Beat 'em Ups (Including Switch List)

[RuySan]

Konami Bmups don't appeal to me that much at this point. Some are not bad, often they have some kind of "fun jank" appeal at least, but others kinda stink and just aren't fun.

For me the main issue with Konami beat em ups is that they don't feel impactful enough. Asterix, Simpsons, Turtles, all have nice looks and themes, but they don't nail the most important aspect of a beat em up.

Strangely, Turtles in Time for the SNES feels more impactful than the arcade original, and thus is easily the better game. Batman Returns for the SNES is another decent konami brawler.

[headlesshobbs]

I've always thought Batman Returns was so vastly underrated in having a sequel of sorts when they captured so much of what made Final Fight so great. They should have done another directly from the comics universe and included Robin as 2p just to see how far they can go with it.

[chum]

if any1 wants to recommend me a good fun game to 1cc, I like to know if there's any characters that are particularly funny! sometimes there's a lot of options but not necesasrily easy to really understand the true appeal/potential of the one you're using

Clear FF with Haggar , it's a quite different and rewarding experience.

I mained Haggar for a while and if I had to say I think he's the most fun character in the game. Well, him and Cody are basically a different game, they're both fun in different ways. The reason I ended up clearing with Cody is that Cody is straight up easier. Haggar is better on a handful of portions (especially in the endgame, which definitely matters) but in general using him leads to more stupid deaths, and it never got to the point where a 1cc felt realistic at all. I'll give it an honest attempt just because the game is still really fun to me but if it's not getting anywhere, I'll be satisfied with just how much fun I've had with Haggar tbh. I've spent hours just practicing the last screen before Belger with both Haggar and Cody just for the fun of it lol.

If you want more FF-style games, Punisher, WoF, Cadillacs and AvP (though AvP substantially tweaks the formula by nerfing grabs), are perfect for that. If you want something different try the sword games, they are all good and play quite different to FF, Tower of Doom might be my favorite beat 'em up, though it's a bit hard to get into.

Thanks I'll keep these in mind! I gave up on Cadillacs to focus on FF (I was playing both at first) and think I want to learn something else now because of a brain glitch of sorts... when I play Cadillacs with Mesh (my favorite) it feels really hard, especially the dual boomerang boys, and I want to clear some easier stuff. When I play with Mustapha, the game feels more clearable, but I don't feel as satisfied by the gameplay itself, making me feel like I should switch to Mesh to have more fun... The other two characters from what I've played are nice, but I see little reason to use them over Mustapha (to make it easier ) or Mesh (because he's the most satisfying to play). They're nice, but Mesh is my man.

[Sumez]

I've always thought Batman Returns was so vastly underrated in having a sequel of sorts when they captured so much of what made Final Fight so great. They should have done another directly from the comics universe and included Robin as 2p just to see how far they can go with it.

I didn't play it, but isn't that basically what they did with their later Batman & Robin game? Based on the cartoon rather than the comics, but still.

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

The SNES Batman and Robin is more of an action-platformer, it's not really a brawler.

[headlesshobbs]

The snes version was indeed supposed to be a 16-bit mirror to the cartoon during the time. If they made another Batman and Robin that was FF*ish, I'd be surprised I had missed it.

There was another take on the cartoon for genesis, but this time it was done by Treasure and more akin to Gunstar Heroes. I hear the SegaCD is where it's really at!

[Sumez]

There was another take on the cartoon for genesis, but this time it was done by Treasure and more akin to Gunstar Heroes. I hear the SegaCD is where it's really at!

It was done by a European team, and very much shows it, unfortunately. But it definitely wants to be Gunstar Heroes. Coincidentally I just played that games and gave my throughts in the R2RKMF thread.
The MegaCD game is done by the same people, and is a shooting/racing game. Not sure if it's that good?

Either way, I heard good stuff about the Konami one on SNES, but I haven't played it and I thought it was more of a brawler (it does share one key staff member on both programming and design duties from the Batman Returns game). I'm still kinda curious about it though. It definitely looks beautiful.

[Stevens]

Quick thoughts on TAOBAR.

As mentioned - expertly programmed. It is a true visual feast. The game has issues, but it's not the graphics.

I also always liked that you didn't take damage from touching enemies unless the were attacking you.

Agree with Sumez - When I was playing if a few years back I felt it had 1LC written all over it. 3-2 was my major sticking point. I could get to 3-2, and with the stage select I could do 3-3 powered up til close to the end, but 3-2 always crushed me.

Which brings me to the also mentioned spongy as fuck enemies. Spongy might have been mitigated if you could run and shoot, but you can't.

Could have been something special.

[AyeYoYoYO]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=45206

That is the one you want. Enjoy.

Good god this is a helluva resource ...

[Stevens]

SOR 4 Max reveal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIFAeWNgXL4

He has a sick turnbuckle type finisher(:20) based on wall bounce. Cool.

[guigui]

Credit feeding to see more of Fight'n Rage.

Game is pretty. But game is loooong ? Seriously, were 9 stages with lots of boss rush mandatory ? I feel like attempting some kind of 1CC is too much of a time investment, I'm not young enough like when Sin & Punishment 2 came out.
Is there an unlockable mode with a shorter loop of the game ?

[Marc]

I feel exactly this way about Streets of Rage 4.
These games are inherently repetitive over a long session, Renegade and Double Dragon 2 have it about right for my money.

[RuySan]

I feel exactly this way about Streets of Rage 4.
These games are inherently repetitive over a long session, Renegade and Double Dragon 2 have it about right for my money.

Agree, this is why i don't get the adoration for SoR2 and 3 (the japanese version). These games are way too long for the genre. SoR3 gets incredibly dull later on. It's a never ending stream of enemies.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

SOR4 Roo reveal?

[Vludi]

Credit feeding to see more of Fight'n Rage.

Game is pretty. But game is loooong ? Seriously, were 9 stages with lots of boss rush mandatory ? I feel like attempting some kind of 1CC is too much of a time investment, I'm not young enough like when Sin & Punishment 2 came out.
Is there an unlockable mode with a shorter loop of the game ?

Try unlocking turbo mode, it makes the games faster and more fun, shouldn't be longer than the average Capcom beat 'em up. Normal difficulty isn't that hard to clear.

[Bassa-Bassa]

It's so DUMB that stuff like that is locked until completion or whatever. I really would like to know if modern gaming brought us anything worthwile.

[Searchlike]

Is it true that the only thing that changes between difficulties in FnR are damage values? I may stick to normal if that's the case, as the game seemed to improve big time in terms of pacing.

It's so DUMB that stuff like that is locked until completion or whatever. I really would like to know if modern gaming brought us anything worthwile.

Vanquish's God Hard difficulty being unlockable right from the start with a simple input on the title screen is one of my favorite things in modern gaming.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Unlock codes so if you uninstall and reinstall a game on a new device you have immediate access to everything if you like are really nice. Sadly, while it's possible in Bayonetta to literally obtain millions of halos in Ch2 of a new save file fairly quickly, the gun-nunchucks are always locked behind clearing 100 chapters on Normal or above. With 3 characters to do it with, it's a slog each time (it's the equivalent of nearly 6 playthroughs, unless you grind away on one fast chapter repeatedly which is also rather dull). It's literally the only unlockable for which there isn't a cheat code using the cheat phones.

Outrun 2006 was also nice about providing this if you put in the name "Entirety" as the license name (possibly as allcaps?).

[Vludi]

Is it true that the only thing that changes between difficulties in FnR are damage values?

No, enemies are also a lot more aggressive, some of them even have special wake up attacks on harder difficulties. The game is a really good experience on Unfair difficulty, the only stage that feels a bit cheap imo is the island one. It can be cleared in about 40-50 min as Ricardo without much trouble, normal difficulty can be cleared in less than 30 min.

[Searchlike]

Thanks, Vludi. Forgot to say I've been playing as Gal, might have to switch to Ricardo to keep the pace fast. Just unlocked stage practice so I'll be picking Hard mode from now on.

[Squire Grooktook]

It's so DUMB that stuff like that is locked until completion or whatever.

It's all because of focus group play testing.

>group of playtesters think they're hot shit (they aren't)
>immediately pick the hardest difficulty when offered
>get owned
>complain the game sucks and is too hard
>devs are forced to lock hard mode so that people won't do this

Inside source says this is actually, actually the reason why.

[Searchlike]

Yeah, I've heard similar stories. We all have to pay for the sins of a few dumbasses.

[BIL]

>group of playtesters think they're hot shit (they aren't)
>immediately pick the hardest difficulty when offered
>get owned
>complain the game sucks and is too hard

What I like to call "bitch-made, insecure, no-game pussy-ass motherfucker syndrome."


Game Mode: INFERNO/NIGHTMARE/DIE "Duhh but i rly gud at bideogaems! y i not winning!" Yo it's only counterfeiters I would actually push a button and have drop dead, in this hobby, but these jerkoffs ain't far behind.

Learn to crawl before you walk; learn to walk before you run; learn to run before you go and buy a Ferrari and wrap it around a lamppost.

[Searchlike]

Admittedly, as I've said before, I tend to always choose the hardest difficulty as I find it helps me get better at games in a shorter period of time than learning the ins and outs of multiple game modes. This has proven to be the case with Super Monkey Ball, Sin & Punishment 2 and even Vanquish, a game to which I arrived with zero experience in dual stick shooters.

Basically:
When the game wants me dead,
I have to try and come ahead

[BIL]

Oh yeah, I do too sometimes - I'm sure a lot of us here are the same. I felt awful for Shock Troopers' zako, because I don't play it for score, so their deliberately weak Level 4 offense (facilitating a risky, score-boosting roll-in slash) was being met with my merciless noob fusillade. So I bumped it to Level 8, and all was right in the world (their standing shot is still pretty weak, but they'll much more aggressively go into magdump mode). Elevator Action Returns is another of the rare arcade titles I think is best played on max difficulty, which deletes the generous wakeup between an enemy seeing you and opening fire.

Needless to say, the jokers Squire's dev mentioned are a different kettle of fish. If they were cranking it to max, getting thrashed, and accepting that's just the risk you run when you ask a game to hit you as hard as it can (without first learning the ropes), there'd be nothing to say. As-is, they just ruin high-end difficulty modes for those of us who aren't too precious to learn from our mistakes.

I'm reminded of Bob Marley's "One good thing about music: when it hits you, you feel no pain." Noobs act like vg death is a war crime, or (donning their best cod-professorial robes) "bad gaem design." Extreme difficulty certainly can be reliant on poor design, but it's just as likely to be carefully calibrated for battle-hardened experts. Gamers who regard "You died, try again chum!" as some mortal affront to their H4RDCORE CREDENTIALZ aren't the sort I'd trust to know the difference.

[Searchlike]

Yeah, I don't really get those people. That's why I really like it here. It's quite rare to see someone complaining like that around these parts and I'm pretty sure that all of the personal achievements you read about in here on a daily basis have helped me succeed at my own gaming goals.

[Sumez]

It's all because of focus group play testing.

>group of playtesters think they're hot shit (they aren't)
>immediately pick the hardest difficulty when offered
>get owned
>complain the game sucks and is too hard
>devs are forced to lock hard mode so that people won't do this

Inside source says this is actually, actually the reason why.

Solution: Unlock unlockables with a cheat code, like in the old days.

[Durandal]

It's all because of focus group play testing.

>group of playtesters think they're hot shit (they aren't)
>immediately pick the hardest difficulty when offered
>get owned
>complain the game sucks and is too hard
>devs are forced to lock hard mode so that people won't do this

Inside source says this is actually, actually the reason why.

Solution: Unlock unlockables with a cheat code, like in the old days.

I dig Umineko's (a friggin' visual novel) approach more of locking all story episodes but the first until you finish the previous one in the proper chronological order, while still showing an unlock button next to each episode that you can click at any time if you really want to start there, and still making it abundantly clear that you should start from Episode 1. Apparently even in the realm of NARRATIVE DRAMA there are still lost souls that will see a numbered list of episodes and start at anything but the first.

Making these choices 100% monkey-proof without burdening the rest is probably impossible, but the very least you can do is to speak directly to the player to say "this is really not how we intended this to be played". If the 0.1% that fails to read that and ends up unwittingly ruining the experience for themselves do end up complaining about this on the Net, then at least the overwhelming majority of people should be there to correct them. Provided that the 'intended experience' isn't a chore in itself, of course.

[Sumez]

As evident from my latest R2RKMF posts I'm getting back into the genre, trying to force myself to play as much from it as I can stomach.
These are the games I've amassed for my collection through the years. I've tried to give them priority roughly based on how much I think I'll like them.
I've played most of them before, but the green checkmark means I either 1CC'ed them, credit fed through them to get a "good enough" impression of them, or played them enough to conclude I didn't like them that much. Blue checkmark means I've played them enough to get a good idea of what they are like and how much I like them, but I want to play them more, and probably go for a 1CC.

EDIT: Updated august 2024
The Ninja Warriors Again
Bare Knuckle III
Streets of Rage 2
Guardians (Denjin Makai 2)
New Zero Team
Battle Circuit
Final Vendetta
Streets of Rage 4
Final Fight Tough
Mighty Final Fight
Ninja Gaiden (Shadow Warriors)
Two Crude Dudes (MD)
Two Crude Dudes (Arcade)
Knights of the Round
X-Men Mutant Apocalypse
Tower of Doom
Shadow over Mystara
Die Hard Arcade
Fight 'n Rage
Streets of Rage
Sailor Moon R
Batman Returns (SNES)
Turtles In Time (SNES)
King of Dragons (SNES)
Alien vs. Predator
War of the Gems
Final Fight 2
Gaiapolis
Power Rangers (SNES)
Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-tachi no Banka
Battletoads & Double Dragon
Power Rangers The Movie
Pu-Li-Ru-La
Burning Fight
Knights of Valour Super Heroes
Splatterhouse 3
Asterix
Legend

I've come to conclude that the games that work the best for my tastes are the ones focused heavily on zoning and crowd control, ideally via grabs and directional throws, and otherwise simple movesets.
Meanwhile fighting huge crowds of enemies, and blocking mechanics or large selections of fighter inspired moves doesn't seem to click very well with me, but I'm open to try anything.

Any obvious omissions from my list I should look into adding, or "unplayed" games already on the list I should move further up?
Some SNES games I've been wanting to add are Final Fight Tough, Denjin Makai and Iron Commando, but they are all in the very expensive ballpark.

[Marc]

I'm just chiming in to say, based on your preferences, you should love SOR 4.