Arcade gaming is probably some of the most causal and at the same time the most difficult gaming experience you can imagine. Arcade gaming (back in the day) used to be all about pick up and play, but since the gaming industry wanted to take a much money from our pockets, they wanted to make these games to be so difficult that beating a whole game requires us to insert a lot of quarters (if you suck a playing). But at the same time, I miss arcades a lot because, unlike online gaming & home console gaming, you're able to see the players complete with each other, there is much better frame rates and graphic that consoles can't handle, there's face-to-face interactions (sometimes it can be a bad thing), and there's always something fun that gets a crowd watching you. Believe it or not, just like many Sega Saturn games, there are a ton of arcade machine that never got a console port to this very day. It sucks so much that even owning a single arcade machine takes up more than enough space in the house than your console peripherals that hasn't been used in a long time. I did talk about the ups and downs with the arcade gaming on Boochow Episode 4 so if you haven't yet, please check it out! So with that being said, here are my Top 9 Arcade Machines that I would so love to have!
Number 9. - Metal Slug 3
Hands down, it is the best run and gun series ever and no matter how many sequel they've made, it's more or less the same, only with more crazy-ass enemies to shoot up. Call it a bad thing you want, but why fix something that's not even broken. Hell, we still spend our moneys over any installment of the series, but yet, I say the third game of the series is my favorite because you're able to choose 4 different character and when you turn into a zombie you can blast out a beam out of your mouth. I can even argue that this is some of the most top notch action I've ever had the pleasure of playing. I know that there are console ports of all the Metal Slug games, but the consoles have a limited continues that you're allowed to have, while on the arcade, you can just break the machine and let it believe you inserted those quarters because the death that you'll get are so damn cheap, but worth the money just to beat it!
Number 8. - Puzzle Bobble
I know that this machine has a console port, but for some odd reason I prefer to play them in the arcades instead. I really don't know why, but I used to get so heavily addicted to this puzzle game whenever I used to go to the video rental store with my folks when they're taking too long to pick out a movie. If you're colorblind, this is a game not for you because all you do is hit the matching colors that are in a 3 in a row before all of them hits the two Bobble characters at the bottom. It's a type of game that never ends, but for me, I would like to take it as far and the highest score than get me!
Number 7. - Police 911
This was one of the most interesting and innovative light gun game of all time. Before we had the Wii, this was our motion gaming where, the player has to stand under the radar and you literally have to crouch and move around to dodge butter shots, hide for cover, and more. This is one of the coolest ideas of a video game and the execution works! It clearly reads your movements and the being able to dodge at will is so much fun! The only thing that would make Police 911 higher is if there were more interesting actions going on than the basic gangsters/terrorists. I can't blame Konami for not making the sequel or a spiritual successor of this machine because it came out at the time when USA arcade machines were loosing popularity and this was the most expensive arcade machine ever created. I could just imagine how bored I would be if I beat this game and it would be covered in dust faster than my Wii.
Number 6. - Time Crisis 2
Whenever somebody talks a lot of good about light gun games, they always have to mention Time Crisis 2. Why? Because it is the best of the whole genre. There's top notch action, it has an innovative dodging system (no light gun game before has ever done that), variety of different challenges, being able to switch weapons than just a handgun, and there was fair difficulty & hardly any cheap deaths (which is what the genre is most known for). The second Time Crisis game included a two player co-op that made the experience so much better than the first that hardly anyone remembers the original that changed the face of light gun games for its innovative dodging system whenever you press/release the pedal at the bottom. The reason why I would love to have this machine is because Amuia, many of my friends, and I just have so many memories of this game that it's probably worth keeping. But at the same time, we're talking about a size of two arcades that good like trying to find any room in the house for that! Though the newer games in the Time Crisis series is more or less an updated version of Time Crisis 2 and we always go back or reflect back to the second, no matter how much gaming has changed.
Number 5. - Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom
If only there were a true RPG in the arcades, then it would have made the whole arcade industry a lot more interesting. But don't be alarmed, this is a beat'em up that Capcom has got the licensing. Interesting enough, this one of the many arcade games that never got a console port. It's almost like Golden Axe were more refined into a clearer, faster, and more epic journey! The animations are so damn good and flashy that it blew my mind when I discovered this on the internet. I think I had to put this game on the list because of how much I really want to play this beat'em up so badly! It's so cool that you can actually level up when you beat so many enemies and you could also choose your own way through the game (having multiple paths to go through. Can anyone tell me that there isn't another arcade game that actually does this kind of stuff? This is how you use the Dungeons and Dragons license in a fantastic way!
Number 4. - Battletoads
I'm so damn sick of everyone just talking about the NES port of Battletoads because believe it or not, Rareware made some of the bloodiest, most action-packed, and the most insane games that they've probably ever made! This game has so many damn surprises that it's really worth checking out, but still this port never ever got a console port! If only console gamers could just get their asses out of their living rooms and check games like this one out, then you'll find what what you're longing for! Finding games like this is what makes the search for underrated games so worth it! For those who are shocked to see Rareware to make Conker's Bad Fur Day, well they've always been like this since their days in the arcades and Battletoads arcade is one of them! There are hardly any cheap death that I can think of and more than enough animations to make the experience different in each level! And most of all you should check out the boss fights because they're some of the most creative boss fights ever! Just one day we would have an console port of this forgotten classic and once and for all we can forget about that stupid, fucking overrated NES port!
Number 3. - Star Wars Trilogy
These are some of the Star Wars product that has not be touched by the awful Star War prequels. So many games out there with different gameplays are required to have certain consoles to even handle them. But Star Wars Trilogy for the arcade only requires one thing; the joy stick and a few buttons! This very joy stick lets you fly any vehicle, have light saber fights, and shoot as many Storm troopers and enemies as possible. You're able to relive the entire 3 movie saga in just one game and it so damn cool! From blasting the death star, light saber duel with Darth vader, and so many more, it needs to relived again but takes in a more dynamic and fun direction like this wonderful machine!
Number 2. - Alien vs. Predator
Capcom is only this close, THIS CLOSE, to finally release this game on in our home consoles because this has been the most requested Capcom title to be released on our modern consoles! This was back in the day when the Alien vs. Predator comic book series rose in popularity and it still to this day spawned many AVP video game installments. Along with Alien vs. Predator 2 for the PC, Capcom's AVP is actually the best of the AVP franchise. You're able to chose two predators, a cyborg general, and the hot and sexy soldier Lieutenant Linn Kurosawa. This game is a brilliant mixture of a beat 'em up and a shoot 'em up depending on what weapon you wield and all you do is fight against xenomorph after xenomorph after xenomorph! There are so many species of xenomorphs everywhere in this alien apocalypse and it's only these four selected heroes to finally save the Planet Earth from the corporation and the invaders! The animations are so great, the move sets and level challenges are so varied, and there are no cheap deaths everything is fair and balances the way its supposed to be. It's really difficult for me to say either TMNT IV: Turtles in Time or Capcom's AVP is the best of the beat'em up genre, but when I make such a statement that both of them are the best of its kind you know how special those two games are. I love AVP's atmosphere, the comic book/manga feel to it, and even storyline that is actually being told very well in this kind of game. Everyone, keep begging Capcom to release this game for consoles so we can all enjoy it. Either way, I would still like to own this arcade machine because of its three player port with four characters to choose! It's so awesome to see how the Street Fighter II engine could be use so perfectly to make a game like AVP!
Number 1. - Killer Instinct 1 & 2
This should not come as a surprise to anyone that I would kill for either one of these arcade machines. Though my room is crowded with games, albums, comic books, and DVD's in my room, I'll still manage to fit both of these games in my room!
- What is your favorite Killer Instinct game of the series?
- Are you getting the Xbox One just for Killer Instinct 3 and Killer Instinct Classic?
To answer the first question, I'm going to say Killer Instinct 1 just because Riptor and Cinder were more interesting than Kim Wu and Maya. But Tusk from KI 2 is much better than Chief Thunder from KI 1. But what KI 2 has over the first one is the soundtrack is so much better and the final boss fight with Gargos is cheap, but some of the most epic boss fights I've ever seen in a fighting game. But the only think KI 2 was missing is there are less stages where you can throw your opponent outside of the arena putting more than enough insults to injury!
And to answer the final question. I would, but since I'm dedicating my life into drawing and telling stories, I'm going to have to say no. Beside the Mass Effect trilogy, I only bought the Xbox 360 for Killer Instinct games that never got released for that system and it felt like a big waste of money just waiting for those arcade classic to be released only to have them finally be released for the next console generation. KI 2 will be coming soon I hope, but I'm VERY amazed that KI Classic has so many customizable features that makes it very tempting to get that very console. I tried Killer Instinct 3 (I'm never calling it Killer Instinct 2013) and it's fun, but it's no Killer Instinct 1 & 2, plus the game in incomplete with so many missing characters. It's one of those DLC Fuck You moment where Microsoft is making us pay more for upcoming characters (even though the game was already free with the system). So that's all I have to say about the two Killer Instinct arcade games. All I'm waiting for is another….. ULTRA COMBO!!!!!!!
I hope everyone enjoyed this list of the fourth day of Christmas, so tell me what you think in the discussion here, and join with me next time when I do a Top 8 Video Game Companies! Till then, I hope everyone had a great Christmas and I'll see you again tomorrow!
