60 game MAME gamelist - advice wanted

[specfire]

Hello all,

I have lots of category lists of games that I like for use within my frontend (MaLa) but I find that people are not willing to go through the various lists to find a game.

So, I have created a single "best-of" list to try to mimic what a 60-in-1 board achieves, which is a short list of good games that is never overwhelming for family, friends, or guests.

My control panel has: 2 x joysticks (with 4 buttons each); 2 x spinners; 1 x trackball

My gamelist (only 59 so far)

1942 (Revision B)
Arkanoid (US)
Assault (Rev B)
Asteroids (rev 4)
Battle Zone (rev 2)
Berzerk (set 2)
Bomber Man World / New Dyna Blaster - Global Quest
Bubble Bobble (US, Ver 5.1)
Burger Time (Data East set 1)
Cameltry (US, YM2610)
Centipede (revision 4)
Championship Sprint (rev 3)
Crazy Climber (US)
Defender (Red label)
Dig Dug (Atari, rev 2)
Donkey Kong (US set 1)
DonPachi (US)
Elevator Action
Frogger
Galaga '88
Galaga (Midway set 1)
Galaga 3 (GP3 rev. D)
Galaxian (Midway set 1)
Ghosts'n Goblins (World? set 1)
Golden Tee Classic (v1.00)
Gyruss
Hyper Athlete (GV021 Japan 1.00)
Joust (White/Green label)
Lemmings (US prototype)
Lode Runner (set 1)
Marble Madness (set 1)
Metal Slug 3 (NGM-2560)
Missile Command (rev 3)
Moon Patrol
Mr. Driller (US, DRI3/VER.A2)
Ms. Pac-Man
Nagano Winter Olympics '98 (GX720 EAA)
Off the Wall (2/3-player upright) (Atari)
Pac-Man (Midway)
Puzz Loop (Europe, v0.94)
Puzzle Bobble / Bust-A-Move (Neo-Geo) (NGM-083)
Q*bert (US set 1)
Qix (Rev 2)
Rampage (Rev 3, 8/27/86)
Robotron: 2084 (Solid Blue label)
Scramble
Smash T.V. (rev 8.00)
Solomon's Key (US)
Space Invaders Part II (Taito)
Star Wars (set 1)
Super Punch-Out!! (Rev B)
Tekken 3 (US, TET3/VER.D)
Tempest (rev 3, Revised Hardware)
Tetris (set 1) (Atari)
Time Pilot
Track & Field
Tron (8/9)
Warlords
World Class Bowling Deluxe (v2.00)

All comments (including negative ones) very much appreciated. 

-Missing games?
-80-in-1 instead of 60-in-1?
-crappy games that shouldn't be in my list?
-better versions of games that are in my list?

I hope my list ends up helping someone else.  Thanks!

[Miskatonic]

I would suggest adding bombjack, juno first and mr.do. I'm biased towards older games but, still, those are 3 great games. If I had to choose one of the three I'm not sure what I'd go for. Probably bombjack as it's, perhaps, the easiest to get into.

[leapinlew]

You have to put Shuffleshot on since you have a trackball. With friends, it's a lot of fun. It's a high quality game with a lot of replayability.

I'm also a fan of Donkey Kong Jr. and maybe the only person who likes Donkey Kong 3.

[dgame]

Some classic cooperative games (with endings):
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Oceania 2 Players) - tmnt2po
The Simpsons (2 Players World, set 1) - simpsons2p
X-Men (2 Players ver EAA) - xmen2pe

[Thenasty]

you'd be surprise how many would play Golden Tee.

[WakiMiko]

Add Windjammers
DonPachi is great but DoDonPachi is better
Replace Atari Tetris with Tetris The Grand Master 

[specfire]

Thanks for all of the replies.  I think I need to go to 80 games, but I really don't want to go to 100 games.  A game list that is 100 games long takes too long to scroll through.

Overall, I tried to make sure that I covered all genres in order to maintain the broadest appeal.  The list does tend to bias slightly to the classic era.

I've always loved "game-list" threads, so I hope this one keeps on growing too.

[yotsuya]

You have to put Shuffleshot on since you have a trackball. With friends, it's a lot of fun. It's a high quality game with a lot of replayability.

I'm also a fan of Donkey Kong Jr. and maybe the only person who likes Donkey Kong 3.

I like DK3. If I could find the parts, I'd made that the theme of my MultiNinty.

[epetti]

A few more suggestions:

Gauntlet
Magical Drop III
Ninja Baseball Bat Man
Popeye
R-Type
Raiden
Rally-X
Rastan
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
X-Men
Zaxxon

[BobA]

How will you make only the listed games available in Mame or are you going to filter via a front end for Mame.  I amrying to do the same type of list on a cocktail cab with just mame but all the required files for the ROMs are hard to select properly.

[EssexMame]

You might want to remove Q*Bert due to the angled joystick setup (or do people have no problems playing it with a normal joystick?)

It's a good list but it does seem to be a mix of classic and personal favourites. That's not a problem of course but every "Nagano Winter Olympics 98" will remove a classic like R-Type for the visitors you are appealing to.

I'd say a Golden Tee too - if you've got the trackball it's perfect for them. Of course if you or none of your visitors like golf then ignore it!

Perhaps if doing a limited list, reduce the Galaga/Galaga 3 /Galaga 88 to just one (your fave, or the original) of those 3. It means Galaga is "covered" and gives you 2 games back for other choices. If your a huge Galaga fan have them all in a separate list for when your shortened list isn't needed.
 

[EssexMame]

This was a list I came up with when first planning my cab. It's changed so much since then though. If you've got everything else going then by all means work and rework your list (I think I'll do "game of the week" additions to mine to try out different games also) but I've spent too much time on changing/trying these and not working in the wood shed. This list also has different types of wheel/analogue controls and 6 buttons (Street Fighter) but the principles the same I'd say. Some are "my" memories though. We aren't all so attached to, say, Enduro Racer so ultimately it can only be your choices (and that of your close pals for suggestions). I do know I always ended up with 49 or 51 though - it's difficult to choose and sometimes those choices change day-to-day. So don't limit to a hard stop I'd suggest but to a short usable list of undetermined length.

1942
Afterburner (II)
Arkanoid
Asteroids
Bad Dudes v Dragon Ninja
Bomb Jack
Bust-A-Move (Puzzle Bobble)
Centipede
Combat School
Commando
Defender
Donkey Kong
Double Dragon
Enduro Racer
Frogger
Galaga
Galaxian
Gauntlet
Golden Axe
Golden Tee 2000
Hyper Sports
Jackal
Kick and Run
Marble Madness
Mikie
Mortal Kombat
Operation Wolf
Out Run
Pac-Man
Paperboy
Pengo
Pole Position
R-Type
Rainbow Islands
Rampage
Robocop
Rolling Thunder
Shao Lins Road
Shinobi
Sinistar
Space Invaders
Star Wars
Street Fighter
Strider
Super Hang On
Super Sprint
Tetris
Toobin'
Track & Field
Yie Ar Kung Fu

[welash]

Am I the only person who likes Mappy?  The 3 games that I play the most are Donkey Kong, Joust and Mappy.

[Malenko]

Some of these were already suggest, I'm just re-enforcing that I agree

personal preference changes:

replace 1942 with 1943
replace  with Arkanoid with Arkanoid :Revenge of Doh
replace Bomber Man World / New Dyna Blaster - Global Quest with Neo Bomberman
replace DonPachi with DoDonPachi
Pick a Galaga : Galaga '88 Galaga (Midway set 1) Galaga 3 (GP3 rev. D)
remove Galaxian (Midway set 1) you have Galaga, you dont need this
Golden Tee Classic (v1.00)
remove Lemmings its just not fun, keep if you disagree
Pick a pac : Ms. Pac-Man or  Pac-Man  (Id prefer MsPac)
remove Q*bert controller issue
remove Space Invaders Part II (Taito) you have Galaga so unless its sentimental.......

Some of my favorite games include:
2 on 2 open Ice Challenge or NBA Jam TE or NBA Maximum Hangtime or NFL Blitz
Alien Vs Predator
Darius Gaiden - Silver Hawk Extra Version
Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara or Tower of Doom
GI Joe or Devastators (same game, different skins)
Kid Niki Radical Ninja
King Of Fighters 98
Knights of the Round
Samurai Shodown II
Saturday Night Slam Masters
Sengoku 3
Shock Troopers 2
SNK vs Capcom Chaos
Super Sidekicks 3
Tapper
TMNT / TMNT Turtles in Time / Xmen / Simpsons / Sunset Riders
WINDJAMMERS

Another thing to keep in mind, is you can set MaLa to jump 1 letter at a time with a button press. Also, I have my MaLa gamelists tacked onto this post, if you wanna look them over:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,140777.msg1472934.html#msg1472934

[WakiMiko]

You might want to remove Q*Bert due to the angled joystick setup (or do people have no problems playing it with a normal joystick?)

Q*Bert is sorta playable with a regular 8 way stick with a square restrictor gate by remapping the inputs in MAME so that each diagonal direction requires 2 inputs. E.g. down-right in Q*Bert = Stick Down + Stick Right.

Definitely worse than a 4-way stick turned 45 degress, but it works!

[2600]

Remove

Assault
Battlezone
Championship Sprint
Tron

They would be hard to play on your current Control Panel.


Nice to see a list.  I was looking for sample lists people had put up for their top games and couldn't find much.

[Malenko]

He's got 2 spinners, why cant he play championship sprint?

[2600]

He's got 2 spinners, why cant he play championship sprint?

I'm not saying the games are unplayable, but if you are trying to make the list simpler avoid games with awkward controls.  A spinner and a button for the accelerator might be a bit awkward.  Keep it on another list to play instead of the main one.

[dkersten]

I did a 20 game "ultra classics" list then have a more fleshed out "classic arcade" that includes around 60-70 games similar to your list, then I have a section for each type of game (schmups, beat'em'ups, vs. fighters, trackball games, spinner games, gun games, etc.) with 10-20 games in each.  That way you can find anything easily or browse the "good games" list.  Plus since most are classified by controller type it is easier to know how to control the game.  At my middle daughter's graduation party last weekend, three teenaged girls I have never met took over the arcade and never once had to ask how to play something.. they figured it out themselves and even ended up playing time crisis with the trackball since I didn't have the guns plugged in.. I was quite amazed.

[taylormadelv]

Millipede. Two player Warlords. Pong (Misfitmame). Tempest. Get your money's worth outta those spinners!

[harveybirdman]

Not enough fight and go right for me but that would be understandable depending on your monitor orientation.

Is it vertically oriented? If so you're missing some bad ass SHMUPs.

[dmckean]

I would do one list of 50 Golden Age games and another list of 50 classics that came after that. It would be too confusing to just throw a bunch of different stuff from different time periods on one list.

[wp34]

Your list is pretty good. 

In my experience civilians do not like Defender and Bezerk.

+1 on adding Golden Tee.

Keep Galaga and remove the other two.

Perhaps if doing a limited list, reduce the Galaga/Galaga 3 /Galaga 88 to just one (your fave, or the original) of those 3. It means Galaga is "covered" and gives you 2 games back for other choices. If your a huge Galaga fan have them all in a separate list for when your shortened list isn't needed.

[Minwah]

I would add:

Exerion
Juno First
Time Pilot '84 (I know you've got the first one but I like this too)
Snake Pit
Off the Wall (Sente) - good one for 2 players as you've got 2 spinners & joysticks

[eds1275]

I have a favourites list and if people don't know what they want to play they are directed there. Here's some good stuff from my favs:

Puzzle Bobble/Bust a Move
The Outfoxies
Either/both of the dungeons and dragons games
Toobin'
Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters
Michael Jackson's Moonwalker

[specfire]

How will you make only the listed games available in Mame or are you going to filter via a front end for Mame.  I amrying to do the same type of list on a cocktail cab with just mame but all the required files for the ROMs are hard to select properly.

Hi Bob,  I'm using MaLa.  MaLa is very easy to set up and configure, however, it does take some tinkering to figure out how it works as the documentation is actually split in two places online.  MaLa facilitates multiple different lists as well as ways to scroll through an individual list.  Very convenient.  I have it set up so the joystick (up-down) scrolls through a list one game at a time, the joystick (left-right) scrolls through a list one "letter" at a time (basically faster scrolling) and finally, hold one button down and joystick (left-right) scrolls through my various lists.  I don't have MaLa set up for different emulators yet but am planning on doing that too.

Other comments/observations:

-I do like two player simultaneous games (cooperative or oppositional) which is why I have Hyper Athlete and Nagano (and Track and Field of course.)
-Lots of people have suggested Golden Tee and I agree (it is actually already in the list.)  Suffleshot is probably also a good Incredible Technologies game worth adding (thanks Leapinlew).
-I definitely have too much Galaga (huge favourite of mine) don't know which ones I will delete from the list.
-My monitor is horizontal but it is a large(ish) LCD, so both orientations work well for me.

-Current Controller layout limiting games:
---Q*Bert: The suggestion to use "two inputs" for a single direction works very well for diagonal control and we love Q*Bert
---Assault, Battle Zone, Tron: I am converting one of my joysticks to a trigger stick so these will all be very playable (I might even add Mad Planets)
---Star Wars: currently use a trackball which sucks, but will be installing an analog stick (smallish but high resolution one from a synthesizer)

-Classics suggested so far:
--bombjack
--juno first (great suggestion, thanks!)
--mr.do (I never really understood the appeal of this game, isn't DigDug better?)
--Donkey Kong Jr
--Donkey Kong 3 (I'm likely with the majority in that I don't really like it.)
--Gauntlet
--Popeye
--R-Type
--Raiden
--Rally-X
--Rastan
--Zaxxon
--Mappy
--Warlords (its actually already on the list!  Great spinner game just like Off the Wall (Atari)
--Millipede (is this one worth it?  I think I prefer centipede)
--Exerion
--Time Pilot '84
--Snake Pit
--Off the Wall (Sente) :

Beat-em-ups suggested: (I must confess that with unlimited continues, I've never enjoyed these style games in MAME, liked them back in the day though)
--Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Oceania 2 Players) - tmnt2po
--The Simpsons (2 Players World, set 1) - simpsons2p
--X-Men (2 Players ver EAA) - xmen2pe
--Ninja Baseball Bat Man
--Both Dungeons and Dragons games
--The Outfoxies (never heard of it, will have to check it out.)

Others:
--Windjammers (great choice)
--Magical Drop III
--The Outfoxies
--Toobin'
--Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters
--Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (really?  I just couldn't get into it when I tried a long time ago, maybe I should try it again.)

Shmups:
-there are lots of awesome ones and I have a dedicated list of shmups, but I am the only one interested so, they can't dominate this list.  I have included a few classics and DonPachi in order to try to get my friends and family into them.  I don't think I should add any more, but maybe a few other good ones to introduce those that are new the genre? 

Replacements:
--DoDonPachi (actually, I am terrible at shmups even though I really enjoy them and DonPachi is just less cluttered on screen for me.)  I find in most later shmups, there is so many colours and flashing lights that I can't see the shots to dodge them.
--Atari Tetris (love this game in head to head, it is just right for me.)
--Arkanoid with Arkanoid :Revenge of Doh (not sure if the extra complexity is an improvement here, I tend to like simple games)
--Lemmings: you're right, I like the game, but I will remove it from this list and just keep it on my "puzzle games" list.
--Space Invaders Part II (Taito): total nostalgia here, have to keep it.

Lots to consider.  I think I will make it about 80 games instead of 60.  I will update here once I decide on my 80 game list.

Please keep the comments going if you have other suggestions, I really appreciate it.

[Cynicaster]

If your “family, friends, and guests” are anything like mine, then they either mostly play modern games or don’t play video games much at all. 

People like that are never going to enjoy hard-as-nails 35 year-old games like Robotron and Defender.  Nor are they going to care much about C- and D-list titles they’ve never heard of, no matter how good the games may be (Juno First, Qix, and the like). 

Based on several years of observing the preferences of guests, if I were to make a list of 60 games geared primarily toward pleasing guests, it would be the following:

-   59 games I don’t like
-   Ms. Pac Man

Think Final Fight, Street Fighter 2, Ninja Turtles, Mortal Kombat, Puzzle Bobble, Dr. Mario, Tetris.  As well, never underestimate the allure of trackball games for the common folk: Golden Tee, Shuffleshot, World Class Bowling, and Shuuz have been perennial faves at my place, even though I’d never play any of them on my own.  I see you’ve already considered most of these.

[wp34]

Based on several years of observing the preferences of guests, if I were to make a list of 60 games geared primarily toward pleasing guests, it would be the following:

-   59 games I don’t like
-   Ms. Pac Man

 

[Yvan256]

• Crossed Swords
• Black Tiger
• Rygar
• Pulstar
• R-Type
• Raiden

[cmoses]

Most of the top 60 or so have been covered and I agree with all the good suggestions.  Each persons top "whatever" will be slightly different depending on their personal preference. 

Toobin' was mentioned and I love the game, but it does have a very distinct set of controls (5 button layout).  That being said I do play it on my machine at home and really enjoy it.

[bulbousbeard]

This is why I have a special category in my game list just for ---smurfy--- crowd pleasers. I put trash such as Dragon's Lair in there.

[Malenko]

How juvenile.

[wp34]

Not funny.

[yotsuya]

This is why I have a special category in my game list just for ---smurfy--- crowd pleasers. I put trash such as Dragon's Lair in there.

I bet when people come over to hang out and ask to listen to music, it's either vinyl or GTFO.

Who are we kidding? There's no "crowd" to "please", I'm sure, unless your little brother CabinetCop counts.

[bulbousbeard]

This is why I have a special category in my game list just for ---smurfy--- crowd pleasers. I put trash such as Dragon's Lair in there.

I bet when people come over to hang out and ask to listen to music, it's either vinyl or GTFO.

Who are we kidding? There's no "crowd" to "please", I'm sure, unless your little brother CabinetCop counts.

You know what's hilarious? My friend _is_ a vinyl fan. 

[yotsuya]

This is why I have a special category in my game list just for ---smurfy--- crowd pleasers. I put trash such as Dragon's Lair in there.

I bet when people come over to hang out and ask to listen to music, it's either vinyl or GTFO.

Who are we kidding? There's no "crowd" to "please", I'm sure, unless your little brother CabinetCop counts.

You know what's hilarious? My friend _is_ a vinyl fan. 

Of course.  All hipsters are.

[bulbousbeard]

Even though it's been well-established that hipster has no single, formal definition and is a useless label for someone, he's really not a hipster in any of the dozen of ways I've seen it applied to people.

[dkersten]

an elitist that thinks his way of doing things is both unique and better than everyone else's, particularly if it involves items or technology that has been set aside for trendier or more mainstream items or technology.. that is how I define a hipster, and you and cabinetcop seem to fit that bill rather well.  I envision you two sitting around in your mom's basement sipping on wine listening to an old JVC stereo with $1000 speaker wires, greasing up your beards and adjusting your thick framed retro glasses and talking about how the fools over at the arcade controls forum can't understand how superior G-sync is to all other monitors.

[lamprey]

specfire,

Are you still looking for games to add to your list? If you are still looking for suggestions let me know as I have a list of about 600-700 games that are more or less decent. If not, then all good!

I don't know the limitations of Mala, but this seems like a good case to have multiple lists:
1. Favs or Popular or Top XX or whatever you want to call it
2. And one for everything else.

[yotsuya]

an elitist that thinks his way of doing things is both unique and better than everyone else's, particularly if it involves items or technology that has been set aside for trendier or more mainstream items or technology.. that is how I define a hipster, and you and cabinetcop seem to fit that bill rather well.  I envision you two sitting around in your mom's basement sipping on wine listening to an old JVC stereo with $1000 speaker wires, greasing up your beards and adjusting your thick framed retro glasses and talking about how the fools over at the arcade controls forum can't understand how superior G-sync is to all other monitors.

Substitute "Pabst Blue Ribbon" for wine. Bingo.

[2600]

specfire,

Are you still looking for games to add to your list? If you are still looking for suggestions let me know as I have a list of about 600-700 games that are more or less decent. If not, then all good!

I don't know the limitations of Mala, but this seems like a good case to have multiple lists:
1. Favs or Popular or Top XX or whatever you want to call it
2. And one for everything else.

Why ask?  Just post them.  I'd like to see them and everyone's list.

[dkersten]

Substitute "Pabst Blue Ribbon" for wine. Bingo.

PBR is still considered mainstream in some places.. make it Rolling Rock maybe... ?  Or Schlitz?
Aww ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---.. guess you are dead on


 

[BorgDog]

OMG! PBR? no, just no.  Seriously, was that written April 1?  WTF   

I guess that just confirms I am so not hipster. 

[yotsuya]

Don't know, maybe some dude in a Mumford and Sons video was drinking one.

[lamprey]

specfire,

Are you still looking for games to add to your list? If you are still looking for suggestions let me know as I have a list of about 600-700 games that are more or less decent. If not, then all good!

I don't know the limitations of Mala, but this seems like a good case to have multiple lists:
1. Favs or Popular or Top XX or whatever you want to call it
2. And one for everything else.

Why ask?  Just post them.  I'd like to see them and everyone's list.

Sounds good... Here is my list I've been working on. A few might not have made it and few that did will probably come off. Obviously not all top tier games, but some good obscure ones too. YMMV. 734.

1942
10-Yard Fight
1941: Counter Attack
1943: Battle of Midway
1944: The Loop Master
19XX: The War Against Destiny
2020 Super Baseball
3 Count Bout
3 on 3 dunk madness
64th Street - A detective Story
720 Degrees
Aaargh
Aero Fighters
Aero Fighters 2 / Sonic Wings 2 
Aero Fighters 3 / Sonic Wings 3
Aggressors of Dark Kombat
Air Buster
Air Duel
Air Gallet
Airwolf
Ajax
Alcon
Alien Storm
Alien Syndrome
Alien vs. Predator
Aliens
Alligator Hunt
Altered Beast
Andro Dunos
Aqua Jack
Arabian
Arabian Fight
Arabian Magic
Arcadia
Arch Rivals
Arkanoid
Arkanoid - Revenge of DOH
Arm Wrestling
Armed Formation
Armed Police Batrider
Armor Attack
Armored Car
Armored Scrum Object
Armored Warriors
Art of Fighting
Art of Fighting 2
Art of Fighting 3 - The Path of the Warrior
Ashura Blaster
Asterix
Asteroids
Asteroids Deluxe
Asura Blade: Sword Of Dynasty
Asura Buster: Eternal Warriors
Aurail
Avenging Spirit
Aztarac
B. Rap Boys!
B.O.T.S.S.: Battle of the Solar System
Back Street Soccer
Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja
Bagman
Bank Panic
Baryon - Future Assault
Baseball Stars 2 
Baseball Stars Professional
Batsugun
Battle Area Toshinden 2
Battle Bakraid
Battle Chopper
Battle Circuit
Battle Circuit
Battle Flipshot
battle of atlantis
battle toads
Berzerk
Bio Freaks
Biomechanical Toy
Bionic Commando
Birdie King
Black Tiger
Black Widow
Blast Off
Blasted
Blaster
Blasteroids
Blazing Star
Blomby Car
Blood Bros
Blood Bros
Blood Storm
Bloody Roar 2
Blue print
Blue's Journey
Bogey Manor
Bomb Bee
Bomb Jack
Bonanza Bros
Bonze Adventure
Boogie Wings
bootcamp
Borench 
Bosconian
Brave Blade
Bubble Bobble
Bubbles
Bucky O hare
Burger Time
Burnin' Rubber
Cabal
Caliber 50 
Cameltry
Canyon Bomber
Capcom Sports Club
Captain America and The Avengers
Captain Commando
Carnival
Cavelon
Caveman Ninja
Centipede
Cerberus
Champion Boxing
Change Air Blade
Charlie Ninja
Chelnov: Atomic Runner
Chicken Shift
Chopper
Circus Charlie
City Bomber
Cloak & Dagger
Cobra Command
Colony 7
Combatribes, The
Commando
Congo Bongo
Contra
Cosmic Avenger
Cosmic Chasm
Cosmic Cop
Crack Down
Crater Raider
Crime City
Crime Fighters
Crossed Swords
Crystal Castles
Cybattler
Cyberball
Cyvern
Daioh
Dangerous Seed
Darius
Darius Gaiden
Darius II (triple screen)
Dark Adventure
Dark Seal
Darkmist, The Lost Castle In
Darkstalkers
Dead Angle
Dead Connection
Dead Connection
Dead Or Alive ++
Death Smiles
Defender
Demon
Demon Front
Demon's World / Horror Story
Devil World
Die Hard Arcade
Dig Dug
Dig Dug II
Dimahoo
Discs of Tron
DJ Boy
Do! Run Run
DoDonPachi
DoDonPachi II - Bee Storm
Dogyuun
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong 3
Donkey Kong Jr
DonPachi
Double Dragon
Double Dragon 3 - The Rosetta Stone
Double Dragon II - The Revenge
Double Dribble 
DownTown
Dragon Master
Dragon Unit (Castle of Dragon)
Dream Soccer '94
Drift Out
Drift Out '94 - The Hard Order
Dungeon Magic (Light Bringer -  lightbr)
Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara
Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom
Dynasty Wars
Eco Fighters
Ehrgeiz
Electric Yo-yo
Elevator Action
Eliminator
Empire City 1931
Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters
ESP ra De
Espgaluda
Espgaluda 2
Exerion
Explosive Breaker
Exvania
Fantasia II
Fatal Fury - King of Fighters
Fatal Fury 2
Fatal Fury 3 - Road to the Final Victory
Fatal Fury Special
fever sos
Field Day
Fighting Layer
Final Blow
Final Fight
Final Star Force
Fire Trap
Firetrap
Five a Side Soccer
FixEight
Flame Gunner
Football Frenzy
Free Kick
Frenzy
Frisky Tom
Frogger
Frogs
From TV Animation Slam Dunk - Super Slams
Front Line
G.I. Joe
Gaia Crusaders
Gaiapolis
Gain Ground
Galactic Storm
Galaga
Galaga '88
Galaxian
Galaxy Games StarPak 2
Galmedes
Ganryu / Musashi Ganryuki
Gaplus
Gauntlet
Gauntlet II
G-Darius
Gekirindan
Gemini Wing
Ghosts'n Goblins
Ghouls'n Ghosts
Giga Wing
Gladiator
Goal! Goal! Goal! 
Gogetsuji Legends
Gold Medalist
Golden Axe
golden axe the duel
Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder
Gorf
Gradius (clone of: nemesis)
Gradius 4
Gradius II (clone of: vulcan)
Gradius III
Grand Striker 2
Gravitar
Grid Seeker
gridiron
Grind Stormer
Ground Effects
Growl
Grudge Match
G-Stream G2020
Guardians
Guardians Of The Hood
Guerrilla War
Gun Force 2
Gun Master
Gun Smoke
Gunbarich
Gunbird
Gunbird 2
Gundhara
Gunforce - Battle Fire Engulfed Terror Island
Gunlock
GunNail
Guwange
Gyruss
Hard Dunk
Haunted Castle
Heavy Barrel
Heavy Smash
Hellfire
High Impact Football
Hippodrome
Hook
Hoops '96
Hopper Robo
HotDog Storm
Hyper Athlete
Hyper Duel
Hyper Sports
I, Robot
Ibara
Ibara Kuro Black
Ichidant-R
Ikari III - The Rescue
Ikari Warriors
I'm Sorry
Image Fight
In The Hunt
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
intrepid
Ironclad
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
JoJo's Venture
Journey
Joust
Joust 2 - Survival of the Fittest
Jr. Pac-Man
Juno First
Jurassic Park 
Karate Champ
Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi
Kick and Run
Killer Instinct
Killer Instinct 2
King of Boxer
King of the Monsters
King of the Monsters 2 - The Next Thing
Kingdom Grandprix
Kizuna Encounter - Super Tag Battle
Kizuna Encounter - Super Tag Battle
Knights of the Round
Krull
Kung-Fu Master
Lady Killer
Last Duel
Last Resort
League Bowling
Legend of Hero Tonma
Legend of Valkyrie [Valkyrie no Densetsu]
Lethal Thunder
Libero Grande
Lightning Fighters
Limited Edition Hang-On
Lock'n Chase
Lost Tomb
Lunar Lander
M.I.A. - Missing in Action
Mace the dark age
Mad Crasher
Mad Gear
Mad Planets
Mad Shark
Magic Sword
Magician Lord
Mania Challenge
Marble Madness
Mario Bros
Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter
Marvel Vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
Mat Mania
Mercs
Metal Slug
Metal Slug 2
Metal Slug 3
Metal Slug 4
Metal Slug 5
Metal Slug X
Metamorphic Force
Michael Jackson's Moonwalker
Midnight Resistance
Mikie, High School Graffiti
Millipede
Missile Command
Monster Bash
Monster Farm Jump
Moon Cresta
Moon Patrol
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat 3
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat II
Mouse Trap
Mr. Do!
Mr. Do's Castle
Mr. Do's Wild Ride 
Ms. Pac-Man
Musashi Ganryuuki
Mutant Fighter
Mutation Nation
Mystic Riders
Mystic Warrior
Narc
NATO Defense
NBA Hangtime
NBA Jam TE
Nebulas Ray
Neo Drift Out - New Technology 
Neo-Geo Cup '98
NFL Blitz
NFL Blitz 2000 Gold Edition
NFL Blitz '99 
Night Slashers
ninja clowns
Ninja Master's
Ninja Spirit
Nitro Ball
Nostradamus
Numan Athletics
Off Road Challenge
Off The Wall
Omega Race
Out Zone
Over Top
Pac-Man
Pac-Mania
Pandora's Palace
Pang
Pengo
Phoenix
Pigskin 621AD
Pipe Dream
Pit Fighter
Plasma Sword
Pleasure Goal
Pocket Racer
Polaris
Pollux
Popeye
POW or P.O.W
Power Drive
Prehistoric Isle 2 
Prehistoric Isle In 1930
Primal Rage
Psycho Soldier
Pu-Li-Ru-La
Pulstar
Punch-Out!! 
Punk Shot
Q*bert
Qix
Quiz & Dragons
Radiant Silvergun
Raiden
Raiden 2
Raiden DX
Raiden Fighters
Raiden Fighters 2
Rail Chase
Rally Bike
Rally X
Rambo III
Rampage
Rampage World Tour
Rastan
Rave Racer
Ray Storm
Rayforce
Razzmatazz
Real Bout Fatal Fury
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2
Red Baron
Red Earth
Renegade
Revolution X
Rezon
Ring of Destruction: Slammasters II
Ring Rage
Riot
Riot City
Rise of the Robots
Rival Schools
Road Fighter
Robo Army
Robocop
Robocop 2
Robotron: 2084
Rohga - Armored Force
Rollergames
Rolling Thunder
Rolling Thunder 2
R-Shark
R-Type
R-Type II
R-Type Leo
Run and Gun
Run and Gun 2
Rygar
Ryu Jin
Samurai Shodown
Samurai Shodown II
Samurai Shodown III
Samurai Shodown IV - Amakusa's Revenge
Samurai Shodown V
Samurai Shodown V Special
Samuri Aces
Sand Scorpion
SAR - Search And Rescue
Satan's Hollow
Scramble 
Scramble Spirits
Section Z
Sengeki Striker
Sengoku
Sengoku 2
Sengoku 3
Shackled
Shadow Dancer
Shadow Force
Shadowland
Shienryu
Shinobi
Shock Troopers
Shock Troopers - 2nd Squad
Shootout
Side Arms - Hyper Dyne
Side by Side
Silent Dragon
Simpsons
Simpsons Bowling
Sinistar
Skull & Crossbones
Skull Fang
Sky Alert
Sky Kid
Sky Kid Deluxe
Sky Smasher
Sly Spy
Smash T.V.
Snacks 'n Jaxson
SNK vs Capcom
Snow Bros. - Nick & Tom
Soccer Brawl
Soccer Superstars
sol divide
Solvalou
Sorcer Striker
Soul Calibur
Space Duel 
Space Dungeon
Space Firebird
Space Fury
Space Invaders
Space Invaders '95
Space Invaders Deluxe
Space Panic
Sparkz
Speak & Rescue
Spectrum 2000
Spider-man: The Video Game
Spin Master
Spinal Breakers
Splat!
Splatter House
Spy Hunter
Stadium Hero '96
Star Castle
Star Force / MegaForce
Star Gladiator Episode I: Final Crusade
Star Guards
Star Trek
starblade
Stargate
Steel Force
Stone Ball
Storm Blade
Strategy X
Street Fighter
Street Fighter 3
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter II': Champion Edition
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
Street Fighter: The Movie
Street Football
Street Hoop
Strider
Strike Fighter
Strikers 1945
Strikers 1945 II
Strikers 1945 III
Sunset Riders (2 Players ver EBD)
Super Cobra 
Super Contra
Super Cup Finals
Super Dodge Ball
Super Footbal Champ
Super High Impact
Super High Impact (football)
Super Pac-Man
Super Punch-Out!!
Super Qix
Super Sidekicks
Super Sidekicks 2
Super Sidekicks 3
Super Sidekicks 3 - The Next Glory
Super Spacefortress Macross
Super Spacefortress Macross
Super Spacefortress Macross 2
Superman
Super-X
Surprise Attack
T.N.K III
Tac/Scan
Tailgunner
Taito cup finals
Taito Power Goal
Tapper
Tapper (Simpsons)
Task Force Harrier
Tecmo Bowl
Tecmo World Soccer '96
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Turtles in Time
Tekken
Tekken 2
Tekken 3
Tempest
Tengai
The Astyanax 
The Cliffhanger: Edward Randy
The Crystal of Kings
The Gladiator / Road of the Sword / Shen Jian
The King of Dragons
The King of Dragons
The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2001
The King of Fighters 2002
The King of Fighters 2003
The King of Fighters '94
The King of Fighters '95
The King of Fighters '96
The King of Fighters '97
The King of Fighters '98 - The Slugfest
The King of Fighters '99 - Millennium Battle
The Last Blade /Batumatsu Roman - Gekka no Kenshi
The Last Blade 2 /Batumatsu Roman -Dai Ni Maku Gekka no Kenshi
The Legend of Silkroad
The Outfoxies
The Real Ghostbusters
The Speed Rumbler
The Ultimate 11 - The SNK Football Championship
thief
Thrash Rally
Three Wonders
Thunder Cross
Thunder Cross 2
Thunder Dragon
Thunder Dragon 2
Thunder Hoop
thunder Zone
Timber
Time Killers
Time Pilot 
Time Pilot '84
Time Soldiers
Toobin'
Top Gunner (rotary bootleg)
Top Gunner (vector)
Top Hunter - Roddy & Cathy
Total Carnage
Touchdown Fever
Touchdown Fever 2
Toukidenshou - Angel Eyes
Track & Field
Trick Trap
Trog
Tron
Truxton
Tube Panic
Turkey Shoot
Turret Tower
Twin Cobra
Twin Eagle
Twin Hawk
U.N. Defense Force: Earth Joker
Uncle Fester's Quest: The Addams Family
Undercover Cops
Us vs. Them
Vamf x1/2
Vampire Savior 2: The Lord of the Vampire
Vandyke
Vanguard
Vapor Trail
Varth: Operation Thunderstorm
Vasara
Vasara 2
Vendetta
Venture
Versus Net Soccer
Victory
Victory Road
Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Vigilante
Violent Storm
Viper Phase
Virtua Bowling
Virtua Fighter 
Vs. Excitebike
Vs. Super Mario Bros
Vulcan Venture
War Gods
War of Bug
War of the Worlds
Wardner
Warrior Blade
Warriors of Fate
Wild Fang / Tecmo Knight
Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa
Willow
Windjammers
Wivern Wings
Wizard Fire
Wizard of Wor
Wrestle War
WWF Superstars
WWF: Wrestlemania
Xenophobe
Xevious
Xevious 3D
X-Men (2 Player)
X-Men Vs. Street Fighter
X-Men: Children of the Atom
XX Mission
Xybots
Yie Ar Kung Fu
Zaxxon
Zektor
Zero Team
Zero Team 2000
Zero Wing
Zwackery

[WakiMiko]

Drop Bee Storm
Add Dai-Ou-Jou 

[yotsuya]

specfire,

Are you still looking for games to add to your list? If you are still looking for suggestions let me know as I have a list of about 600-700 games that are more or less decent. If not, then all good!

I don't know the limitations of Mala, but this seems like a good case to have multiple lists:
1. Favs or Popular or Top XX or whatever you want to call it
2. And one for everything else.

Why ask?  Just post them.  I'd like to see them and everyone's list.

Sounds good... Here is my list I've been working on. A few might not have made it and few that did will probably come off. Obviously not all top tier games, but some good obscure ones too. YMMV. 734.

<SNIP>

Except for all the fighting games, we have very similar tastes, my friend. 

[lamprey]

Drop Bee Storm
Add Dai-Ou-Jou 

Added!

[bulbousbeard]

http://www.mamedb.com/top/votes

[knightrdrx]

some of my friends that came over didn't even pay attention to my cabinet. so do it for yourself.  I had my older sister come check it out who one day. She is the reason we had an Atari growing up  and I was surprised she couldn't remember the name of Galaga. I made sure I got the settings for Centipede and Tempest (2 of her favorites) just right and she didn't play them.  My friends are certainly not calling me now saying can I come over and play a game?  I think they are jealous.

[lisowskikevin]

Star Wars is unplayable with a standard arcade simple joystick. You might want to rethink that one in your list unless you have a suitable yoke.

[Malenko]

Star Wars is unplayable with a standard arcade simple joystick. You might want to rethink that one in your list unless you have a suitable yoke.

-Current Controller layout limiting games:
---Star Wars: currently use a trackball which sucks, but will be installing an analog stick (smallish but high resolution one from a synthesizer)

[lisowskikevin]

Star Wars is unplayable with a standard arcade simple joystick. You might want to rethink that one in your list unless you have a suitable yoke.

-Current Controller layout limiting games:
---Star Wars: currently use a trackball which sucks, but will be installing an analog stick (smallish but high resolution one from a synthesizer)

Well I'll just shut up now

[dashingw]

Drop Bee Storm
Add Dai-Ou-Jou 

Added!

Your missing 4 decent games that I can see,

Astro Blaster
Mappy
Nightmare in the Dark
The Pit

[Malenko]

Well I'll just shut up now

hahaha, nah just showing you that he addressed it. It was in the middle of page one so I can see how you missed it. 

[lamprey]

Drop Bee Storm
Add Dai-Ou-Jou 

Added!

Your missing 4 decent games that I can see,

Astro Blaster
Mappy
Nightmare in the Dark
The Pit

Humm, I had an auto recovery on my excel file a while back, that might have caused me to lose Nightmare in the dark. Great game. I'm making sure that gets back on my list. I'll have to review those others. I think Mappy and Astro Blaster may have fallen off too.

[harveybirdman]

Mirax, Cotton,  and Xexex are ones I'd have dude.

Although Haze would say the Japanese version of Xexex is the one to grab.

[specfire]

Thanks for all of the awesome suggestions.  I'm a bit overwhelmed but will be adding many of the games. 

I do use MaLa and multiple curated category lists, I was just looking for the "master List" since no one who uses my cabinet (other than me) has any patience to check other lists or scroll through more than a short list (60+ "ish")   That's why my "one" list spans many different eras and genres.

Lamprey, man oh man, you have just added hours and hours to my game-list task

Real life has been getting in the way, but I will be back at this over the next three-four weeks.

[lisowskikevin]

This kind of brings up a great discussion......what is an appropriate number of games for your MAME cabinet? Whats a good number that is not overwhelming for yourself and guests to scroll through?

I current have about 100 and I find them very easy to navigate through inside of Hyperspin. I don't think that I would go much higher than 110 but how many games does everyone else have?

[harveybirdman]

Its all about the audience.  For me, I have nearly 1300. Do I play them all regularly? No chance. But I have played them at least once or twice as sort of an arcade anthropology adventure. Helps me recommend games to people on here and help guys remember a specific game they may not remember the name of.

I have had causal gamer guests become overwhelmed with my Mala navigation though so I do think the two hundred or so list that dgame put together a year or more back might be optimal for a situation like that.

[dashingw]

This kind of brings up a great discussion......what is an appropriate number of games for your MAME cabinet? Whats a good number that is not overwhelming for yourself and guests to scroll through?

I current have about 100 and I find them very easy to navigate through inside of Hyperspin. I don't think that I would go much higher than 110 but how many games does everyone else have?

My Favorites list is 262, thats about all the best games that I recognise from when I was a Juvenile Deliquent !! LOL