Best games
Best Arcade games of 2012
The 32 best Arcade games released in 2012, ranked from 7,583 critic and player ratings.
The best Arcade game of 2012 is Sound Shapes, with a critic score of 87/100 — 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 80 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: 2012.
- 32 games are listed on this page, carrying 7,583 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 32
01
Sound Shapes
Play, Compose and Share in a unique take on the classic side-scrolling platformer where your actions make the music. Equal parts instrument and game, Sound Shapes gives everyone the ability to make music. Play through a unique campaign that fuses music and artwork into a classic 2D platformer, featuring artwork by Pixeljam, Capy, Superbrothers and more, with music by I Am Robot and Proud, Jim Guthrie and Deadmau5. Create your own unique musical levels with all of the campaign content and share with the world. Sound Shapes creates an ever-changing musical community for everyone to enjoy at home or on the go.
87
/100
02
A
Hotline Miami
A top-down slasher/shooter with unlockable gameplay-altering masks and weapons, featuring a neon-flavoured electronic aesthetic, in which a hitman receives anonymous calls ordering him to travel to certain residences and crime dens and massacre those within, as he stumbles through unreal visions and inconsistencies without any answers to how, why or who.
86
/100
03
B
Forza Horizon
Forza Horizon is an action racing game set on the epic open roads of Colorado with a thrilling music festival backdrop. Combining stunning graphics and cutting-edge music with legendary Forza authenticity and a superb collection of cars to drive, Forza Horizon is an open-world automotive playground that puts a spotlight on speed, style, and the freedom of the open road. This is where cars belong!
85
/100
Sound Shapes
Play, Compose and Share in a unique take on the classic side-scrolling platformer where your actions make the music. Equal parts instrument and game, Sound Shapes gives everyone the ability to make music. Play through a unique campaign that fuses music and artwork into a classic 2D platformer, featuring artwork by Pixeljam, Capy, Superbrothers and more, with music by I Am Robot and Proud, Jim Guthrie and Deadmau5. Create your own unique musical levels with all of the campaign content and share with the world. Sound Shapes creates an ever-changing musical community for everyone to enjoy at home or on the go.
87
/100
02
A
Hotline Miami
A top-down slasher/shooter with unlockable gameplay-altering masks and weapons, featuring a neon-flavoured electronic aesthetic, in which a hitman receives anonymous calls ordering him to travel to certain residences and crime dens and massacre those within, as he stumbles through unreal visions and inconsistencies without any answers to how, why or who.
86
/100
03
B
Forza Horizon
Forza Horizon is an action racing game set on the epic open roads of Colorado with a thrilling music festival backdrop. Combining stunning graphics and cutting-edge music with legendary Forza authenticity and a superb collection of cars to drive, Forza Horizon is an open-world automotive playground that puts a spotlight on speed, style, and the freedom of the open road. This is where cars belong!
85
/100
04
Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Need for Speed: Most Wanted takes on the gameplay style of the first Most Wanted title in the Need for Speed franchise. Most Wanted allows players to select one car and compete against other racers in three types of events: Sprint races, which involves traveling from one point of the city to another, Circuit races, each having two or three laps total and Speed runs, which involve traversing through a course in the highest average speed possible. There is also the Ambush races, which start with the player surrounded by cops and tasked to evade their pursuit as quickly as possible.
85
/100
05
PlanetSide 2
PlanetSide 2 is a Massively Multiplayer first person shooter that delivers truly epic, massive combat on a scale never before seen in stunning, breathtaking detail. Battles take place not between dozens of troops, but thousands; with air and ground vehicles slugging it out alongside squads of troops. Whether in open fields, tightly-packed urban centers or enormous structures, winning requires strategic teamwork and a quick trigger finger.
84
/100
06
Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon is a minimal action game by Terry Cavanagh, with music by Chipzel.
83
/100
07
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
The console release added new characters and stages.
83
/100
08
Angry Birds Space
Play over 300 interstellar levels across 10 planets! Whether it’s the icy orbs of Cold Cuts, the volcanic explosiveness of Red Planet, Utopia – a planet made entirely of junk food, or the new Brass Hogs episode ruled by evil Hektor Porko, each episode offers intergalactic fun at every turn! And the low-gravity environment of space results in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With brand new birds, special abilities, and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!
83
/100
09
Need for Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion Game
82
/100
10
Hitman: Sniper Challenge
Get ready to pull the trigger on a completely new chapter in the award-winning Hitman series. Be the ultimate assassin in the Hitman Sniper Challenge by testing your reactions, focus and skill in a stand-alone hit available only for Hitman Absolution pre-purchases. Unlock weapons and upgrades that can be carried over into Hitman: Absolution and compare your scores with other players around the globe using online leaderboards. Hitman: Sniper Challenge is a stand alone preview for Hitman: Absolution, which was exclusive to copies pre-ordered from GameStop or Steam. Now, it comes with the standard retail copy of Hitman HD Trilogy and the Hitman Collection on Steam, or if the Hitman: Absolution - Elite Edition is bought.
80
/100
11
SoulCalibur V
80
/100
12
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
79
/100
13
Soul Calibur V
79
/100
14
Skullgirls
79
/100
15
Strider
78
/100
16
Sine Mora
77
/100
17
Dead or Alive 5
77
/100
18
McPixel
76
/100
19
Shoot Many Robots
75
/100
20
DiRT Showdown
74
/100
21
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
74
/100
22
Tokyo Jungle
74
/100
23
They Bleed Pixels
74
/100
24
LittleBigPlanet Karting
73
/100
25
Titan Attacks!
73
/100
26
Double Dragon: Neon
71
/100
27
Subway Surfers
71
/100
28
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD
66
/100
29
HELL YEAH! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
64
/100
30
Angry Birds Star Wars
59
/100
31
Guardians of Middle-earth
56
/100
32
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II
54
/100
Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Need for Speed: Most Wanted takes on the gameplay style of the first Most Wanted title in the Need for Speed franchise. Most Wanted allows players to select one car and compete against other racers in three types of events: Sprint races, which involves traveling from one point of the city to another, Circuit races, each having two or three laps total and Speed runs, which involve traversing through a course in the highest average speed possible. There is also the Ambush races, which start with the player surrounded by cops and tasked to evade their pursuit as quickly as possible.
85
/100
05
PlanetSide 2
PlanetSide 2 is a Massively Multiplayer first person shooter that delivers truly epic, massive combat on a scale never before seen in stunning, breathtaking detail. Battles take place not between dozens of troops, but thousands; with air and ground vehicles slugging it out alongside squads of troops. Whether in open fields, tightly-packed urban centers or enormous structures, winning requires strategic teamwork and a quick trigger finger.
84
/100
06
Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon is a minimal action game by Terry Cavanagh, with music by Chipzel.
83
/100
07
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
The console release added new characters and stages.
83
/100
08
Angry Birds Space
Play over 300 interstellar levels across 10 planets! Whether it’s the icy orbs of Cold Cuts, the volcanic explosiveness of Red Planet, Utopia – a planet made entirely of junk food, or the new Brass Hogs episode ruled by evil Hektor Porko, each episode offers intergalactic fun at every turn! And the low-gravity environment of space results in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With brand new birds, special abilities, and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!
83
/100
09
Need for Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion Game
82
/100
10
Hitman: Sniper Challenge
Get ready to pull the trigger on a completely new chapter in the award-winning Hitman series. Be the ultimate assassin in the Hitman Sniper Challenge by testing your reactions, focus and skill in a stand-alone hit available only for Hitman Absolution pre-purchases. Unlock weapons and upgrades that can be carried over into Hitman: Absolution and compare your scores with other players around the globe using online leaderboards. Hitman: Sniper Challenge is a stand alone preview for Hitman: Absolution, which was exclusive to copies pre-ordered from GameStop or Steam. Now, it comes with the standard retail copy of Hitman HD Trilogy and the Hitman Collection on Steam, or if the Hitman: Absolution - Elite Edition is bought.
80
/100
11
SoulCalibur V
80
/100
12
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
79
/100
13
Soul Calibur V
79
/100
14
Skullgirls
79
/100
15
Strider
78
/100
16
Sine Mora
77
/100
17
Dead or Alive 5
77
/100
18
McPixel
76
/100
19
Shoot Many Robots
75
/100
20
DiRT Showdown
74
/100
21
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
74
/100
22
Tokyo Jungle
74
/100
23
They Bleed Pixels
74
/100
24
LittleBigPlanet Karting
73
/100
25
Titan Attacks!
73
/100
26
Double Dragon: Neon
71
/100
27
Subway Surfers
71
/100
28
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD
66
/100
29
HELL YEAH! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
64
/100
30
Angry Birds Star Wars
59
/100
31
Guardians of Middle-earth
56
/100
32
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode II
54
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Arcade game of 2012?
Sound Shapes currently tops the ranking with a score of 87/100 across 179 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.