Tapper (Budweiser, 1/27/84)

Step behind the bar in Bally Midway’s Tapper, where you take on the role of a bartender striving to keep a thirsty crowd happy. Using a four-way joystick, players must pour beer into waiting glasses and collect empty mugs before they slide off the counter and break. The game progressively increases in difficulty with each level as customers—ranging from cowboys to aliens—demand their drinks, and the pace quickens. Bonus rounds challenge players to identify an unshaken beer among a selection. Tapper features cooperative gameplay for two players, both working to manage the bar’s demands and earn tips. The game's design replicates a real bar setting, complete with authentic Budweiser branding on the cabinet and taps. Inspired by new wave music, the soundtrack adds to the lively atmosphere as you attempt to keep up with the escalating chaos of your clientele. The character featured in Tapper also made an appearance in later media such as the animated film Wreck-It Ralph, cementing its place in arcade history.