Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat-’Em-Ups

Combine combos with melee strikes to keep the As this is a Japanese title, the plot might
punishment flowing. become a little hard to follow.

The lava pool section can be frustrating, Elemental attacks can be very tricky to pull off
because elemental combos are really, really at first. Practice makes perfect!
tricky to master at first, with lots of alternating
button presses and rhythm-action style timing help make each battle look more impressive
needed to pull them off. But luckily, the pause in motion, all set against some catchy,
menu has neat tutorials that tell you how to uplifting music. It’s possibly one of the best
perform each combo. You can even practise GBA-exclusive brawlers around, but there’s
them and the game will tell you if your button not exactly a lot of strong competition on
presses are too early, too late or just right. Once the platform.
it all clicks, you’ll be smashing enemies to dust
with your powerful combos all day long.

Dancing Sword Senkou feels really simple
when you first start playing it, but once you
realise that the rhythmic combo tree is there,
you can start to have lots of fun discovering
new attack strings to use on the armies of
ghouls and knights standing in your way. It
helps that each of the five characters has a
unique command list, so the game definitely
has some replay value.

The game’s visual presentation is also great,
with detailed sprites and fluid animation that

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Dimps / Amusement 2005 XB
Vision Ltd.

SPIKEOUT: Levels are open in nature, but still strictly linear The bosses can often seem generic, but the
BATTLE STREET in progress. fights themselves are always fun.

Spikeout has a long and troubled history. The series didn’t find itself reaching home
Originally conceived as ‘Project Spike’ – a consoles until it was ported to the original Xbox
hugely ambitious 16-player arcade game with in 2005, seven years after the arcade release.
four teams of four players (with AI fighters Spikeout had a major fight on its hands, and
making up any vacant slots) – development it wasn’t against the hordes of enemies or
struggled and the game was riddled with bosses, it was against Xbox gamers.
performance issues. Because of this, by the
time Spikeout made it to the arcades in 1998, Games had moved on, and seemingly so had
it only supported four players and was more of a lot of the audience. This was an era in which
a traditional beat-‘em-up than the developers retro-styled games were often frowned upon for
had originally intended. not moving the industry forward. Spikeout still
felt like an arcade game in an industry currently
As with any SEGA arcade game of this era, enjoying the open expanses of Grand Theft Auto,
Spikeout was rumoured to be coming to the and with games like Halo popularising the
ill-fated SEGA Dreamcast. The game was going first-person-shooter genre more than ever.
to let you and your friends duke it out in the Spikeout felt old, and despite SEGA giving the
sunshine-soaked, Model 3-powered streets game an era-appropriate dulling down of the
online, taking out thugs, punks and mini bosses colour palette (ugh!), Spikeout looked old.
together, but once again, things didn’t go
as planned. The game was reportedly well A game out of its time, Spikeout was relatively
into development but still not where it needed ignored for most of its home console life
to be. The decision was made to cancel the – outside of the few people still hanging on
port, leaving the game in limbo. for that home port – and the mixed reviews
from the press caused the game to slip by
mostly unnoticed. Again, it was a different time;

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The game supports co-op for up to four people Players have a great range of heavy-hitting
locally, but is still great played solo. specials to keep the combat varied.

everyone was looking for the next big thing and, Sure, four players on one screen gives each
realistically, Spikeout was not it. player a small, low-resolution viewing window,
but it’s lots of fun. Getting two people together
The good news is that, removed from the to play the game split-screen is probably the
critical eye of its era, Spikeout: Battle Street is best balance of screen space, but the fact the
absolutely brilliant, and the closest we’ll ever game can be enjoyed fully intact like this is a
truly get to a full 3D re-imagining of the Streets minor miracle.
of Rage series. It had fantastic, weighty combat
in surprisingly open levels, ridiculously oversized Playing Spikeout now is infuriating, not because
and overpowered weapon pickups (from flame of the game, but because of everything around
throwers to gigantic truck tyres), a hilariously it. Had the game been released onto the
voiced single-player story mode, an impressive Dreamcast, it would probably have been
for its time (but now defunct) online multiplayer heralded as one of the console’s classics. As it
mode and, most importantly, a four-player stands, Spikeout is a forgotten and overlooked
split-screen option. chapter in SEGA’s beat-‘em-up legacy that
would work brilliantly today. With online gaming
Notably, for a game much more open in scope now de rigueur, it would be the perfect time for
than a traditional beat-‘em-up, Spikeout lets up SEGA to revisit the 16-player, team-based idea.
to four people enjoy the full ‘Battlestreet’ mode
(basically the story mode without the comically Regardless, you really do owe it to yourself to
bad cutscenes) on one console. It was especially try Spikeout. Dig out an old Xbox, get yourself
remarkable for a game from 2005. three friends over, stock the fridge, order a
pizza and enjoy. This is the ultimate couch
Having this game preserved and playable today co-op game for fans of the genre who are
in the intended four-player mode is incredible. looking for something a little bit different.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Webfoot 2005 GBA
Technologies

DRAGON BALL GT: The plot is mostly dross, so you can probably Stages often feel far too long, so you’ll need a lot
TRANSFORMATION skip all the dialogue. of patience to proceed.

Based on the popular anime series Dragon combos and a fireball charge-up prompt that
Ball GT, this brawler adapts a story arc leaves you vulnerable for a moment. It also
from the show that starts with Goku doesn’t help that the opening stage is really
being transformed into a kid again. His long and repetitive, because if you die just once
transformation has caused all of the Dragon you have to restart from the title screen.
Balls to scatter across the cosmos and if
they’re not returned soon, the Earth is As the only grown-up in your starting line-up,
destined to explode. The game opens as Trunks has a longer reach and hits harder,
Goku, Pan and Trunks blast off in their thanks to his sword attacks, while Pan has a
spaceship to get them back. robot helper who blitzes enemies when you
trigger your two-button special. The variations
There was a lot of potential here, but the end between the heroes help them to feel distinct.
result is something of a mixed bag. The main
attraction is a neat character-swapping Despite Dragon Ball GT: Transformation’s flaws,
mechanic that lets you tag out to one of the you might still dig it if you’re a fan of the anime.
other three characters if you find yourself low on The character art and cutscenes are faithful
health. While the tagged-out player is offscreen to the show, and each of the three playable
and in reserve, their health slowly regenerates characters look and control like they should.
until they’re able to enter the fight again.
So while the game might initially feel like a
That one trick aside, sadly the combat is pretty slog, followers of the Dragon Ball canon and
basic and doesn’t have the kind of weight you’d its characters should still give it a fair shot.
expect from a Dragon Ball game, with simple

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Ubisoft Montreal 2005 GBA, NDS

You’ll feel powerful, effortlessly reducing many Use the kick to knock enemies back and create STAR WARS: EPISODE III
of these droids to scrap. some valuable breathing room. REVENGE OF THE SITH

The handheld version of this game is Attacking like a highly-skilled space samurai
completely different to the other Revenge of is one thing, but you also have to nail blocking
the Sith games that were released on the and parries to get through many of the tougher
PlayStation 2 and original Xbox. This edition fights. For example, if you tap block just before
is a side-scrolling beat-‘em-up that lets a laser blast hits you, it’ll be deflected right
you play as either the hot-headed Anakin back at the shooter. This comes in handy when
Skywalker or his master Obi Wan Kenobi facing laser-spewing automatic turrets and
while they battle Emperor Palpatine and his some of the larger robot enemies. You’ll really
band of conspirators. It follows the plot of the need to get good at blocking for the first boss
movie really well, with cutscenes and dialogue battle, against Count Dooku. The old git is no
between characters that keep the story walk in the park and will roll right through you
going between fights. if you’re sloppy.

Both of the Jedi knights handle similarly, with Alongside its stellar TMNT movie adaptation
well-animated lightsaber combos and fun (p370), Revenge of the Sith is another licensed
Force moves that give you a real edge in battle. home run from Ubisoft Montreal. It’s a shining
If you hold down the right shoulder button you example of why movie games don’t have to
can drag enemies towards you using Force Pull be rubbish if they’re just handled with love
or repel them with a savage Force Push. You and attention. Make sure you track down a
can even unlock the ability to hurl your weapon cartridge for your handheld library.
like a boomerang before using the force to
return it to your hand. This is a genuinely
badass move that never gets boring.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Rockstar Toronto 2005 PS2, PS4, PSP, XB

THE WARRIORS Give commands to your fellow Warriors to make Mass destruction tasks are great for venting
the best use of their support. your own pent-up bad vibes.

Walter Hill’s cult 1979 movie is the perfect murder, and then the final stretch is a re-telling
licence for a side-scrolling beat-‘em-up. of the film. Across the 18 missions you’ll play as
The film’s plot focuses on the Warriors, a various members of the gang, including their
fictional gang that rules Brooklyn’s Coney leader Cleon and the new blood, Rembrandt,
Island neighbourhood. After the crew is who is a skilled graffiti artist.
framed for the murder of a respected gang
leader, they’re forced to fight their way Each mission drops you into an enclosed
across 30 miles of gritty urban hell to reach area of New York City and gives you various
the safety of their home turf. objectives to complete. An early task sees you
striking back against a rival gang called The
It’s a simple setup that leads to lots of violent Destroyers by spray painting the Warriors logo
encounters with gangs, each with its own all over their turf. Along the way you’ll have to
theme and members dressed in leather and rumble with members of the gang using a
denim. The movie itself feels like a video game, variety of light and heavy strikes, brutal throws,
as the Warriors advance through various and power moves that deal big damage.
distinct locations to reach their home, such as
a classic scene that sees them rumbling with The combat system is really nasty, feeling more
the Baseball Furies gang in Riverside Park. like a pub brawl than a graceful martial arts
encounter. Your AI comrades also join the fight
In something of a wise move, Rockstar Toronto and can be given commands depending on
(and the team at Rockstar Leeds, who ported your situation. You can ask them to help you
the game to PSP) didn’t just do a straight fight, start a full-on riot or just hang back if
adaptation of the movie’s events. The majority you’d rather take a stealthy approach. They can
of the game’s missions take place in the three even get themselves arrested if you make them
months before the Warriors are framed for go too wild, but if you’re quick enough you can

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Mass rumbles can be chaotic, so it’s best to stay You’ll have to start over if you get attacked or
focused on your character. paint too far outside the lines.

beat down the cops and save them. Every so found in each area, with no real freedom or
often you’ll need to buy essential items like incentive to explore. It’s definitely not an
spray cans, knives or ‘Flash’, which is a drug you open-world game like Rockstar North’s Grand
can take to restore your health. This is where Theft Auto series, but this shouldn’t put you off,
your criminal activities come in handy, such as as there’s still plenty to see and do.
mugging bystanders or stealing and selling car
radios for cash. It can get a little tiresome For example, you can hang out in the Warriors’
having to backtrack to vendors each time you base and chat with comrades for information,
need supplies, but it’s a gameplay loop you’ll or check out Rumble Mode, which lets you take
get used to in time. on one-on-one battles, as well as multiplayer
gang wars that support two-player versus and
The Warriors is notable for throwing a lot of co-op play. You can even create your own gang
characters onto the screen at once, especially and take it into the fight.
during riot objectives, when you just have to run
amok and smash everything in sight. It’s also It looks and plays a little jankily by today’s
fun to see your whole crew engage a rival gang standards, but The Warriors is a faithful
in a full-on street war, with many thugs laying adaptation of Hill’s movie. Some of the surviving
waste to each other in violent combat. You’ll be cast members came back to record new
right in the middle of the chaos, having a blast dialogue for the game and it even has the
and picking off anyone foolish enough to get in movie’s iconic main theme, which blasts and
your way. gets your blood pumping whenever battles
get really wild. Overall, it’s a great licensed
One thing you might not enjoy about this one is title that’s well worth playing.
that for a lot of the time you’ll simply be walking
and fighting your way to objective markers

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CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

In The Warriors you can partake in a range of
criminal activities. Here are eight of the illegal

escapades you can try out …

TAGGING BREAKING AND ENTERING
Buy or steal some spray paint and you can use it to tag If you need big cash you can break into a jewellers,
over rival gang logos with the Warriors’ symbol. Be careful pharmacy or music store to steal the valuable goods
to stay within the guide lines or you’ll waste paint. Your inside. Hit triangle and you’ll see a little lock picking
comrades stand guard and protect you from any sneak mini-game flash up on screen. Simply hit cross at the
attacks while you work. right time to pick each part of the lock.

LOOTING STORES STEALING CAR RADIOS
Once you’re in a store, you can break open glass cabinets Ripping off car radios is a safer way to make a quick
and steal the valuables inside by pressing triangle. Be buck. You can still be attacked while trying to rob cars,
careful though, as you might not be the only rioting gang so try to make sure the coast is clear first. Simply spin
who wants to rob the joint. This can get really wild in the the left analogue stick to unscrew the radio for a
game’s fourth mission, ‘Blackout’. speedy $15 bonus.

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OLD-FASHIONED MUGGING BEATING UP COPS
While it doesn’t exactly make you a model citizen, At certain points the cops will enter the level to break
mugging people is actually a safe option as your victims up any gang activity. It is possible to beat them up, but
will rarely, if ever, fight back. Simply press triangle to grab they’re generally tougher than typical thugs and wear
them and swivel the left stick until you feel the controller thick armour. Press square and cross to hit them with
rumble. Hold it there until the robbery is done. your power moves to win.

USING WEAPONS CAUSING CHAOS
Unless it’s bolted to the floor, there’s a chance you can Some missions ask you to destroy as much property as
pick any object up and use it as a deadly weapon. It starts possible. You can smash windows, throw things about
to get ludicrous when you’re using guitar amplifiers and or punch the hell out of cars like you’re playing Street
medical crutches to lay waste to gangs. The weirdest Fighter II. Once one area is wrecked, move on to the
weapon by far, though, is that ‘80s classic, the keytar. next to continue your wave of chaos.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Namco 2005 PS2

DEATH BY DEGREES Just like the mainline Tekken games, each Early on, the combat can get a bit tense and
character has some pretty mad fashion sense. complicated when facing multiple goons.

Almost since its inception, the Tekken series up, there’s a lot more to Death by Degrees, for
has included quirky mini-games that deviate better or worse. It’s perhaps more accurate
from the normal one-on-one action it’s known to describe it as a beat-‘em-up version of
for. Popular modes like Tekken Ball, Tekken Resident Evil, because there’s a lot of emphasis
Bowl and Tekken Force are well-loved, silly on exploration. The boat is a maze of rooms
takes on the franchise. Death by Degrees, and corridors, and you’re armed with a map
however, marked the first time that Namco to help you navigate. Various doors are locked
released a proper spin-off to Tekken as a until you can find the right key or, in some
standalone product (in the West, at least; instances, use a scanner to collect the right
card battling game Tekken Card Challenge fingerprints from fallen enemies. There’s
appeared on the WonderSwan in Japan). also puzzle-solving, backtracking and item
management to give the game a real survival
This strange beat-‘em-up is set in the Tekken horror feel, but without the horror.
universe and stars Nina Williams, the blonde-
haired Irish assassin who’s appeared in every Of course, you’re beating up henchmen instead
Tekken game to date. Nina has been hired by of shooting zombies, with a control system
the CIA and MI6 to join a fighting tournament that’s unique but was criticised by many for
on a boat owned by a criminal organisation being unwieldy and awkward. Rather than
called Kometa. When her cover is blown and assigning specific moves to the face buttons,
she’s captured, Nina escapes and fights all attacks are instead performed by moving
through the ship in order to expose Kometa’s the right analogue stick. The direction you move
criminal shenanigans. the stick determines which direction you attack,
which on paper is a clever way of helping the
While the Tekken Force mode in Tekken 3 (p327) player cope with fights against numerous
was a straightforward belt-scrolling beat-‘em- enemies surrounding you.

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The X-ray moves are a violent highlight and There are a lot of moves to learn, but give it time
were seen as a selling point back in the day. and you’ll waste packs of enemies like this.

It starts to get complicated with the The addition of shooting shakes up the melee
introduction of the L1 button and left stick as combat-heavy gameplay.
modifiers, allowing you to pull off different
moves with increasingly complex commands. Death by Degrees has a generally negative
For example, one high kick that pops your reputation, but much of that seems to stem
enemy into the air is executed by holding down from its unconventional controls. If you’re able
L1, moving the left stick left then right, then to make peace with its overly complicated
flicking the right stick towards an opponent. combat you may be surprised to find an
Lots of moves can be unlocked and performed adequate adventure game lying underneath.
in this way, but because it requires you to learn
a phone book’s worth of combinations it’s fair
to assume most players didn’t make use of
them all.

Thankfully, some moves are more useful than
others, and Nina’s ability to chain together
submission-style holds in the main Tekken
series comes into play here too, with the option
to perform certain moves that literally break
enemies’ bones (complete with a gory X-ray
sequence). Not that this seems to bother them
too much, since they often continue to fight
with broken limbs.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Midway 2005 PS2, XB

MORTAL KOMBAT: Use these respawning Tarkatan grunts to test You can unlock Sub-Zero and Scorpion as
SHAOLIN MONKS your skills early on. playable fighters for the whole campaign.

Spin-offs are rarely that good. Your favourite The story sees players retreading the story of
game gets a new entry in the series, but this Mortal Kombat II through the eyes (and fists) of
time the developer decides to go in a new Liu Kang and Kung Lao as they fight their way
direction. You already know it’s going to be through Outworld to take down Shao Kahn.
terrible. You try it anyway and, yup, you You’ll encounter many familiar faces along the
guessed it, it misses the point of the original way – some who are there to help you and
series, adds nothing to its genre, and you others who want to rip your head from your
end up wishing you hadn’t bothered. shoulders. You’ll even unlock some of them as
playable characters, although most of them
It’s always the way, isn’t it? At least, that’s are reserved for use in the surprisingly decent
how it was with Mortal Kombat Mythologies: versus mode, which feels like a mix between the
Sub-Zero, right? So, it goes without saying that classic Mortal Kombat games and Power Stone.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks was going to It’s not the best way to play Mortal Kombat as
be another waste of time and disc space. a versus game, but it’s still a neat addition.
Except, amazingly, it totally wasn’t.
If you do want to play arguably the best
Thankfully, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is a Mortal Kombat versus game, Mortal Kombat II
spin-off that feels like a fully fleshed-out, fun is unlockable here in its arcade-perfect glory.
idea. It’s a new take on Mortal Kombat that It’s another fine addition to an already
captures the spirit, fun and gore that the series fully-featured package.
is known for, only this time rather than trying
to rip your friends’ spines out, you’ll be doing Taking the classic side-scroller gameplay and
the spine-ripping together in co-op. modernising it with a rich, fun, expandable
combat system was not only a great new
direction to take the series, but it could

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The classic mini-game returns. Hit these wheels One-on-one boss fights handle just fine, and
to put out fires in the village. can become very challenging later on

arguably be the best solo experience of the was just around the corner. Mortal Kombat:
franchise to date. Playing solo is, ironically, not Shaolin Monks was a success, critically and
the best way to experience this game, though. commercially. There were rumblings of a sequel
Grabbing a second player adds areas and items starring Sub-Zero and Scorpion (titled Mortal
that can’t be accessed or used by a lone player, Kombat: Fire and Ice) but financial problems
as well as adding a new ‘Ko-op Combo’ meter. for the Midway and Paradox studios at the time
stopped it from happening.
It’s a game that can easily be played through
multiple times, and with the aforementioned We may never see a sequel, and a much-
bonus characters and content, it’s something requested HD remake has never surfaced
you’ll almost certainly be willing to do. (despite teasers from series creator Ed Boon),
but at the very least we have this, one of the
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks’ ability to succeed best spin-off games ever made.
as both a brilliant beat-‘em-up and a worthy
entry in the Mortal Kombat series makes it a Shaolin Monks is definitely worthy of your time.
standout in the genre. Both main characters If you see it on the shelves, don’t assume that
feature recognisable moves from the original it’ll be another tacky offshoot with nothing to
games alongside a whole host of brutalities add to the genre. Grab a friend, two controllers,
and fatalities, but the new multi-direction destroy Outworld, have a few fights to the death,
fighting system is as good as almost any other play a round of Mortal Kombat II and soak up
3D entry in the beat-‘em-up genre. all the ‘toasty’ stuff this game has to offer.

It was a surprisingly decent game for 2005, You can leave Mortal Kombat Mythologies:
when scrolling beat-‘em-ups were no longer Sub-Zero, though. It really is garbage.
in vogue and the next generation of consoles

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CLASSIC MOMENT

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks – enter the Pit
The Pit is perhaps Mortal Kombat’s most iconic
stage, and Shaolin Monks lets you finally see what
the bottom of it looks like without being impaled
like a human kebab. In fact, the game’s opening
chapter lets you roam freely around many stages
from the first game, including Goro’s lair.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Clover Studio 2006 PS2, PS3

GOD HAND Equip kicks or punches with long reach to close These demons are really tough, so keep dodging
distance on enemies. and only attack when it’s safe.

In the PlayStation 2 era, God Hand was attacked by a trio of ruffians. In his attempt to
considered one of those games that you save her, Gene is beaten up and has his right
either ‘got’ or you didn’t. While review sites arm cut off. As luck would have it, Olivia has a
like GameSpot and Eurogamer heralded its spare arm lying around, but it isn’t any old arm:
silly action and happily dished out 8/10 scores, it’s one of the two God Hands, a mythical pair
other publications were less than enthused. of limbs capable of giving its wearers the power
A mediocre 24/40 review from Japanese to become a god or demon. It soon turns out
gaming bible Famitsu and a horrible 3/10 that a demonic group called the Four Devas
from IGN proved that Resident Evil co-creator wants to resurrect a demon king, so it’s up to
Shinji Mikami’s beat-‘em-up wasn’t to Gene and his angelic arm to put a stop to them.
everyone’s liking.
The combat in God Hand initially looks basic.
God Hand is certainly an acquired taste. It was You’re armed with two standard attacks
the final game from Clover Studio – which was mapped to the triangle and cross buttons,
also responsible for the similarly eccentric and a four-hit combo that can be pulled off
Viewtiful Joe and Okami – before many of its by repeatedly pressing square. There are also
members left to form PlatinumGames. The three extra moves you can perform by holding
game requires a fair amount of patience from down on the stick as you press any of those
the player before its combat system finally buttons, and that’s about it. It quickly becomes
clicks into place, despite it seeming fairly clear, however, that there’s actually a huge
straightforward at first glance. level of customisation here, as every one of your
moves and individual combo strikes can be
The plot is suitably silly: Gene is a rambler swapped out for other moves you collect during
who spots a young woman called Olivia being your adventure. There are well over 100 moves in

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You can collect lots of individual moves to Down an enemy and you’ll get a contextual
customise your combo strings. punishment prompt for extra hits.

total, and by the time you’ve gathered a bunch, button-bashing. You need to choose and
your command list starts to look more like execute your moves carefully while still evading
something out of a wrestling game. enemy attacks at the right time, because
unlike them, you can’t block. Some foes have
Moves aren’t purely cosmetic either, as there enormous health bars that take an age to
are certain attacks that are best suited to empty, and others can even transform into
specific circumstances. Some attacks are demons when they’re defeated. These
‘guard crushes’, which can be used to break an teleporting sods can be a nightmare to fight.
enemy’s block and leave them stunned long
enough for you to perform a slower, more God Hand is as well known for its odd sense of
powerful move. These include chargeable humour as for its crushing difficulty. The comedy
attacks, in which you hold a button down to do is by and large terrible, but that only seems to
more damage, knock-back attacks that send add to the game’s B-movie charm to an extent.
your opponent flying across the screen, and Oddly sexual jokes are rife – some female
float attacks that send your target into the enemies can be defeated by putting them over
air and set them up for a juggle. your knee and rapidly smacking them countless
times – and there are two bosses in here who
It turns out you’ve got a decent little repertoire are such outlandish gay stereotypes that you
that can be customised quite heavily to fit your wonder if they’d get away with it today.
playing style. It isn’t something to be taken
lightly, though, because right from the start This is very much a game that marches to
God Hand’s enemies are pretty relentless, and the beat of its own drum. Not everyone got
making your way through each stage without into its rhythm, but those who did still have
dying constantly requires far more than simple it stuck in their head to this day.

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CLASSIC MOMENT

God Hand – spank the monkey
At one point in Clover’s wacky brawler, Gene has
to fight a wrestling gorilla. Everything about this
boss battle is perfect, from the hyper music to the
high-flying wrestler moves. The big twist is there’s
a zipper on the gorilla’s back, hinting that it was
actually a human after all.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Capcom Studio 8 2006 PS2, XB

FINAL FIGHT: STREETWISE The combo system helps to keep the combat Mash buttons correctly and you can slam this
flowing during each encounter. goon’s head in the door. Charming ...

When your game is not only a sequel but Rather than a standard linear beat-‘em-up
also a resurrection of one of the most iconic like its predecessors, Streetwise takes place
beat-‘em-up series ever created, it has to be in a murky open-world version of Metro City,
pretty awesome to live up to the original’s where the player takes on various missions
name. That’s the challenge Capcom faced while exploring four separate districts: Kyle’s
when it released Final Fight: Streetwise, the Hood, the Pier District, Little Italy and
fourth and final game in the main Final Fight Japantown. While the main missions advance
series and the first in 11 years (p70, p258 & the story, Kyle can also take on sub-quests
p296). The result divided fans and critics alike. and visit various other locations in Metro City,
including a pawn shop where you can buy
Set a number of years after the events of weapons, and an electronics store where you
Final Fight 3, Streetwise puts the player in the can buy new songs for the licensed soundtrack
shoes of Kyle Travers, the younger brother of (including songs by the likes of Mos Def,
Final Fight hero Cody. Having been recently Fear Factory, Slipknot and RZA).
released from jail for a crime his friend Guy
committed, Cody has retired from fighting The game’s mature content was deemed
because his knees are shot, and is taking a controversial at launch, as the dialogue is
street drug called Glow to help ease the pain. peppered with F-bombs and some of the
When Cody is kidnapped by a bunch of goons side-quests are questionable in nature. In one,
working for a mysterious crime boss called a woman standing at a street corner asks Kyle
Devin Aranoc, Kyle heads out to both rescue to help find her missing brother. After accepting,
his brother and try to get Glow off the streets. the mission briefing – written in Kyle’s words –
reads: ‘Find that hooker’s kid brother, huh?
I better get somethin’ outta this’.

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Just as in the arcade original, the classic lead The Streetwise version of Metro City is
pipe is a great weapon of choice. depressingly bleak and bland-looking.

Sexual solicitation side-quests aside, there are Gunplay is similar to Die Hard Arcade’s, with
also a series of ‘pit fights’ that unlock at various quick-snap aiming onto targets.
points in the story. These are one-on-one bouts
that only stop when one fighter is knocked out. as the main story mode, but at least anyone
Although there’s an entry fee, winning will earn who was hoping for a straightforward arcade
you significantly more money, which can then style beat-‘em-up can pretend the story mode
be spent on upgrades. This is also where a doesn’t exist.
number of Street Fighter cameos appear, from
common Final Fight enemy Andore (otherwise
known as Hugo in Street Fighter III) to the
beloved Cammy, and a kickboxer called Ghost
who looks suspiciously like Joe from the original
Street Fighter.

If the free-roaming style of gameplay doesn’t
appeal, Streetwise also includes an arcade
mode which offers a more linear adventure
in the style of the previous Final Fight games.
It has the usual beat-‘em-up tropes, such as
eating food off the ground, special moves that
reduce your health, a GO! sign and two-player
co-op play. In this mode, players can fight as
Kyle and the original Final Fight trio of Cody,
Haggar and Guy. It may use the same engine

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Ubisoft Montreal 2007 GBA

TMNT

Anyone familiar with Ubisoft’s Scott Pilgrim As in River City Ransom, you can shop at the
beat-‘em-up will get a huge kick out of this one. in-game store for upgrades and more.

This is confidently the best side-scrolling combos and acrobatic feats. Everything looks
beat-‘em-up on the Game Boy Advance by absolutely fantastic in motion, with moves that
a country mile. It might also surprise you to manage to feel both weighty and satisfying.
learn that it was designed by the same team
within Ubisoft Montreal that worked on Scott Fallen enemies occasionally drop coins, which
Pilgrim vs. The World (p384), which was sadly can be spent between levels in the overground
and abruptly pulled from digital storefronts hub world. Anyone who has played River City
at the end of 2014. Ransom (p92) or Scott Pilgrim will know how
this works. You can enter stores and spend
The game is based on the 2007 TMNT movie, your cash on permanent upgrades and special
which was a sequel to the first two live-action items that you can toggle on and off to adjust
Ninja Turtle films. It finds the four teenagers your Turtle’s stats.
in turmoil as they struggle to find purpose in
a world without the threat of Shredder or the For example, if you head to the sports supply
Foot Clan. Their brotherly bond is then put to store to buy sparring gear, it’ll boost your
the ultimate test when a new, mystical threat defence stat. This is perfect if you prefer to play
arrives in New York City. as Donatello, who has the longest reach but the
weakest defence. It’s a nice system that can
TMNT feels similar to Scott Pilgrim in many help you rebalance the Turtles to your liking,
ways, thanks to them both sharing similar which can then give you an edge in battle.
mechanics and character progression systems. You can also spend money to play training
The combat is incredibly slick, with Ubisoft mini-games for rewards with series regulars
Montreal’s trademark pixel art animating fluidly April O’Neil and Casey Jones.
as your chosen Turtle lets rip with heavy-hitting

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Donnie’s bo staff can hit a pack of enemies in Just as in the Konami Turtles games, Mikey has a
front of him with a wide attack arc. short reach but is really fast.

This can definitely be a challenging game, with Quickly walk up or down to dodge this creature’s
tough bosses that test both your patience and flame breath attack.
reaction times. They all have specific attack
patterns and weaknesses you can exploit, and stands proud as one of the finest licensed
which helps keep the combat from becoming handheld games around and an essential
a mindless and repetitive slog. If you need help, scrolling beat-‘em-up for your collection.
though, you can summon one of your brothers
into the fight for a few moments, and if you’re
lucky they might even drop some pizza or other
snacks to give you a health boost.

While TMNT follows the movie’s plot, it never
really gets in the way of the fast-paced action.
There are new stages and plot threads you
don’t see in the film, and you even get some
nice cutscenes with stills ripped from the big
screen. They’re short enough that they help to
give some light context to each level and offer
a nice narrative for you to follow.

Seriously though, if you enjoyed Ubisoft’s
adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, then
you really should give this overlooked gem a try.
It confidently ticks many of the same boxes,

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
The Behemoth 2008 360, NSW, PS3, PS4, WIN, XB1

CASTLE CRASHERS Make use of your area-of-effect specials and The catfish boss is fun; just remember to back
spells to deal with these critters. off to avoid its attacks.

Originally released on Xbox 360, Castle have an inventory system that lets you use
Crashers is the brainchild of Newgrounds health potions, arrows for your bow, and bombs
creator Tom Fulp and art designer Dan that can be thrown for big damage. You can
Paladin. It’s one of the biggest side-scrolling even replenish some items by spending coins
beat-‘em-ups ever made, with a treasure trove at stores on the world map.
of great features, inventive stages and
character progression thrown into the mix. Your character gains a level once they earn
enough experience. This gives you a stat point
It’s a simple setup that follows a band of you can spend between stages on your attack
courageous knights as they travel across a strength, defence and health, movement speed
wacky medieval land to rescue some kidnapped and archery, as well as your magic power. Every
princesses. Along the way, you’ll fight barbarians few stat points you add unlocks a new ability,
on chaotic battlegrounds, rumble with killer such as additional magic attacks. Thankfully,
bees in a sunny flower patch, battle pirate you can replay easier levels to grind experience,
catfish on a perilous river, and lots more. Each which really helps you get stronger ahead of
stage has something fresh and interesting to the difficult stages later on.
check out, which is a huge achievement for
such a small team to pull off. As if this wasn’t enough, there’s a pet system
that lets you partner up with cute critters found
The combat mechanics start off simple but within certain stages. Each time you find one,
gradually develop as your chosen knight levels they’ll be transported back to the overworld’s
up. Each of the heroes has light and heavy barn, where you can check out their unique
melee attacks, dashing moves, aerial juggles abilities and choose which one you want to use.
and a signature magic attack, such as the You’ll encounter the Owlet first, which can fetch
green knight’s poison cloud. On top of this you health-restoring fruit from trees for you. Bitey Bat

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This encounter is when ranged attacks become Aerial swipes are useful when fighting these
an absolute must. buzzing brutes.

is a great choice early on, as he can stun-lock Walk up and down the screen to avoid the first
enemies in place and even hit them with boss’s brutal mega slam.
negative status effects. It’s well worth exploring
every stage on the map to discover them all. share the fun with up to three friends for a
healthy dose of medieval mayhem. Be sure to
Each time you discover a new weapon it’ll be check out the Castle Crashers Remastered
added to the blacksmith’s inventory. You can edition on your modern format of choice.
then head over to his workshop and swap out
your blades to try and find one that suits your
play style. Some are slow but deal more
damage, while weaker options always have
longer combo strings. Others are just plain
bizarre, such as a giant lollipop, a freshly
cooked lobster, and a sword literally made
out of broccoli. They all have their own stat
buffs and penalties, so you have a plenty of
options to play with.

The main quest and overworld map are
both absolutely massive, and that’s before
you get to the survival arenas and other fun
bonuses waiting to be explored. All of this
makes Castle Crashers an essential game to
experience if you have even a passing interest
in the side-scroller genre. Better still, you can

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CONTENT CRASHERS

Castle Crashers is full of things to see and do. Here are eight

varied features that help set this game apart from the rest.

POCKET MONSTERS RADICAL RAILS
You can visit the barn on the map to check out all the The game has a few crazy on-rails stages, such as a
animal friends you’ve collected. The vet tells you what frantic escape through a burning saw mill as a giant
unique abilities each of them has. Unfortunately, the shadow creature gives chase. You have to react quickly
barn only has space for so many critters, so you’ll need and move your deer mount through narrow doorways
to decide which ones to keep, and which to let loose. while leaping over fallen logs to survive.

MEGA MOUNTS
Just like SEGA’s Golden Axe series, Castle Crashers
features a variety of mounts you can ride into battle.
The first one is this happy little dinosaur chap, who
can either ram enemies for chip damage or take a big,
hard-hitting chomp out of them.

SMASHING SPELLS
Each of the knights has their own unique magical ability.
Green uses poison, Red uses electricity, Blue uses ice and
Orange uses fire. Your magic meter refills automatically,
which means you can let rip with spells as often as you like.
They’re really useful when times get tough.

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ARENA ASSAULT BRILLIANT BLACKSMITH
Each zone in the world map has a battle arena. You The blacksmith is found in the starting area and, for some
can try and tackle it for big rewards and a huge dollop weird reason, he keeps all his weapons inside a giant frog.
of experience points. Make sure you stock up on items You can walk inside and compare the stats of your current
and potions first, as these challenges aren’t to be weapon with all the new ones you’ve unlocked to find the
underestimated. If you die, you’ll leave with nothing. right one for the job.

TACTICAL TANK
Pressing the left trigger brings up your shield, which can
block almost all standard attacks (although you move
really slowly with it up). Learning how to balance melee with
defence really is essential when facing tricky scenarios, like
getting close to this pair of relentless arrow turrets.

POWER UP!
The mid-stage level-up screen doesn’t just let you
assign stat points to each of your knight’s core attributes.
You can also see all of the key items and extra weapons
you’ve collected along the way. What kind of warrior will
you build?

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CLASSIC MOMENT

Castle Crashers – are you not entertained?!
There are many incredible boss battles and memorable
stages littered throughout The Behemoth’s medieval
brawler. However, nothing can match the pure rush that
comes with defeating the battle arenas dotted around
the world map. They’re a true test of your skill, so clearing
them after many deaths feels amazing.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Guard Crush Games 2009 WIN

STREETS OF FURY EX Hurling enemies into the screen is more hilarious Don’t let the digitised visuals fool you, the
because they look realistic. gameplay is actually great.

French developers Jordi Asensio and Cyrille look much better than they did in Midway’s
Lagarigue originally created Streets of Fury fighting games, in terms of both their detail
for the Indie Games section of Xbox Live and their fluid animation. The characters
Marketplace. After it was listed as one of 20 combine with 3D backgrounds to make for a
finalists in Microsoft’s 2008 Dream-Build-Play truly unique style that really defines the game.
contest for indie developers, the pair formed
Guard Crush Games and got to work on an The combat system has a surprising degree
enhanced version. The result was Streets of of depth, with weak combo attacks, strong
Fury EX, a PC port that improves on the Xbox attacks that are used as launchers, special
360 version in every way imaginable. moves that reduce your stamina, and a Fury
bar which, when filled, lets you pull off one of
It’s set in Paris, where all the street gangs are three different super-moves that do huge
working together to start a huge riot. It’s so bad damage to anyone who gets in the way. You can
that the French army has gone on strike, so the also juggle, block, counter, parry and cancel,
French government resorts to the only thing it which gives you loads of combat potential.
can do to stop this chaos: it flies over another
street gang from Los Angeles and asks them Streets of Fury EX’s art style isn’t for
to give the French mob a good kicking. everyone, but the game may just surprise
you. It’s something a little different that
Taking a leaf out of Mortal Kombat’s book, has a sense of humour and was clearly
Guard Crush Games made its sprites from made with a lot of passion.
digitised footage of actual people performing
moves in front of a green screen. Technology
has improved since 1992, so the characters here

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
CXTM 2009 360, MAC, WIN

The game was overlooked at launch but wasn’t The combat is basic, but still captures the raw THE WARRIORS:
actually all that bad. violence of the original movie quite well. STREET BRAWL

When people think of games based on 1979’s Cochise or Vermin – and eventually unlock their
The Warriors, they recall the 2005 Rockstar main enforcer, Ajax, or Mercy, the woman who
Games release on PlayStation 2, Xbox and PSP leaves her gang, the Orphans, behind and joins
(p354). Developed by Latvian studio CXTM, The the Warriors in the movie.
Warriors: Street Brawl came four years after
Rockstar’s effort and follows the movie’s plot The combat is pretty straightforward. You’re
quite closely. armed with a punch button, a kick button
and separate buttons for grabbing, jumping,
After attending a summit of New York gangs, blocking and sprinting. String together two
the Warriors find themselves framed and punches or two kicks and you’ll trigger a combo
accused of shooting a gang leader. They have mode, in which you can freely switch between
to make their way back to their home turf in punches and kicks for a few more hits (which
Coney Island while avoiding being attacked by grow increasingly more powerful). As it’s a
any of the city’s other gangs. Obviously, this game about fighting in the streets, weaponry
being a beat-‘em-up, it should come as no is also rife, with knives, pool cues and the like.
surprise that they don’t exactly avoid conflicts. Stages in which you fight the Baseball Furies
are the most bountiful, with nearly every enemy
There are seven levels in the game, each split dropping a baseball bat.
into three separate stages, and each has you
fighting your way through various gangs from Street Brawl got roundly panned by critics
the movie, including the face-painted Baseball when it launched, mainly due to its awkward
Furies, the bus-driving Turnbull ACs and the animations, stuttering frame rate and limited
all-female Lizzies. Initially, you can choose combat system. But in hindsight there are
between one of four Warriors – Swan, Rembrandt, definitely far worse beat-‘em-ups out there.

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2010–
2019

We’re nearing the end
of our 37-year odyssey
through the history of
side-scrolling beat-‘em-
ups. It’s fascinating to
look back at the genre’s
humble beginnings with
Kung-Fu Master in 1984
and follow its evolution
through the arcade
juggernauts of the ‘90s
and across the choppy
waters of the 2000s.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Tapping into classics like River City
Ransom and Ninja Turtles, Ubisoft
Montreal knocked it out of the park
with this stunning licensed brawler.

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For a while in the 2000s, it looked like the series. It was a colossal effort by a
side-scrollers at large were about to small band of fans who just wanted to see
become forgotten and condemned to the their favourite franchise make a return.
dustbin of history. Gamers at large were
now focused on the spectacle and open SEGA ultimately nuked the project in 2011
nature of 3D experiences, from the sheer after it got in touch with Bomber Link, but
scope of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Remake’s popularity and the collective
to the blockbuster production budgets dismay at its shutdown showed there was
of military shooters. It seemed there still a hunger out there for side-scrollers.
was no place left for the linear, simplistic Although the publisher wasn’t ready
and repetitive nature of side-scrolling to revisit the genre (yet), 2010 was still
beat-‘em-ups. something of a turning point. Many
developers of the big, small and
And yet the genre endured, thanks to independent varieties started to dip their
publishers that were willing to chance toes back into the old format once again.
their luck on digital re-releases and the Slowly but surely, they helped to make
passionate fan base that was busy working side-scrollers popular once more.
away on bootlegs and fan projects, such
as Senile Team’s Beats of Rage and its The decade started off strongly with Scott
OpenBOR engine, which let other people Pilgrim vs. The World (p384) and just kept
make their own side-scrollers using the building momentum from there. Double
game’s modular source code. Dragon Neon (p392) from WayForward
Technologies is another fine example of
Perhaps the most infamous fan project a classic brawler being brought into the
was Streets of Rage Remake by Spanish modern age without losing its core traits.
developer Bomber Link. This long-gestating Annoyingly, gaming site IGN gave Neon
game was truly special, with an eye- a woefully incorrect 3/10 score at review,
watering number of branching stages which is just ludicrous.
and playable characters from across

Double Dragon Neon was unfairly reviewed at launch, and is not as bad as the press made it sound.

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In reality, the game is a nostalgic blast if you haven’t tried Arc System Works’
of pure fan service that modernises the incredible River City Girls (p432) yet, then
Double Dragon format just enough that you’re sorely missing out on one of the best
it feels fresh. Ignore IGN’s notorious review games in the entire genre. The historical
and just play it. fighter Wulverblade (p420) and rhythmic
non-brawler Way of the Passive Fist (p430)
Revivals and licensed games aside, this should also be on your essentials list. Give
decade is littered with brand new IP them a try; you won’t be disappointed.
from hard-working teams. Vanillaware
harnessed Capcom’s Dungeons & Dragons There’s always a danger that side-scrollers
arcade tie-ins to bring us Dragon’s Crown might hit another rough or quiet patch
(p398), a truly wonderful fantasy brawler as the attention of gamers turns to new
that’s packed with RPG-style mechanics, hardware and trends, but as long as
a hand-drawn art style and a deep players keep supporting each new release,
combat system. It could just be the largest there’s a good chance the genre be with us
side-scroller in existence, thanks to its for another 37 years. The 2010s are proof
many features, characters and underlying that the genre is built to last, thanks to its
mechanics. The revamped and expanded simple yet engrossing fundamentals. It’s
Dragon’s Crown Pro edition is the best not going anywhere any time soon, and
version to try. that’s genuinely exciting if you’re a fan.

Shout-outs must also go to the gnarly
Mother Russia Bleeds (p404), which is a
raw, bloody experience that’s a blast in
co-op, and Fight N’Rage (p416), a punishing
and fluid side-scroller that features many
fighting mechanics commonly seen in
one-on-one tournament fighting games,
like cancels, recoveries and more. Also,

Mother Russia Bleeds is a masterclass blend of great combat and visceral violence.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Ubisoft Montreal 2010 NSW, PS4, WIN, XB1

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. Jumping kicks start off weak, but become a key You can low-sweep enemies when downed to
THE WORLD: THE GAME part of your toolkit as you level up. get in more hits.

The Scott Pilgrim series of graphic novels, retro and modern at the same time. It’s a
written and drawn by Bryan Lee O’Malley, perfect fit, and the soundtrack is so well-loved
had four central themes: love, music, Canada that many fans regularly listen to it when they
and video games. In August 2010 the six-book aren’t playing the game.
anthology was turned into a movie directed
by Edgar Wright, and accompanying it was These audio and visual stylings would be
this superb digital-only beat-‘em-up for meaningless if there wasn’t real substance to
Xbox 360 and PS3. back it up, but thankfully Scott Pilgrim doesn’t
shirk in that department either. Playing as
Despite the timing of its release, Scott Pilgrim either Scott himself, his girlfriend Ramona
vs. The World: The Game (or SPVTWTG as Flowers, his ex-girlfriend and bandmate Kim
absolutely nobody calls it) is based more Pine or his other bandmate Stephen Stills (two
on the comics than the movie. Rather than more characters, Knives and Wallace, were
opting for a realistic art style with video game later added as downloadable extras), you
portrayals of the film’s stars, like Michael Cera have to fight your way through seven lengthy
and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, all the characters levels, defeating Ramona’s seven evil exes
and locations instead look like they’ve been along the way. While the game can obviously
pulled straight from O’Malley’s graphic novels, be played solo, it also supports co-operative
lending the game a real charm. multiplayer for up to four players, should you
need to dial up the carnage a little.
This is supported by a fantastic bespoke
soundtrack by Anamanaguchi, the cult New Each of the four characters has their own
York band that combines guitar riffs with separate move-set, but the general idea is the
chiptune music to create a sound that’s both same: players are armed with a weak attack,

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Pick up stunned enemies and use them as Hit the shops and buy food or trinkets to give
human weapons. yourself vital stat boosts.

a strong attack, a jump and block. Initially the Naturally, though, beat-‘em-ups are paid the most
range of moves available to you is somewhat homage here, with the most notable example
limited, but as you continue to play the game being River City Ransom (p92). You’d be forgiven
and defeat enemies, your character levels up for thinking that Scott Pilgrim came from the
and learns new moves, such as dash attacks, same Technōs Japan team, given that at its core
counter attacks, throws, evades and bespoke it feels like a modern take on it. Combat is very
special attacks. Kim, for example, unlocks a similar, as are the ways weapons are used, and
‘hundred-hand slap’-type move when she you can pick up and throw fallen enemies just like
reaches level 16, while Ramona instead earns you can in the NES classic. You can even access a
a flipping splits attack. series of shops, spend your cash on various items
that restore your health, and also improve your
Given the comic’s countless references to video stats, just like you can in River City Ransom.
games, it should come as no surprise that the
Scott Pilgrim game isn’t lacking when it comes Scott Pilgrim vs. The World launched to critical
to its own nods and winks. The game opens success and was loved by fans and newcomers
with a parody of the ‘Winners Don’t Do Drugs’ alike. Despite its success, the game was pulled
message seen in many early ‘90s arcade games from online stores four years later. This was
(although in this case it says ‘Winners Don’t Eat presumably due to the licence between Universal
Meat’). The character select screen is straight out and Ubisoft expiring, which meant that you
of Super Mario Bros. 2, while the secret ‘subspace’ couldn’t buy it anywhere for several years.
bonus areas contain large Mario-style question However, Ubisoft surprised fans with a superb
blocks that spit out money when you hit them. remaster of the game at the end of 2020,
Complete a stage, and Scott teleports away complete with all the DLC trimmings. Grab
exactly like Mega Man does. it while you can!

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SCOTT’S WORLD Below
There are warp pipes dotted
The game has a sprawling overworld around the map, and other secrets
that add great replay value.
map of Toronto, styled like the one in

Super Mario World. Here’s a tour of
all the stages …

STAGE ONE

The game begins as Scott and his pals fight through the
snowy Toronto streets on their way to play a gig with their
band, Sex Bob-Omb. You’ll be weak at first and might
even die, but keep replaying the stage to level up a bit.

STAGE TWO

Stage two takes place on a movie set, as you try to take
down Ramona’s film star ex Lucas Lee. Along the way
you’ll fight snooping paparazzi, pesky aliens and guys in
dinosaur suits. You’ll be a bit stronger by now, so should
hold your own.

STAGE THREE

It’s a battle of the bands! In this stage you’ll brawl
through a gig venue to take on rival band The Clash
at Demonhead. After taking out most of the band,
you’ll fight Todd, who uses his vegan powers to
mutate like Tetsuo in the movie Akira.

STAGE FOUR

Ramona’s fourth ex is the ruthless ninja, Roxie Richter,
who uses a sword that can transform into a whip. But
first you have to battle through a street car before it
crashes into the Frying Tengu restaurant, which is full
of fire-based enemies.

STAGE FIVE

It’s a Halloween double-threat, as Scott and his
pals must take down musician twins, Kyle and Ken
Katayanagi. This stage begins with a scrap through
a Day of the Dead-themed party, before moving to
the Dragon’s Den nightclub, where the highly-skilled
twins await.

STAGE SIX

This stage is based on Scott’s so-called ‘wilderness
sabbatical’ from the comics, where he goes out to
the woods to find himself. This is quite literal, as you’ll
chase Scott’s evil doppelgänger Nega Scott, who is a
far more powerful version of our hero. Good luck!

STAGE SEVEN

Time for the final showdown against the sadistic Gideon
Graves. The brawl goes down in the Chaos Theatre, where
you’ll eventually face a mutated Gideon, before being
whisked away to the Subspace Highway to face his final
form, the hulking Gigadeon Graves, in an epic showdown.

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CLASSIC MOMENT

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – finding the Subspace Highway
Also seen in the comic series, Scott Pilgrim’s world hides a
magical realm called the Subspace Highway that lets people
take shortcuts around reality. The game adaptation has many
secret Subspace portals full of rewards and weird sights.
Hint: Look for stars in the stage backgrounds to find them.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Studio Saizensen 2012 3DS, NSW, WIN

CODE OF PRINCESS Protection missions shake up the standard Use the lane-switching mechanic to make
combat with greater urgency. space when facing tough bosses.

Originally released on the Nintendo 3DS, Solange’s sword is heavy, but she can still let
this brawler shares many similarities with rip with blistering combos, launchers, shoulder
Treasure’s epic side-scrolling beat-‘em-up, tackles that can interrupt an enemy’s flow, and
Guardian Heroes (p308). In fact, that game’s long-range dashing stabs. The screen quickly
director and character designer, Tetsuhiko fills with enemies, but you can create some
Kikuchi, and lead programmer, Masaki Ukyo, space by jumping between the foreground
both worked on Code of Princess, which could and background, which is a mechanic lifted
explain where all the parallels come from. wholesale from Guardian Heroes.

In some ways, the similarities are both a After completing missions, you’ll be rewarded
blessing and a curse. They give the game a with items that can be equipped to improve
solid foundation to elevate it above the pack, your stats, such as weapons, defensive gear
but it also faces an unfair losing battle when and charms that have special effects. You’ll
compared to the crazy quality level of Guardian definitely need the assistance when facing
Heroes. It’s great, but doesn’t come close to some of the harder enemy encounters and
the Saturn classic. huge bosses later in the game. The larger
enemies also look brilliant, with artistic, well-
The plot follows an exiled princess called Solange, animated sprites that look great in motion.
who flees her kingdom after it gets attacked
by monsters. She sets off to defeat the invaders With an expansive narrative, a wicked art style,
with her massive sword DeLuxcalibur and teams slick combat and a free play mode with over
up with other playable warriors along the way. 50 playable characters, Code of Princess is a
The combat is chunky and chaotic, with varied neat, if slightly inferior, spiritual follow-up to
moves across all the heroes that give you plenty Guardian Heroes.
of big combo potential.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
I-Mockery 2012 MAC, WIN

Even the spies from Spy vs. Spy make an Abobo fighting Thomas from Kung-Fu Master is ABOBO’S BIG ADVENTURE
appearance. Take them out! so utterly random.

You might remember Abobo as one of the big, meter that lets you use screen-clearing
burly bad guys from Double Dragon (p36). Now specials, such as summoning rocks that
he’s the hero of his own adventure, which sees crush everyone in sight.
him fighting through parodies of 8-bit NES
classics to rescue his abducted son. This mad Just when you get to grips with the gameplay,
project was developed by I-Mockery’s Roger the action switches genres, depending on
Barr for the Flash gaming site Newgrounds, which world Abobo’s in. There’s a top-down
before it was released on its very own website. section that plays like a dungeon ripped from
You can still download it free for PC and Mac, The Legend of Zelda and a parody of Mega Man 2.
or play it in your browser. The Contra tribute is especially great; it sees
you running and gunning through the game’s
While it starts off playing like Double Dragon, opening jungle stage. It’s as fluid as Konami’s
you’ll notice things getting strange when classic ever was, with tight controls and
characters from other NES games appear. responsive shooting. No spoilers. but let’s just
You’ll soon be kicking Goombas into orbit, say the boss of this stage is an absolute treat.
destroying Alex from River City Ransom (p92)
and decimating the grandfather of the genre, So is Abobo’s Big Adventure actually a side-
Kung-Fu Master’s Thomas (p26). scroller? In some ways, but the game is simply
too funny and too nostalgia-inducing to ignore.
Abobo is totally on the warpath here, laying The Double Dragon section is great, so for that
waste to every iconic character who gets in his reason alone it more than qualifies to be
way. You can even decapitate some enemies included here. Give it a try today.
and eat their heads for health, which is just
magical. The combat is spot on, with a rage

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
WayForward 2012 360, NSW, PS3, WIN, XB1
Technologies

DOUBLE DRAGON NEON It wouldn’t be a Double Dragon revival without a Time your throws and moves just right to hurl
giant tank to destroy. enemies out of this airlock.

This reimagining of Double Dragon (p36) is gameplay. Your punch and kick combos feel
a shining example of how to revive an older solid and you can even juggle enemies while
franchise. It takes so many aspects of the they’re in the air or when they bounce back off
Technōs Japan originals and builds on them the edge of the screen. You also have a duck
with a combat system that’s deeper than it and evasive roll that can be combined with
first appears. It also has incredible visuals, attacks to pull off low moves like a leg sweep,
a tongue-in-cheek sense of humour and an or dashing attacks like a rising knee strike.
absolutely banging soundtrack. Even if you’re
not so fond of the classic entries, Neon should If you manage to successfully duck under
be treated as an essential must-play. thrown projectiles you’ll also be rewarded with
a small window of double damage. You’ll need
Everything kicks off as usual, with Marian getting to master the duck and dodge if you want
knocked out and dragged off by a gang of thugs. to preserve your life and take down some
Billy and Jimmy Lee hit the streets and fight of the tougher bosses with decent efficiency.
every low-life in their path to get her back safely. Thankfully, the Lee brothers can also get
It all feels familiar at first, but nothing can really stronger to meet the game’s challenge,
prepare you for just how weird the plot gets thanks to collectable cassette tapes you
over the course of Neon’s lengthy campaign. find from fallen enemies and inside objects.
No spoilers, but let’s just say that some of the
levels and bad guys will catch you by surprise. Tapes each come with their own unique and
incredibly catchy song, which plays in the
The combat is perhaps WayForward’s biggest loadout menu, and they come in two varieties.
advancement here, as it really builds on Double One type of tape gives you special moves that
Dragon’s admittedly quite sluggish and basic can be unleashed when you have enough

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The villain is Skullmageddon, a cackling parody In a nod to a Double Dragon III mistranslation,
of He-Man’s nemesis, Skeletor. you fight the boss combo of Bimmy and Jammy.

energy, such as spinning tornado kicks, thrown Use the fireball wisely to keep enemies at range
fireballs and even a risky but deadly one-inch and create more space.
punch. The other type of tape can be equipped
to give you a stat boost, or even the ability to Thankfully the game is still available on a range
gain some life back each time you hit someone. of platforms today and is well worth seeking
out. Double Dragon Neon even enjoyed a
You can visit stores within stages and spend physical re-release in 2021, courtesy of Limited
cash to buy new tapes or healing items. And Run Games. Hopefully it’ll get the second chance
there are also Tapesmith stores where you can at a fan base that it deserves.
trade-in precious stones to give your favourite
tapes a boost. There’s a surprising amount of
depth in Neon’s combat system that makes this
more than a mere paint job of the classics.

Double Dragon Neon is also hilarious. It has
so many in-jokes about the genre and the
series’ history that will make you laugh, and
a killer ‘80s-themed soundtrack that’s up there
with the best the genre has to offer. The game’s
lukewarm reception at launch might be due to
players losing interest in the genre, in favour
of shooters and other 3D games.

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DOUBLE AWESOME!

Double Dragon Neon does many things to help
make it feel like more than a simple remaster.
Here are the fun features you can expect …

WHERE NEXT?
The world map lets you replay stages.
This is helpful, as you might have
missed some hidden 1-ups or treasure
shrines you can unlock with keys you
find in the environment. You can even
visit the curio shop to buy items or
get upgrades at the Tapesmith.

CRUSH IT!
All of the special moves feel amazing
to use, such as this knee drop that
can be pulled off in mid-air. There are
specials to unlock, such as the ability
to summon a powerful lightning strike
from the heavens, and bombs that
can be thrown at enemies.

DOLLA DOLLA BILLS
You can spend any dollar bills you
find in stages at the curio shop. You’ll
first find it in the second mission,
which you can replay if you need to
get some new items, such as health-
restoring soft drinks and new tapes
you can equip from the item menu.

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BATTER UP!
Weapons are much better in
Neon and make you feel incredibly
powerful. If you use the wooden bat,
the Lee brothers shout sports slang
that hilariously has nothing to do with
baseball. There are also cattle prods,
grenades, whips, ninja stars and
much more.

POWER UP!
The tape menu is brilliant. Simply
hover over a skill to hear its unique
song, which can be anything from
‘80s hair metal to funky chilled out
grooves, each with its own unique
lyrics. Tapes also stack, meaning
they’ll get stronger if you collect
many of the same type.

GIMME SOME SKIN
If you hold the right stick, your
Lee brother raises his hand for
a high-five from his sibling. If the
other player high-fives you back,
you’ll both split your health bars
equally to help you survive longer.
You can even revive each other
from a K.O.

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Ska Studios 2013 360, MAC, WIN

CHARLIE MURDER Charlie’s yell is great for stunning enemies on It’s not every day you get to beat the gherkins
the spot at a distance. out of a sentient cheeseburger.

This dark brawler stars a punk band that has with savage chainsaw swipes or, if you prefer,
been chosen to stop a demonic invasion from you can beat people to death with freshly-
destroying the planet. It’s incredibly violent, baked baguettes (because why the heck not?).
boasts a wonderful art style, and is full of neat There are even environmental hazards you
ideas that will keep you playing for many can use to your advantage, such as throwing
hours. In many ways, it feels a lot like River enemies into spiked walls to impale them,
City Ransom (p92), with a currency system, or hurling them into spinning saw blades
hub worlds full of shops, and countless items for a gruesome finisher.
to help tailor your fighter.
It’s all very bloody and violent, but it’s definitely
You and your co-op buddies can play as any not mindless or repetitive. You have an
of the band members, including its frontman, inventory that you can stock up with different
Charlie Murder. They all have special moves items of clothing, all of which impact your
that are themed to their role in the band, such defence, special recharge time or attack power.
as Charlie’s powerful vocal scream, which sends Some items even give your attacks various
a multi-hit shockwave flying at enemies in front elemental effects, such as gloves that deliver
of him. The base combat is solid too, with light an electric shock punch. And this is all before
and heavy melee combos, launchers and you even get to the accessory items, which
mid-air juggles, and plenty of unlockable grant you special buffs. The depth is really
skills to earn along the way. impressive.

One of the most fun aspects of the combat Your character’s mobile phone is central to
comes from the range of weaponry available. their core progression. You can bring it up on
You can let rip from a safe distance with a screen with the touch of a button to assign
variety of brutal firearms, hack foes to shreds any skill points you’ve unlocked, adding

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Vehicle sections are scrappy and chaotic, This graveyard battle demands that you keep
breaking up the fighting nicely. one eye on the zombie minions.

permanent upgrades to your core stats. Be sure to invest time in the craft brew
You can also unlock and equip new moves, mechanic to boost your fighter.
like a brutal kerb-stomp finisher, as well
as passive abilities, such as the option to action moment in which you play with the
dual-wield melee weapons. band. With a unique visual style, fun premise
and a ton of things to see and do, Charlie
There’s even a brewing system that lets you Murder is well worth your time.
make your own craft beer using ingredients
found during stages. Depending on your recipe,
these bottles of grog can have special healing
properties and other buffs that can help you
get through tough boss battles. Some of these
encounters are great, such as a crazy fight in a
fast food joint against a mutated burger man.
Charlie Murder is full of funny and random
moments like this, so you always have
something new to see and do.

Like the wonderful Dragon’s Crown (p398),
Charlie Murder is simply bursting at the seams
with content. The world map is massive and
all the character progression systems are
deep enough that you can spend lots of time
upgrading your band member. There are even
vehicle stages and the occasional rhythm-

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DEVELOPER RELEASED PLAYABLE FORMATS
Vanillaware 2013 PS3, PS4, PSV

DRAGON’S CROWN Visit the store to buy new items, repair your gear The stat screen shows your progression, which
and much more. you really feel as you level up.

Dragon’s Crown is possibly the biggest Every background has a neat 2.5D perspective
side-scrolling beat-‘em-up ever made, pulling with tonnes of depth, thanks to multi-layered
from several decades of the genre’s evolution parallax scrolling and animated elements. The
to create something that is simply magical. amount of love and effort Vanillaware has put
It’s set in a dark fantasy world and stars into the presentation is simply staggering.
a wandering adventurer as they find
themselves in the land of Hydeland. It’s not all visual gloss, as Dragon’s Crown also
handles like a dream. Each of the six playable
Hungry for fame and riches, you and your thief adventurers has a standard melee command
companion Rannie join the local Adventurers’ list full of combos, launcher moves that sweep
Guild to accept odd jobs for coin, but quickly enemies into the air, and aerial combos to
find yourself swept up in a world-spanning keep them airborne. They also have special
quest to find the Dragon’s Crown, a powerful mechanics that make them feel utterly unique.
artefact that gives the wearer the ability to
summon and control dragons. For example, the Sorceress and Wizard both
have weak melee attacks, but they also have
The plot is told by a narrator, which helps to devastating specials that cost mana. You’ll
give the game a whimsical storybook feel. have to recharge your mana once it’s gone,
The vibe is helped along by some truly stunning which leaves you defenceless for a few moments
painted artwork that takes you to sun-bleached and unable to move at speed. This is a great
temples, dank caves infested with spiders, balance between risk and reward that applies
and overgrown ruins full of dangerous secrets. to every playable character, which helps to
It looks simply gorgeous in motion and has make every battle more tactical and tense
a rousing orchestral soundtrack that helps than any found in your average, mindless
immerse you in the grand fantasy setting. side-scroller.

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