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Best Arcade games of 1996

The 12 best Arcade games released in 1996, ranked from 1,359 critic and player ratings.

The best Arcade game of 1996 is Mario Kart 64, with a critic score of 83/100 — updated November 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.
  • 12 games are listed on this page, carrying 1,359 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 13 November 2026.

Top 12

Played them? Give your tier with the + next to each game. No account needed to try — create one to keep your tiers.

01 Mario Kart 64 Mario Kart 64 1996 · 612 ratings 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. 83 /100
02 Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo 1996 · 32 ratings 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
03 Dead or Alive Dead or Alive 1996 · 32 ratings Dead or Alive is a 1996 arcade fighting game by Tecmo for the Sega Model 2 (2A CRX and 2B CRX) arcade hardware and the first game in their Dead or Alive franchise. It was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1997. A limited edition was also released for the Saturn which came with an art book. An enhanced port including new characters was released for PlayStation, and later backported for arcade under the title "Dead or Alive++". 84 /100
04 Street Fighter Alpha 2 Street Fighter Alpha 2 1996 · 80 ratings 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 Soul Edge Soul Edge 1996 · 78 ratings 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
06 Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain 1996 · 69 ratings 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
07 Die Hard Trilogy Die Hard Trilogy 1996 · 47 ratings 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
08 Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara 1996 · 32 ratings 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
09 Twisted Metal 2 Twisted Metal 2 1996 · 104 ratings Twisted Metal 2 is a vehicular combat game released in 1996 for the PlayStation and PC. Players choose from a roster of armed vehicles to battle in destructive arenas across global locations. Each character has a unique backstory and special weapon. The gameplay emphasizes fast-paced action and environmental hazards. It is the second installment in the Twisted Metal series and is built on the formula of its predecessor with expanded content, such as vehicle-common advanced moves. These moves allow players to press button combinations in order to perform special rechargeable maneuvers such as cloak, shield, and a napalm blast. 73 /100
10 PaRappa the Rapper PaRappa the Rapper 1996 · 102 ratings 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. 68 /100
11 Death Rally Death Rally 1996 · 47 ratings 60 /100
12 Mortal Kombat Trilogy Mortal Kombat Trilogy 1996 · 124 ratings 50 /100
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Other years

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Same year, other platforms

Best PC games of 1996Best PlayStation 1 games of 1996Best Mac games of 1996Best Sega Saturn games of 1996

Nearby rankings

Best Arcade games of 1994Best Arcade games of 1998

Catalog statistics

Most abandoned gamesMost completed games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Arcade game of 1996?

Mario Kart 64 currently tops the ranking with a score of 83/100 across 612 ratings. Ranking updated November 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.