Best games
Best Arcade games of 1997
The 8 best Arcade games released in 1997, ranked from 1,004 critic and player ratings.
The best Arcade game of 1997 is Tekken 3, with a critic score of 84/100 — 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: 1997.
- 8 games are listed on this page, carrying 1,004 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 8
01
Tekken 3
Tekken 3 is the third installment in the Tekken series. It maintains the same core fighting system as its predecessors but brings many improvements, such as significantly more detailed graphics and animations, fifteen new characters added to the game's roster, more modern music and faster gameplay.
84
/100
02
Frogger
A remake and reimagining of Frogger. However, unlike the original game, most of the maps are more complex and require exploration. In each level, the player must collect five baby frogs within a certain amount of time. There are various obstacles, traps, and enemies which must be avoided and usually are unique to a certain zone. There are a total of 33 levels spread out across nine different zones.
90
/100
03
Moto Racer
Moto Racer is an arcade style motorcycle racing game developed by Delphine Software International and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. It features both dirt and street bikes, and a variety of tracks.
78
/100
Tekken 3
Tekken 3 is the third installment in the Tekken series. It maintains the same core fighting system as its predecessors but brings many improvements, such as significantly more detailed graphics and animations, fifteen new characters added to the game's roster, more modern music and faster gameplay.
84
/100
02
Frogger
A remake and reimagining of Frogger. However, unlike the original game, most of the maps are more complex and require exploration. In each level, the player must collect five baby frogs within a certain amount of time. There are various obstacles, traps, and enemies which must be avoided and usually are unique to a certain zone. There are a total of 33 levels spread out across nine different zones.
90
/100
03
Moto Racer
Moto Racer is an arcade style motorcycle racing game developed by Delphine Software International and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. It features both dirt and street bikes, and a variety of tracks.
78
/100
04
Fighting Force
Fighting Force players control one of four characters. They move through urban and science fiction environments, battling waves of oncoming enemies with weapons ranging from fists and bottles to knives, chairs and guns. The player can make some choices as to which territory to travel through. The four characters have various reasons for taking on Dr. Zeng, a criminal mastermind with an army at his command. The action starts with a police cordon around Zeng's office skyscraper, moving to such locales as a shopping mall, subway and Coast Guard base before finally ending at the top of Zeng's island headquarters.
74
/100
05
THE KING OF FIGHTERS '97
The King of Fighters '97 is a 1997 fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home console. It is the fourth game in The King of Fighters series. It was ported to the Neo-Geo CD, as well as the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in Japan only.
71
/100
06
Time Crisis II
Time Crisis II is a light gun arcade game and the second installment in the Time Crisis series. It introduces co-operative multiplayer to the franchise. The game was first released in arcades in April 1998, with an enhanced port released on the PlayStation 2 in October 2001, bundled with the GunCon 2 controller.
70
/100
07
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat 4 is 1 vs 1 fighting game, similar to the other Mortal Kombat games, but this is first game in series with 3D characters models. The player can choose from 15 different fighters at the start (and several unlockables later on). Many fighters from earlier games in the series make a comeback (like Scorpion, Sub Zero, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage etc.) while other new fighters join in, like Shinook (who is the main evil character in this game), Fujin, Jarek, and Kai. Goro returns as a boss.
69
/100
08
Captain Claw
Join forces with Captain Claw, the greatest cat pirate ever to challenge the Cocker Spaniard Armada! Embark on an epic quest to recover the lost gems of the Amulet of Nine Lives. Uncover hidden treasure, navigate tricky terrain, and engage in armed combat to defeat the enemies of the courageous and legendary Captain Nathaniel J. Claw.
60
/100
Fighting Force
Fighting Force players control one of four characters. They move through urban and science fiction environments, battling waves of oncoming enemies with weapons ranging from fists and bottles to knives, chairs and guns. The player can make some choices as to which territory to travel through. The four characters have various reasons for taking on Dr. Zeng, a criminal mastermind with an army at his command. The action starts with a police cordon around Zeng's office skyscraper, moving to such locales as a shopping mall, subway and Coast Guard base before finally ending at the top of Zeng's island headquarters.
74
/100
05
THE KING OF FIGHTERS '97
The King of Fighters '97 is a 1997 fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home console. It is the fourth game in The King of Fighters series. It was ported to the Neo-Geo CD, as well as the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn in Japan only.
71
/100
06
Time Crisis II
Time Crisis II is a light gun arcade game and the second installment in the Time Crisis series. It introduces co-operative multiplayer to the franchise. The game was first released in arcades in April 1998, with an enhanced port released on the PlayStation 2 in October 2001, bundled with the GunCon 2 controller.
70
/100
07
Mortal Kombat 4
Mortal Kombat 4 is 1 vs 1 fighting game, similar to the other Mortal Kombat games, but this is first game in series with 3D characters models. The player can choose from 15 different fighters at the start (and several unlockables later on). Many fighters from earlier games in the series make a comeback (like Scorpion, Sub Zero, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage etc.) while other new fighters join in, like Shinook (who is the main evil character in this game), Fujin, Jarek, and Kai. Goro returns as a boss.
69
/100
08
Captain Claw
Join forces with Captain Claw, the greatest cat pirate ever to challenge the Cocker Spaniard Armada! Embark on an epic quest to recover the lost gems of the Amulet of Nine Lives. Uncover hidden treasure, navigate tricky terrain, and engage in armed combat to defeat the enemies of the courageous and legendary Captain Nathaniel J. Claw.
60
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Arcade game of 1997?
Tekken 3 currently tops the ranking with a score of 84/100 across 553 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.