Best Arcade Games on PS5

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (PS5)

The retro-reviving masters at Digital Eclipse have compiled the Cowabunga Collection, a game comprising pretty much all the beloved TMNT games from back in the day. Each game has save and rewind features as well as custom button mapping, and some have even been updated with full online play, bringing these old school titles into the 21st century. With some true arcade classics, there's a huge amount of turtle-tainment to be had here, and that's before you get into the behind-the-scenes stuff — development art, sketches, and TMNT-related media is thrown in too.

4. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (PS5)

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a brilliant remake of two incredibly impactful games. The skateboarding series might have been scraping its knees for a while, but this new version puts it right on track, updating the PS1 classics to modern standards while keeping that old-school, arcadey magic alive. The PS5 version is a great update, too, enhancing the title with super smooth performance, 4K resolution, reduced loading, and some subtle usage of DualSense's features. If you're a long-time fan, this is pure joy.

3. Guilty Gear Strive (PS5)

The PS5's first native fighting game has set the bar very, very high. Guilty Gear Strive is a superb brawler, bolstered by jaw-dropping visuals and the best online netcode that we've ever experienced in a fighting game. A relatively small but brilliantly diverse character roster allows for a deep and hugely rewarding experience, while accessible gameplay mechanics on a base level pave the way for new players. A stunning beat-'em-up backed by an incredible heavy rock soundtrack.

2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (PS5)

Inspired by the many beloved TMNT games of yesteryear, Shredder's Revenge is a wonderful beat-'em-up that blends old and new for a turtle-y refreshing experience. You can of course play as the reptilian quartet, but Splinter, April O'Neil, and an unlockable Casey Jones all join the fight too, each with unique stats. The game features gorgeous pixel art with superb animations, as well as an excellent soundtrack and varied, enjoyable stages to fight through. With co-op either locally or online, this is an incredibly enjoyable game to play with some pals and pizza.

1. Returnal (PS5)

Not that it needed to, but with Returnal, Housemarque has proven itself an incredibly capable studio. This PS5 exclusive is a frantic, ultra-tight third person shooter dressed up with some rogue-like elements to add variety and unpredictability to the mix, and the result is wonderful.

Trapped in a loop on a hostile alien world, Selene is forced to relive her fateful crash landing each time she dies. There's an amazing sense of accomplishment as you slowly progress through challenging boss encounters and explore six diverse environments full of randomised weapons, perks, and power-ups. It feels amazing to play, especially with amazing support for the DualSense's features, and the addictive gameplay is complemented by an enigmatic story that will leave you guessing.

The best part is that's just the start. A slew of additional modes flesh out Returnal, giving you a few extra ways to play when you're done with the single player campaign. The daily challenge mode provides all players with a fixed loadout and room layouts, with the goal of amassing the highest score possible by exploring and playing skilfully. Beyond that is the Tower of Sisyphus, an endless arcade mode that similarly tasks you with getting the highest score you can, only there's more of a sense of urgency. You're rewarded not just for skilled play but for fast play — your multiplier will start to tick down if you loiter for too long. The Tower also contains additional story, adding more layers to the mysterious narrative the main game offers.

Finally, there's two-player online co-op. This allows you to join or invite another player and go through the main campaign with a companion, potentially alleviating some of the challenge. While it isn't the primary focus of Returnal, the co-op works splendidly; resources are shared between you, forcing you to make decisions on who gets what, and a revival mechanic lets you bring each other back into the fight. It's just as much fun taking on the world of Atropos with a friend as it is alone, if not more so.

Whether you're in it for the world class gameplay, the atmospheric sci-fi setting, the intentionally mysterious story, or the variety of extra modes, Returnal is among the most robust, rewarding, and addictive games on PS5.