Since launching its interactive entertainment division in 1973, Midway Games has given players dozens of bangers. While the company went defunct in 2010, it still lives on, largely via Warner Bros. That said, the list below only includes games directly developed or published by Midway Games. Thankfully, there are plenty to choose from, which makes narrowing the list down to just six games a difficult task. To help, I’ll only select one game per series. While Mortal Kombat might warrant multiple selections, let’s make this list a little more interesting.
With that explanation out of the way, here are the six best games from Midway.
6) Ms. Pac-Man
The original Pac-Man was made and published by Namco in most regions. Technically, Midway handled publishing in North America and France, but I don’t think it’s fair to slide it onto this list via that technicality. However, Midway helped develop and was the main publisher of Ms. Pac-Man, making it an easy selection.
As you’d expect from the sequel to Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man was a massive hit. Granted, there aren’t too many differences between the two games, but things like new music and semi-random movement from the ghosts helped freshen things up. Regardless, Ms. Pac-Man grossed over $1 billion during the ’80s, so it has to make the list.
5) Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
Despite earning solid review scores, Psi-Ops struggled to get many players, which is why a planned sequel never happened. Don’t let that hold you back from checking it out if you have the means, though. This third-person action-adventure is worth a playthrough to see all of the inventive ways Midway used Nick Scryer’s mind powers.
Between using telekinesis to throw objects, draining enemies’ brains for psi-energy, and using mind control, you can quickly turn the tide of battle. And that’s just scratching the surface of what’s possible in this mind-bender adventure. Sure, it feels more like a tech demo at times, but it’s a tech demo everyone should try.
4) John Woo Presents: Stranglehold
Look, I don’t have to tell you that slow motion in video games is rad. We’ve all played Max Payne. Or seen The Matrix. You understand why being a police officer who can control the flow of time itself would be cool.
What takes Stranglehold a step up is that it’s the literal sequel to John Woo’s Hard Boiled. That 1992 classic is one of the best action games of all time, so bringing Chow Yun-fat back to reprise his role for an excellent video game was a treat for fans.
Unfortunately, we never got the rumored Gun Runner sequel, but that doesn’t mean Stranglehold isn’t awesome. Using Tequila Yuen to dive around each level and use “gun ballet” to murder all of the baddies is best described as art. When you start to understand the intricacies of the Stranglehold’s system, you’ll feel like you’re choreographing Hollywood fights.
3) NFL Blitz 2000
I was very close to putting Blitz: The League on this list. Something is alluring about a game that replicates the seedier side of sports. Both The League games refuse to pull punches, making them incredibly fun stories to play through, but the on-field gameplay leaves something to be desired.
While NFL Blitz 2000 doesn’t let you inject your players with steroids or buy them special massage sessions, it is one of the best arcade sports games of all time on the gridiron. This hard-hitting action isn’t for everybody. If you want to simulate football, you’ll want to steer clear. However, Blitz 2000 lets you blow up your opponent’s receivers whenever you want, leading to some truly ridiculous gameplay.
Best of all, the home version was largely on par with the arcade version (which goes by NFL Blitz ’99). You probably didn’t want to pick it up on PC, Game Boy Color, or Dreamcast, but Nintendo 64 and PlayStation players were in for a treat. That wasn’t as rare by 1999, but it’s still worth recognizing that console players weren’t missing out on too much.
2) NBA Jam Tournament Edition
NBA Jam Tournament Edition is the best version of the original NBA Jam. I think you could argue for NBA Hangtime to get a spot on this list on the strength of its character-creator and “career” mode, but TE is the pick for NBA Jam heads.
This version of Jam adds a third player to the mix. That doesn’t mean the on-court action is upped to 3v3, but you can sub in that third player to add even more strategy to the on-court action. You can start with two offensive-minded players and then sub in a great defender once you get up big. It’s a small, but very important change.
On top of that, the “Tournament” mode removes computer assistance, turning NBA Jam TE into a totally skill-based game. Toss in new players from the ’94 draft and the inclusion of a few Mortal Kombat characters as hidden ballers, and you have the best Jam game of them all.
1) Mortal Kombat 3
A Mortal Kombat game almost had to top this list. Not only was it one of Midway’s best games at the time, but the studio’s legacy lives on through NetherRealm’s continued stewarding of the series. As much as I love NBA Jam, it’d feel weird to not have an MK game at the top of this list.
You could definitely argue between MK2 and MK3, but I slightly prefer the third game. Sure, some players didn’t love dropping characters like Scorpion and Kitana for that nerd Stryker, but most of the gameplay additions were great.
The Run meter and Chain combos took center stage. Additionally, a few levels were interactive, transitioning to a new stage via an uppercut. Animalities were much less important, but still a neat addition. Overall, MK3 is the best package, thanks in large part to Midway quickly dropping Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. It took the gameplay players loved in MK3 and added fan-favorite characters like Scorpion back into the mix, making it one of Midway’s best games.
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