Alien vs. Predator is a legendary 1994 beat ’em up developed by Capcom for the CPS-2 Arcade hardware. Set in a desperate future where Earth is overrun by Xenomorphs, the game lets you play as two cyborg humans (Major Dutch Schaefer and Lieutenant Linn Kurosawa) or two Predators (Hunter and Warrior). It stands out as one of the finest brawlers of its era, combining huge, beautifully animated sprites with deep combat mechanics and a relentless pace.
How to Play
Your objective is to fight your way through seven stages of alien swarms and rogue human soldiers, ending with a final boss fight against an Alien Queen. Each character has a unique fighting style and weaponry, ranging from Linn’s fast katana strikes to the Predators’ devastating spear attacks.
Standard Arcade controls apply: use the Arrow Keys to move your character, Z to Attack, X to Jump, and C to Shoot your ranged weapon (which relies on a cooldown meter). Press Enter to Start or insert a coin.
Tips
- Watch the Overheat Meter: Your ranged weapon (Shoot button) is incredibly powerful for crowd control, but firing too much will overheat it, leaving you vulnerable while it recharges.
- Master the Desperation Move: Pressing Attack and Jump simultaneously unleashes a powerful area-of-effect attack that clears surrounding enemies but drains a small portion of your health. Use it only when completely surrounded.
- Utilize Ground Strikes: Unlike many beat ’em ups, you can attack enemies while they are knocked down. Stand over them and mash the Attack button to get free extra damage before they recover.

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