Aliens (Asia)

In 1990, Konami brought the terror of the Alien franchise to arcades with a fast-paced run-and-gun shooter simply titled Aliens. This Asia release is the same core game that hit cabinets worldwide, letting players step into the boots of a colonial marine fighting through hive-infested environments. The arcade hardware at the time delivered detailed sprite work and a dark, atmospheric soundtrack that captured the feel of the movies. As a quarter-munching arcade title, it was designed for quick sessions and high-score chasing, but its branching paths and weapon upgrades gave it surprising depth for the era.

You control a marine moving from left to right across side-scrolling stages, blasting Xenomorphs and other creatures with a standard pulse rifle. Along the way, you can pick up different weapons like flamethrowers and grenade launchers, each with limited ammo but distinct advantages. The game throws waves of enemies at you, from facehuggers to larger drones, and each stage ends with a boss encounter against a Queen or other classic foe. With two players, you can team up in simultaneous co-op, covering each other as the action gets more intense. The controls are simple: move, shoot, and jump, but positioning and ammo management matter as you push forward.

Today, Aliens holds up as one of the better arcade adaptations of the franchise, offering solid co-op gameplay and a faithful aesthetic that fans of the films will appreciate. It's not as deep as later run-and-gun titles, but its straightforward action and satisfying weapon progression make it easy to jump into. The Asia version plays identically to other regional releases, so there's no difference in content. If you enjoy classic side-scrolling shooters or want a cooperative challenge with a friend, this is a great pick from the early 90s arcade era.