5 Arcade Games From 1994 That Still Hold Up Today

The arcade scene was still alive and well into the '90s, buoyed by fighting and sports games like "Street Fighter" and "NBA Jam." This trend continued into 1994, with fighting games still dominating the scene, while racing titles began embracing 3D presentations. The year was a particularly fruitful one for the launch of new franchises, with several still thriving today. But more than looking at various arcade games' continuing legacy, we're highlighting the titles that are still enormously fun to play over 30 years later.

From side-scrolling beat'em ups to various fighters, there are a lot of enjoyable arcade games from 1994 that stand the test of time. While several of these titles were subsequently ported to home platforms, there is still an undeniable charm that comes to playing them on an arcade cabinet. The arcade scene wasn't done in 1994, with plenty of memorable titles that have aged beautifully in the intervening decades. 

These are five arcade games from 1994 that still hold up today, with many still available to play on modern platforms.

Coming off hit titles like "Virtua Racing," Sega was one of the most prominent developers of arcade racing games in the '90s. This extended to "Daytona USA," improving upon the company's earlier 3D racing releases to create something truly special. The initial iteration of the game had players control a stock car against up to 39 opponents on a selection of race tracks based on difficulty. The game placed a stronger emphasis on realistic driving physics, allowing players to power-slide and drift as they raced around the tracks.

"Daytona USA" is one of the best arcade racing games of all time, taking the genre to new high-octane heights. With its improved texture mapping and accessible driving mechanics, the game stands a cut above any other arcade racers of its time. This is elevated by a rousing original soundtrack and announcer, keeping players locked in the zone as they try to come out on top. Updated several times to add more content and rebalance the gameplay, "Daytona USA" is Sega's enduring racing classic.

The only game on this list that is largely unavailable on modern platforms, "Alien vs. Predator" was a major beat'em up developed and published by Capcom. The game has the xenomorphs overrun a futuristic California city after having reckless experiments on them committed by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Two Predators arrive to assist the Colonial Marines driving them back, with one of the human characters being a cybernetically enhanced Dutch Schaefer from the original 1987 "Predator" movie. The original arcade cabinet allows for up to three-person multiplayer, with the combat also allowing players to pick up weapons as they cut through xenomorph hordes.

Likely due to licensing, "Alien vs. Predator" has only ever been ported to Capcom's all-in-one arcade cabinet in 2019. Given just how much fun the title is, that makes this continued absence a conspicuous travesty, even as Capcom has renewed its license for other properties owned by Disney. After years of perfecting beat'em up gameplay with titles like "Final Fight" and "The Punisher," the game here is as rewardingly frenetic as ever. A forgotten arcade game that needs a remake, or at least some sort of modern re-release, "Alien vs. Predator" is a Capcom classic in licensing limbo.

Buoyed by titles like "Street Fighter" and "Mortal Kombat," fighting games were king in the arcades in the mid '90s. Another major development in the industry was an increasing use of pre-rendered sprites for game design, popularized by titles like "Donkey Kong Country." These trends collided beautifully with the fighting game "Killer Instinct," developed by Rare and set in a moody cyberpunk future. Powered by an electronica and rock-infused score composed by Robin Beanland and Graeme Norgate, players chose between 10 characters to duke it out.

Compared to other fighting games of its era, "Killer Instinct" stood out thanks to its pre-rendered graphics, memorable music, and over-the-top announcer. But more than just its technical marvels, the game offers an engaging fighting experience, with accessible combat mechanics and a distinct cast of characters. The game was ported to the Game Boy and Super Nintendo in 1995, becoming a classic SNES that also holds up today. A hard-hitting fighting game that rose above an increasingly crowded genre, "Killer Instinct" has got the combo-breaking goods.

Another enduring fighting game franchise that got its start in arcades in 1994 was Bandai Namco's "Tekken" series. Like "Virtua Fighter" before it, the game utilizes 3D polygonal models for its fighters, featuring a roster of eight playable characters in its base arcade version. The game's story has martial artist Kazuya Mishima swear revenge on his evil father Heihachi Mishima, making a deal with the Devil to obtain his vengeance. This antagonistic pair serve as the centerpiece of a brutal global martial arts tournament, with other memorable fighters including King, Nina Williams, and Marshall Law.

The "Tekken" series boasts some of the best arcade fighting games ever made and that quality is clear right from its original title. The game's movement doesn't feel as sluggish as those early "Virtua Fighter" titles and combat inputs feel more responsive. That makes the gameplay much more strategic in its depth and variety while just aging better than the Sega fighting game series overall. The start of a global gaming franchise that continues to thrive over 30 years later, the original "Tekken" still packs a punch.

One more Capcom title to close out this list, "X-Men: Children of the Atom" started the developer's fan-favorite association with Marvel. A sprite-based 2D fighter like Capcom's successful "Street Fighter" series, the game has the X-Men take on their greatest enemies to stop Magneto's latest insidious plot. The combat unfolds fast and furiously, while each of the characters have their own distinct fighting styles reflecting their powers. Moreover, the game boasts the voice cast from "X-Men: The Animated Series" reprising their roles for the arcade title.

"Children of the Atom" deserves to be recognized among the best X-Men video games of all time. The game's character designs and promotional artwork evoke comic book creator Jim Lee's take on the superheroes and supervillains, all vibrantly brought to life. Initially ported to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation, the game was re-released after a lengthy hiatus as part of the "Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics" in 2024. A must-play for any Marvel fan, "X-Men: Children of the Atom" keeps the combat flowing with blinding speed and gorgeously rendered characters.