Arcade

  • Space Invaders

    Introduction Space Invaders was developed and released by Taito in 1978, designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, who reportedly spent close to a year building both the game and the custom hardware needed to run it. Players control a small cannon at the bottom of the screen, moving left and right to shoot down descending rows of…

  • X-Men vs. Street Fighter

    Introduction X-Men vs. Street Fighter was developed and published by Capcom on CPS-2 arcade hardware, released in Japan in September 1996 and reaching North American arcades that October. It holds the distinction of being the first tag-team fighting game in what would become Capcom’s long-running Vs. series, pairing characters from Marvel’s X-Men comics, including Wolverine,…

  • Cadillacs and Dinosaurs

    Introduction Cadillacs and Dinosaurs was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in April 1993 on the studio’s CPS-1 hardware. The game is based on Mark Schultz’s Xenozoic Tales comic book series and was timed to coincide with the short-lived Cadillacs and Dinosaurs animated series airing that same year. Set in a post-apocalyptic 26th…

  • Final Fight

    Introduction Final Fight was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in 1989, designed by Akira Nishitani and Akira Yasuda. Set in the crime-ridden Metro City, the game follows former pro wrestler turned mayor Mike Haggar, along with martial artist Cody and ninja Guy, as they fight their way through the streets to rescue…

  • Pac-Man (Arcade)

    Introduction Pac-Man was developed by Namco and released in Japanese arcades in 1980, designed by Toru Iwatani as a deliberate departure from the space-shooting games that dominated the era. Players guide the yellow, dot-eating Pac-Man through a maze, clearing every pellet on the screen while being chased by four distinctly personality-driven ghosts, Blinky, Pinky, Inky,…

  • Bubble Bobble

    Introduction Bubble Bobble was developed and published by Taito, released in arcades in 1986 under the direction of Fukio “MTJ” Mihara. The game follows Bub and Bob, two friends transformed into bubble-blowing dragons, as they climb through 100 single-screen levels trying to rescue their girlfriends and reverse the curse turning them into monsters. Rather than…

  • 1942

    Introduction 1942 was developed and published by Capcom, released in Japan in 1984 as the studio’s first vertically scrolling shoot ’em up, with early development work credited to Yoshiki Okamoto, who would go on to shape many of Capcom’s most important arcade titles. Set during World War II, the game puts players in control of…

  • Battle Circuit

    Introduction Battle Circuit was developed and published by Capcom for its CPS-2 arcade hardware, produced by Noritaka Funamizu and Yoshiki Okamoto with designers Ken Kun and Tomoshi Sadamoto and a score by Syun Nishigaki, released in Japan and Europe in 1997 but never officially brought to North American arcades. It holds a distinct place in…

  • World Heroes 2

    Introduction World Heroes 2 was developed and published by ADK, with assistance from SNK, for the Neo Geo MVS arcade system, released in April 1993 as the sequel to 1992’s World Heroes and notably the first release to carry the ADK name after the studio rebranded from its earlier identity as Alpha Denshi. The game…

  • Fatal Fury Special

    Introduction Fatal Fury Special was developed and published by SNK, produced by Eikichi Kawasaki with design by Takashi Tsukamoto, released to Neo Geo arcades in September 1993 as an expanded update of the previous year’s Fatal Fury 2. Rather than a full sequel, it reworked that game’s roster and balance, promoting four previously CPU-only boss…