The arcade era is one that gamers look back on fondly. Many of the titles made iconic during that period have been ported to modern platforms. In some cases, they’ve been remade. In other instances, that primary material has remained intact. Console porting is a beautiful way to protect a gaming experience to ensure that new generations are able to access those stories and mechanics.
There’s a vast array of great arcade titles that were never ported to consoles though. While classics like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong immediately made their move to home platforms, some of these games were just left behind. \
WWF WrestleFest Kept the Action In the Arcades
During the arcade era, there was another boom. That was the wrestling boom. Fans loved larger-than-life characters like Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage. So much so that the arcade title WWF WrestleFest proved to be wildly popular as players battled against one another in the ring. The title was developed by Technōs Japan and released in 1991.
While it may seem a little outdated in its visuals and its style of play, WWF WrestleFest is nonetheless a great experience to seek out, with fantastic combo moves and electric energy throughout. Despite its popularity, it was not able to be ported to home consoles due to a complex licensing agreement that prevented the necessary deals from being completed.
Alien Versus Predator Pulled In the Big Guns
Any crossover between Alien and Predator, two of the largest sci-fi franchises of all time, was going to be exciting for fans. The arcade experience developed by Capcom and released in 1994 was everything one could hope it to be. It was sheer chaos and utilized the Xenomorphs and titular Predators to absolute perfection.
A Sega 32X was heavily in the works and appeared to be a part of a larger scheme to port the title to consoles. Then, just like that, it was canceled. Many years later, the game’s cult following meant that it was set to appear on the Nintendo Switch. But, as fate would have it, expiring licensing agreements meant that this also didn’t happen!
The Star Wars Arcade Trilogy Never Left the Arcade
There is a common theme among those games that have not been ported to consoles and that is their reputation as a licensed product. The Star Wars arcade trilogy was, of course, dependent on being able to access those classic characters. SEGA might have been able to craft iconic cabinets for the trilogy in the 90s, but that’s where their time with the brand came to an end.
Despite the thrill that one had from this on-rails shooter that allowed for Lightsaber control, flight simulations and all-out warfare, these titles were never able to make their way to consoles. They have since been left behind, replaced by an endless array of Star Wars games that cannot match the immersion of these throwbacks.
Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder Didn’t Make the Cut
In 1992, SEGA released Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder, an arcade sequel that boasted four-player interactions and a faster pace. For many, this was the best of the saga, a title that learned from the early release and was able to put those lessons into action. It was more polished, more exciting and bolder in its narrative.
While there was a small port to the Astro City Mini, the arcade game never made its way to conventional platforms because the game was too ambitious for what home consoles could achieve. Golden Axe II and Golden Axe III were essentially scaled down, while players could find the full, unlimited experience on the beautiful cabinet system.
The Simpsons Arcade Game Was a Downgrade
Move over Simpsons: Hit and Run, because there’s another title set in Springfield that’s just as popular and just as well-shaped when it comes to its representation of the iconic animated series. The Konami game debuted in 1991 and quickly became a coin-eater, a title that players teamed up to complete despite its difficulty level.
It’s worth noting that MS-DOS and Commodore 64 both received ports of this game, except they were not true reflections. Instead, they were inferior copies that were completely stripped back and failed to capture the original. Because of licensing agreements and technological limitations, The Simpsons arcade title, in its truest form, can only be played on arcade.
Spider-Man: The Video Game Had Real Potential
Spider-Man has appeared on arcade countless times, especially alongside iconic characters like the X-Men. For his own solo video game, the character was joined by Namor, Hawkeye, Black Cat and a roster of rogues. While the title captured the essence of the comic book universe, it wasn’t a SEGA game that could go beyond its cabinet.
It’s becoming a major problem with licensed products, but again, the rights for the title simply couldn’t be worked out and so no port was viable. The 2D-platforming series is certainly one that’s worth seeking out though, especially for comic fans, as the 1991 adventure marks an important stepping stone in Peter’s industry journey.
Violent Storm Was Completely Overlooked
First came Crime Fighters, then came Vendetta, and finally, the third entry into Konami’s bizarre post-apocalyptic series, Violent Storm, was launched in 1993. The game was an exciting brawler with high stakes and an interesting array of characters to utilize. It’s world-building was integral and the fact that three players could join in at once was a neat addition.
It remains a mystery as to why Violent Storm was never given the call-up to consoles though. The likely option is that when running the numbers, executives didn’t feel as though the title would be a viable financial option. But for fantastic animation and gripping audio design, there really are very few who have done it better.
Jurassic Park Had Alternatives To Choose From
In 1994, SEGA released a cinematic experience, inspired by the Jurassic Park movies. It featured terrifying predators and tense action, as players attempted to shoot down the beasts and live to tell the tale. It was a premium title that acted as a rail-shooter that was as heavy on the narrative as it was on the drama.
It would have been a great fit for home consoles, but because of the licensing deals and gaming arrangements that had already been made, there were other Jurassic Park games to enjoy on each respective platform. So, the experience found on arcade cannot be seen anywhere else. It is entirely unique and feels more interactive than the rest.
Baby Pac-Man Was Unportable
It seems absurd to suggest that there is any iteration of the Pac-Man franchise that hasn’t been lauded on almost every console. There is an outlier though, and that’s Baby Pac-Man, an imaginative spinoff that acted as a hybrid title. Yes, it included some of those classic Pac-Man gaming moments that fans are looking for.
But it also integrated a pinball system into the mix that played alongside the game. The 1982 title from Bally Midway was really ahead of its time, but because of those hybrid elements, there was no way of bringing it to home consoles. It’s a shame that the digital elements of the title were not preserved in some capacity though, perhaps with an online pinball system to back it up.
Primal Rage Was Never The Same
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Atari Games’ 1994 Primal Rage is a very famous title. For many, it seems like only yesterday that they were playing the game on home consoles. That’s right, Primal Rage did actually feature on traditional platforms. The version that players got in their homes wasn’t remotely like the original.
The game was massively compromised and scaled down to fit with home console hardware. The frame rates were dropped significantly, the physics engine was made less complex and most of all, the controls were slightly streamlined. Those that had spent significant time with the arcade version could feel the difference. For the unedited iteration, it’s best to head to the arcade in celebration of Atari’s original creation.
