Capcom created many amazing arcade titles over the years, and with Capcom Arcade Stadium coming out soon on Nintendo Switch, I wanted to take a look at what I feel are the top ten Capcom arcade games. I want to specify this is just my list, and others may have different opinions. With that said, let us begin, in no particular order.
Ghosts ‘n Goblins
An absolute classic in the arcades, Ghosts ‘n Goblins was a game that presented a true challenge to gamers. This platformer/run ‘n gun hybrid only allowed you to take two hits before dying, but had enemies coming at you relentlessly. The combination of great music and addictive, if frustrating, gameplay helped to cement the legacy of Ghosts ‘n Goblins and the twist of needing to complete the game twice has kept players coming back for decades.
Alien vs Predator
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Strider
One of the most beloved arcade titles from Capcom, Strider was an excellent hybrid of the platformer and hack ‘n slash genre. The game had excellent music that still holds up today, and brilliant gameplay that was often imitated but never duplicated. Strider inspired numerous sequels and versions, each with its own spin on the amazing gameplay. For action with a lot of variety, fans could do a lot worse than Strider, but could seldom do much better.
Armored Warriors
Armored Warriors was one of the later Capcom beat ’em ups and was a much more in-depth experience than the older titles. This game saw you pilot a mech in side-scrolling brawler action, while having unique options such as taking on parts of enemy mecha and adding them to your own for new attacks. The game also had Street Fighter inspired command inputs that allowed a lot of variety in the moves you could pull off. This was one of the more inventive brawlers from Capcom and has aged well.
1944: The Loop Master
One of the last shmups from Capcom in the arcades, 1944: The Loop Master was the 5th entry in the series that began with 1942. This game was more advanced though and had a lot more power-ups, enemies, and options available. The game was not only an advancement on the 1942 formula, but also on the shmup formula in general. The game boasted incredible music and visuals, and truly tough bosses. While the game is not as well known as titles like 1942 and 1943, but is superior to those classics in most ways.
Saturday Night Slam Masters
I had to include this as it is one of the more unique fighting games from Capcom. Saturday Night Slam Masters is actually a hybrid of a fighting game and a wrestling game and features characters like Mike Haggar. The game was such a different take on both fighting and wrestling games, and managed to create some unique ideas. While the game’s sequel would veer away from the wrestling elements, Saturday Night Slam Masters remains one of the best arcade wrestling games ever made, and is a title that Capcom needs to revive in the style of the first game, but with added online play.
Progear
A side-scrolling shmup developed by CAVE and Capcom, Progear is an interesting one. The game is a steampunk-themed bullet hell game with a choice of two pilots/planes and three co-pilots/gunners. Each of these has their own advantages and weaknesses and this combination impacts how effective they are in the mode you choose of their respective modes. Progear was a brilliantly designed game with an excellent challenge and has aged the best of any Capcom shmup.
Battle Circuit
Marvel vs Capcom 2
