Top 5 Scariest Classic Arcade Game Sounds

[TheSunshineFund]

1. Qix sparx turn blue
2. Spy Hunter "Switchblade" enemy activates tires
3. Wizard of Wor "Dragnet" theme
4. Intruder Alert, Otto appearance, Berzerk
5. Swarm activation music, Galaxian

[Weehawk]

I don't know about scary, but I always found the pterodactyl's shriek on Joust to be really, really, really annoying.

[TheSunshineFund]

"I might have to split out this post to the "Top 5 Most Annoying Classic Arcade Game Sounds" sub forum's, sub forum."   - 

[CaptainJivePants]

Sure I'm forgetting some, but here are my initial thoughts in no particular order:

Condition Wed (red)! - Bosconian
Welcome to your doom! <Laughter> - Altered Beast
Invincible ghost arrival - Bubble Bobble
Bang! - Rally X death noise, which seems to be particularly loud. Probably more startling than scary, but I hate it.
I will second the Wizard of Wor nomination

Was trying to think of maniacal laughter, evil cackles, or something similar.  The only one I came up with in that category was the zombies in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time with their high-pitched wail <shudders>.

[TheSunshineFund]

I forgot that some of the sounds from Crossbow definitely should be in there somewhere.

[CaptainJivePants]

"I might have to split out this post to the "Top 5 Most Annoying Classic Arcade Game Sounds" sub forum's, sub forum."   - 

It appears you forgot to include parentheses ("()") somewhere in your Pigger () quote.  Please note we will be forced to remove all posts that do not comply with our (my) posting guidelines in Steve's (your) forum, sub-forum, and any child of said forums and sub-forums.

Thanks,
The 

[fruitygayspaghetti]

1. "BEWARE, I LIVE."
2. The icepick death sound in Zoo Keeper.  fk whoever created that.
3. not quite cag but when Rudy starts saying "You DON'T want to know what's down there!" in reference to the Funhouse trap door.
4. the hurry up music in Elevator Action.  actually scary since you're normally screwed in that scenario.
5. i don't have a 5

[TheSunshineFund]

1. "BEWARE, I LIVE."

Ah that's a great one, can't believe I forgot that one

[timhett]

yes, Beware I Live is a good one.
The Joust Pterodactyl is high up there.
The extra man sound in Frenzy is pretty scary.
the sound in Millipede when you die at the end of the growth board sounds like the machine is malfunctioning
Zaxxon force field sounds are pretty ominous.
The deaths in Death Race

[QAOP Spaceman]

Bang! - Rally X death noise, which seems to be particularly loud. Probably more startling than scary, but I hate it.

That noise is absolutely brutal. It goes through your ribcage and makes you want to vomit or pee yourself. It's as close to the 'brown note' I've experienced in a video game.

[QAOP Spaceman]

Oops. It's a Top 5, right?

So:
1. Rally X (above)
2. Wolf Pack. With headphones on and the lights off, you'll be ashamed of how s***-scared black and white can make you.
3. Pacmania (Jungly Steps music). I find this completely unnerving.
4. Satan's Hollow The fire column noise for me is horrific. It looks crap but it sounds terrifying.
5. Berzerk The voices urging your murder shouldn't be scary, but I still dread hearing them.

[VON]

I don't know about scary, but I always found the pterodactyl's shriek on Joust to be really, really, really annoying.

Reeeeee-errrrrrr!  Reeeeee-errrrrrr!

Pterodactyl please.

[lakeman421]

I second Beware I live and the people getting run over in Death Race. I'll add the combination of the guy talking in Space Fury with the sounds of alarms going off. I hated that.

[Shnypz]

The sound of the L=4+ springs scare the shit out of me in a PTSD type way 

[DiggingInNY]

1. Sinistar - Sinistar scream RRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Joust 2 - Terry screams
3. Gauntlet - The rapidly beating tune, when you are about to die.
4. Wizard of Wor - Opening Theme
5. Bosconian - Condition Red!!!...Condition Red!!!!!

Though not in an arcade game, I always found the ending tune when you lose all of your cities in Missile Command for the Atari 2600 to be scary.