

4 lists

The Oregon Trail 1985

#26

#820

Beam Software

CPC, A2, BBCM, C64, DOS, MSX, ZXS

Interactive Drama

~1h

5 lists

The Hobbit 1982

#27

#906

Sierra On-Line

AMI, A2, MAC, AST, DOS

Adventure

~2h

4 lists

King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown 1984

#28

#942

First Star Software

CPC, A2, ARC, A8, CV, C64, FM7, PC88, ZXS

Maze / Puzzle

~3h

5 lists

Boulder Dash 1984

#29

#993

Atari Games, Vivid Games

CPC, A2, ARC, BBCM, C64, NES, ZXS

Action

~1h

3 lists

Paperboy 1985

#30

#999

Sierra On-Line

AMI, A2, AST, DOS

Adventure

~3h

3 lists

King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne 1985

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