Topic: Your Favorite Beat 'Em Ups of All Time

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Since the old thread was locked...

I know there are others besides myself who are still interested in this great genre of video games. What are your favorites? Do you have a top 5? Top 10?

Here are my top 10 favorite Beat 'Em Ups of all time: (get ready for some reading)

#10 - The Simpsons (Konami, 1991, Arcade): Konami was on fire with these classic arcade brawlers back in the day! I gotta tell you, it was kind of tough deciding where to rank X-Men, TMNT, and this one. Ultimately, I like The Simpsons arcade game a little better than those because it just feels like so much love and polish went into making it not only a fast and frenetic Beat 'Em Up, but also an incredibly faithful and celebratory tribute to the T.V. series at the time. It also has quite a bit more depth in the combat and the different things you can do than those other two. I own it on XBLA and it's still a blast to play, even if you're by yourself. I mean, who doesn't love flipping police cars over, pegging zombies with a sling shot, beating up on living donuts and flying saxophones, using Bart as a melee weapon while playing as Homer, and competing against your teammates for extra points in zany minigames at the end of certain stages? This game is just plain fun, and since the T.V. show will probably never die, this game will have that much more staying power.

#9 - Double Dragon Neon (WayForward, 2012, Xbox Live Arcade): EGM scored it 90/100, Joystiq gave it a 4.5 out of 5, and Destructoid a 9/10. Neon is not a true sequel so much as it is a remake (of sorts) of the original Double Dragon, as well as a hilarious and loving tribute to the genre and to all things 80's. That being said, it is also a great game in its own right. I'm thankful that it didn't stop at being just a funny, nostalgic romp down memory lane. It also features the same tight controls and smooth combat of classic Double Dragon, and adds a whole lot of new elements too (e.g. item shops, upgradeable attacks, new game plus, etc). But man, the humor and references in this game are excellent and really put this one over the top. WayForward did a fantastic job of bringing back everything fun about classic Beat 'Em Ups while keeping the gameplay fresh and the 80's dude-bro comedy plentiful. High five me, bro!

#8 - Streets of Rage 3 (Sega, 1994, Sega Genesis): The mighty "Bare Knuckle" series, as it's known in Japan, epitomizes everything I love about the Beat 'Em Up genre. Streets of Rage 3 is the game that competes with Final Fight 3 for "most technically impressive brawler" in the SNES/Genesis era, and although it came out a solid year and a half before Fight 3, I think it is the far superior game of the two. Really, Fight 3 just tried to emulate everything SoR3 already did, such as: dashing, dashing attacks, the power meter for super moves, and four playable characters. As a matter of fact, this game did some great things which most brawlers that came years after it didn't do. Things like: the vertical dodge maneuver, multiple endings, special attacks with weapons, the ability to kick-throw enemies who grab you from behind, and secret unlockable characters (Shiva is a beast). They even ramped up the speed of the game, making the action much more fast-paced and intense than its predecessors. Let's face it, friends... say what you will about Streets of Rage 3 being more of the same and not quite as good as SoR2, but there are few beat em ups that approach this level of quality across the board.

#7 - Knights of the Round (Capcom, 1994, SNES): The coin-op released in 1991 and... nobody played it. It's all about the stellar SNES port here, guys. And thankfully, it was just as good as its arcade forebear. I greatly appreciate that the characters' armor and weapons actually level up throughout the course of the game, and even change appearance. Another fun aspect is that you can steal kills from your friend so that you will level up quicker. The hack 'n' slash action is very satisfying, you can defend from oncoming attacks (rare to see in a brawler), and most of the bosses had great designs and were appropriately intimidating.

#6 - Double Dragon II: The Revenge (Technos, 1989, NES): Step aside arcade version, it's all about the exceptional NES game this time around! I think this is the game that got me hooked on Beat 'Em Ups. I actually owned this one growing up (unlike the original Double Dragon), so I have a lot of playtime logged on it. It is vastly improved over the first NES game, largely because it actually offers two-player co-op. I remember a lot of frustrating moments when either myself or my brother would get sucked out of the trap door on that blasted helicopter stage (Mission 3), or after missing a timed jump onto one of those infernal disappearing platforms in the Mansion of Terror only to fall to our death (Mission 6). And let's not forget the "Mode A" and "Mode B" options before starting the campaign. Mode B, of course, turned on friendly fire which meant that you could "accidentally" uppercut your teammate off a cliff (sorry, bro). Ah the memories.

#5 - Castle Crashers (by The Behemoth, 2008, Xbox Live Arcade): This lowly indie game-turned-mega-hit revived my passion for Beat 'Em Ups that had laid dormant for almost a decade. The art design is beautiful, the soundtrack is suitably epic and catchy, the combat is clever, the co-op is fantastic, the humor made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion... this is one of those masterpiece games that only comes around every so often. You don't have to like brawlers to enjoy Crashers immensely, which pretty much says everything about it. This is an amazing game, period. A few other highlights for me: the "death matches" at the end of each boss fight, which basically forced you to fight it out with your teammates over who would get the kiss from the princess; the "animal orbs" which you could find sprinkled throughout the game, each one having its own unique perk (special attack, item radar, stat enhancer, etc) as it followed you around in battle; the crazy-silly weapons you could equip, such as the lollipop, the leafy twig, the playdo pasta maker, and the lobster (that's right, the lobster). One last thing needs to be said... Green Knight rules!

#4 - Super Double Dragon (Technos, 1992, SNES): This is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of the series. All the DD games are great, but this one tops the rest in nearly every category. There are those who are turned off by the game's slower pace, but I didn't feel it was a detriment in the slightest, and a few key elements make it a real standout for me over other brawlers. First, the guard ability. With this, not only could you defend against attacks (ala River City Ransom), but it was the first time in a brawler (that I know of) where, if you timed your guard right, you could catch your enemy's punch or kick and then punish them accordingly by pummeling them while they stood helpless. But enemies could block YOU too! This added a whole new depth of strategy that most brawlers of the day simply didn't have. Second, this was the first time that a super move meter was implemented effectively in a brawler. Once your meter filled, you could unleash super attacks, and your regular attacks could be briefly enhanced too. Third, this was the first Double Dragon game where Billy's and Jimmy's attack styles were differentiated (e.g. Billy had palm strikes, Jimmy used closed fists), and different hits actually produced different effects, such as simply knocking an enemy down versus sending them tumbling backward into other enemies. Needless to say, the depth provided for mixing up different attacks and combos was splendid. Furthermore, picking up weapons in this game actually made you feel powerful and cool; you actually WANTED to use weapons, unlike most other Beat 'Em Ups of the day where weapons were just sort of an afterthought (ahem... Final Fight). Add to everything some spectacular music and sound effects, and I really feel that this game outshines even most of today's Beat 'Em Ups. The graphics could have been better (for an SNES game), and the story was non-existent, but those are my only gripes.

#3 - Final Fight (Capcom, 1989, Arcade): Man alive, I loved playing this game at the arcade and on the SNES back in the day. The arcade version was released on Xbox Live Arcade as "Final Fight: Double Impact," which includes the original coin-op game with a few options for adjusting the graphics filters, listening to the original or "upgraded" soundtracks, earning achievements, and more. And the best part: the co-op is intact, both local and online drop-in. It's definitely the way to play the game now, if ever you are interested. As for the gameplay itself, it still holds up today. Punishing the Mad Gear gang with brutal throws, suplexes, and pile drivers never gets old. I still like the world, lore, and characters of Final Fight more than any other Beat 'Em Up that isn't a licensed game (such as the Ninja Turtles or Simpsons).

#2 - Streets of Rage 2 (Sega, 1992, Sega Genesis): Aah Streets of Rage... the Final Fight slayer. At least, that's what Sega was hoping for after Final Fight released on the SNES in 1991. The first Streets of Rage game didn't quite accomplish the task, but in came came Streets of Rage 2 a year later, and it DID top Final Fight 1 & 2 for a few reasons: it had four unique playable characters instead of Fight's three; each character had very different move sets as well as MORE moves than Fight 1 & 2; the music was vastly superior (thank you, Genesis sound chip) and the sound effects were also better; each character had two super attacks instead of one, and they were much cooler looking; and the final battle was much more epic. Why do I like Rage 2 better than Rage 3? Well, the story was better (even though you don't really play brawlers for their story); the Rage 2 soundtrack (more on that later); the character "Max" was infinitely better than his replacement in Rage 3; and finally, I thought the stages, bosses, and general atmosphere of the game were better and more memorable. Okay, so about the music and sound effects... there are two games on the Genesis that I consider to have the best soundtracks of any Genesis game, and Streets of Rage 2 is one them. That being said, the music in this game blows away the music in any other Beat 'Em Up of the 90's, as well as 99% of them today, with the exception of one game that comes close (the #1 on my list). The sound effects are cream of the crop; you can almost feel every punch, kick, and battle cry. Streets of Rage 2 might not have as much gameplay depth as some other beat em ups, but it doesn't need it. The core brawling mechanic is so perfectly balanced and precise, combined with the masterful soundtrack, the cool characters, boss fights, stages, and atmosphere, that things like leveling up your character or the ability to block against attacks are unnecessary. How does it get better than this?

#1 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (Konami, 1992, SNES): Here we are, my friends. 1992 was a glorious year for Beat 'Em Up fans; Turtles in Time released in August, Super Double Dragon in October, and Streets of Rage 2 in December of 92. I could go on and on about this particular game and why I love it, but instead I'll try to keep it brief: Playing as the Ninja Turtles. Fast-paced, manic action. Silky smooth combat. New added stages and bosses over the arcade version. Mode 7 graphics. Time trial and versus battle (two modes the arcade version didn't have). The ability to throw enemies at the screen intentionally, instead of it being random like in the arcade. Super Shredder as the final boss (unlike the arcade). A "comic book skins" option for the Turtles (again, unlike the arcade). A stunning soundtrack that rivals Streets of Rage 2's. Robot foot ninjas riding on horse back while battling atop a moving locomotive in the Wild West. Fighting over who gets the next pizza. "Big Apple, 3AM!" Mousers, cowabungas, sewer surfin'... brain explodes Heh, it sometimes feels like the only thing left out of Turtles In Time was the kitchen sink. Seriously though, I've had some great times playing and re-playing this over the years, and that's all I'm going to say.

That's it guys. How about you?

Addendum: Some honorable mentions... Alien Vs Predator (Arcade), Crime Fighters (Arcade), Ninja Warriors (SNES).