Difference between revisions of "Beat 'em up"
(→Links) |
|||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
{{Link|MobyGames|https://www.mobygames.com/genre/sheet/beatemup-brawler}} | {{Link|MobyGames|https://www.mobygames.com/genre/sheet/beatemup-brawler}} | ||
{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_%27em_up}} | {{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_%27em_up}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [https://www.giantbomb.com/games/?genre=37 giantbomb.com/games/?genre=37] - Giant Bomb. | ||
| + | |||
[[Category: Video Game Genres]] | [[Category: Video Game Genres]] | ||
Revision as of 13:00, 23 August 2019
A beat-em-up also spelled beat 'em up or called a brawler, is a genre of video game where the player controls a character who uses close-combat to defeat a multitude of opponents to achieve a goal. These games began in the mid-1980s as 2D side-scrollers and make heavy use of martial arts. Pioneers of the genre include Karateka, Kung-Fu Master, and Jackie Chan no Project A, Over the years, the genre has expanded to include 3D environments and have incorporated many other game mechanics.
Beat-em-ups are similar to several other video game genres like fighting games, which put more emphasis on complex individual character battles than on defeating a multitude of generic opponents, and scrolling shooters, which predominately use ranged weapons which changes the mechanic. Beat-em-ups which have a fantasy theme are often referred to as a hack-and-slash, and some gaming databases make a distinction between the two, but, since the play mechanics are effectively identical, I group them together.
I really loved beat-em-ups when I first saw them in the late-1980s, but now I find the classic beat-em-up to be a flawed gaming mechanic. It was great in the 1980s for draining quarters in the arcade, but it doesn't create a very rewarding gaming experience. While I like the idea of beating the crap out of a bunch of thugs, I dislike having to develop perfect timing and character control which is mandatory for a lot of beat-em-ups. Instead, I prefer those which have growth and story like my favorite beat-em-up, River City Ransom.
Examples
This is a list of beat-em-ups that are important to me.
| Title | Released | Developer |
|---|---|---|
| Altered Beast | 1988-08-?? | Sega |
| Bad Dudes Vs. Dragon Ninja | 1988-04-?? | Data East |
| Battletoads | 1991-06-?? | Rare |
| Double Dragon | 1987-07-?? | Technos |
| Double Dragon II: The Revenge | 1988-??-?? | Technos |
| Golden Axe | 1989-05-?? | Sega |
| Final Fight | 1989-12-?? | Capcom |
| Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu | 1990-12-?? | Now Production |
| Renegade | 1986-??-?? | Technos |
| River City Ransom | 1989-04-25 | Technos |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 1989-??-?? | Konami |
Links
- giantbomb.com/games/?genre=37 - Giant Bomb.
