10 Arcade-Only Games That Are Crying Out for Home Ports

Many of the best video games of all time debuted in arcades before making their way onto home systems. However, countless titles never left arcades for various reasons. Some of these games were simply forgotten by their original creators, while others were deemed too bizarre for casual audiences.

Even with arcade emulation and retro re-releases being fairly common on modern platforms, plenty of arcade games are still waiting for a home release. These arcade exclusives include retro cult classics, misunderstood masterpieces, and a few games that are still actively supported today. Regardless of the reasons, all of these games deserve more attention outside their arcade audiences.

10

Buriki One

Fighting game fans know SNK as the studio behind some of the best 2D fighting games of all time, but its 3D fighters are a lot more divisive. Buriki One was one of the developer’s many controversial forays into 3D, yet it’s easily one of the most underrated games in SNK’s history.

Unlike many other fighting games, Buriki One‘s roster is entirely composed of ordinary martial artists, all of whom battle using different real-world fighting styles. You won’t be launching fireballs or using any ranged attacks, for that matter. Instead, combat is grounded in punches, kicks, and grapples. Each character’s distinctive fighting style demands a different approach to combat, with some specializing in fast strikes and quick dodges, while others capture their opponents in devastating grapples or punish careless decisions with carefully-timed counterattacks.

Easily the most infamous part of Buriki One is its controls. In any other arcade fighting game, movement is handled with an 8-direction joystick while attacks are relegated to buttons on your right-hand side. Buriki One quite literally flips this convention, having you move your fighter with two directional buttons on the left and perform attacks with a joystick on the right. It sounds bizarre, but this control scheme works surprisingly well for Buriki One‘s methodical combat.

To this day, there hasn’t been anything remotely similar to Buriki One in the two decades since its release, so it might be time for SNK to finally give the game a modern re-release or a brand-new sequel.

9

The Grid

Before the legendary Midway Games left the arcade industry for good, it closed out its historic legacy with The Grid, a third-person arena shooter that drops players into a televised death game. Starting out, you’ll choose from one of eight playable characters—each with their own unique starting weapons and special abilities—and progress through a series of stages by eliminating enough enemies within a time limit. Up to five more players can join in from other cabinets, allowing them to compete for the chance to move on to the next stage.

The Grid also features a rewarding progression system that lets you unlock new characters based on the points you’ve earned throughout your playthrough. Using the keypad on the game’s cabinet, you can create an account to save your progress and start future runs with the characters you’ve unlocked, some of which include a few guest characters from the Mortal Kombat series.

The Grid may not have garnered much attention when it first appeared in arcades, but the roguelike arena shooter could easily make a comeback with a modern re-release that features online multiplayer.

8

Castlevania: The Arcade

Most rail shooters never leave arcades due to their niche appeal and the fact that most light guns don’t work on modern televisions. Castlevania: The Arcade is just one of the genre’s many forgotten gems, but it’s also unlike any rail shooter you’ve ever played.

Castlevania: The Arcade isn’t so much a rail shooter as it is a rail “whipper.” Instead of a light gun, you wield a motion controller as a whip to crack through skeletons, zombies, and other ghoulish monsters on a journey to slay the resurrected Dracula. This doesn’t mean you can mindlessly flail your arm around and expect to do fine, as the game will frequently pit you against large hordes of enemies that need to be quickly dispatched by striking their weak points. In true Castlevania fashion, observant players might discover hidden passages throughout each level, which may lead to alternate routes and other secrets.

While Castlevania: The Arcade is an excellent rail shooter and a visually stunning love-letter to the Castlevania series, you might have already realized that a game about constantly swinging your arm will start to hurt after a while, especially since the campaign takes at least an hour to complete. Additionally, one of The Arcade‘s three playable characters could only be unlocked with Konami’s now-defunct e-Amusement Pass, leaving them permanently inaccessible to new players. These issues could be fixed with a Switch or Switch 2 port that includes all the content from the arcade version and an option to save your progress between levels.

7

Scud Race / Sega Super GT

Back in the 90s, no one came close to the speed and flair of Sega’s arcade racers. Outrun, Hang-On, Daytona USA, and its lesser-known spiritual successor—Scud Race (also known as “Sega Super GT” in North America)—are still some of the best racing games ever made. Many of these arcade classics are now available through console ports and surprise cameos in other games, but Scud Race is still nowhere to be found.

Scud Race places you behind the wheel of real-world GT supercars in courses that will have you racing at lightning-fast speeds across city streets, between mountains, and inside miniature toy sets. If you’ve ever played Daytona USA, just imagine that, but 100 miles faster and with jaw-dropping graphics that you won’t believe came from a game released in 1996. As you would also expect from any 90s Sega game, the soundtrack is top-notch, with a mix of high-energy techno and vocal jazz tracks that serve as the perfect background to the cacophony of roaring engines. The game later received a Japan-exclusive update titled Scud Race Plus, which added the option to play on mirrored tracks and an extra “Super Beginner” track that features its own exclusive vehicles.

Although a Scud Race tech demo was developed for the Dreamcast, the game never appeared on consoles. However, there’s always a chance that we might see its return given Sega’s history of reviving its arcade classics through the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series.

6

Lord of Vermilion 4

If the name Lord of Vermilion sounds familiar to you, there’s a good chance that you’re actually thinking of “Lord of Verminion,” the often-ignored minigame from Final Fantasy XIV. However, XIV‘s minigame is loosely based on the Japan-exclusive Lord of Vermilion series, though the actual arcade games are a lot more exciting than their MMO equivalent would have you believe.

The latest entry, Lord of Vermilion 4, is a TCG/RTS/MOBA hybrid in which you place physical trading cards onto the arcade cabinet to summon characters into eight-player, team-based battles. During matches, two teams compete to defend crystal towers known as “arcane crystals” while working with their teammates to destroy the opponent’s crystals. Every player controls up to eight units simultaneously, meaning matches can quickly grow chaotic with 64 characters on the battlefield at once. There’s plenty of on-the-fly strategizing and hectic multitasking involved, which certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but Lord of Vermilion 4‘s fast-paced matches and massive roster of unique characters—including an abundance of guest characters from other franchises—make it one of Square Enix’s most underrated arcade titles.

While we probably won’t see a direct home port due to the game’s reliance on physical trading cards, a digital-only spinoff similar to games like Yu-Gi-Oh: Master Duel and Magic: The Gathering Arena might be the perfect way to bring the arcade version’s frantic fun to other platforms.

Lord Of Vermilion 4

Released

July 13, 2017

ESRB

t

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Engine

unreal engine

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

5

Boogie Wings

Before Cuphead, Crash Bandicoot and Earthworm Jim entered the scene, Boogie Wings was the closest that video games had ever reached to feeling like a playable cartoon. It’s not just because of its vibrantly colorful setting inspired by the early 1900s, or its energetic ragtime-inspired soundtrack, or even the bonkers plot about a mustachioed mad scientist traveling through time with an army of evil robots. More than that, Boogie Wings delivers a refreshingly creative side-scrolling shooter that captures the imaginative absurdity of classic cartoons.

Boogie Wings (also known as “The Great Ragtime Show” in Japan) follows a young inventor in a biplane as he faces off against mechanical death-machines, gun-toting soldiers, and a mysterious man in a top hat. Your biplane is equipped with a machine gun and a hook, the latter of which can be used to pick up anything (or anyone) from the stage to swing or toss at your enemies.

Getting shot down doesn’t automatically mean game-over, as your hero will narrowly escape the explosion and begin blasting foes on foot. On the ground, you can shoot down enemies with a pistol or start riding a wide variety of vehicles, animals, and killer robots that you’ll randomly find on the road. Boogie Wings never slows down for a second, and the absurdity of its action is constantly matched by its equally madcap set pieces. The game will take you through a race against a runaway Ferris Wheel, a battle against a giant evil Santa Claus, and a climactic chase to stop the main villain as he rides away in Santa’s sleigh.

Plenty of other retro side-scrollers have seen remasters and straightforward re-releases on modern platforms, and Boogie Wings is just as deserving of a home port.

4

Dolphin Blue

Set in a distant future wherein the entire planet has been overrun by water, Dolphin Blue is another side-scrolling shooter that follows dual protagonists Erio and Anne as they set out to rescue the Royal Army’s Princess Annette from the clutches of the Evil Empire (yes, that’s their official name). Each level has you running and gunning above tides, onboard battleships, and through underwater ruins. In some stages, you’ll ride your pet dolphin to speed past enemies while evading their traps and gunfire.

Dolphin Blue isn’t the most creative run-and-gun game—anybody familiar with the Metal Slug series will already know what to expect from it—but its aquatic world is beautifully realized with a mix of 2D sprites and 3D backgrounds. If Boogie Wings felt like playing through an old-school cartoon, Dolphin Blue feels like discovering an obscure anime from the 90s. It’s brimming with style at all times, even if its story (or lack thereof) is one of the game’s more underwhelming elements. Plus, the fast-paced action and intense difficulty make Dolphin Blue a thrilling challenge for even the most seasoned run-and-gun veterans.

Although Dolphin Blue was never officially released on consoles, fans managed to port the game to the Sega Dreamcast in 2020. This is because the game originally ran on Sega’s Atomiswave arcade board, which shares many similarities with the Dreamcast’s internal architecture. Plenty of other Atomiswave games have been ported to consoles, so there’s always a chance that Sega will officially bring Dolphin Blue to modern platforms.

Dolphin Blue

Released

June 27, 2003

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Sammy Studios

Publisher(s)

Sammy Studios

Engine

game engine

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

3

Alien vs. Predator

The Alien vs. Predator series has spawned multiple video game adaptations, though none are as legendary as Capcom’s 1994 arcade beat ’em up. The arcade game tells an original story set in the far future that follows original Predator protagonist Dutch Schaefer and newcomer Linn Kurosawa as they team up with the Predators to stop a Xenomorph invasion. You have four playable characters to choose from—Dutch, Linn, a Predator Hunter, and a Predator Warrior—each of whom possesses different melee weapons and guns. You’ll also be able to pick up and wield iconic weapons from the films, such as flamethrowers and pulse rifles.

Capcom’s Alien vs. Predator didn’t break new ground, but it showcased all the developer’s beat ’em up traditions at their absolute best. Every character feels completely different from one another, though smashing through swarms of Xenomorphs is delightfully fast and weighty no matter who you choose. There’s a huge variety of iconic enemies, and the game rarely hesitates to let them flood the screen during its most chaotic encounters. All of this is presented with incredible spritework and smooth animations that make it one of the best-looking games in Capcom’s arcade library. Even if you don’t care about Alien or Predator, it’s easy to see why Capcom’s Alien vs. Predator is still considered a beat ’em up masterpiece.

Technically, Alien vs. Predator did receive an official home port in 2019, as it was one of the 16 games included in the Capcom Home Arcade console. As such, you’re probably wondering why I’m still including it on this list. First, the Capcom Home Arcade was a limited-edition collector’s item that was only made available in Europe. On its own, I would still qualify that as a proper home release, even if it sounds like one summoned by the monkey’s paw. However, the second reason is that this version doesn’t support the full arcade experience. Whereas the original Alien vs. Predator allows up to three players to fight together; the Capcom Home Arcade edition is capped at two players.

Much like Sega, Capcom has started reviving its arcade classics through modern ports and retro game collections, so hopefully Alien vs Predator will receive a proper re-release in a future Capcom compilation.

Alien vs. Predator (1994)

Released

May 20, 1994

ESRB

nr

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Multiplayer

Local Co-Op

Franchise

Alien, Predator

2

Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. 2

There are hundreds of video games based on the Gundam franchise, and even more once you start counting its many crossovers with other series. Some of these games are great, most are Victory Gundam-grade trash, but none are as worthy of being crowned the definitive Gundam game as the Extreme Vs. series.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. is a long-running series of 2v2 fighting games that feature rosters comprised of characters and mechs from nearly every Gundam show, manga, and spinoff material ever released. The latest entries feature well over 200 playable mechs from the franchise’s history, almost all of which have unique movesets and playstyles. Matches in the Extreme Vs. games have you and a partner team up against another pair of mobile suits as you slash, shoot, and dash around open-ended arenas. These games are incredibly easy to pick up thanks to their simple control scheme, but they also feature tons of hidden depth and character-specific mechanics that can take hundreds of hours to fully master.

Unfortunately, the Extreme Vs. series is also notorious for neglecting its console fanbase. The most recent console release was Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme Vs. Maxiboost ON. Although it is the definitive version of the original Extreme Vs., Maxiboost ON was already four years old by the time it launched on consoles and is now nearing its 10th anniversary. Meanwhile, arcade players have moved on to Extreme Vs. 2, which is still receiving frequent updates and new characters. At the time of writing, there’s been no word about a possible home port, but many fans are hoping that the recent North American arcade release of Extreme Vs 2: Overboost is a sign that the series will be returning to consoles (and potentially arriving on PC) in the near future.

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS. MaxiBoost ON

Systems

Released

July 3, 2020

ESRB

T for Teen – Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Developer(s)

Bandai Namco Entertainment

Publisher(s)

Bandai Namco Entertainment

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1

Star Wars Trilogy Arcade

There’s been no shortage of Star Wars games in recent years. But even with a barrage of modern releases and decades of equally excellent video games to revisit, many Star Wars fans still regard Star Wars Trilogy Arcade as one of the greatest video game adaptations in the franchise.

Star Wars Trilogy Arcade is an on-rails retelling of Star Wars Episodes IV, V, and VI, taking you through some of the series’ most iconic scenes in the form of a first-person rail shooter. Using a flight-stick controller, you’ll fly an X-Wing through the Death Star, shoot past soldiers and AT-AT walkers on Hoth, chase down foes on a speeder bike, and return to space to demolish the Death Star once again. In addition to the main campaign, the game includes a few bonus levels that involve first-person lightsaber battles against Boba Fett and Darth Vader.

Although it doesn’t take long to complete, Star Wars Trilogy Arcade includes everything you could want from a Star Wars game. But even if you aren’t an avid Star Wars fan, the nonstop action and constant gameplay variety make Star Wars Trilogy Arcade a must-play experience. It may not be as content-packed or lore-heavy as many other Star Wars games, but Trilogy Arcade at least deserves to be preserved with a modern re-release.

Star Wars Trilogy Arcade

Released

November, 1998

ESRB

t

Developer(s)

Sega AM Annex

Publisher(s)

Sega

Engine

game engine

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Franchise

Star Wars

There are some experiences that would understandably only work in arcades, but all of these games have the potential to reach new players with a proper home release. While some are more likely to receive a future re-release than others, more arcade games deserve a proper return, whether that’s a home port or a brand-new installment.