Retro Arena: Arcade Classics Pt5

[Leon Retro]

The Punisher - 1993
Mortal Kombat 2 - 1993
Virtua Fighter - 1993
Ridge Racer - 1993
Daytona USA - 1993
Violent Storm - 1993
Cadillacs & Dinosaurs - 1993
Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom - 1993
Alien 3: The Gun - 1993
Fatal Fury Special - 1993
Sengoku 2 - 1993
Night Slashers - 1993
Batsugun - 1993
World Heroes 2 - 1993
NBA Jam - 1993
In the Hunt - 1993
RayForce - 1994
Samurai Shodown 2 - 1994
Crusin' USA - 1994
Kingdom Grand Prix - 1994
Killer Instinct - 1994
Raiden 2 - 1994
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo - 1994
Alien vs. Predator - 1994
Primal Rage - 1994
X-Men: Children of the Atom - 1994
Virtua Cop - 1994
Darius Gaiden - 1994
Sega Rally - 1994
Windjammers - 1994
Virtua Fighter 2 -1994
Great 1000 Miles Rally - 1994
Darkstalkers - 1994
Mortal Kombat 3 - 1995
The King of Fighers '95 - 1995
Donpachi - 1995
Pulstar - 1995
Tekken 2 - 1995
Strikers 1945 - 1995
Soul Edge - 1995

Loads more arcade classics. Choose 5 that you like the most.

[Neon Ignition]

-Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo
-The King of Fighters 95
-Sega Rally
-Samurai Shodown 2
-Ridge Racer

At first glance I almost gulped but it wasn't that hard to tease out the winners for me

[Team Andromeda]

1) Daytona USA - Most prob the greatest Arcade game and racer ever made

2) X-MEN COTA - My fav Vs fighter (be it 2D or 3D) ever.

3) Darius Gaiden - One of the best shooter ever made, with a stunning music score and the most trippy backrounds

[Leon Retro]

-Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo
-The King of Fighters 95
-Sega Rally
-Samurai Shodown 2
-Ridge Racer

That's a really nice collection of games. I played all of them a crazy amount back in the 90s -- and I've gone back to them quite often.

1) Daytona USA - Most prob the greatest Arcade game and racer ever made

As much as I love Ridge Racer, there's something really exciting about Daytona USA that makes it a 'go to' game in the arcades.

2) X-MEN COTA - My fav Vs fighter (be it 2D or 3D) ever.

I remember the Saturn version blew me away.

3) Darius Gaiden - One of the best shooter ever made, with a stunning music score and the most trippy backrounds

It's easily in my Top 10 shooters. A really fun game that's full of creativity.

I'm surprised you didn't add Sega Rally to the list.

[Asura]

As much as I love Ridge Racer, there's something really exciting about Daytona USA that makes it a 'go to' game in the arcades.

I think the word you're looking for is "exuberance". Daytona USA surely must be one of the most exuberant videogames ever made. Every single aspect of it, from the bonkers music, to the Sega-blue skies, the reflecting clouds on the windows, the joke on the wall in the pit lane, the Sonic mountain, the ridiculous crash physics, the sublime handling... Every aspect of that game is just built to spark joy.

It's utterly, utterly devoid of pretension. No part of it is even remotely cool. NASCAR? Not particularly cool. The music? Definitely not cool. The graphic design and visuals? Not cool.

@Blobcat and I often talk about how "cool" is sometimes a synonym for "good", but how we disagree with this, because there are many things which are "good" which are not "cool", and I would argue Daytona USA is the epitome of not cool. However, it's absolutely, stupendously, grin-inducingly awesome. It's just fantastic.

[Leon Retro]

I think the word you're looking for is "exuberance".

It's definitely full of that. Such an uplifting experience.

It's utterly, utterly devoid of pretension. No part of it is even remotely cool. NASCAR? Not particularly cool. The music? Definitely not cool. The graphic design and visuals? Not cool.

I would say it's very cheesy next to how cool Ridge Racer's overall design is, but I think a lot of people might say there's something "cool" about Daytona. I personally think it's cool how slick the presentation is and how the designers created circuits that are full of flair. So I'd say Ridge Racer, like WipeOut, would be seen as "cool" in the mainstream. Daytona is more appreciated as being "cool" by geeky enthusiasts who like the cheesy presentation and music.

But away from that sort of debate, Daytona is a brilliantly playable game that millions of people have enjoyed playing over the years. The fact that it's still played in arcades today really highlights how special it is.

[CMcK]

Only five games from that list? That’s tough. So many stone cold classics in there.

Daytona USA has to be top of my list. Played it a lot on a 2 player cab with friends. Such a great game. Asura is so right about it. It’s an unlikely cocktail but it all works together. Always amazes me that despite all that graphics power the model 2 board only has 2 colour textures! You would never know. Driving games peaked there IMHO.

RayForce / Layer Section - One of my absolute all time favorite shmups. The two layers of attack adds a nice dimension to the game and the soundtrack is awesome. Great home conversions on the Saturn and iOS too.

Virtua Cop - Amazing game. To the casual viewer it must look quite pedestrian but it draws you in and going for all the skill shots when you try to shoot the gun out of the antagonists hands add a real challenge. Brilliant in two player mode as you compete for points and on accuracy. I’m still playing it on the Saturn.

Batsugun - I’m a big fan of the Tatsujin series and this is the pinnacle. And it’s also arguably the first proper danmaku game. Shmups back then just didn’t have that much going on onscreen and it was invigorating to the genre.

Donpachi - took what Batsugun started and ran with it adding proper scoring mechanics and introduced us to what would be the Cave style. A real landmark in the genre albeit one which was only a decade from commercial death.

[Team Andromeda]

I'm surprised you didn't add Sega Rally to the list.

If we were talking Saturn version I would have. But while the Arcade version was great, it was the Saturn version that blew away with the best car handling model (at the time) . In the Arcades I much rather play Daytona USA or Darius

[Leon Retro]

Only five games from that list? That’s tough.

I could pick 5 games and easily swap them for others. So many great games that are still worth playing.

Daytona USA has to be top of my list. Played it a lot on a 2 player cab with friends. Such a great game.

A 2 player cab is a 'must-have' if I ever win the lottery.

RayForce / Layer Section - One of my absolute all time favorite shmups. The two layers of attack adds a nice dimension to the game and the soundtrack is awesome. Great home conversions on the Saturn and iOS too.

I've always loved the Saturn version.

Donpachi - took what Batsugun started and ran with it adding proper scoring mechanics and introduced us to what would be the Cave style. A real landmark in the genre albeit one which was only a decade from commercial death.

I'll never get bored of playing it.

But while the Arcade version was great, it was the Saturn version that blew away with the best car handling model (at the time) .

I have great memories of playing the arcade version in 2 player. The graphics and feel of the game kept me hooked.

[DeathAdder]

I didn't play too many of those actually in arcades, but if we include playing on consoles:

The Punisher - great fun
Raiden 2 - improved on a brilliant original
Tekken 2 - actually my least favourite of the first 3 games but still fun.
World Heroes 2 -not a wonderful game but I love the characters
Sega Rally - flagship game for the Saturn, still holds up well. Hoping for Manx TT in the next lot.

I've never heard of Great 1000 Miles Rally - I've just had a look and it looks very similar to Thrash Rally, but with better graphics. Did it get any console ports?

[ZipZap]

Daytona
Daytona
Daytona
Daytona
and Daytooooona



Although I do quite enjoy Darius Gaiden.

[Leon Retro]

I didn't play too many of those actually in arcades, but if we include playing on consoles:

The Punisher - great fun
Raiden 2 - improved on a brilliant original
Tekken 2 - actually my least favourite of the first 3 games but still fun.
World Heroes 2 -not a wonderful game but I love the characters
Sega Rally - flagship game for the Saturn, still holds up well. Hoping for Manx TT in the next lot.

The Punisher is such a fun beat 'em up. Raiden 2 is a really satisfying shooter. Tekken 2 was a very good game but I prefer #3. World Heroes 2 was my first AES game, so I spent a lot of time playing it and really love the overall design. Sega Rally is a golden classic that got an excellent Saturn port.

I've never heard of Great 1000 Miles Rally - I've just had a look and it looks very similar to Thrash Rally, but with better graphics. Did it get any console ports?

It came out at a strange time[1994] when 16-bit consoles couldn't have done it justice and 32-bit machines like the Saturn & PS1 hadn't arrived. I'm sure a Saturn port would have been welcomed.

[Leon Retro]

Daytona
Daytona
Daytona
Daytona
and Daytooooona

This video encapsulates the positive energy that made me fall in love with Japanese gaming and become Japan focused from the 80s onwards. I loved it when Japan was at the forefront of gaming and brought so much joy to gamers.



I used to have the Daytona USA CD in my Hi-Fi all the time back in the 90s.

[Leon Retro]

https://youtu.be/oMdb0MjOpz4?t=172

I remember how amazing Soul Edge was at the time. Plus it played really well. Easily my favourite fighter for the PS1.