Summary
Traditional arcade games are a beloved pastime for many, often providing challenging short-form experiences designed to eat loose change at an alarming rate. Despite being somewhat of a lost art, many modern games take heavy inspiration from those that were once played on arcade cabinets.
These games are often focused on providing players with short experiences that are quick to pick up and play. Despite their often accessible natures, these games also tend to provide quickly steepening difficulty curves.
Featuring an entirely undemanding gameplay loop that’s more concerned with instant gratification than challenge or innovation,Vampire Survivorsfeatures all the trappings of an arcade machine, designed to offer players an addictive short-form experience. However,Vampire Survivorsis great for those who want an undemanding, accessible experience with minimal controlsand meta-progression.
This roguelite structure is somewhat contradictory to the arcade-style action ofVampire Survivors, but it dramatically helps the game’s accessibility. Players that want a more old-school, hardcore experience, however, should consider other titles.
Taking place in an intergalactic slaughterhouse,Disc Roomis a neat and intuitive arcade experience about, quite simply, avoiding (deadly) discs in a series of claustrophobic rooms.Disc Roomis tightly focused on short sprints of gameplay that often meet truly violent ends, and the result is a fast-paced time-attack-style gameplay loop that’s easy to pick up and play.
Disc Room’s hyper-short-form nature won’t be for everyone, and players should expect to die countless times to the variety of deadly saw-blades spinning around each of the game’s tightly-packed rooms. However, players on the lookout for a minimalist, high-intensity arcade experience should consider givingDisc Rooma try.
Featuring a gameplay loop similar toThe Oregon Trailcombined with a classic zombie apocalypse setting,Death Road To Canadaoffers an unforgiving, fast-paced experience from a top-down perspective. Retro pixel art, crunchy sound effects, and simple, intuitive action combined with light management gameplay result in an accessible title with a great deal of charm.
One ofDeath Road To Canada’s greatest strengths is theaddition of local co-op, which dramatically elevates the arcade action by emphasizing teamwork. For fans of top-down action, roguelikes, and zombie apocalypse settings,Death Road To Canadais worth a try.
4Chop Goblins
A Brisk Old-School Adventure Packed With Charm
Chop Goblinsis anold-school first-person shooterthat focuses its efforts on providing short but wholly varied FPS action. This title, developed byDUSKcreator David Szymanski, can be completed in roughly half an hour, but this brief playtime works in its favor, ensuring the experience never grows stale and making it perfect for those with little time.
The classic FPS action is complemented by arcade-style coin-collecting and the titularChop Goblinsthemselves,Gremlins-inspired devils that spout crazy voice lines in ridiculous voices. Combined withits low priceand bundles of charm,Chop Goblinsis worth trying for any fan of arcade games and first-person shooters alike.
Post Voidis a frantic first-person shooter with a roguelike structure that features the same rampant pace common in arcade games, combined with vivid imagery, relentless music, and hardcore action.Post Voidwon’t be for everyone, and its visuals may steer some players away right out of the gate, but its low price and instant action make it incredibly accessible.
Every run throughPost Voidis a non-stop rush that can end in the blink of an eye, but the game’sexpressive movement controlsand intuitive action make restarting a relatively painless experience. It also helps thatPost Voidis absent of needless complexities, keeping the fast-paced gameplay from getting bogged down.
Clearly made with arcade-style action in mind,Huntdownis a throwback to old-schoolrun-and-gun gameswith a nostalgic veneer, though it maintains its own personality with talented voice work and a well-crafted sci-fi setting. As nostalgic asHuntdownis for games of old, it’s also clearly influenced by 80s and 90s action cinema, particularly with its over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek tone.
Huntdownis perfect for fans of arcade action who are nostalgic for run-and-gun shooters such asContraor evenMetal Slug. Overall,Huntdown’s exaggerated tone and setting, pulpy attitude, and cover-based gunfights make it the perfect choice for fans of side-scrollers.
Downwellis a truly unique action roguelike that tasks players with barreling down a well, controlling their fall, and simultaneously battling enemies with their dual-purpose gun boots. This results in a gameplay loop that’s fresh and engaging, yet incredibly accessible, and it’s perfect for fans of arcade action.
The stark, minimalist visuals, intuitive gameplay, and short-form structure, combined with a naturally relentless pace, makeDownwellan experience that would fit right in at any arcade. Furthermore, the game features an accessible price point.
Paying homage to a true classic arcade game,Turtles In Time, as well as the franchise as a whole,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revengeis aretro-style beat ‘em uppacked with arcade action and crafted with painstaking loyalty to the source material.Shredder’s Revengecombines nostalgic pixel art, crunchy sound effects, and old-school gameplay with a modern quality of life and an excellent soundtrack, offering one of the most faithful adaptations of theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesto date.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revengeis a relatively short experience with a narrative that comes across as more of an afterthought than anything else. However, the beat ‘em up gameplay is tremendously replayable thanks to multiple playable characters, satisfying action, and a multitude of boss battles. Furthermore, the game features local and online co-op that elevates the experience as a whole.
