Right up there with fighting and driving games in terms of arcade real estate are the shooting games. Whether you are shooting aliens, zombies, terrorists, snipers, or dinosaurs, there is nothing like actually holding something in your hands and blasting away at onscreen enemies. The Xbox doesn’t have the greatest selection of shooting games, but the PS2 has this area covered. You can’t play them online, but hooking up with a friend and using two guns at home is very similar to what you’ll find in arcades.
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Required Hardware
- A Good Light Gun – The Mad Catz Blaster (Xbox) and Namco GunCon 2 (PS2) are the best of the best.
- House of the Dead 3
- Silent Scope Complete
- Time Crisis 3 (PS2)
- Time Crisis: Crisis Zone (PS2)
- Resident Evil: Dead Aim (PS2)
- Dino Stalker(PS2)
- Vampire Night (PS2)
- Ninja Assault (PS2)
Recommended Games
Music and Rhythm Games
One of the most popular arcade genres at the moment, music and rhythm games are some of the most fun and exciting games you’ll find in the arcade. You get to jump around and dance or even hit stuff which is always good times. The Xbox versions of Dance Dance Revolution also allow online play. It isn’t the same as being able to watch a skilled player flip and spin during their routines at the arcade, but it is a fun way to meet new people and shake your groove thang from the comfort of your living room.
- Required Hardware
- Xbox Live w/Headset
- Dance Mat – Official mats from the game publishers are good soft mats, but third party mats are a good cheap solution for beginners. More experienced players can build their own hard mats or you can order hard mats just like you’ll find in the arcade. They can get pretty expensive, though.
- Official drum, bongos, guitar, turntable, etc – These types of games all come with their own hardware. Don’t be a fool and try to play them with a standard controller.
- Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) Ultramix 1 and 2
- Pump it Up: Exceed
- DDR Extreme 1 and 2 (PS2)
- DDR Max 1 and 2 (PS2)
- Karaoke Revolution (PS2 and Xbox)
- Taiko Drum Master (PS2) (Not quite as good as Percussion Master in the arcade, but close)
- Donkey Konga 1 and 2 (GC)
- Guitar Hero (PS2)
- Beatmania (PS2)
Recommended Games
Arcade Classics
Another big part of arcades are the nostalgia games that people still love to play. There are machines now that let you select from as many as 100 different classic games and play them for 25 cents a pop which is a great way to kill some time. A recent trend among publishers has been to release compilations of classic arcade games so it is pretty easy to get your fill at home.
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Required Hardware
- Quality arcade stick – This is how you had to play these games in the arcade, so keep the experience authentic at home by using a stick. Just like for fighting games, the X-Arcade, Hori Real Arcade Pro, or NubyTech Street Fighter sticks are the hardware of choice.
- Midway Arcade Treasures 1,2,3
- Namco Museum
- Namco Museum 50th Anniversary
- King of Fighters 2002/2003
- Metal Slug 4 & 5
- Street Fighter Anniversary Collection
- Capcom Classics Collection
Recommended Games
Final Tips and Recommendations
The thrill of the arcade comes from two sources: Using real arcade controls and competing against other people. To get the most out of your arcade experience at home, playing online when available or at least having friends over to play against is an absolute must. It is also very important that you use the right hardware. It not only makes games more fun to have a steering wheel or gun or joystick in your hand, but it makes the experience more authentic which is what we’re shooting for with this guide. Above all else, of course, the most important part is to have fun.
As you can see, getting the arcade experience at home is pretty easy. It isn’t 100%, though, so hopefully this will inspire you to head down to a real arcade to get a taste of the real thing. Arcades are down and will likely never come back to the success they had in the 90’s, but they will always be around because they offer something unique that gamers can appreciate. We can get the same competition and feel at home if we spend a little money, but greasy joysticks, opponents setting quarters on the machine to get in line to play, and, yes, even the occasional whiff of BO are priceless. What I’m basically saying is to have fun at home, but don’t forget your roots.
You can find reviews of many of the Xbox games in this feature right here and reviews of the hardware here.
