Top Classic Beat ’em Up Games That You Need to Try

The series of posts regarding classic retro games continues, as the world of such games has been very generous to us! Even though a lot of young gamers nowadays wouldn’t conceive of playing retro games that were originally released for NES, SNES, or Sega Genesis consoles, those “ancient” games will remain forever in the hearts of older gamers.

Retro games such as those from the Double Dragon, Battle Toads, or MightyFinal Fight series have written history. The world of gaming nowadays would have probably been different if such games didn’t have the major impact they had back in the ’80s and ’90s.

Personally, I prefer long sessions of retro games from time to time, even though I mostly play what we now know as “modern games.” One of the reasons is that I grew up playing NES games such as Tank 1990, Super Mario Bros, Excite Bike, Battle Toads, and a lot more.

Streets of Rage

“Streets of Rage” is a beat ’em up game series developed by Sega and released for the Sega Genesis console. These games follow the exploits of three former cops: Axel Stone, Adam Hunter, and Blaze Fielding. Their mission is to clean up the crime-ridden streets of the city where they live.

Streets of Rage is a game series known for vibrant graphics for its time, tight controls, and immersive soundtracks.

Battletoads & Double Dragon

Battletoads & Double Dragon has easily been one of the best beat ’em up games for the legendary 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console. This was a crossover beat ’em up game in which you get to choose between five protagonist characters. You can be either a Double Dragon or a Battletoad member, and those characters come with their own fighting moves. The animations and gameplay mechanics particularly stand out for this game, as they were at a completely different level than what we knew so far in the gaming world of the NES console.

As you progress through the game, your job is to defeat hordes of enemies in all sorts of creative ways. There are even bosses waiting for you at the end of each level, while the final boss is the Dark Queen, who specializes in playing with fire.

Battletoads

Battletoads is another exciting beat ’em up game for NES that has delighted our childhood. However, this game is particularly hard to play, as the bosses and enemies will frequently give you a hard time. However, you’ll always have some aces up your sleeve as you play with Zack, Pimple, or Rash. Each of these Battletoads has powerful fighting techniques.

With each level in Battletoads, the game gets significantly harder, and your job will be to do your best to achieve victory. This game has also been highly praised and for good reasons. The action is great, the animation looks smooth and very alive to the point that the game doesn’t look like one created for the NES console, and the examples could continue.

Mighty Final Fight

Mighty Final Fight is another beat ’em up game that has a cartoonish and anime vibe. There are three protagonist characters that look as if they were taken straight out of anime. However, they possess exceptional fighting skills, and they won’t hesitate to teach some manners to various enemies who attack them in hordes. The boss battles are also present in Mighty Final Fight, giving an extra level of excitement to the game.

Depending on which character you choose to be, you will have the chance to perform different special moves on your opponents. Punches kicks, throws, and even energy waves exist in this game that can keep you glued to your console for hours.

Which one of the games mentioned above attracts you the most and why? Feel free to tell us in the comment section!