Microsoft Arcade

Microsoft Return of Arcade

Released in April 1996, Microsoft Return of Arcade included Dig Dug (1982), Galaxian (1979), Pac-Man (1980), and Pole Position (1982). It sold 335,176 copies in 1996, making it the 8th best-selling PC game that year. In 2000, for Pac-Man's 20th anniversary, Microsoft re-released the compilation as Return of Arcade: Anniversary Edition, adding Ms. Pac-Man from Revenge of Arcade but no other games from that set.

Microsoft Revenge of Arcade

Released in 1998, Microsoft Revenge of Arcade contained Mappy (1983), Motos (1985), Ms. Pac-Man (1982), Rally-X (1980), and Xevious (1983). Both follow-ups officially required Windows 95 or later, though the demo for Return of Arcade is a 16-bit program needing only WinG to run in Windows 3.1. The game does not work on 64-bit versions of Windows. Next Generation criticized the PC version, stating that except for Ms. Pac-Man the games were past their sell-by date and the compilation was cashing in on misremembered childhood memories.

Reception

Computer Gaming World in 1993 called Microsoft Arcade's adaptation of its five games "nearly flawless", praising the hints and strategies in the WinHelp files and the boss key. The magazine liked Battlezone most but noted it had been done better since by games like Spectre. Despite finding the games "made obsolete by technology", it predicted success due to nostalgia and wished for updated graphics and gameplay. Microsoft Arcade was named best computer arcade game of 1993 by Computer Games Strategy Plus.

In the United States, Return of Arcade debuted at position 16 on PC Data's computer game sales rankings for April 1996, rose to 10th the next month, and charted in the top 10 through August, peaking at #5. Its top-20 streak held through November but ended in December. PC Data reported it as the eighth-best-selling computer game in the U.S. for 1996 overall, with 335,176 units sold and revenues of $9.5 million.