Best Arcade FPS Games, Ranked

Arcade FPS games are mostly first-person, on-rails, light gun shooters that are full of action and adrenaline-inducing gunplay. Enemies will constantly rush at the player as they avoid various hazards and take down foes. These are notably hard titles to master, due to their arcade cabinet nature, but they’re still excellent games nonetheless.

Players can take unique aspects from an arcade FPS game in comparison to a general FPS title such as Call of Duty. Arcade FPS games usually require a light gun setup, however they can also be played with a mouse or controller through emulation or console releases. These titles provide a unique and thrilling experience that will captivate gamers as soon as they pick their guns up.

10 Vampire Night

Gamefaqs User Score: 3

This is an arcade FPS title that slipped under a lot of radars and is often given an unjustifiably lower score despite being a pretty excellent game. The setting of Vampire Night is great – the game takes place in a grand, gothic castle where the players take on the role of vampire hunters cutting their way through hordes of vampires and other creatures.

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The story is what excels here. Vampire Night is completely over-the-top and goofy as hell, but if players can lean into its cheesy charm, they’ll have an absolute blast. It’s definitely made by Japanese devs! The gameplay is fun, the characters are cool, and the setting is one of the best in any arcade FPS title.

9 Terminator Salvation

Gamefaqs User Score: 3.5

Terminator Salvation is definitely one of the better modern arcade FPS titles. The light gun genre has seen a decline in decent contemporary titles in recent years, but 2010 saw the release of this exciting take on the Terminator franchise. Players take on the role of the movie’s John Connor throughout the game’s two lengthy missions.

It’s nothing innovative and players won’t get anything here that they can’t experience in other light gun titles, but Terminator Salvation is just good, classic arcade fun. Its shooting mechanics are sharp, the visuals are great, and the story is not too bad. Regardless of fans’ previous knowledge of the Terminator franchise, anyone can jump in and have a good time with this one.

8 Virtua Cop

Gamefaqs User Score: 3.5

Virtua Cop is not only a classic arcade title, but it’s also one of the first arcade FPS titles to achieve worldwide commercial success. By now Virtua Cop is a certified classic, and for good reason! This innovative light gun shooter made headlines upon its release because of its groundbreaking real-time 3D polygon graphics with texture mapping.

It defintiely looks like a product from 1994, but it holds up well and is still very much enjoyable despite the dated visuals. They hold up just as well as many later arcade titles. It’s not only the visuals that made Virtua Cop a classic though. This game featured some of the most satisfying gunplay in any light gun game and it’s still a blast to play now.

7 Area 51

Gamefaqs User Score: 3.5

Of course, Area 51 features lots of aliens for the player to shoot down. This is another classic arcade title with some of the most entertaining gameplay. Shooting down some aliens has never felt more rewarding than it does here, as the player attempts to stop them taking over the infamous military facility. It’s great to have an overall goal for the game, even if it’s nothing too complex.

This is a fan-favorite arcade title and many gamers look back on Area 51 fondly through nostalgia. However, it’s not just nostalgia that has made the game successful, as a sequel arrived in arcades around the world only a few years later. Any fans of alien shooters, or light gun games in general should give Area 51 a try.

6 CarnEvil

Gamefaqs User Score: 3.5

A cult-classic in every definition, CarnEvil frightened players when it arrived in arcades in 1998. This is a creepy title because it’s not just the classic horror enemies like zombies or vampires. This is a horror title that takes players across a haunted carnival with spooky ghosts and creepy clowns.

It was a controversial title due to its disturbing level of violence and scary premise. However, gamers who did have the guts to play this title had a great time due to the compelling gameplay and super cool (even if a little spooky) setting. There’s no other way to experience an arcade FPS title then with one that lets players kill some evil clowns.

5 Silent Scope

Gamefaqs User Score: 3.5

Silent Scope is a slightly different arcade FPS title which puts gamers in the shoes of a deadly sniper. Player’s aim and reactions will have to be on point here as this is no easy title – however, it is extremely cool and does make gamers actually feel like they’re a badass, professional sniper for a few hours.

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Players are tasked with clearing out various different levels, sometimes involving protecting certain targets, and sometimes it’s just taking out all enemies. Arcade cabinets also included an attached light rifle gun which was incredibly cool to hold and really added to both the immersion and gameplay.

4 Point Blank

Gamefaqs User Score: 3.5

Point Blank is a unique arcade FPS title as it’s one of the few ones that doesn’t actually involve killing enemies, or shooting physical people/creatures. It serves as a great way for players to get competitive and see who has the better aim as boards or targets pop up across an array of backgrounds and levels.

Point Blank is also an incredibly stressful game due to it being so heavily score-focused. It might seem like a target shooting game shouldn’t work as well as this, but Point Blank shows that it can and does. This is an excellent, fun title, and it’s refreshing to have an arcade FPS title that doesn’t revolve around violence.

3 The House of the Dead 2

Gamefaqs User Score: 3.5

The House of the Dead is one of the most iconic arcade franchises of all time, but it’s The House of the Dead 2 that wins the prize for the best entry, as it’s the fan-favorite title. This title took everything from the first entry and improved on it to create, not only one of the best arcade FPS experiences of all time, but also one of the best arcade titles ever.

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Everything here just works. The story is great, the enemies are terrifying, the gunplay is solid and it’s surprisingly deep. It’s not just a zombie arcade game, it’s an arcade FPS game with a detailed and richly crafted world, topped off with extremely polished gameplay.

2 Crisis Zone

Gamefaqs User Score: 4

Crisis Zone serves as a spin-off from the grandfather of light gun games, Time Crisis, and although it’s a spin-off, Crisis Zone manages to be better than many actual Time Crisis entries. Seriously, this is a cool game. The enemies are the essential highlight, specifically the bosses, who all have these great egotistical, dramatically over-the-top personalities.

This arcade FPS title takes place in a fictional location called Garland Square, on the outskirts of London. It’s a cool, large environment filled with malls and science centers. The main plot involves Garland Square being taken over by a dangerous terrorist organization and the player has to go in and clear them out. It’s a basic setup, sure, but it works effectively and it’s super entertaining.

1 Time Crisis

Gamefaqs User Score: 4

And here it is, the grandfather of all arcade FPS titles and light gun games – Time Crisis. It’s specifically the first one that is mostly heralded as possibly the best arcade game of all time, however most Time Crisis games are excellent. If players haven’t heard of Time Crisis, or played it by now, they’ve either been sleeping under a rock or have never been to an arcade. This is the definitive arcade shooter that demonstrated what light gun games can be capable of, and it certainly does not disappoint.

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