Seeing as we need a breath of fresh air with new topics and shit, I figured I’d get everyone’s opinion on their favorite beat 'em ups. After all, there’s just something about getting a dude and just wailing on everything in sight.
A few of my favorites:
Streets of Rage 2:
Nothing like the classic game that’s generally considered one of the best. I still play it from time to time, and it’s just so fun. Helps that it has crazy good music and lots of stages. Also, who can forget the fat guys at the baseball stadium that belch fire? Madness.
Warriors Orochi 2
More of a guilty pleasure for me, but fun nonetheless. The game gives you a ton of characters to play around with, and I kinda like the ability to switch between 3 characters at a time. Quite a few scenarios to play around with also. I’ll mention Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 as well, since it’s a fairly similar game. It does some crap I don’t care for though, but it’s a MUCH more difficult game on Hard-8, since commanders suddenly become near God-like, and love to block everything you throw at 'em.
TMNT IV: Turtles in Time
Another classic worth playing. Personally, I played the 3rd game a lot more, but IV has some nicer features, and it was a lot more fun to play Co-op. Plus, you can throw enemies at the screen!
Dungeon Fighter Online
Basically what I’ve been playing for a while now. It invokes memories of some of those classic beat 'em ups, while adding RPG elements and lots of skills. It really is a great game, and has an interesting story, but the US version is a bit lacking in content compared to other countries that have the game (notably Japan and Korea).
Name: Double Dragon
Publisher: Taito Corporation
Platform: Sega Master System
Year: 1987
One of the first games I ever played… and with good reason I got addicted (always played 2 player with my brother.) The best part had to be jumping on to ledges, or raised platforms! It was so freakin hard with the controls! xD Also who doesn’t love throwing barrels at big muscly, fat guys!
Name: Golden Axe
Publisher:Telenet Japan
Platform: PC (DOS)
Year: 1989
One of the best beat-em-up’s of all time! Endless hours of fun! Some of the best moments have to be chasing those little green and blue chipmunk things for health and mana! xD …and from what I remember you can also hurt your ally (that was hilarious!) especially when jump onto a beast and reak havoc! Good times… good times!
I would have to say Xmen Mutant Apocalypse is my favorite. I still can’t beat it. I always get stuck after fighting Exodus, either at destroying the generators or fighting Magneto.
Roomate from last year had a small arcade cabinet and luckily managed to nab a B Rap Boys board from god-knows-where. Dated, but fun as hell and the soundtrack is fucking TASTY. Infuriating at times, though. Especially the first mecha battle (towards the end of the video)
If Legend of Mana counts then that one for sure, since that game was awesome. It’s been a very long time since I’ve played it.
Turtles in Time is a classic, and probably my top favourite in terms of beat 'em ups. Also River City Ransom for the NES was pretty cool too. A lot of beat 'em ups blur together for me, but they are generally a fun type of game to play and probably one of my more preferred genres given there are people to play with.
OK, on a more serious note now, I always thought that Dark Stalkers was a cool idea, with great character designs. (The anime based on it, not so much.) In general I never cared much for Fighters because I don’t have the skills to play them, but Capcom’s games always had great designs- I used to hang out in arcades watching OTHER people play them! (Sometimes I’d even give them quarters. )
Final Fight
The Simpsons
X-Men
The original Turtles Arcade and the SNES Turtles in Time (haven’t played the original arcade, butif it’s anything like the 360 rerelease than it can just fuck right off)
Castle Crashers
Joe and Mac
Double Fucking Dragon
Double Fucking Dragon II
Bloody Roar
SF II, IV
Soul Blade
Soul Calibur
Sonic Blast Man
Killer Instinct
Sunset Riders
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