Streets of Rage 4 was recently released, and many players have discovered (or rediscovered in some cases) a genre that defined an era in the world of video games: beat 'em ups. If you've never played one and want to rediscover some of the most important ones in history, check out this selection.
The best Beat'em up that you should not miss
Beat 'em ups, also known as brawlers, belt scrollers, or simply "one against the neighborhood ," are melee combat video games where the protagonists move through typically two-dimensional environments. In these environments, they encounter all sorts of enemies, whom they must pummel left and right until they reach the final boss.
Yes, a very simple mechanic that achieved great popularity during the 80s and 90s for many reasons. Well, now these games seem to be regaining some appeal thanks to releases like Streets of Rage 4 , a new installment that, without experimenting with controls or other mechanics, recaptures the best of the genre.
But this article is not about the Dotemu and Lizardcube game but about the great classics of the genre. We have compiled what for us are the best beat'em up games. You can also play many of them through the many emulators that currently exist for a wide variety of platforms.
Therefore, if you have never played any game of this type, you should. Because they are fast, because they are perfect for playing in company and because they are simply important history in the world of video games.
Double Dragon
Double Dragon is one of the great classics of the genre, a title that attracted a lot of attention for several reasons. One of them was the possibility of playing with another player, another was the ability to use enemy weapons, and also the ability to hold an enemy so your partner could attack them.
In summary, if you have to start with a game of this genre, let it be with this one. If you like it, know that there were more subsequent deliveries.
Final Fight
With an aesthetic reminiscent of the popular Street Fighter, Final Fight is considered by many to be one of the best in its genre. Graphically, it was among the best of its time, and its gameplay and other details captivated thousands of players who crowded around the arcade machine to watch others try to finish it—or not.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The best thing about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wasn't its graphics, gameplay, or difficulty level, which proved quite challenging for many. What really caught the attention of many of us was the option to play with up to three friends. It's true that with so many characters, it could sometimes be difficult to keep track, but it's a lot of fun.
Golden Ax
Although most beat 'em up games had a very urban setting, there were also different options like Golden Axe . Here, you could play as a barbarian, an amazon, or a dwarf; each with their own unique abilities and weapons. You could also ride creatures that allowed you to, for example, knock down enemies with their tails. Fun and highly recommended.
Knights of the Round
Knights of the Round offered a similar setting to Golden Axe, this time taking on the roles of Arthur, Lancelot, and Perceval. Each of these three knights possesses distinct abilities. Arthur is the most balanced, while Lancelot is fast but less strong, and Perceval is the complete opposite. With the option for three players to play simultaneously, there are seven levels to conquer.
Where to play the best beat em up
With a duration of approximately one hour for each of them, depending on your own ability with this type of titles, if you want to play them there are many options to do so.
The first option, as we mentioned, is using emulators , which you can run on a wide variety of platforms. The advantage of this is that they give you access to the original arcade versions. You can also play later versions for 8-bit and 16-bit consoles.
The second is to resort to the versions that were released for current consoles such as PS4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch. Here we find different pacos.
- Capcom Beat'em Up Bundle, is a pack for PS4 y Xbox One containing titles like Final Fight or Knight of the Round
- If you want to play Double Dragon is a own version for PS4 y Xbox One
- Golden Ax and other titles like Street of Rage 2 can be found in this other pack also available for PS4 y Xbox One
- Double Dragon, in its version for NES you can also play on the nintendo switch
In short, that by options it will not be and today you can play these classics of the genre that marked them again. Of course they are not the only ones, the genre gave a lot and there is a wide variety of options, some with more years behind them and others that seek to revive the genre today.