Best games
Best Arcade games of 1996
The 17 best Arcade games released in 1996, ranked from 1,713 critic and player ratings.
The best Arcade game of 1996 is PaRappa the Rapper, with a critic score of 92/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 30 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 1996.
- 17 games are listed on this page, carrying 1,713 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 17
01
PaRappa the Rapper
The original music video game. Help Parappa rap with the best of the master rappers and straight into Sunny's heart. Guaranteed you'll be singin' and dancin' along with Parappa and his pals to the most fun music mixes.
92
/100
02
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is a top-down action-adventure video game with role-playing game elements. It is the first game in the Legacy of Kain series, and the only one developed by Silicon Knights and published by Crystal Dynamics. The game was first released in 1996 for the PlayStation, and later ported to Microsoft Windows. A Sega Saturn version was announced during production but later cancelled before release. It was followed by four sequels, which were all developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive.
85
/100
03
Metal Slug
Metal Slug is a 1996 run-and-gun arcade video game originally developed by Nazca Corporation and released by SNK for the Neo Geo MVS. It is the first installment in the eponymous series. Set in 2028, players assume the role of Peregrine Falcon Strike Force soldiers Marco Rossi and Tarma Roving in a fight against the Rebel Army led by Donald Morden and overthrow his coup d'état to prevent a New World Order.
82
/100
PaRappa the Rapper
The original music video game. Help Parappa rap with the best of the master rappers and straight into Sunny's heart. Guaranteed you'll be singin' and dancin' along with Parappa and his pals to the most fun music mixes.
92
/100
02
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is a top-down action-adventure video game with role-playing game elements. It is the first game in the Legacy of Kain series, and the only one developed by Silicon Knights and published by Crystal Dynamics. The game was first released in 1996 for the PlayStation, and later ported to Microsoft Windows. A Sega Saturn version was announced during production but later cancelled before release. It was followed by four sequels, which were all developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive.
85
/100
03
Metal Slug
Metal Slug is a 1996 run-and-gun arcade video game originally developed by Nazca Corporation and released by SNK for the Neo Geo MVS. It is the first installment in the eponymous series. Set in 2028, players assume the role of Peregrine Falcon Strike Force soldiers Marco Rossi and Tarma Roving in a fight against the Rebel Army led by Donald Morden and overthrow his coup d'état to prevent a New World Order.
82
/100
04
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 2 is both a sequel and a remake to the previous year's Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams. The game features a number of improvements over the original, such as new attacks, stages, endings, and gameplay features. New characters in this version include Gen, Rolento and Sakura. Dhalsim and Zangief also return to the fight with some new moves.
85
/100
05
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
The game's title is a parody of Super Street Fighter II Turbo (or Super Street Fighter II X in Japan), as there are no other Puzzle Fighter games, and the game includes music and interface elements spoofing the Street Fighter Alpha and Darkstalkers games. It was a response to SEGA's popular Puyo Puyo 2 that has been sweeping Japanese arcade. A HD-remake version titled Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, is available for purchase on Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Sony's PlayStation Network.
85
/100
06
Mario Kart 64
Mario Kart 64 is the second main installment of the Mario Kart series. It is the first game in the series to use three-dimensional graphics, however, the characters and items in this game are still two-dimensional, pre-rendered sprites. The game offers two camera angles and three engine sizes: 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. Each kart has distinctive handling, acceleration and top speed capabilities. Shells that you fire at rival racers, Bananas that make them skid out and Lightning Bolts that make them small and very slow are just a few of the game's unique power-ups.
81
/100
07
Soul Edge
Soul Edge is a 3D arcade fighting game and the first in the Soul series, it is one of the first 3D fighting game in history that place a particular emphasis on the story of the fighters. Each character have their own weapon, allowing for a wide range of play styles. The slower, longer ranged characters try to deliver their heavy blows from a distance whereas the quicker, faster characters try to get in as close as possible and deliver quick-hitting attacks.
83
/100
08
Stargunner
In the far distant future, an epic war for survival takes place... Deep within the Andromeda galaxy, the people of Zile grow restless and greedy. The Zilions secretly prepare for a massive strike against the nearby planet Ytima. Fearing such an attack, the Ytimians train an elite squad of "Stargunners." Their mission: To strike the planet Zile and cripple the Zilions’ three strongholds, where the Zilion war fleets await. If the Stargunners can surprise the Zilions on their own planet and wipe out their fleet, then good will triumph over evil once again.
80
/100
09
Die Hard Trilogy
Die Hard Trilogy features three games in one, each based on a movie installment and featuring a different genre and game play style.
75
/100
10
Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara
Shadow over Mystara is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up with role-play elements that make it stand out from other similar games released at the time. In addition to the original four heroes found in its predecessor, Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom (Cleric, Dwarf, Elf and Fighter), Shadow of Mystara adds a Thief and a Magic-User to the selection. Furthermore, with the inclusion of two separate versions of each character's sprite set, the game allows up to two players to select the same character (in Tower of Doom each of the characters could only be selected once), effectively giving the game 12 "different" characters to choose from. The two Clerics and two Magic Users also have subtle differences within their spell books. The controls are using four buttons: Attack, Jump, Select (brings up a small inventory ring around the character allowing the player to choose what item is set in the Use slot) and Use. The Cleric, Elf and Magic-User also have two extra rings for their spells, with the Jump button used to switch from ring to ring. While the game uses the same kick harness as the previous game, the Select and Use buttons are reversed. Shadow over Mystara also introduced a selection of special moves which are executed by moving the joystick and tapping the buttons in certain combinations, in a way similar to the Street Fighter series. The characters (except for the Magic-User) have a Dashing Attack as well as a Rising Attack which can be used to combo monsters or even juggle them in the air. Most characters (again, with the exception of the Magic-User and also Cleric) also have a Megacrush, a move common to nearly all of Capcom side-scrollers, which damages all enemies standing close enough to the character but in turn also damaging the player themselves.
75
/100
11
X-Men vs. Street Fighter
75
/100
12
Twisted Metal 2
73
/100
13
Virtua Cop 2
72
/100
14
The House of the Dead
68
/100
15
Death Rally
60
/100
16
Sonic 3D Blast (1996)
59
/100
17
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
50
/100
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 2 is both a sequel and a remake to the previous year's Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams. The game features a number of improvements over the original, such as new attacks, stages, endings, and gameplay features. New characters in this version include Gen, Rolento and Sakura. Dhalsim and Zangief also return to the fight with some new moves.
85
/100
05
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
The game's title is a parody of Super Street Fighter II Turbo (or Super Street Fighter II X in Japan), as there are no other Puzzle Fighter games, and the game includes music and interface elements spoofing the Street Fighter Alpha and Darkstalkers games. It was a response to SEGA's popular Puyo Puyo 2 that has been sweeping Japanese arcade. A HD-remake version titled Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, is available for purchase on Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Sony's PlayStation Network.
85
/100
06
Mario Kart 64
Mario Kart 64 is the second main installment of the Mario Kart series. It is the first game in the series to use three-dimensional graphics, however, the characters and items in this game are still two-dimensional, pre-rendered sprites. The game offers two camera angles and three engine sizes: 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. Each kart has distinctive handling, acceleration and top speed capabilities. Shells that you fire at rival racers, Bananas that make them skid out and Lightning Bolts that make them small and very slow are just a few of the game's unique power-ups.
81
/100
07
Soul Edge
Soul Edge is a 3D arcade fighting game and the first in the Soul series, it is one of the first 3D fighting game in history that place a particular emphasis on the story of the fighters. Each character have their own weapon, allowing for a wide range of play styles. The slower, longer ranged characters try to deliver their heavy blows from a distance whereas the quicker, faster characters try to get in as close as possible and deliver quick-hitting attacks.
83
/100
08
Stargunner
In the far distant future, an epic war for survival takes place... Deep within the Andromeda galaxy, the people of Zile grow restless and greedy. The Zilions secretly prepare for a massive strike against the nearby planet Ytima. Fearing such an attack, the Ytimians train an elite squad of "Stargunners." Their mission: To strike the planet Zile and cripple the Zilions’ three strongholds, where the Zilion war fleets await. If the Stargunners can surprise the Zilions on their own planet and wipe out their fleet, then good will triumph over evil once again.
80
/100
09
Die Hard Trilogy
Die Hard Trilogy features three games in one, each based on a movie installment and featuring a different genre and game play style.
75
/100
10
Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara
Shadow over Mystara is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up with role-play elements that make it stand out from other similar games released at the time. In addition to the original four heroes found in its predecessor, Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom (Cleric, Dwarf, Elf and Fighter), Shadow of Mystara adds a Thief and a Magic-User to the selection. Furthermore, with the inclusion of two separate versions of each character's sprite set, the game allows up to two players to select the same character (in Tower of Doom each of the characters could only be selected once), effectively giving the game 12 "different" characters to choose from. The two Clerics and two Magic Users also have subtle differences within their spell books. The controls are using four buttons: Attack, Jump, Select (brings up a small inventory ring around the character allowing the player to choose what item is set in the Use slot) and Use. The Cleric, Elf and Magic-User also have two extra rings for their spells, with the Jump button used to switch from ring to ring. While the game uses the same kick harness as the previous game, the Select and Use buttons are reversed. Shadow over Mystara also introduced a selection of special moves which are executed by moving the joystick and tapping the buttons in certain combinations, in a way similar to the Street Fighter series. The characters (except for the Magic-User) have a Dashing Attack as well as a Rising Attack which can be used to combo monsters or even juggle them in the air. Most characters (again, with the exception of the Magic-User and also Cleric) also have a Megacrush, a move common to nearly all of Capcom side-scrollers, which damages all enemies standing close enough to the character but in turn also damaging the player themselves.
75
/100
11
X-Men vs. Street Fighter
75
/100
12
Twisted Metal 2
73
/100
13
Virtua Cop 2
72
/100
14
The House of the Dead
68
/100
15
Death Rally
60
/100
16
Sonic 3D Blast (1996)
59
/100
17
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
50
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Arcade game of 1996?
PaRappa the Rapper currently tops the ranking with a score of 92/100 across 39 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.