I was browsing the site looking for examples to inspire my next update when I stumbled upon this game by chance. I had never heard of it. The first images showed dinosaurs, Arabian djinn on flying carpets, Nazi zombies, and samurai — all in the same game. Pure madness packed into one arcade cabinet.

Spinal Breakers, released in 1990 by the now-forgotten Video System, looks at first like a Cabal knock‑off. But the difference lies in its pitch‑black soul: seven levels of post‑nuclear insanity where you fight monsters and soldiers possessed by Hildroids, artificial beings that evolved in the worst possible way.

And if you think it’s “just” tough, wait until you see the ending: you can save the world and your family only if you play perfectly. Otherwise, you end up infected… or worse, forced to kill your wife and daughter before turning the gun on yourself.
A “Game Over” you don’t easily forget.

And just look at the artwork in this ad — featuring a real actor, no less.

Those were the days.

Today, thanks to the Arcade Archives series, Spinal Breakers is back on Switch and PS4. It doesn’t cost much — but be warned: you’re not buying a pastime, you’re buying a piece of arcade nightmare.