Beat 'em Ups (Including Switch List)

[BloodHawk]

Over the past year or two I have been getting back into the 2D side-scrolling Beat 'em ups and really enjoying it. However, when looking for other sites or resources on that genre I can't find much at all. I did find this old thread on the forums while searching but I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to resurrect a 13 year old thread so I figured I would make a new one.

I still love Shmups more, but I think in comparison Beat 'em Ups are less focused on score and more on survival which for me makes a more laid back experience. One mistake *usually* isn't going to ruin your entire run, and as long as you survived a section without taking too much damage you're okay. Stemming from arcade roots some of the older titles can definitely be cheesy as hell in order to get more of your money, but I have found that most of the later ones designed for PC/Consoles are better at keeping the cheese to a minimum.

Anyone else still stuck in the past like me with not only Shmups but Beat 'em Ups as well?

EDIT:

Since making this original post I found a few websites that look to be good resources:

PunchPedia
Beat 'em Up World
Arcade QuarterMaster
Side-Scrolling Beat 'Em Ups Mega Thread
Beat-em-up Hardcore Gaming 101 Reviews
Scrollboss

Other awesome threads from this board mentioned within this thread:

R2RKMF
Best Beat 'em Ups?
Final Fight Advice

I had a table that I was trying to upkeep with all of the Switch Beat 'em Ups that I knew off, but I figured it would be easier to just create a list on Deku Deals and share it:

List of Beat 'em Ups on Switch

Feel free to let me know which ones I am missing.

[Stevens]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=45206

That is the one you want. Enjoy.

[BloodHawk]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=45206

That is the one you want. Enjoy.

Thanks! I just saw the last page or two of that thread and didn't realize what R2RKMF meant

[Stevens]

No joke - that thread is probably the greatest resource on the entire internet when it comes to arcade style action games. There is a wealth of information in there.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Thanks! I just saw the last page or two of that thread and didn't realize what R2RKMF meant

It's kind of an in-joke. It's definitely the catch-all thread for classic run 'n gun action games as well as beat em ups.

[BIL]

Although it starts off Final Fight-centric, this thread has some excellent general discussion on beltscrolling.

Dammit, I had some really good Vludi/Hagane/Squire convos in the What Not Shmup megathread linked, for pending index in R2RKMF. But like a dumbass I didn't save the file. Will hunt 'em down.

[WelshMegalodon]

Stemming from arcade roots the older titles can definitely be cheesy as hell in order to get more of your money

Eh, I wouldn't be so sure. Capcom had very fair belt-scrollers as early as 1993, when they released The Punisher, and even The King of Dragons can be cheesed with relative ease if you pick the Wizard or the Elf.

What do you think, BIL? Are Kunio-kun and Double Dragon indeed "cheesy as hell"?

[iconoclast]

Beat 'em ups are way more forgiving in every way than shmups. Pretty much the entire genre is trash when it comes to score, with a few exceptions (and they still suck compared to loads of shmups), but they're great for 1CC collecting.



It be like that.

[Mischief Maker]

Why is Fight'n Rage so low?

[WelshMegalodon]

I'm more interested in learning why Infinite Combo Senshi Sailor Moon is so high...

[BareKnuckleRoo]

No Streets of Rage Remake, invalid tier list.

[BIL]

What do you think, BIL? Are Kunio-kun and Double Dragon indeed "cheesy as hell"?

Cheap, cheesy, cruel... I like to distinguish games that are assholic, obtuse and loaded with cheap shots, yet firmly masterable, like Final Fight, from true quarter-munchers, where even a hypothetical expert simply can't evade death, due to shoddy design. I'm not certain, but isn't T2: The Arcade Game literally impossible to finish on a single life? I could easily be wrong there, but that would be the sort of thing I mean.

I could see Kunio and DD1 being minor members of the first class. Kunio's relatively accessible by arcade action standards, I'd say. Particularly with it pitting you against seven enemies at once, per stage, with later foes sporting 1HKO weapons. It's also very short, so a 1CC's little obstacle - though it's obviously designed with extended loops in mind (see the stacking mugshots). Well-timed dash attacks deal with most problems.

Double Dragon is one bent game, almost feels like an escaped beta. Besides the titanic slowdown with more than two enemies onscreen, it's also easier than many prominent console-original beaters, if you exploit the infamous Spanish Archer. If you forego El Bow and "fight fair," outzoning and outboxing enemies, it's a reasonable game imo. (outside of those dumbass traps in the final stage)

I still consider DD1 a genre classic, played in this mode - the hybrid of martial prowess and skull-crushing carnage was never recaptured, even by the objectively superlative DD Advance.

DDII's better-balanced, moveset-wise, but its large enemies starting with the st2 boss can do 90% damage per hit, and will mow through your reserve lives until you learn to counter them. The final stage is likewise a total clusterfuck, if its waves aren't properly partitioned and speedkilled. Plus, there's another dumb terrain trap to wrangle. It's a simple game, but very unforgiving. Further along the scale to Final Fight.

That said, Final Fight is still way, way, way the hell harder than DD2, and objectively, I could see it being called cheap. It's gonna rifle your wallet, motherfucker! :O But again, I wouldn't call it a quarter-muncher, as you can most definitely wrestle it into 1LC submission with enough hard-earned (or particularly in our DIGITAL SUPERHIGHWAY age, hard-stolen ;3) expertise.

(not to knock internet-derived technique - something I often think of is that one JP superplayer - I'll have to look him up -'s comment that his Mushihimsama WR wasn't merely "his," but all of his arcade crew's combined insight. you totally miss that communal element, tackling these games alone on console, as we tend to in the West - the internet is the nearest we're gonna get to a substitute. beggars can't be etc etc)

Later Capcom beltscrollers feel a lot less cruel than FF to me. The Punisher is the usual example, but I don't think any of them are quite as blunt at destroying the novice player's face. They're certainly not walk-overs, though. Nearer to the happy medium of "hard but not cheesy," I suppose? I would say Metal Slug does this, compared to Super Contra, with its more responsive controls and less assholic stage design.

[Bassa-Bassa]

I'm more interested in learning why Infinite Combo Senshi Sailor Moon is so high...

This, please. Even if you leave apart the infinite combo thing.

Also, Pu Li Ru La sharing rank with stuff like Night Slashers, the D&D's, or The King of Dragons is gross, c'mon.

[BIL]

Couple of other good threads, from R2R_Index's current appendix:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=47609

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=51255

Vludi, Leandro, Hagane and Squire are my favourite shumps bros to read re: beltscrolling.

[iconoclast]

Why is Fight'n Rage so low?

It's way too long, and the balancing could be better on the highest difficulty (at least). Still a really good game though. (SoR4 is also way too long but I like that game more all around)

I'm more interested in learning why Infinite Combo Senshi Sailor Moon is so high...

This, please. Even if you leave apart the infinite combo thing.

Also, Pu Li Ru La sharing rank with stuff like Night Slashers, the D&D's, or The King of Dragons is gross, c'mon.

Sailor Moon is just Final Fight but better to me. Higher difficulty, more dangerous enemies (ie. more interesting encounters), a few extra mechanics for the player characters, a fast timer that keeps you moving, and it's one of the few bmups that isn't total shit for score (relatively speaking). The only thing it really lacks is more character variety, but you can't do much with Sailor Moon anyway. Still could've used a Haggar.

I think Warriors of Fate is the best designed game I've played, but I still put it behind Sailor Moon because it doesn't have the same bite. It's fairly easy to clear, so sometimes (with long games especially) the sections between the main chokepoints feel like filler because you're not going to die unless you screw up tremendously. That's one reason why I really liked Burning Fight - nearly every screen is dangerous, so it's engaging from start to finish. And it's the perfect length. Janky, but underrated.

Pu Li Ru La is just alright imo. It has great aesthetics, but the game is very simple and doesn't stay interesting for long. Unless you meant it sucks compared to those other games? I'm not big on them either, but I still like the C-tier games well enough. X-Men is the only bmup I've played that just sucks. It's pure nostalgia and aesthetics.

[WelshMegalodon]

Sailor Moon R has a bit more character variety, albeit at the cost of Minako and Makoto being head and shoulders above the other three in terms of reach and damage output.

[Stevens]

What do you think, BIL? Are Kunio-kun and Double Dragon indeed "cheesy as hell"?

I've reached 3-4 in Kunio. Not cheesy. The clock, 1hko, and speedy enemies do me in at that point.

[BIL]

I get the feeling Kunio was balanced for looping, with the game's sheer personality keeping players coming back after the first run-through. It's a hard game to put down after just one loop! I can only just reach late second/early third ATM, I'm a noob. Way the hell more suited to pick up n' play than DD1, that's for sure. Want that one's sole loop done quick, gotta bust out the Spanish Archer. Otherwise it's practically a sandbox martial arts exhibition.

Spoiler

^ Right leg hospital. Left leg cemetery.

Spoiler

^ Noob fucks don't know about my footwork!

Spoiler

^ Even bad boxing can work out favourably, on perilous ground!

Spoiler

^ Kicked in the temple and chucked down a pit, industrial misadventure par excellence

Feels good methodically demolishing chumps with perfectly-placed off-axis strikes and followup grapples. Even El Bow has a part to play! Try landing a couple knees, then releasing them with [away] - straight into a BOOM HEADSHOT elbow. But holy fuck do you need to work hard. >_< The basic strikes suck without perfect technique. Punches don't combo, relying on off-axis placement to land the full sequence. And the kick is too stubby to land from outside striking range, gotta drop it on 'em similarly. DD2 fixed this with its precision-stabbing sidekick, only mid/bosses can stuff it.

Spoiler

^ Your assclown cartwheels won't escape my shoe (｀ω´メ)

I think Warriors of Fate is the best designed game I've played, but I still put it behind Sailor Moon because it doesn't have the same bite. It's fairly easy to clear, so sometimes (with long games especially) the sections between the main chokepoints feel like filler because you're not going to die unless you screw up tremendously. That's one reason why I really liked Burning Fight - nearly every screen is dangerous, so it's engaging from start to finish. And it's the perfect length. Janky, but underrated.

Been thinking of picking up ACA Burning Fight. It's been in my box of battered ol' MVS carts forever, never got around to it. I like the heavy dude's seeming resemblance to #1 Garou badman Ryuji Yamazaki, some of those frames make me wonder if the same designers (or same inspirations) were involved.

Related, how I wish SNK had done more later beltscrollers. D: I enjoy Noise Factory's Sengoku 3 a lot, but what I want is Sam Sho X Warriors of Fate. Dreams of cutting ten zako the fuck in half with agonizingly freeze-framed B L A O W super chops. Sengoku 3's more in the genre's latter-day combo-crazy mode.

[Jeneki]

Pulirula is one of the few beatemups with an actual scoring system that meaningfully changes the way you approach the game. If nothing else I respect it for that.

[NYN]

I'll jump kick at the opportunity to ask the venerable brawlers summoned to this table before the next ineviatable bar fight:

What is to be thought about Double Dragon IV (2017)? Since it's fairly recently and staff and style is at least close to the originals in some way.

[XoPachi]

I could never get into beat em ups. But I like a handful of modern ones. Mainly Scott Pilgrim and Dragon's Crown. Actually, I think that's it. Unless Odin Sphere counts as one?
The more "classic" ones, I only ever give Powered Gear the time of day and that's mainly because "wow, cool robot".

[Bassa-Bassa]

Unless I'm missing something big, life recovery and bomb items are random, you get the pumpkins appear or you don't, and they don't ever compensate what you got. This alone should suffice to make score (and survival) competitions irrelevant, if you ask me. Pu Li Ru La's inputs for the special moves and weird enemy hitboxes aren't my definition of fun either, but yeah, there's a harvest aspect which I guess is unusual.

[Blinge]

Golden Axe II is still on my hitlist..

but the genre eludes me at a fundamental level

[Vludi]

Beat 'em ups' strength is that they are more about learning fundamentals (moveset and enemy behavior) than focusing on very specific setups like shmups, so they are a lot more appealing to return to and play semi-casually as they allow more improvisation and semi-random scenarios.
Last game I spent quite a bit of time playing was Fight 'n Rage and I liked it, I guess it can be criticized in that it's a bit derivative from other games (mostly Capcom and SoR), but I think it has enough to offer on its own, playing the game on Unfair difficulty + turbo speed is definitely one of the finest and most chaotic experiences in the genre. I think the only thing I'm not a big fan of is the console-style balancing with lots of extends yet outrageous final stages, kinda like SoR2, but even then it's nowhere near as bad as SoR2 in that aspect.

[pegboy]

What about Battletoads (arcade version)?

[BrianC]

Are the differences between the JP and US versions of X-Men and Simpsons enough to bump them up a tier?

[BIL]

What is to be thought about Double Dragon IV (2017)? Since it's fairly recently and staff and style is at least close to the originals in some way.

I was looking into DD4 recently, having slept on its release (as I did with basically every game, the past generation). The system expansions to the DD2FC engine appear DD Advance-inspired, which bodes excellently - Advance nailing the balance of modern combo options and bone-crushing oldschool impact. Its juggling is less for showboating, more for turning a stiff beating into a fatal one.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Look hon, I'm tryna kill motherfuckers here. When I wanna put on a show, I ain't gonna put +5 on Aerial Rave, I'm gonna bring a ball-peen, a roll of duck tape and a sturdy chair.

Only thing holding me back - I'm ambivalent on the cheap n' cheerful aesthetic, and honestly, I prefer that to something like Bloodstained ROTN's distracting polys - is unsettling talk of input lag, screen tearing and other technical badness. I'd just picked up the similarly Arcsys-published Kunio World Classics Collection, which besides lacking the superior JP version of DD2FC, also had some noticeably sluggish control response compared to my FC/NES carts. So I left it for the time being.

Hard gayming on modern console. When it works out, it's splendid. Capcom Belt Action Collection was a pleasant - and merciful! - surprise, and Hamster have done sterlingly with Technos's AC brawler canon. A lot of false alarms out there too, it seems - GameFAQs assclowns said PS4 SOTN has input lag, my fuckin ass it does.

But I get burned just often enough (SNK 40th Anniversary's shitty control bugs, Metal Slug XX's input lag) to prevaricate. Got enough on my plate anyway tbh. >_>

DD4 actually received a patch not too long ago, which makes me hopeful.

[Squire Grooktook]

Vludi, Leandro, Hagane and Squire are my favourite shumps bros to read re: beltscrolling.

<3

I'll take some time to ramble a bit and lay out some of my favorite recommendations and some thoughts on them and the genre!



As I've often talked about before, my favorite belt scrollers are Alien Vs Predator and Armored Warriors.

Alien Vs Predator is one of the closest things I've ever played to a "perfect" action game. It's got it all. Incredible genre fundamentals in the core action, a deep moveset where each action is a veritable swiss army knife just waiting to be stylishly applied in a variety of contexts, unpredictable but consistently tricky enemy AI that forces reaction and improvisation with the aforementioned moveset, and an almost Treasure-esque sense of pacing and variety. Some people have complained the game doesn't have much in the way of scoring (a complaint valid for much of the genre), but honestly it doesn't need it. With the games clever and deep moveset and movement mechanics, and the raucously volatile AI, it's very well geared towards Devil May Cry-esque "stylish/spectator action" play, where rather than follow some rote ruleset for optimal numbers, you're simply going out of your way to make each run as stylish and entertaining to watch as possible. Less the objective craft of scoring, more the subjective art of style. You could record the game for 1lc countless times, because a truly beautiful run is going to be uniquely so.

In space, nobody can hear this party getting crazy.

Armored Warriors on the other hand doesn't quite have the same expansive moveset (though it does have a fair share of specials and mobility mechanics depending on how you power up your mech), but it sets itself apart with a really fucking fast base movespeed. Your mech jets around like a motherfucker on rollerskates, and this allows the action to take on a more freestyle and flexible vibe. I think the speedy movement and handling might be fun for shmup fans right off the bat.

I tend to like flash, speed, and coolness, so I prefer the late Capcom titles that experimented with all sorts of killer mobility and combo mechanics, but I do have an appreciation for the older, more restrained classic brawlers though. A nice way to think of it is like the dichotomy between oldschool fighting games (like Street Fighter 2, King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, etc.) which often had extremely strict combo rules, simple mechanics, and not many additional mobility options, and newschool "airdash/anime fighters" (like Darkstalkers, Guilty Gear, Marvel Vs Capcom, etc.) which often have long flashy combos, lots of gimmicky mechanics, and tons of mobility mechanics like air dashes, teleports, etc. to up the flash. Games like Alien Vs Predator offer flasy, feel-good mechanics, and deep movesets, but games like Final Fight drill down to the core and focus absolutely on taking that volatile footsies and spacing game as far as it can go.

but the genre eludes me at a fundamental level

I was talking about this with Hagane a few nights ago. I think the thing that gets most people with this genre is that they go into it expecting to dodge telegraphed attacks on reaction like any single player game (and indeed, like most modern 3d character action games), but then enemies start puching you with fighting-game-speed unreactable jabs* and you're like WTF is this cheap quarter munching bullshit.

But damage is almost always avoidable. The key is to think of them as taking classical fighting game concepts and putting them in a scenario tailored to single player action. You're not dodging or directly reacting to attacks, you're using spacing: typically enemies attack ranges will be shorter than yours, so if you attack from the very tip you'll always be "safe". The challenge is in reacting to enemies erratic and often extremely random movement to avoid letting them get past that optimal range.

*There are some exceptions to this IIRC. Games with parry or blocking mechanics tend to use more telegraphed attacks, for instance King of Dragon's, Knights of The Round, and maaaaaaaybe the D&D games which I like to think of as forming a sort of quadrology of fantasy themed brawlers.

[iconoclast]

Are the differences between the JP and US versions of X-Men and Simpsons enough to bump them up a tier?

I actually really like The Simpsons, I just rated it low because it's simple and easy. It's not a game I'd spend much time with, but I'd absolutely recommend it to fans of the series. Same for Knuckle Bash, Toaplan had no idea what the hell they were doing but it's a fun game anyway.

Re: Capcom, there's the caveat that I only like a few of their later games so much if they're played certain ways. Like Armored Warriors and Battle Circuit, they can either be really bad or really great games, you just have to choose not to use or abuse the broken (and boring) weapons and strategies. Same goes for Cadillacs really, Mustapha spamming dropkicks makes it a lot less fun. AvP isn't too broken surprisingly, it's really just Lynn who can ruin the game by sitting back and spamming her gun, but she has other options. I think Mystara is the only one that can't be saved for me, I just dislike everything about that style of bmup.

[Blinge]

Beat 'em ups' strength is that they are more about learning fundamentals (moveset and enemy behavior) than focusing on very specific setups like shmups,

ahaha and my problem with fighting games is that my fundamentals are dogshit and I always focus on game specific gimmicks and mechanics