In our book Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-’Em-Ups, we explore the history of the genre through four decades and over 200 titles. We track the ups and downs of beat-’em-ups, from humble beginnings to the genre's height in the 1980s and 1990s, to its decline before a recent resurgence.
Many beloved beat-’em-up series, such as Streets of Rage, Turtles, Double Dragon, and Battletoads, have all had reboots in recent years. To celebrate this renaissance, we pick five arcade classics that we want to see make a comeback. We explore what made them great to begin with, and what features could be added to make them even better.
Final Fight
Hailed at the time for setting a new benchmark for the genre when it was released in late 1989, Final Fight is still considered one of the best beat-’em-ups of all time today. The game feels fluid, with detailed graphics and up to ten enemies on screen at once. It was also one of the first brawlers to give the player a choice of genuinely different characters, each with varying speed, strength, and defence, alongside using weapons distinctly.
If any beat-’em-up deserves a reboot, it’s Final Fight. While the playable characters and many of the game’s enemies have been used in various Street Fighter titles, the last game in the series was the disappointing Final Fight: Streetwise. A remaster of the original, featuring Street Fighter characters, could include more detailed pixel art, deeper combos and special attacks, plus extra levels from the sequels and new bonus rounds.
The Simpsons
By the time of this arcade adaptation's release in early 1991, The Simpsons had hit the height of its popularity, with everyone doing the Bartman and indulging in merchandise that was being sold everywhere. While home console games based on the series were popular, none of those are as iconic as The Simpsons arcade game developed by Konami. Up to four players can join at any time, choosing Homer, Marge, Bart, or Lisa, all with unique attacks. One of its best features is the attract screen, which replicates the memorable opening title sequence from the TV show.
There are so many options for a remake of this game, one being to add more playable characters based on some of the show's favourite faces. Players could also be treated to more levels based on famous episodes and extra bonus round games between them. It would also be great to see some of the brilliant Simpsons soundtracks used as music to complement the deeper gameplay mechanics that could also be added.
Knights of the Round
In the early 1990s, the beat-’em-up genre began migrating from arcades to consoles. However, as we explore in our book Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-’Em-Ups, some games still proved the arcade was king when it came to brawlers. Knights of the Round was one such game, featuring animated foregrounds and backgrounds and a world that felt alive as players hacked and slashed their way through its seven levels.
A key component of Knights of the Round is its level-up system that encourages the player to pick up all the bonus treasure. In a remaster, this feature could be expanded to allow the player the choice of armour, weapons, and extra powers to implement at the end of each level. The living world of a raging war in King Arthur’s world could also include all the Knights of the Round Table characters instead of the three included in the original game.
Golden Axe
SEGA’s System 16 arcade board introduced many of its most iconic series, including Golden Axe, which sets itself apart from other side-scrolling beat-’em-ups with an innovative magic system. The three playable characters, Ax Battler the barbarian, Tyris Flare the Amazonian pyromancer, and Gillus Thunderhead the battle dwarf, each have unique magic attacks that become more powerful by collecting and saving potions. These one-off attacks are handy against bosses and look fantastic by filling the screen.
Golden Axe has already received a remake as part of the SEGA Ages PlayStation 2 collection, but it was poorly received by critics who felt the controls were clunky and the new 3D graphics poor. A modern remake could restore the original pixel art with more detail as well as add to the brilliance of the magic attacks. Another aspect that could be improved is making the already large boss sprites even bigger and more fierce on screen. We’d also like to see more rideable mounts added that would add more depth to the overall gameplay.
Alien vs. Predator
The heyday of side-scrolling beat-’em-ups was starting to fade by 1994 when Capcom released Alien vs. Predator. The game’s story was originally developed as a movie tie-in for a film adaptation of the popular comic book series that didn’t materialise. It was well received by critics at the time, noted for its detailed, colourful pixel art and varied attacks that go beyond the standard punches, kicks, and projectiles of other beat-’em-ups. It’s also notable for the many boss fights featuring famous aliens, such as the Alien Queen, and its many nods to both franchises.
This one might be better rereleased in its original form, seeing as the only official release outside of the original arcade cabinet was on the Capcom Home Arcade console. However, a remake could see improvements to the presentation, level design, and modern controls, alongside set pieces from the Alien vs. Predator films released after the game. We’d also love to see a cameo from Alien heroine Ellen Ripley, who could be a secret unlockable alongside other characters from the films.
It’s great to see one of gaming’s most beloved genres getting so much attention in recent years, and we look forward to seeing where the genre goes next. If our list of classics deserving of a comeback has got you thinking about beat-em-ups old and new, check out Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-’Em-Ups.
