In the 1980s and 90s, the arcade was king. A social hub for many kids into games, it was the best place to discover a wide array of games in different genres, all for a pocket full of change. However, its dominance was short-lived, and as home consoles got more sophisticated, the arcades became less important to the gaming scene.
During this transition, some franchises that thrived in the fast-paced atmosphere of the arcade struggled to maintain a foothold in the home market. This has led to a few classics being left behind, despite how great they were in their heyday.
10 Golden Axe
Golden Axe was one of many side-scrolling beat-em-ups that were a common sight in arcades during their peak, although these days it’s more likely to be associated with the Sega Genesis. However, the first game debuted on Sega’s arcade hardware, and an arcade-focused sequel soon followed, while the home version got two sequels of its own.
However, Golden Axe has disappeared from the gaming scene in the years since. As fantasy games have evolved, it’s hard not to see how these games look a little dated today, and aside from a poorly received attempt to move the series into 3D on the PS3 and Xbox 360, Sega has sidelined it in favor of other franchises. However, with the more recent revival of the side-scroller with Streets of Rage 4 and Shredder’s Revenge, maybe Golden Axe is due a comeback.
9 Gauntlet
Gauntlet was a series that took the fun of dungeon crawling and put it into the arcades, where a player could also rope in three friends and battle through hordes of monsters as a team of fantasy characters. It was a huge commercial success at the time, being one of the most profitable arcade cabinets of 1986, and with huge successes for its sequels even into the 90s.
However, its decline matched that of the arcades almost directly, as attempts to bring the game to the home market were generally poorly received. A reboot in 2014 for PC and PS4 received mixed reviews and barely caught much commercial attention, leaving the series in limbo.
8 Track & Field
Konami’s Hyper Sports and Track & Field games were huge in their day. Controlled using two run buttons that had to be rapidly pressed, with a separate action button for jumps or throws, the games attempted to replicate the Olympics in video game form. It was successful too, as huge competitions would grow around the series.
However, as games have gotten more detailed and complex, the rapid button mashing of these games has been replaced by the more sophisticated sports simulation of the likes of Madden or FIFA, or the casual motion-controlled fun of Wii Sports and Nintendo Switch Sports. Probably a good thing too, as it means fewer broken controllers in the long run.
7 Galaga
The 2D space shooter was a massive genre for arcades in the 80s. Starting with the iconic Space Invaders, other publishers would soon bring their own takes on the formula, and Namco’s Galaga series, also containing the games Galaxian and Gaplus, is arguably one of the more beloved.
Namco released several of these during the 70s and 80s, all of them bringing in hordes of excited players. However, since the 90s the series has largely disappeared, as Namco focused more on racing games and fighting games. The Galaga series is still recognized, however, as it continues to show up in re-releases and retro collections, and even got some minor representation in the Super Smash Bros series. It just isn’t likely to see a new game any time soon.
6 Darius
Another space shooter with a unique identity that saw a decline was Taito’s Darius series. It was notable for its use of fish-based spaceship enemies and an upbeat soundtrack from Taito’s in-house composer team Zuntata. It saw numerous sequels, even into the late 90s as G-Darius, the first of the series to use 3D graphics, saw a port to the original PlayStation.
Aside from a PSP exclusive game, the series hasn’t been since and only materializes as part of retro compilations. This is largely down to less demand for the space shooter genre, which tends to not attract the attention it once did in the 80s.
5 Sega Rally
Sega was unstoppable in the arcades when it came to racing games. From the classic Ferrari road trip simulator OutRun to the brash and colorful Daytona USA, Sega’s racing games commanded attention. Another significant series to emerge from this was Sega Rally, which took players offroad as it turned rally racing into an arcade experience.
While beloved at the time, more realistic depictions of the motorsport would soon dominate the home market. With the release of Colin McRae Rally, which would later turn into the Dirt franchise, Sega Rally would soon be left in the dust.
4 Ridge Racer
Ridge Racer was another beloved racing franchise from the 90s, challenging Sega’s dominance in the genre. With its iconic soundtracks and colorful roster of vehicles, Ridge Racer made a name for itself with not only its arcade presence but its ties to PlayStation, which held strong even as the arcade business became less important.
However, even that wouldn’t last as Namco’s persistence in releasing a Ridge Racer alongside every PlayStation system would disappear with the PS4, a system that didn’t see a new game in the series at all.
3 Time Crisis
Light gun games have been an arcade staple for as long as technology has allowed them to exist. At the top of the pile is Time Crisis, a series all about special ops marksmen taking down bad guys in numerous scenarios. The series has always been a hit, with five entries stretching even into the 2010s.
However, the last entry, Time Crisis 5, was released in 2015, and never saw a port to home systems. With the decline of the CRT screen tech that light guns heavily rely on, there’s a high chance that this may be the last the world sees of the series.
2 Darkstalkers
Fighting games are a consistent arcade staple, as the communal nature of arcades means a steady supply of opponents to face off against, along with an ever-present audience to cheer players on. They’ve also managed to survive the arcade decline, with Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 on the way.
Therefore, it’s not clear why Darkstalkers hasn’t seen a new entry since 1997, as its horror-themed roster made it stand out and gain a great deal of popularity at the time. A modern-day addition to the series would be more welcome, but it’s likely been sidelined so Capcom can focus exclusively on Street Fighter.
1 Crazy Taxi
Racing games were common sights in arcades, but Sega provided a different driving experience in 1999, one based on the humble life of a taxi driver. As the name suggests though, Crazy Taxi was loud, fast, and chaotic, as players had to get passengers to their destinations within a strict time limit.
While the game was hugely popular, it hasn’t seen a major release since 2002’s third game. While a few poorly received mobile spin-offs exist, the series has been replaced by a number of other open-world driving games with greater scope.