With that being said, the ’90s took arcade gaming to a new level. Thanks to the popularity of titles like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, fighting games had a spot alongside the beat ’em ups like Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The ’90s heralded not only some new impressive classic games but several featured titles that would become among the best arcade games of all time.
Updated January 11, 2023 by Mark Sammut: Arcades have largely become a thing of the past, but their memory lingers on. While the 1990s marked the movement’s peak in popularity, the decade also witnessed the gradual decline of arcades. Thankfully, most of the best arcade games of the ’90s have been preserved in some form or another, with some titles even being available on (relatively) modern consoles like the PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
26 Klax (1990)
Other Platforms: Genesis, Game Boy Color, Game Gear, Atari Consoles; PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, PC ( Midway Arcade Treasures )
Inspired by Tetris, Klax has not quite left the same lasting legacy as its spiritual predecessor, but the arcade puzzle game is still a great title in its own right. The gameplay revolves around a conveyor belt carrying colored blocks toward five slots, with players having to direct the traffic accordingly.
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The goal is to stack three blocks of the same color, causing them to disappear while granting points to the player. Only 25 blocks can be held at the same time, and they must be spread among the slots. Klax is addictive in a way only a select few arcade games are, and the core gameplay loop holds up well after more than three decades.
25 Alpha Mission 2 (1991)
Other Platforms: Neo Geo CD, PSP; PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mobile ( ACA Neo Geo )
Alpha Mission 2 is a lesser entry in SNK’s arcade catalog, but that has more to do with the developer’s proficiency than any perceived lack of quality concerning the vertical shooter. When it comes to shoot ’em ups, this 1991 title does not do anything too out of the ordinary, and it should strike a chord with most fans of the genre.
Boasting great visuals and music, Alpha Mission 2 was a looker back in the day, and age has done little to hamper the game’s presentation. Gameplay-wise, SNK’s release offers a satisfying selection of weapons and an upgrade system that rewards skill. As these types of games can be inescapable to newcomers, Alpha Mission 2 is somewhat of an acquired taste, but the game is a good representative of the shmup genre.
24 Alien Vs. Predator (1994)
Other Platforms: N/A
Capcom produces some of the best 1990s beat ’em up games, and Alien vs. Predator stands alongside the developer’s crowning achievements. Not to be confused with a SNES project with the same title, this 1994 classic has never been released on consoles, dooming it to obscurity. This is a shame as Alien vs. Predator hits the bullseye in almost every area, be it gameplay, graphics, or sound design.
Set in the midst of a Xenomorph invasion of Earth, players can pick between two cyber soldiers and two Predators, all of whom come with unique weapons. Blending melee and long-range options, Alien vs. Predator offers tight and weighty combat that compares favorably to most of the genre’s other projects. Nowadays, this game is very hard to come by, but it is worth seeking out if someone can find it.
23 Killer Instinct (1994)
Other Platforms: SNES, Game Boy, Xbox One
Striking something of a middle-ground between Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct is a very solid fighter, even if it hasn’t quite aged as well as its most highly regarded contemporaries. The 1994 game brought its share of innovations to the genre, and it had a combo system (including the landscape-changing combo breakers) that was a step above the competition at the time of Killer Instinct’s release.
The fighter delivers fast-paced gameplay, satisfying finishing moves, impressive visuals for its era, and a brilliant soundtrack. Even today, the arcade version of Killer Instinct is still fun to play.
22 Ninja Baseball Bat Man (1993)
An underappreciated gem that didn’t make much of a splash in western arcades, Ninja Baseball Bat Man is silliness captured in video game form. A beat ’em up about four robot heroes striving to retrieve a statue of Babe Ruth, Ninja Baseball Bat Man takes players on camp-fueled adventures with accessible combat, unforgettable villains, and charming visuals.
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In a decade overstacked with beat ’em ups, Ninja Baseball Bat Man struggled to stand out; however, the game has aged better than most of its contemporaries. It is simply fun.
21 Windjammers (1994)
Other Platforms: Neo Geo CD, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch
A contender for the most surprising ’90s game to be revived more than two decades following its release, Windjammers was ported to the PS4 in 2017 and is set to receive a sequel in 2022. The sports game challenges players to win an intense match of frisbee; yet, frisbee. On the surface, that might not sound particularly exciting, however, Windjammers hides an impressive amount of depth.
Windjammers is a delight whether played in arcades or on home consoles. Players have their pick of six characters, all of which come with unique stats and special throws. Matches are quite straightforward – two players battle it out to see who can score 12 points first – but the shots come with little tricks that make a huge difference in bouts. Hopefully, Windjammers 2proves to be just as entertaining.
20 Daytona USA (1994)
Other Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Sega Saturn, PC
Sega’s arcade game was a smash hit in the mid-’90s, and Daytona USA is still one of the more famous racing titles from this era. With a great soundtrack and brilliant visuals for the era, Daytona USA was lightyears ahead of the console market at the time.
This was the type of game that people dreamed they might one day be able to play at home; consequently, it made arcades worth visiting in the ’90s. Once consoles could run games like Daytona USA and better, arcades started to lose some of their appeal and reason for existing.
19 The Simpsons (1991)
Other Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Commodore 64, MS-DOS
The Simpsons has received its fair share of video game adaptations; some are pretty decent, but most are not worth anyone’s time. Simply titled as The Simpsons, this beat-’em-up came out as the series was reaching the height of its popularity, and the game captured the thrill of being in Springfield.
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With charming visuals, detailed sprite work, and really solid gameplay, The Simpsons is not only one of the best arcade games ever but also one of the better licensed games of any era.
18 Smash TV (1990)
Other Platforms: NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, Commodore 64, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum
A dual-stick shooter that used to soak up all of someone’s coins, Smash TV was painfully difficult to put down once the mayhem started to flow. Split into levels that throw wave after wave of enemies at the player, Smash TV descends into pure chaos almost immediately, creating an action-packed experience with no dull moments.
Power-ups, thousands of disposable foes, and cheesy announcements are all things that define Smash TV’s legacy. The game’s console versions are not quite as good as the arcade title, but they are still decent fun.
17 Cruis’n World (1996)
Other Platforms: Nintendo 64
A distinct charm of ’90s arcade games is the sense of immersion experienced by interacting with more tactile, true-to-form control devices. This is the case in this classic racer from the mid-’90s, which lets gamers literally take the wheel and put the pedal to the medal. Even beyond this fun setup, however, Cruis’n World decks out and revs things up on the gameplay front, building on the ‘94 hit Cruisn’ USA.
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As the game’s title indicates, a greater diversity of new, colorful landscapes can be traversed this time, including Australia, Africa, Egypt, Mexico, and Japan. Not only this, but the game fleshes things out with new stunt mechanics that reward players with extra seconds of time. And in this fast, exhilarating racer, every second counts.
Like its predecessor, Cruis’n World proved influential, as racers like Forza Horizonwould further roll with this concept of flashy, stunt-focused racing.
16 Gauntlet Legends (1998)
Other Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast
Arcade romps are often known for their entertaining co-op gameplay that allows multiple players to huddle up on a single cabinet. This is particularly the case in the ’90s, as machines grew more robust and advanced. Gamers often point to Gauntlet Legends as one of the best examples of a cooperative game that’s both rich and enjoyable.
On the one hand, the game adheres to a “pick-up-and-play” style of hack and slash excitement, enticing players to grind away and slay countless baddies. But on the other hand, Legends offers a surprising amount of depth with its RPG-esque gameplay and rewarding progression.
It even implements a unique system of passwords and savable characters. This neat feature encourages prolonged dungeon-crawling rather than regularly starting over.
15 X-Men: The Arcade Game (1992)
Other Platforms: PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, Mobile
During the ’90s, Marvel fans had quite a few memorable arcade games to pick from, and the X-Men had a habit of taking center stage in most of them. 1992’s X-Men is a beat ’em up that does pretty much everything competently, although its value will be determined by someone’s love for the license.
X-Men’s sprites are detailed, vibrant, and lovingly capture the look and feel of the comics. Although the combat is quite basic, the game makes up for it with six playable characters and multiplayer support. For those who love a good beat ’em up and are intimately familiar with Marvel’s mutants, X-Men is not a game to skip. Yes, even all these years later.
14 Crazy Taxi (1999)
Other Platforms: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo GameCube, Sega Dreamcast, PC, Mobile
There are few more enticing coin or card-burning ’90s arcade games than this chaotic racer from Hitmaker and Sega. As an exhilarating blend of speed-racing and score attack madness, Crazy Taxi tasks players with carting as many paying customers from A to B as possible. The bustling streets of hilly San Fransisco make the experience even more intense and thrilling, producing the feel of an extreme sports game more than a racer.
Its expansive scale and relatively sleek visuals give it a feel that’s both retro and modern. Still, Crazy Taxi taps into that fundamentally appealing trait of classic arcades; where players must grind out high scores while racing against the clock.
13 House Of The Dead 2 (1998)
Other Platforms: Nintendo Wii, Sega Dreamcast, PC
Locking and loading with a light gun shooter is almost a requirement when visiting ’90s-era arcades. While there’s no shortage of games in the genre, Sega’s famed House of the Dead series remains the pinnacle for many. This is especially true with the series’ ‘98 sequel, which leans on the appealing traits from its predecessor while refining and fleshing out some areas.
The game ramps up the action, difficulty, and mechanics while polishing the graphics, improving the narrative, and adding nuance to the unique system of branching paths.
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This series would serve as the foundation and inspiration that would help spawn various other action-packed zombie romps.
12 NBA Jam (1993)
Other Platforms: SNES, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, Sega CD, Game Gear
There will always be a market for the more nuanced brand of sims and flashier, grander basketball games. Still, the simpler, arcade-style variants – which include hits like NBA Hangtime and NBA Jam – have an addictive quality and distinct charm that’s rarely matched. Arguably the pinnacle of this subgenre, Midway’s NBA Jam proved this thrilling sport could be enjoyed in brief, chaotic stints of just a few minutes.
The game’s fast pace, two-on-two gameplay, and exhilarating “on fire” mode ensure that non-stop action throughout. Fouls, free throws, and the general laws of physics need not apply here.
While the series has carried on in some form since the ’90s, this breakout hit from ‘93 remains the basketball champ for many arcade players.
11 Time Crisis 2 (1997)
Other Platforms: PlayStation 2
Building on the momentum of 1995’s Time Crisis, the sequel’s core gameplay isn’t all that different from its predecessor. While there are some neat changes, Time Crisis 2 still comes down to timing: pick the right moments to step out of cover to score a few shots. Like most entries in the series, Time Crisis 2 plays out like an over-the-top action movie, and it does a splendid job aping that style.
The one thing that puts Time Crisis 2 above the original game is the inclusion of co-op. This addition brought a whole other dimension to the light gun experience.
10 Soul Edge (1995)
Other Platforms: PlayStation
Namco’s Soul Edge predated their SoulCalibur series by several years. Known as Soul Blade in America, the game featured the first tale involving the legendary demon blade. Featuring fighters such as Sophitia, Siegfried, Mitsurugi, and Cervantes, it set the stage for one of history’s most beloved fighting games.
The 3D fighting action involved juggling and heavy ring-outs. Prior to its successors, Soul Edge featured small health bars which meant much shorter rounds. Players could even lose their weapons in the heat of battle!
9 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995)
Other Platforms: PlayStation, XLA, SNES, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Sega Saturn, Sega Genesis, PC, iOS
Mortal Kombat was one of several games that set off a fighting game boom in the ’90s. Unlike Street Fighter’s competitive balance and tournament approach, Mortal Kombat was more about the style. The martial arts tale grabbed major references from movies such as Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon.
Besides the brutal, bloody Fatalities, Mortal Kombat contributed several arcade sequels and many memorable characters that appear in numerous sequels including the recent Mortal Kombat 11. Among them include Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Liu Kang, Jax, Kitana, and powerful entities such as Raiden and Shao Kahn. The series also introduced intricate lore and mythos stronger than its contemporaries. To this day, the Mortal Kombat series is hailed for having among the best storytelling of fighting games.
8 Marvel Vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (1998)
Other Platforms: PlayStation, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Sega Dreamcast
The crossover title that brought the two companies together became a major hit. While Capcom had previously played around with Street Fighter and X-Men crossovers, this was the first time that the companies themselves were at the forefront. Moreover, this also marked Mega Man’s fighting game debut.
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Capcom’s title featured stellar music, gorgeous animations, and multiple endings. Taking cues from its Vs. series predecessors, it included character assists and tag-team action. The Dreamcast port even allowed 4-player competition among players. Capcom would later succeed with the prominent and legendary 2000 sequel, Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes.
7 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time (1991)
Other Platforms: SNES
Heralded as one of the greatest beat ’em ups of all time, Turtles in Time perfected a formula that began in the 80s. Succeeding The Arcade Game, which came to the NES, Turtles in Time featured a more robust system. Hit detection, controls, and combos felt much more fluid and improved.
Turtles in Time later came to the SNES as an improved port featuring more stages. While Konami stripped the co-op from 4-player to 2-player, the console classic was perhaps the best on the system. Turtles in Time also received a similar version of the game, largely reskinned on Genesis, as The Hyperstone Heist.
