SEGA-GENESIS Action Beat 'em Up 1994

Alien vs. Predator

Reviewed by Marcus Webb & Elena Castillo · Updated June 2025

Capcom's 1994 CPS-2 arcade beat-em-up and the definitive AvP game — Alien vs. Predator features three-player co-op with two Predators (Hunter and Warrior) and two humans (Dutch's niece Linn Kurosaki and Lt. David Gibson) fighting through Alien hordes in a large-scale urban environment, with distinct character abilities and the series' iconic weapon set.

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💡 Alien vs. Predator — Key Facts

→ Alien vs. Predator was developed by Capcom and published by Capcom
→ Released in 1994 on SEGA-GENESIS
→ Genre: Action, Beat 'em Up
→ We rate it 9.1/10 — an absolute classic
→ Capcom's 1994 CPS-2 arcade beat-em-up and the definitive AvP game — Alien vs. Predator features three-player co-op with two Predators (Hunter and Warrior) and two humans (Dutch's niece Linn Kurosaki and Lt. David Gibson) fighting through Alien hordes in a large-scale urban environment, with distinct character abilities and the series' iconic weapon set.

Overview

Predator Hunter in an Alien-infested city. Plasma caster leveled at an approaching Xenomorph. Three players in the arcade, each controlling a different character through eight stages.

Capcom’s Alien vs. Predator is the best game either franchise produced. That statement is largely uncontested.

The CPS-2 Aliens

The hardware that produced Street Fighter Zero put enormous Alien sprites on screen. Not the smaller enemies of the SNES version — full-scale Xenomorphs, multiple simultaneously, with the fluid animation that the franchise’s creature designs required.

The Queen boss filled the screen. The Predalien hybrid appeared as the kind of encounter that the franchise’s creature mythology promised. The visual fidelity to the H.R. Giger aesthetic — the biomechanical architecture, the acid blood spray on defeat — was achievable on CPS-2 hardware in 1994 in ways that home console hardware couldn’t match.

The Predator Combat

Two Predator characters. Plasma caster as a ranged attack — the shoulder-mounted weapon that defined the franchise visually. Wristblades as the melee primary. The Predator cloak as a defensive tool.

Playing as a Predator in an Alien beat-em-up resolved the premise that the franchise title promised. The two species encounter had been the Dark Horse Comics concept; the game made it playable from both sides. Linn and Gibson provided human alternatives, but Predator Hunter was the character that most players at the arcade cabinet chose first.

Three Players

The arcade capacity was the social feature: three separate cabinets sharing one play session, three different characters simultaneously, the chaos of a three-player beat-em-up with Alien hordes at a scale that two-player home ports couldn’t replicate.

The game designed encounters around the three-player dynamic. Enemy count scaled for the group. Bosses required the combined output of three characters working simultaneously. The arcade architecture that Final Fight used for two players, AvP used for three.

Our Review

9.1

Outstanding / 10

🎮

Gameplay

★★★★★

🎨

Graphics

★★★★★

🎵

Audio

★★★★★

🔄

Replay

★★★★★

Gameplay

Alien vs. Predator is a side-scrolling beat-em-up for up to three simultaneous players featuring four characters: Predator Hunter (cloak, plasma caster, wristblades), Predator Warrior (different Predator loadout), Linn Kurosaki (human martial artist with sword), and Lt. David Gibson (human soldier with military attacks). Eight stages fighting through an Alien-infested city. Each character has weapons including firearms — Predators have their iconic plasma casters, humans have military firearms. Special moves consume health as a resource. The Alien enemies range from Facehuggers to Warriors to Predaliens as boss. CPS-2 hardware provides the largest sprites and smoothest animation of any Capcom beat-em-up.

Graphics

Alien vs. Predator's CPS-2 visuals are the most impressive of any Capcom beat-em-up — enormous character sprites, detailed Alien enemy designs, and large boss Aliens that fill the screen. The H.R. Giger-influenced Alien aesthetic translates effectively to the beat-em-up format.

Audio

The soundtrack blends atmospheric tension with action pacing — the Alien franchise's sci-fi horror tone is maintained while accommodating the beat-em-up's energetic combat requirements. Enemy death sounds are appropriately visceral.

Replayability

Four distinct characters with different weapon systems, three-player simultaneous, eight stages of escalating Alien encounters, and special move mastery provide substantial replay.

Historical Significance

Alien vs. Predator (1994 arcade) is widely considered the best game using either license from that era. The CPS-2 hardware allowed larger sprites and more enemies on screen than the SNES AvP adaptation (which we have in the catalog). Three-player co-op was the arcade's social feature. The game appeared before the Alien vs. Predator film franchise (AvP 2004 film) — it was based on the Dark Horse Comics series rather than any film. The Capcom AvP is the most critically acclaimed AvP game across all media.

✅ Pros

+ CPS-2 peak Alien and Predator sprite work
+ Three-player simultaneous arcade co-op
+ Plasma caster and wristblades for Predator characters
+ Predalien and Queen Alien as climactic bosses
+ Best AvP game in any medium

❌ Cons

- No home port — arcade-only since 1994
- License complications from Fox/Disney prevent re-release
- Three-player co-op harder to replicate in home settings
- Some Alien hordes require resource management of health-consuming specials

Also Known As

AvP Arcade CapcomAlien vs Predator Capcomエイリアンvsプレデター

Alien vs. Predator FAQ

How do the four playable characters differ?

Alien vs. Predator's four characters divide between Predator species and human fighters. Predator Hunter is the more powerful of the two Predators — heavier attacks, the shoulder plasma caster as a ranged weapon, wristblade melee. Predator Warrior is the faster Predator — less raw power than Hunter but quicker movement and different wristblade attack animations. Linn Kurosaki is the human female martial artist — fastest movement in the game, a sword for melee, lighter attacks with greater speed. Lt. David Gibson is the human soldier — firearms-focused with military attack sets that differ from Linn's melee emphasis. Predators have natural advantages in individual attack power; humans compensate with greater mobility and different weapon access.

What enemies appear in Alien vs. Predator?

The enemy roster covers the Alien franchise's biological hierarchy. Facehuggers appear in early stages as swarming low-health enemies that attach to characters if they make contact. Alien Warriors are the game's standard enemies — the bipedal Xenomorphs from the films, appearing in large groups. Alien Runners (dog-like Aliens from Alien 3) appear in specific stages with different movement patterns. The Predalien — an Alien-Predator hybrid — appears as a major boss. The Alien Queen is the final boss, filling the screen with the franchise's most iconic creature. The enemy progression from small Facehuggers through massed Warriors to the Queen creates escalating encounters across eight stages.

How does the arcade AvP differ from the SNES Alien vs. Predator?

Capcom produced two separate Alien vs. Predator games: the 1993 SNES game and the 1994 CPS-2 arcade game. The SNES game is the platform action game where a Predator fights alone through stages — a single character, platforming elements, different structure. The 1994 arcade game is a three-player beat-em-up with four character choices including human characters. The arcade game is generally considered superior and is what most people refer to as 'the Capcom AvP game.' The arcade version uses CPS-2 hardware producing significantly larger and more detailed sprites than the SNES could produce. Both games are separate products based on the Dark Horse Comics AvP series.

Is Capcom's Alien vs. Predator available on modern platforms?

Capcom's Alien vs. Predator arcade game has not received an official modern re-release. The Alien and Predator licenses are both held by Disney (Fox acquisition), and licensing both franchises for a game requires coordination that has not occurred. The game runs in MAME emulation and can be played through that route. Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle (2018) included seven Capcom beat-em-ups but not AvP, presumably due to the license costs. Physical arcade PCB boards exist for collectors. Modern AvP gaming includes Alien: Isolation (2014, Creative Assembly) for the Alien franchise, and the AvP franchise has not received a major game since Aliens vs. Predator (2010, Rebellion).