Mine has to be this one:

http://www.gameverdict.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212

IMO the greatest arcade machine ever created. Yes, we had later versions, but none had the impact of the first one.

I spent hours stood in dark, noisey arcades playing that one.

Mortal Kombat in a movie theater lobby. Summer break days full of a vicious and expensive cycle of a few matches, soda and candy, movie, repeat.

I also recall being addicted to Turtles in Time and the Simpsons one at a local skating rink.

Street Fighter.

from the original to the hyper versions and sequels....

In Tokyo, Japan,  Arcades!, was the most insane pvp in your face, blood pumping, shouting, damn those were the days. =D

House of the dead :D

Donkey Kong .  I played the shit out of that listening to "Ring my Bell", "Celebrate" and Rick James music at the local Disco club drunk on my ass.  LOL

Galaga for me. That's the game that turned me on to 'shoot-em-ups.'

For me, Street Fighter 3 Third strike slightly edges out the first Killer Instinct.  I spent tons of time playing that street fighter and started to get kinda good and then stopped for a couple years.  Once I went back I was nowhere near as good as I used to and then the arcade that I went to went under.

Probably Gauntlet. Wizard needs food badly!

Cut out of High School early more than a few times to go to the local convenience store to play this one...

It was just awesome in it's day.

Bren

id say pacman on the arcade machine that looks like a table and the controls were underneath it...its timeless. still enjoy playing pacman today.. chomp chomp chomp

For me it would be Tekken. That was the first game I played on arcades. Until now I still play Tekken 6.

Originally posted by Illius

For me, Street Fighter 3 Third strike slightly edges out the first Killer Instinct.  I spent tons of time playing that street fighter and started to get kinda good and then stopped for a couple years.  Once I went back I was nowhere near as good as I used to and then the arcade that I went to went under.

  I miss Killer Instinct. I wish they'd make another one. :\

   But mine had to be Golden Axe. Game consumed my quarters like coke off a hooker's ass.

tekken and street fighter. i remember cutting school and staying in convenience stores and fairs just to play these games. mortal kombat too. lame graphics but very challenging

Definitely Street Fighter! Then X-men vs. street fighter and marvel vs. capcom. I could say that street fighter is the pioneer in arcade fighting games.

Defender was mine. So much lunch money spent on that game.

Originally posted by kuddi

Definitely Street Fighter! Then X-men vs. street fighter and marvel vs. capcom. I could say that street fighter is the pioneer in arcade fighting games.

Ooohhhh.... forgot about that one too.. The X-men series was pretty cool as well.  =)

Time Crisis, a game that actually took advantage of the fact that it is an arcade game and offers something you can't get on PC or Console.

Mortal Kombat II... other then that never really played arcade much. i really dont even think theres any arcades where i live anymore, havent seen them in years

Originally posted by qazyman

Defender was mine. So much lunch money spent on that game.

OMG, that game drove me nuts.  That was the most frustrating game with the exception of this madness:

ROBOTRON

My wrist was so sore (from the game, you perverts)