Image via Getty/Lynn Johnson
This feature was originally published on August 28, 2013.
Before we begin, just to get this out of the way, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 came out in 2000.
We all know that MvC2 is held in such special and revered regard, but this is a list of arcade titles from the 90s. That being said, it's an amazing game and it's not on this list.
With that firmly established, let's get down to what we all know are the best arcade games of the 90s. Your favorites might not be on this list, but let's be honest with ourselves here, not every cabinet that dropped in the 90s was amazing. We do, however, guarantee that some of your favorites are definitely on this list.
They're all certified classics. Does anyone have a quarter that I can borrow?
RELATED: Teenagers With Attitude Behind the Scenes of the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers"
RELATED: Here's The Video Of The "Skyrim" Game Jam Experiments
Smash TV
Year Of Release: 1990
Genre: Action
A top down action shooter that barely squeaked into the 90s. The graphics screamed mid-80s, Motley Crue tour bus, but that didn't make the game any less fun. Hell, it's almost prescient in its prediction of the invasion of the surveillance state and the all-encompassing pervasiveness of reality television.
Area 51
Year Of Release: 1995
Genre: Shooting
Yes, it was silly and ridiculous (we're pretty sure high explosives wouldn't just be sitting around a base to be shot at), but blasting aliens to hell with a light gun is a cornerstone of the gaming industry.
The graphics certainly don't hold up to modern standards, but if we ever see one of these sad machines lonely occupying the corner of a dive bar, we can't help but get down with a little Kron Hunter.
Lethal Enforcers
Year Of Release: 1992
Genre: Shooting
Well, if you didn't want to get shot, then you shouldn't have stood up then, huh? Aside from looking the rejected one sheet from a Cinemax after dark film, the game wasn't that much fun.
This light gun beauty put you in the hands of two officers of the law trying to stop crime on the mean streets. Dibs on the blue gun.
Gunblade NY
Year Of Release: 1996
Genre: Shooting
Sure, it was a rail shooter, but there was a sense of kinetic frenzy that almost made you forget about it. This massive Sega cabinet had you as a gunner in a helicopter as you traversed a future city gunning down cybernetic terrorists. Our arms are still shaking from this one.
Primal Rage
Year Of Release: 1994
Genre: Fighting
The controls sucked ass (who the hell holds buttons and wiggles the joystick around to pull combos), but there was no louder fighting game in the arcade. The roars were thunderous and the hits were brutal.
Plus, it had a monkey that farted, pissed and barfed for special moves. What else could you possibly want? Oh, controls that actually respond? No.
Cruis'n World
Year Of Release: 1996
Genre: Racing
Cruis'n USA was awesome, but the sequel was even better. Another monstrous rig that took up precious floor space on arcade floors, the sequel inhaled quarters at pretty much the same rate as the first title. Tour the world in radical cars and get that announcer's voice trapped in your head for the rest of the afternoon. Make sure to tap the gas twice on big jumps for a surprise.
Virtua Cop 2
Year Of Release: 1995
Genre: Shooting
Reload! Reload! Virtua Cop 2 was like Lethal Enforcers, but with less of a low rent, 'I just arrived in L.A., oh my god is this a porn' set vibe. Sega knew what was up back in the day. So much fun we didn't mind the blocky graphics. Make sure you shoot off the screen to Reload! Reload!
Daytona USA
Year Of Release: 1993
Genre: Racing
Daytoonaaaaaaa! The massive arcade rig was best enjoyed with six other racers, each in their own plastic stock, car by your side. Daytona USA was arcade racing bliss. The major downside being that machine decided to forgo your quarters and happily inhaled dollar bills instead. Blue skies and empty wallets.
Crazy Taxi
Year Of Release: 1999
Genre: Racing
Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya! The Offspring shall forever be associated with this racing game from Sega. We'd also like to go on record stating that The Offspring is a terrible band. Throwing physics, traditional tracks, and good taste in music out the window, Sega manufactured another arcade classic. We're pretty sure we've experienced taxi driving like this in NY, unfortunately.
Sunset Riders
Year Of Release: 1991
Genre: Run and gun
Capcom's interpretation of what the American Wild West must have been like during our westward expansion. Native American genocide was left out for some reason. Weird.
Sunset Riders was a killer run and gun title. Capcom had you shoot first and dodge pink bullets later. Cormano was our dude.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Year Of Release: 1991
Genre: Shooting
Blasting T-1000's to hell has never been so satisfying. The kick-back mechanic of the machine gun was one of the many highlights of this quarter gobbler. With a Guns N' Roses heavy soundtrack, this game helped define the early 90s arcade experience. John Connor would be proud.
Virtua Fighter 2
Year Of Release: 1994
Genre: Fighting
A 3D fighter that featured DOZENS of polygons. Sarcasm aside, it was pretty dope for the early 90s. Virtua Fighter 2 was another Sega joint that dropped back when they were still making hardware. It featured two new characters (we love us some Shun-Di), as well as quicker and more precise combat than the original.
Samurai Shodown 2
Year Of Release: 1994
Genre: Fighting
Better than the original in every way, Samurai Showdown 2 was the crowning achievement of the four game SNK cabinets back in the day. A 2D fighter that capitalized on the early 90s explosion of Manga and Anime in the Western mainstream.
The potential of your weapon breaking in battle was also a nice touch.
X-Men
Year Of Release: 1992
Genre: Beat em up
There were two versions of this beat em up in the arcades. The amazing four player cabinet, and an even more epic six player stand up. Needless to say, it's the six-player one that we fondly remember. The roster of Chris Claremont era Wolverine, Colossus, Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, and, of course, the last players got stuck with Dazzler.
House of the Dead 2
Year Of Release: 1998
Genre: Shooting
One of the most ludicrous light gun shooters. Sega just said 'fuck it' in regards to paying anyone to write any sort of script. Which is fine, the cabinet still managed to suck us bone dry. When we were feeling particularly wealthy, we'd pay out the player 1 and 2 slots and use both guns. No big deal.
King of Fighters '98
Year Of Release: 1998
Genre: Fighting
Possibly the greatest King of Fighters of them all (hell, it's possibly the greatest SNK fighting game of them all), KoF 98 was a great alternative when more popular fighting games were swarmed with players. Fight on.
Metal Slug
Year Of Release: 1996
Genre: Run and gun
SNK's finest arcade title, this run and gun war game was like Contra, if Contra hadn't been taking itself so seriously. There, we said it. Mission complete!
Killer Instinct
Year Of Release: 1994
Genre: Fighting
Distinctly memorable for its impressive combo system and the satisfying rejoinders of the announcer when a successful combo was executed, or, interrupted, Killer Instinct was yet another welcome respite from the Street Fighter/Mortal Kombat queue. Killer Instinct stole fighting game hearts, and quarters, at the same time. With the recent announcemen of an updated Killer Instinct inbound for the Xbox One, expect a fresh spate of nostalgia for this fighter.
Star Wars Trilogy Arcade
Year Of Release: 1998
Genre: Action, shooting
Spanning the original trilogy, players were treated to reenacting their favorite battles on Hoth, Endor, Yavvin, and the Death Star. This arcade title was crushingly dope for a few reasons: blasters, lightasber, and Bobba Fett. We played this thing so often we should have taken it to prom.
Street Fighter III: Third Strike
Year Of Release: 1997
Genre: Fighting
Introducing new characters (and reintroducing Chun-Li), Third Impact is the most solid of the already concrete Street Fighter III legacy. Offering a much richer technical component to the overall outing made the game instantly popular. It wasn't released that long ago, so it's not uncommon to run across a still functioning cabinet.
Makoto is the shit, BTW.
NFL Blitz
Year Of Release: 1997
Genre: Sports
All the fun of NBA Jam but on a football field. We even remember the combination cabinet which housed both Blitz and Jam together. A football game that appealed to both the devout and the laymen, Blitz could be picked up by anyone and played.
Always remember to watch out for the Sub-Zero play.
Tekken 3
Year Of Release: 1997
Genre: Fighting
Our pick for the best Tekken of the 90s. This now classic fighter served as a welcome palette cleanser to the Mortal Kombat/Street Fighter dichotomy that dominated arcades in the 90s. Unfortunately, it also introduced the world to Eddy Gordo. Button mashing would never be the same again.
Soul Calibur
Year Of Release: 1999
Genre: Fighting
To many the Dreamcast port was infinitely better. The arcade version wasn't too shabby, but to most Soul Calibur was one of the titles that defined the Dreamcast. With its diverse characters and new, at the time, 8-way run system, the game was offering another outlet for fighting fans to put their money where their mouths were. Our soul still burns for this classic fighting game.
Time Crisis 2
Year Of Release: 1997
Genre: Shooting
The best light gun shooting game of the 90s. Period. The massive Time Crisis 2 cabinet always had the longest lines and the flashiest lights. The game allowed two players to play, encouraging cooperation. Shoot the guy with the briefcase. He's evil.
Mortal Kombat II
Year Of Release: 1993
Genre: Fighting
Mortal Kombat II took everything we loved about the original and magnified it by about a million. It had more fatalities, more balanced combat (Oh, we're sorry, "kombat") and secrets galore. We still love this game. Toasty!
The Simpsons Arcade Game
Year Of Release: 1991
Genre: Beat em up
The best Simpsons game by a mile. The Simpsons Arcade Game allowed you to play as Bart, Lisa, Marge, and/or Homer as you fought non-canon citizens of Springfield in order to rescue baby Maggie. A perfect four player cabinet that was ideal for getting your parents to play if they decided to stick around the arcade. Marge's vacuum for the win.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time
Year Of Release: 1991
Genre: Beat-em-up
The second greatest beat-em-up ever (yes, we did say second), Turtles in Time was better than the first turtles game in every single way. Better controls, better graphics, better level design, and the inclusion of time travel all combined to make the second four player arcade cabinet superior to its predecessor. The boss fights were, also, excellent. Big Apple, 3 A.M. for life.
NBA Jam
Year Of Release: 1993
Genre: Sports
Yeah, we're calling it. NBA Jam is the best arcade sports game ever. The wildly unrealistic, but endlessly playable title could be heard from any corner of the arcade.
The decision shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone with a pulse and an affinity for Dream Team era NBA. Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and everyone else from the early 90s were playable in this two on two arcade joint.
With turbo pushing, slam dunks from the free throw line, and ("Oh, my! He's on fire!") all a part of this game, it's little wonder that people still look back at it so fondly. Can't buy a bucket!
Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting
Year Of Release: 1992
Genre: Fighting
You can't have a discussion of the arcade scene without bringing up Street Fighter. The title which planted the seeds of competitive fighters becoming what they are today. EVO 2013 showed us that withour Street Fighter II we wouldn't have champions like FS.EMP|Flocker and Justin Wong.
Competitive fighting was defined by Capcom's series of Street Fighter games. The only, only, reason that Street Fighter isn't sitting in the number one spot has nothing to do with its level of playabilty or enjoyment. There is no arguing that point. The number one slot goes to a titles that literally dragged video games from the arcades to the front page of The New York Times and left a dent in the cultural perception of video games as a medium.
Mortal Kombat
Year Of Release: 1992
Genre: Fighting
The mother of video game violence as the scapegoat for the crumbling decline of America's youth. Senate hearings, full page screeds in major American newspapers, and one of the driving contributers behind the establishment of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), Mortal Kombat irrevocably changed the landscape of the medium, at least in the public sphere, for good.
It made 'fatality' a commonly apporpriated buzz word for the percieved impact video game violence had on arcade dwelling youth and became a pop-culture reference akin to late night Tonya Harding and Michael Jackson jokes. The game itself took moments to learn and a lifetime to master, offering a completely different aesthetic and combo system to learn.
It's unfortunate that it is because of all these reasons we wanted to play the game that much more.
Plus, finally learning Sub Zero's fatality was as close to winning the Olympics a weird indoor kid could get at the time.