Introduced by Capcom in 1988, the CPS-1 — Capcom Play System — was a modular arcade platform designed for coin-op venues, built around a common motherboard and game-specific ROM boards. It debuted with Forgotten Worlds and quickly became one of the most recognisable technical foundations of Japanese arcade gaming between the late 1980s and early 1990s, in a market dominated by manufacturers such as Sega, Namco, Konami, Irem and SNK.

Its architecture used a Motorola 68000 as the main CPU, supported by a Zilog Z80 for sound management. 2D graphics were its great strength: a typical resolution of 384×224 pixels, numerous sprites, smooth multi-layer scrolling and a broad palette, with up to 4096 colours on screen according to commonly reported specifications. Audio relied on Yamaha chips and different solutions depending on the revision, delivering FM music, punchy effects and sampled sounds.

The CPS-1 gave Capcom a flexible platform for action games, fighting games, beat ’em ups and shooters, laying the groundwork for the worldwide success of Street Fighter II. There are no consolidated public figures for the number of units distributed, but its commercial impact in arcades was enormous. Its legacy lives through games such as Forgotten Worlds, Ghouls ’n Ghosts, Strider, Final Fight, UN Squadron, Captain Commando, The King of Dragons and Street Fighter II.