Acclaimed Video Games
The top 1,400 most recommended games across 920 critic lists from 146 publications.
Updated: October 16, 2026
Most Acclaimed ZX Spectrum Games of All Time
Filters
Game Status
Search
1
No series matching ""
No series available
Short
Medium
Long
59 of 59
#1 Tetris (1985) (#4)
Alexey Pajitnov
|
8,
DOS,
NES,
GB
|
Puzzle
|
~3h
|
103 lists
#2 SimCity (1989) (#121)
Maxis
|
DOS,
MAC,
5,
SNES
|
City Building
|
~16h
|
37 lists
#3 Pac-Man (1980) (#130)
Namco
|
ARC,
3,
5,
DOS,
NES
|
Maze
|
~48m
|
38 lists
#4 Lemmings (1991) (#137)
DMA Design
|
DOS,
MAC,
5,
SMS,
GEN,
TG16,
SNES
|
Strategy /
Puzzle
|
~20h
|
34 lists
#5 Ms. Pac-Man (1982) (#154)
General Computer Corporation (GCC)
|
ARC,
4,
DOS
|
Maze
|
~1h
|
30 lists
#6 Elite (1984) (#199)
Acornsoft, David Braben, Frontier Developments, Ian Bell
|
6,
DOS
|
Space Combat
|
24 lists
#7 Contra (1987) (#201)
Konami
|
ARC,
DOS,
3,
NES
|
Run and Gun
|
~1h
|
29 lists
#8 OutRun (1986) (#347)
Sega AM2
|
ARC,
3
|
Racing
|
~36m
|
15 lists
#9 R-Type (1987) (#358)
Irem
|
ARC,
7,
SMS,
TG16
|
Shooter
|
~1h
|
17 lists
#10 Bubble Bobble (1986) (#375)
Taito
|
ARC,
7,
DOS,
NES,
FDS
|
Platform
|
~3h
|
14 lists
#11 Ghosts 'n Goblins (1985) (#415)
Capcom
|
ARC,
3,
NES
|
Platform
|
~3h
|
13 lists
#12 Star Wars (1983) (#433)
Atari, Atari Games
|
ARC,
3,
7,
DOS,
MAC
|
Shooter
|
~30m
|
12 lists
#13 Archon: The Light and the Dark (1983) (#477)
Free Fall Associates
|
7,
DOS
|
Action /
Strategy
|
~24m
|
13 lists
#14 Arkanoid (1986) (#516)
Taito
|
ARC,
11,
DOS,
MAC,
NES
|
Puzzle
|
~2h
|
9 lists
#15 Bomberman (1983) (#554)
Hudson Soft
|
4,
NES
|
Maze
|
~2h
|
8 lists
#16 The Sentinel / The Sentry (1986) (#595)
Firebird Software
|
6,
DOS
|
Puzzle
|
6 lists
#17 Manic Miner (1983) (#611)
Matthew Smith
|
5
|
Platform
|
5 lists
#18 Head over Heels (1987) (#623)
Ocean Software
|
7
|
Action-Adventure
|
6 lists
#19 Ghouls 'n Ghosts (1988) (#653)
Capcom
|
ARC,
5,
GEN
|
Platform
|
~2h
|
7 lists
#20 The Bard's Tale (1985) (#671)
Interplay Productions
|
6,
DOS
|
Role-Playing
|
~22h
|
7 lists
#21 Rainbow Islands: The Story of Bubble Bobble 2 (1987) (#672)
Taito
|
ARC,
5,
NES,
SMS,
GEN,
TG16
|
Platform
|
~2h
|
8 lists
#22 International Karate + (1987) (#678)
System 3 Software
|
5
|
Fighting
|
~48m
|
7 lists
#23 Tempest (1981) (#723)
Atari
|
ARC,
4
|
Shooter
|
~42m
|
8 lists
#24 Shinobi (1987) (#738)
Team Shinobi
|
ARC,
DOS,
6,
NES,
SMS,
TG16
|
Hack and Slash /
Platform
|
~1h
|
6 lists
#25 Mario Bros. (1983) (#748)
Nintendo R&D1
|
ARC,
A26,
A52,
5,
NES
|
Platform
|
~54m
|
7 lists
#26 Defender of the Crown (1986) (#752)
Master Designer Software, Inc.
|
4
|
Strategy
|
~1h
|
7 lists
#27 Impossible Mission (1984) (#796)
Epyx
|
5
|
Puzzle /
Platform
|
~3h
|
5 lists
#28 Turrican II: The Final Fight (1991) (#803)
Factor 5
|
5,
GEN
|
Run and Gun
|
~2h
|
4 lists
#29 Stunt Car Racer / Stunt Track Racer (1989) (#817)
Microplay Software, MicroStyle
|
DOS,
5
|
Racing
|
~3h
|
6 lists
#30 Pole Position (1982) (#818)
Namco
|
ARC,
3,
5
|
Racing
|
~24m
|
8 lists
#31 Spy Hunter (1983) (#822)
Bally Midway
|
ARC,
A26,
CV,
6,
DOS,
NES
|
Vehicular Combat
|
~24m
|
9 lists
#32 Jet Set Willy (1984) (#837)
Software Projects
|
3
|
Platform
|
~2h
|
5 lists
#33 The Hobbit (1982) (#863)
Beam Software
|
6,
DOS
|
Adventure
|
~1h
|
5 lists
#34 Smash TV (1990) (#875)
Williams
|
ARC,
5,
NES,
SNES,
SMS,
GEN
|
Shooter
|
~2h
|
5 lists
#35 Wizball (1987) (#930)
Sensible Software
|
DOS,
5
|
Shooter
|
~2h
|
3 lists
#36 Boulder Dash (1984) (#945)
First Star Software
|
ARC,
7,
CV
|
Maze /
Puzzle
|
~3h
|
7 lists
#37 Football Manager (1982) (#982)
Addictive Games Ltd
|
8,
DOS
|
Simulation /
Sports
|
~2h
|
2 lists
#38 Knight Lore (1984) (#983)
Ashby Computers and Graphics Ltd.
|
4
|
Action-Adventure
|
~2h
|
4 lists
#39 Rogue / Rogue: Exploring the Dungeons of Doom (1980) (#1005)
Artificial Intelligence Design
|
8,
DOS,
MAC
|
Roguelike
|
~10h
|
3 lists
#40 Mercenary (1985) (#1016)
Novagen
|
5
|
Action-Adventure
|
~2h
|
4 lists
#41 Zaxxon (1981) (#1044)
Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
|
ARC,
5,
4,
DOS
|
Shooter
|
~12m
|
6 lists
#42 Paperboy (1985) (#1051)
Atari Games, Vivid Games
|
ARC,
5,
NES
|
Action
|
~1h
|
3 lists
#43 Ant Attack (1983) (#1052)
Sandy White
|
ZXS,
C64
|
Action
|
~30m
|
4 lists
#44 Salamander / Life Force (1986) (#1107)
Konami
|
ARC,
4,
NES
|
Shooter
|
~48m
|
5 lists
#45 Space Harrier (1985) (#1110)
Sega AM2
|
ARC,
5,
SMS,
TG16
|
Shooter
|
~24m
|
3 lists
#46 Super Sprint (1986) (#1115)
Atari Games
|
ARC,
A26,
4,
NES
|
Racing
|
~24m
|
3 lists
#47 The Lords of Midnight (1984) (#1131)
Amsoft, Beyond, Mindscape, Inc.
|
3
|
Role-Playing /
Strategy
|
~6h
|
3 lists
#48 Bomb Jack (1984) (#1155)
Tehkan
|
ARC,
4
|
Platform
|
~42m
|
3 lists
#49 Spy vs. Spy (1984) (#1174)
First Star Software, Vatical Entertainment
|
7,
NES,
SMS
|
~1h
|
5 lists
#50 Ballblazer (1985) (#1175)
Lucasfilm Games
|
6,
A52,
A78
|
Action /
Sports
|
~12m
|
5 lists
#51 Commando / Senjō no Ōkami (1985) (#1177)
Capcom
|
ARC,
4,
DOS,
NES
|
Run and Gun
|
3 lists
#52 Xevious (1983) (#1188)
Namco
|
ARC,
6,
NES,
A78
|
Shooter
|
~1h
|
4 lists
#53 Thrust (1986) (#1207)
Firebird Software, Superior Software
|
6
|
Shooter
|
3 lists
#54 The Way of the Exploding Fist (1985) (#1238)
Beam Software
|
4
|
Fighting
|
~1h
|
3 lists
#55 Buster Bros. / Pang / Pomping World (1989) (#1251)
Mitchell Corporation
|
ARC,
DOS,
5
|
Action
|
~1h
|
2 lists
#56 Skool Daze (1984) (#1296)
Microsphere Computer Services Ltd.
|
ZXS,
C64
|
Action-Adventure
|
2 lists
#57 River Raid (1982) (#1313)
Activision
|
3,
3
|
Shooter
|
~24m
|
5 lists
#58 Solomon's Key (1986) (#1351)
Tecmo
|
ARC,
DOS,
4,
NES,
SMS,
TG16
|
Puzzle
|
~4h
|
3 lists
#59 Carrier Command (1988) (#1369)
Realtime Games Software Ltd.
|
DOS,
MAC,
5
|
Vehicle Simulation
|
2 lists
All 59 results loaded
Filters
Game Status
Search
Release Year
Drag or shift+click for ranges
Platform
Genre
Series
No series matching ""
No series available
Playtime (HowLongToBeat)
Short
Medium
Long