Acclaimed Video Games

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

Updated: October 26, 2025

Most Acclaimed ZX Spectrum Games of All Time

Filters

40 of 40

#1 Tetris (1985) (#2)

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

#2 Street Fighter II (1991) (#23)

Capcom | ARC, DOS, 5, SNES | Fighting | ~1h | 80 lists

#3 SimCity (1989) (#126)

Maxis | DOS, MAC, 5, SNES | City Building | ~15h | 34 lists

#4 Lemmings (1991) (#128)

DMA Design | DOS, MAC, 5, SMS, GEN, TG16, SNES | Strategy / Puzzle | ~20h | 33 lists

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

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

#6 Pac-Man (1980) (#153)

Namco | ARC, 3, 5, DOS, NES | Maze | ~48m | 31 lists

#7 Elite (1984) (#176)

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

#8 Contra (1987) (#197)

Konami | ARC, DOS, 3, NES | Run and Gun | ~1h | 27 lists

#9 Bubble Bobble (1986) (#347)

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

#10 OutRun (1986) (#359)

Sega AM2 | ARC, 3 | Racing | ~36m | 13 lists

#11 R-Type (1987) (#374)

Irem | ARC, 7, SMS, TG16 | Shooter | ~1h | 15 lists

#12 Ghosts 'n Goblins (1985) (#434)

Capcom | ARC, 3, NES | Platform | ~3h | 12 lists

#13 Star Wars (1983) (#436)

Atari, Atari Games | ARC, 3, 7, DOS, MAC | Shooter | ~48m | 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 The Sentinel / The Sentry (1986) (#575)

Firebird Software | 6, DOS | Puzzle | 6 lists

#17 Manic Miner (1983) (#585)

Bug Byte, Software Projects | 5 | Platform | 5 lists

#18 Head over Heels (1987) (#593)

Ocean Software | 7 | Action-Adventure | 6 lists

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

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

#20 Bomberman (1983) (#613)

Hudson Soft | 4, NES | Strategy / Maze / Puzzle | ~2h | 7 lists

#21 Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 (1987) (#638)

Taito | ARC, 5, NES, SMS, GEN, TG16 | Platform | ~2h | 8 lists

#22 Ghouls 'n Ghosts (1988) (#664)

Capcom | ARC, 5, GEN | Platform | ~2h | 6 lists

#23 Tempest (1981) (#673)

Atari | ARC, 4 | Shooter | ~54m | 7 lists

#24 Shinobi (1987) (#691)

Team Shinobi | ARC, DOS, 6, NES, SMS, TG16 | Hack and Slash / Platform | ~1h | 6 lists

#25 Defender of the Crown (1986) (#701)

Cinemaware | 4 | Strategy | ~1h | 6 lists

#26 Impossible Mission (1984) (#734)

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

#27 Mario Bros. (1983) (#738)

Nintendo R&D1 | ARC, A26, A52, 5, NES | Platform | ~54m | 6 lists

#28 Spy Hunter (1984) (#747)

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

#29 Stunt Car Racer / Stunt Track Racer (1989) (#775)

Microplay Software, MicroStyle | DOS, 5 | Racing | ~3h | 6 lists

#30 Jet Set Willy (1984) (#793)

Software Projects | 3 | Platform | ~2h | 5 lists

#31 The Hobbit (1982) (#820)

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

#32 International Karate + (1987) (#821)

System 3 Software | 5 | Fighting | ~48m | 6 lists

#33 Smash TV (1990) (#825)

Williams | ARC, 5, NES, SNES, SMS, GEN | Shooter | ~2h | 5 lists

#34 Wizball (1987) (#870)

Sensible Software | DOS, 5 | Shooter | ~1h | 3 lists

#35 Knight Lore (1984) (#918)

Ashby Computers and Graphics Ltd. | 4 | Action-Adventure | ~2h | 4 lists

#36 Boulder Dash (1984) (#942)

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

#37 Mercenary (1985) (#956)

Novagen | 5 | Action-Adventure | ~2h | 4 lists

#38 Turrican II: The Final Fight (1991) (#966)

Factor 5 | 5, GEN | Run and Gun | ~2h | 3 lists

#39 Ant Attack (1983) (#989)

Sandy White | ZXS, C64 | Action | ~30m | 4 lists

#40 Paperboy (1985) (#993)

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

Alexey Pajitnov

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

Puzzle

~3h

94 lists

Tetris 1985

#23

Capcom

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, DOS, SNES, ZXS

Fighting

~1h

80 lists

Street Fighter II 1991

#126

Maxis

AMI, CPC, MAC, C64, DOS, FMT, SNES, ZXS

City Building

~15h

34 lists

SimCity 1989

#128

DMA Design

AMI, MAC, AST, DOS, FMT, PC98, SMS, GEN, SNES, TG16, ZXS

Strategy / Puzzle

~20h

33 lists

Lemmings 1991

#140

General Computer Corporation (GCC)

A2, ARC, A8, C64, DOS, ZXS

Maze

~1h

28 lists

Ms. Pac-Man 1982

#153

Namco

ARC, A26, A52, A8, C64, DOS, INTV, MSX, NES, PC88, ZXS

Maze

~48m

31 lists

Pac-Man 1980

#176

Acornsoft, David Braben, Frontier Developments, Ian Bell

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

Space Combat

23 lists

Elite 1984

#197

Konami

CPC, ARC, C64, DOS, NES, ZXS

Run and Gun

~1h

27 lists

Contra 1987

#347

Taito

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

Platform

~3h

14 lists

Bubble Bobble 1986

#10

#359

Sega AM2

CPC, ARC, C64, ZXS

Racing

~36m

13 lists

OutRun 1986

#11

#374

Irem

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, MSX, PC88, SMS, TG16, ZXS

Shooter

~1h

15 lists

R-Type 1987

#12

#434

Capcom

CPC, ARC, C64, NES, ZXS

Platform

~3h

12 lists

Ghosts 'n Goblins 1985

#13

#436

Atari, Atari Games

AMI, CPC, MAC, ARC, A26, A52, A8, AST, BBCM, CV, C64, DOS, ZXS

Shooter

~48m

10 lists

Star Wars 1983

#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

#575

Firebird Software

AMI, CPC, AST, BBCM, C64, DOS, ZXS

Puzzle

6 lists

The Sentinel / The Sentry 1986

#17

#585

Bug Byte, Software Projects

CPC, BBCM, C64, MSX, ZXS

Platform

5 lists

Manic Miner 1983

#18

#593

Ocean Software

AMI, CPC, A8, AST, C64, MSX, ZXS

Action-Adventure

6 lists

Head over Heels 1987

#19

#608

Interplay Productions

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

Role-Playing

~22h

7 lists

The Bard's Tale 1985

#20

#613

Hudson Soft

MSX, NES, PC88, SX1, ZXS

Strategy / Maze / Puzzle

~2h

7 lists

Bomberman 1983

#21

#638

Taito

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, NES, SMS, GEN, TG16, ZXS

Platform

~2h

8 lists

Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 1987

#22

#664

Capcom

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, GEN, ZXS

Platform

~2h

6 lists

Ghouls 'n Ghosts 1988

#23

#673

Atari

CPC, ARC, AST, BBCM, ZXS

Shooter

~54m

7 lists

Tempest 1981

#24

#691

Team Shinobi

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, DOS, MSX, NES, SMS, TG16, ZXS

Hack and Slash / Platform

~1h

6 lists

Shinobi 1987

#25

#701

Cinemaware

AMI, CPC, C64, ZXS

Strategy

~1h

6 lists

Defender of the Crown 1986

#26

#734

Epyx

CPC, A2, BBCM, C64, ZXS

Puzzle / Platform

~3h

5 lists

Impossible Mission 1984

#27

#738

Nintendo R&D1

CPC, ARC, A26, A52, C64, FM7, NES, PC88, ZXS

Platform

~54m

6 lists

Mario Bros. 1983

#28

#747

Bally Midway

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

Vehicular Combat

~24m

9 lists

Spy Hunter 1984

#29

#775

Microplay Software, MicroStyle

AMI, CPC, AST, C64, DOS, ZXS

Racing

~3h

6 lists

Stunt Car Racer / Stunt Track Racer 1989

#30

#793

Software Projects

A8, C64, ZXS

Platform

~2h

5 lists

Jet Set Willy 1984

#31

#820

Beam Software

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

Interactive Drama

~1h

5 lists

The Hobbit 1982

#32

#821

System 3 Software

AMI, CPC, AST, C64, ZXS

Fighting

~48m

6 lists

International Karate + 1987

#33

#825

Williams

AMI, CPC, ARC, AST, C64, NES, SMS, GEN, SNES, ZXS

Shooter

~2h

5 lists

Smash TV 1990

#34

#870

Sensible Software

AMI, CPC, AST, C64, DOS, ZXS

Shooter

~1h

3 lists

Wizball 1987

#35

#918

Ashby Computers and Graphics Ltd.

CPC, BBCM, MSX, ZXS

Action-Adventure

~2h

4 lists

Knight Lore 1984

#36

#942

First Star Software

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

Maze / Puzzle

~3h

5 lists

Boulder Dash 1984

#37

#956

Novagen

CPC, A8, AST, C64, ZXS

Action-Adventure

~2h

4 lists

Mercenary 1985

#38

#966

Factor 5

AMI, CPC, AST, C64, GEN, ZXS

Run and Gun

~2h

3 lists

Turrican II: The Final Fight 1991

#39

#989

Sandy White

C64, ZXS

Action

~30m

4 lists

Ant Attack 1983

#40

#993

Atari Games, Vivid Games

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

Action

~1h

3 lists

Paperboy 1985

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