Video arcades were once commonplace around the world, but now they're relegated to niche businesses you rarely see. However, if you're an arcade fanatic, fear not: you can still play classic arcade games on PC.
Below is a list of some of the best arcade-style games available on PC:
PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX +
Bringing classic PAC-MAN coin-op gameplay to modern hardware, PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ adds online leaderboards, replicating the classic feel of entering your high score in an arcade.
With multiple location speeds, huge varieties of mazes, and fully customizable difficulty, music, and characters, you can stick with the classics or mix things up for a truly unique experience. But ultimately, at its core, it's still the same enjoyable PAC-MAN gameplay with bells and whistles, and that's what makes it so good.
Tekken 7 / Street Fighter V
Arcade fighting games are the lifeblood of many arcades, but you don't have to leave the comfort of your own home to enjoy them. Two classic arcade fighting game franchises, Tekken and Street Fighter, have their latest entries ported perfectly to PC.
Tekken 7 is a more cinematic entry than Street Fighter, but no less clean in its mechanics. Built around long combos and intricate character knowledge, Tekken 7 is a fantastic game for any fighting game fan.
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Street Fighter V is a purer arcade title. If you've played a Street Fighter game in the past two decades, you'll find similar or identical character entries. But the game's real appeal comes from online play, where you can battle with friends or rivals from around the world.
Ikaruga
Frenzied and frenzied gameplay in one of the smoothest shoot-em-ups ever, Ikaruga is an essential pickup for fans of the genre. The look and feel of a coin-operated shooter, without the price tag of constantly remaking your life.
This is an extremely hard default game, but gets harder as you explore the other difficulty settings. Unique mechanics and a multitude of weapon types to try out give the game plenty of depth. A real challenge for beginners or experienced shoot-em-up players.
AS COMBAT
One of the most unique titles to come out of the arcade, ACE COMBAT puts you in the seat of the fastest military aircraft. So far, two ACE COMBAT games have arrived on PC, ACE COMBAT 7 and ACE COMBAT ASSAULT HORIZON. Both are the perfect introduction to the high-flying action of this military shooter.
A cheesy, over-the-top story accompanies incredibly smooth gameplay and some of the most authentic depictions of modern aircraft in any game outside of Flight Simulators. But the high-class graphics never take away from the most important item on this list: arcade-style gameplay that evokes the original cabinets of this legendary series.
Wild Guns rechargés
The Original Wild Guns was not an arcade game, but it had strong arcade influences. One of Super Nintendo's must-have games, Wild Gun has been given a new lease of life with Wild Guns Reloaded.
Reimagined in HD and packed with loads of extra features, this might just be the best co-op shoot-em-up on PC. With new stages, new bosses compared to the original, several new characters, and crisp sprite graphics, this is an arcade classic available straight to PC.
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