As much as arcade games are not as popular as they once were, it is still fascinating to explore the classics of this type of gaming, as well as to check out the few newer additions to arcade gaming which continue to find an audience. Despite its age, arcade games still manage to slot themselves into genres and niches that have developed over time, such as the ever-popular notion of playing against, or alongside, the undead.

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From the franchises that found their footing in bringing zombies to arcade gamers to stand-alone games which come from previously established series, there are plenty of great arcade games in the hugely popular zombie genre. The action-packed scenes contain hordes to fight, while players get the opportunity to use gun-shaped controllers that they point at the screen, helping to make this one of the most enjoyable and consistently popular arcade game styles.

8 The Walking Dead

Game FAQ Score: 2.8/5

• Platforms: Arcade
• Released: 2017
• Developers: Raw Thrills

Though there aren’t nearly as many new arcade machines made today, The Walking Dead has become far too big a franchise by 2017 to not get its own game in this format. The Walking Dead machine, created by Raw Thrills, is beautiful, and the game plays similarly to most House of the Dead games.

Players take on zombies in the light-gun shooter style that zombie arcade games are known for, but players are given crossbows instead of guns. Despite not being among the very best games created in this style, The Walking Dead deserves points for being a modern machine that takes great inspiration from the similarly styled games of the past.

7 Beast Busters

Game FAQ Score: 3.13/5

One of the wackiest arcade games featuring zombies, Beast Busters made history by being the first light-gun arcade game to allow as many as three players to play simultaneously. Many things made this bizarre game a lot of fun, from the caricatures of normal characters to the fact that the zombies whom players had to fight against also had guns.

Arming the undead was a strange challenge which added a lot of fun to a truly fantastic game. From the bosses that transformed randomly from humans into dogs, to the colorful but confusing designs of the zombies, Beast Busters was a great addition to the history of fun zombie arcade games that didn’t try to make sense.

6 CarnEvil

Game FAQ Score: 3.41/5

Another game which followed on the heels of the successful House of the Dead games, CarnEvil was released in the late 90s and took the idea of using excessive violence and horror in an arcade game alongside dark comedy to the extreme. The result was something baffling, unsettling, and fairly hilarious.

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Players get to explore a carnival, divided into stages such as a Haunted House, a Freak Show and a Big Top, all while dealing in rail shooter fashion with some creepily-designed clown zombies and other horrific creatures. Fortunately, there are plenty of wacky power-ups, like flamethrowers and barrels of acid to be found throughout the levels to maximize your chances of survival.

5 Zombie Revenge

Game FAQ Score: 3.41/5

Instead of taking inspiration from the House of the Dead series, Zombie Revenge was an official spin-off from that series, created by Sega and set in the same universe for marketing purposes. There are references to the House of the Dead games throughout, although Zombie Revenge was a beat-em-up game instead of a light-gun game, and also got a Dreamcast release.

Three AMS agents are sent into an unnamed city with the mission of fighting through hordes of zombies to reach Zed, who is supposedly behind the city’s downfall. An entertaining game which boldly steps away from the typical genre of zombie arcade games, Zombie Revenge is a spin-off that’s well worth checking out for House of the Dead fans.

4 The House Of The Dead 4

Game FAQ Score: 3.48/5

• Platforms: Arcade, PlayStation 3
• Released: 2nd July, 2005
• Developers: Sega AM1

The House of the Dead franchise, the primary reason for zombie arcade games being so successful and well-known, has had several iterations over the years. The House of the Dead 4 came to the arcade party a little late in 2005, but it was a hugely fun entry that took place between the events of the second and third games, and it made several fascinating changes to the formula of those previous games.

Instead of the normal pistols or shotguns from the other games, players had sub-machine guns this time. It also had branching paths, although they provided little change in the game’s overall story. The plot itself was a ludicrous one that left even some major franchise fans scratching their heads, but it’s only the sort of crazy plot to be expected from the tongue-in-cheek franchise.

3 The House Of The Dead

Game FAQ Score: 3.67/5

The first game in the House of the Dead franchise, and the most recognizable zombie arcade game of all time, focused on the still new light-gun shooter style and on re-popularizing the entire idea of zombies. The franchise, alongside Resident Evil, has been credited with the renewed interest in zombies that led to a resurgence in the genre for both films and games in the early 2000s.

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The House of the Dead focused on Agents Rogan & “G” as they attempted to stop a mad scientist and his zombie creations. With ridiculous levels of gore for a video game, hilarious moments and plenty of action, The House of the Dead has been remembered by many as one of the best arcade games of all time, even proving famous enough for a recent remake.

2 Night Slashers

Game FAQ Score: 3.67/5

Another beat-em-up over a light-gun shooter, Night Slashers, was for up to three players and featured characters such as a martial artist and a vampire hunter, moving sideways through a series of stages to reach increasingly powerful bosses. With minimal story but plenty of fun combat and gameplay, Night Slashers became a memorable beat-em-up arcade game.

The various monsters, zombies being one of the most common, appeared at random from doorways and entrances as well as from either side, meaning players had to keep their heads on a swivel. Night Slashers has been well-remembered because of the stylish music and the enjoyably campy style of the characters.

1 The House Of The Dead 2

Game FAQ Score: 3.69/5

The best-loved of the infamous House of the Dead series is the second main game. After solving any issues with the style of the first game, the development team were able to go even bigger and weirder in the sequel, which helped truly define the zombie games of the era.

The House of the Dead 2 was set in Italy, where AMS agents were sent to investigate a new zombie outbreak. With more branching paths to be explored in different playthroughs and some crazy voice acting, this sequel has been remembered as one of the most lovable arcade games ever, especially for zombie fans. While the genre might not be as popular as it once was, games like this still reignite the passion in fans for arcade games, helping remember what made them so lovable.

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