5. 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.

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. 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.

2. Returnal (PS5)

Returnal 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. Its mysterious story melds brilliantly with the roguelike structure, and between that and the excellent gameplay, Returnal is a difficult game to put down — and that's before mentioning online co-op, daily challenges, and the highly replayable Tower of Sisyphus.

1. Balatro (PS5)

Balatro puts an ingenious roguelike spin on poker, and it plays unlike anything else. Each run has you using poker hands to score a points target, but the real fun comes when you start to build upon your deck of playing cards with an enormous variety of modifiers, upgrades, and augmentations. The ways that all its various mechanics intertwine create huge potential for outrageously powerful synergies, and watching the numbers tot up as your regular hand is boosted by special Jokers and card effects is incredibly satisfying. There's lots of stuff to collect, difficulty levels to conquer, and challenges to complete. There's a reason it's one of 2024's breakout hits — it's a fantastic, unique roguelike.

Did we earn a top score with our list of best arcade games on PS5? Remember, this is voted for by the Push Square community, so if you don't agree, then it's up to you to do something about it. You can find a search box at the start of this article which will help you to rate your favourite, or, alternatively, you can click on the star next to any of the above games to add your opinion. And if a game is missing from our PlayStation Game Database, be sure to let us know.

In the meantime, all that's left for you to do is to share some of your comments and opinions on the best arcade games on PS5? Which is the title that you keep coming back to? Imprint your initials below.