Amid the great Wii, 3DS, and DS drought of early 2011, I’ve been revisiting sprite-based classics, mostly on my backlit GBA “Special.” One I’m particularly fond of: River City Ransom EX (original also on WiiWare).
Thanks to its genuinely funny script (“Cool it, Bro!”), diverse combat, and RPG-like leveling, I think it might be one of the greatest beat ’em ups, ever. Although the characters are likable, the story arch doesn’t quite pull me in like other beat ’em ups. Either way, a sequel is in the works.
That said, what would you rank as one of the most playable beat ’em ups ever, particularly ones that stand the test of time? River City? Turtles in Time? Streets of Rage 2? TMNT on Game Boy? Something else?
TMNT in Time and Double Dragon?
Final Fight, Simpsons Arcade and Golden Axe. And I know it wasn't perfect, but I loved the solo adventure in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
if soul calibur counts as a beat em up
Streets of Rage or Golden Axe!
I love Rivercity Ransom, I have it on the VC. But I'm going to have to say I like Final Fight series.
I'd have to say Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Brothers Melee. The combat in this game is deceptively simple, and extremely deep.
arkham asylum
The Super Smash Bros. Brawl series, hands down. None other has ever matched it's level, except for Streets of Rage. Sorta. But that's my opinion.
Super Smash Brothers isn't a beat 'em up at its core, it's a fighter. However, the series did have that adventure mode with side-scrolling portions, but it's without a doubt not the main appeal.
With that note, Street Fighter 4 is the best beat 'em up of all time.
Uhhhm………………………………………………………………. would Paper Mario be considered a "Beat-em'-up? I like all of the series…
I think a beat-'em-up could be described as a game in which you continually walk in one direction fighting oncoming enemies, and usually reach an invisible barrier which won't let you keep going until you've cleared out the area.
Okay, I've got a great one…
Karateka for Apple 2.
smash bros.
i really wanna see one on the 3ds as well. i reckon it is powerful enough to do it.
a lot of good ones listed already. here are some that are not:
Super Double Dragon (snes) *my vote for the best of all time*
kung fu master (arcade)
bad dudes (arcade)
renegade (arcade)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox)
x-men (arcade)
legend of mystical ninja (snes)
altered beasts (arcade)
a couple more:
gladiator (arcade)
rygar (arcade)
@dan
i'm a little confused with your comment. you said smash bros (i'm assuming we're talking the latest one) isn't a 'beam-em-up', yet it has the subspace emissary mode, which would qualify it just as much as any other game mentioned. yet you said sf4 is the best one, but it has no 'beat-em-up' mode at all? if anything sf4 is strictly a fighter.
"Karateka for Apple 2."
We have a winner!!!!!
My personal favorite would have to be Battletoads….well maybe not the racing levels…those were just plain hard.
I'd be disinclined to consider fighting games (Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, etc.) as beat 'em ups/brawlers. They are two distinct genres, but not necessarily incompatible (there are tons of hybrid or crossover titles).
In other news, as far as the actual question for this post is concerned, I definitely say River City Ransom is the best designed beat 'em up of all time, but for pure entertainment value both TMNT The Arcade Game and Turtles In Time. Battle Toads is definitely a serious contender, too.
SOR2 and SoR
Altered beast
TMNT 2 and IV
there you go
Double Dragon Advance, Double Dragon II, Double Dragon III, Super Double Dragon. I am still waiting on the Virtual Console for the 2 player Double Dragon games!
The Soul Calibur series have been my favorite fighters, but I'm not sure they count as "beat 'em ups"…
If not, then I will nominate the recent Scott Pilgrim as the best beat 'em up of all time!
A great polygonal beat-em- up: The Bouncer for PS2. Shortest Squaresoft game ever, but lots of fun.
I have to agree with Hywatta, Double Dragon on gameboy and Double Dragon II (the 3rd was cool but gets too hard after a while) on Nes are some real good memories.
Besides Nintendo i have to go with the Golden Axe serie.
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