How Many Quarters Did You Spend on Street Fighter II?
'90s kids understand the joy that came from popping quarter after quarter into bulky cabinets in a packed arcade. Whether your obsession was Mortal Kombat or The House of the Dead, you could spend hours gripping that joystick and pounding those buttons. Here are the 20 video games that were in every '90s arcade.
1. Street Fighter II
This game revolutionized fighting games with its six-button control scheme and colorful and diverse characters. It was a phenomenon, drawing huge crowds around its cabinets and turning arcades in the '90s into battlegrounds. It also spawned a ton of sequels and imitators.
Jonathan Sloan from Burnaby, Canada on Wikimedia
2. Mortal Kombat
Midway's Mortal Kombat was an arcade sensation. It thrilled bloodthirsty gamers with digitized actors, violent fatalities, and a darkly brutal cinematic style. Beyond the blood and gore, the gameplay was tight and satisfying.
3. Daytona USA
This was the ultimate racing experience for arcadegoers. It featured vibrant graphics, responsive steering, and multiplayer function. It was thrilling, and there was always a lineup at its cabinet.
4. Tekken
Despite the explosion of fighting games, Tekken had no trouble becoming an arcade classic. It brought 3D fighting to mainstream gamers who loved its deep combo system and memorable roster of characters.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Arcade Game
Although released in 1989, this arcade game dominated the scene well into the '90s. Up to four players could join forces to fight as their favorite turtle against Shredder and his henchmen. The levels were colorful, and the cooperative gameplay made it a blast.
6. The House of the Dead
This Sega game terrified players even if the lights were on in the arcade. It's a rail-shooter with strong mechanics and a zombie apocalypse theme. You could spend hours killing the undead with a light gun.
7. NBA Jam
This classic arcade game brought over-the-top basketball action to gamers. It had fiery dunks, crazy physics, and the most memorable commentary. Its two-on-two gameplay became legendary, and it was fast, fun, and competitive.
8. Cruis'n USA
This game delivered pure '90s fun and flash with convertibles, rock soundtracks, and neon-glowing highways. Players loved racing through exaggerated versions of U.S. landscapes, like San Francisco. It filled the screen with colorful graphics, and the responsive driving was a dream.
9. Virtua Fighter
Virtua Fighter was a groundbreaking 3D polygon-based fighting game that '90s kids loved playing at the arcade. It had realistic martial arts moves, and it laid the foundation for competitive 3D fighting games.
10. Time Crisis
This Namco game introduced a high level of intensity to the light-gun shooter. With its innovative foot pedal cover system, players could find cover, reload, and also pop out to shoot enemies. The gunplay was precise, and the pacing was cinematic.
11. X-Men
This beat-'em-up game allows up to six players to work together to battle Magneto. It had a massive cabinet that you could see while pulling up to the arcade, and beloved characters like Wolverine and Cyclops.
12. OutRun
Although released in the mid-'80s, this game was a '90s arcade staple that gamers couldn't get enough of. Its popularity came from its stylish red Ferrari, palm-lined roads, and bouncy soundtracks. Unlike other games, it delivered a laid-back driving vibe.
13. Area 51
This light gun shooter by Atari was an arcade obsession in the '90s. Players fought through a secretary military base filled with aliens. It used rapid-fire pistols, and the environments were destructible to add to the fun.
14. Gauntlet Legends
Midway revived its classic dungeon crawler with this arcade version. Its hack-and-slash action was elevated thanks to its 3D graphics. Up to four players could play as a warrior or wizard and go toe-to-toe with hordes of fierce monsters.
15. Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes
This crossover game brought Capcom's legendary arcade characters into combat with Marvel's superheroes. The tag-team style and flashy animations were engaging, and it was a magnet for anyone who was within spitting distance.
16. The Simpson Arcade Game
This side-scrolling arcade game, based on the iconic TV series, lets up to four players control the Simpson family as they attempt to rescue Maggie. It was packed with the show's trademark humor and charm, and even let players make slapstick attacks in their quest to beat the game.
17. After Burner II
Another popular '80s arcade game that had enough staying power to maintain fan interest well into the next decade. Its immersive cockpit and blistering speed made it an arcade attraction. Players loved enduring intense dogfights while piloting an F-14 fighter jet.
18. Hang-On
This Sega arcade classic had a long run at the arcade from 1985 to the late '90s. Players leaned on full-sized motorcycle cabinets to steer through high-speed and intense races. It was one of the first to blend physical interactivity with gameplay, and it delivers thrills that made it a timeless arcade classic.
19. Galaga
The arcade version of this classic game was a dazzling update. This shooter maintained its space-combat charm and fun while adding new graphics, levels, and even bonus stages. It featured bold visuals, and its gameplay was totally addictive. It helped bridge the gap between two arcade eras: the retro '80s and the sleek '90s.
20. Jurassic Park: The Arcade Game
Developed by Sega, this arcade game was a thrilling and pulse-pounding rail shooter that dropped players into the middle of Isla Nublar and all its dinosaur chaos. You sat in a rumbling, enclosed cabinet with mounted machine-gun controllers that let you shoot your way through hordes of raptors. There was also a T. rex chase sequence that would have you holding your breath.
