So I finally got down to playing Golden Axe and Streets of Rage 2 thanks to the free copies Sega gave a while ago for steam, I can say after beating them I was very fond of the experience.
Outside of these 2 series of games, what other games are similar or even improved from these games?
Jonathan Wood
Ok well, what kind of beat em up do you like, in terms of structure?
Most of Vanillaware stuff are solid beat em ups, but they're more complex and less conventional compared to Golden Axe and such.
Aiden Wood
Any will do and I'd look into getting them if I have a means to.
Ian Torres
Odin is gonna get re-released next month with it's combat system improved, under the name Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (get the US version handled by Atlus, EU version is being shit handled by NISA), PS3, PS4 and vita.
Muramasa can be either emulated since it's on the Wii, or you can play the updated version only on the Vita unfortunately.
Dragon's Crown is on PS3 and Vita.
Nathaniel Brooks
Hey a new one was released recently on steam: Princess Edge - Dragonstone.
Anyone played it? I'm interested.
Also, any beat 'em ups that qualify as cuhrayzee would be great.
Onikira, Aces Wild, Rainblood are all great.
Levi Miller
Shit, sometimes I forget that there are people who didn't grow up with Streets of Rage and Golden Axe, and hadn't already beaten them so many goddamned times by the age of 20 that they are burned into memory.
One of these days, I'm going to be a gibbering Alzheimer ravaged wreck who can't remember the names of his grandkids, but Streets of Rage 2 will produce perfect clarity and I'll be tearing ass through it while repeated telling the same story to a total stranger of the first time me and my friends beat the game.
Angel Stewart
Same here. it's my go to game when I have an hour to burn along with the remake and I have nothing else I wanna play.
Jayden Richardson
Try playing Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, OP.
Also, Devolver Digital is publishing an indie beat-'em-up soon. Don't know whether or not it will be good.
Jayden Sanders
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Oliver Cooper
I can't in good faith recommend The Adventures of Bayou Billy unless you play the japanese version "Mad City". That one has better hit detection and balance overall.
My recommendations on beat em ups are as follows:
Sweet and simple
Single Plane/ Action Platformer
Technical/ Move list heavy/ High Skill Ceiling
Action RPG-esque
3D Beat Em Ups (basically, check anything labelled Stylish Action/ CUHRAYZEE)
Adam Wood
add Knights of the Round to movelist heavy btw
Christopher Clark
TOP TEN BELT SCROLLERS EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY IN THEIR LIFETIME
Streets of Rage 3 (JP) Undercover Cops Violent Storm Alien vs. Predator Shadow Force Zero Team Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Guardians Night Slashers Sengoku 3
Dank 3D Shit: God Hand Zombie Revenge
Gavin Campbell
You should also try the arcade version of Golden Axe. It's a bit shorted but looks and sounds better.
Connor Howard
Goddamnit. "Shorter"
Tyler Mitchell
I fucking love Zombie Revenge.
Parker Morgan
Shadows Over Mystara is a very good original to which Dragon's Crown is essentially an enhanced HD remake of. Settling for it is an excellent base experience.
Alexander Jenkins
Those kind of beat-em ups don't play well with this new generation. You know why? Because they're all indoor/NEET fags that would curl up into a ball faced with any physical contact.
Half joking but not really. In the 80's/arcade scene, beat-em-ups were closer to everyday life.
Now they're all fantasy based, muh combo score, and appeal in a different way.
Caleb White
I like Stylish Action games, but hammering on cannon fodder with 25 hit combos each does get a bit boring. Sometimes I just want to piledrive a motherfucker and move on to the next guy that can probably knock me out in 2 hits, all in less than 4 seconds a mook.
Older beat em ups had a pacing I really miss. Final Fight I still feel is one of those required must plays, and also required to give at least a couple of single credit attempts to. Everything about it was perfect in my mind. The sprite animation and memorable character design (best Andre the Giant clones ever), the set and stage design, the tinny arcade synth etc.
Many games have improved on Final Fight's formula, but it still stands alone perfectly in my mind.
Nicholas Cooper
UNPOPULAR FACTS INCOMING: PROTECT YOUR SENSITIVE BOOTY
Streets of Rage 1 is better than Streets of Rage 2
Andrew Gomez
nah fam, but I have such a fucking hard-on for Yuzo kun's compositions in that one. Even if he did borderline songsteal.
The "bad ending" is also a nice twist.
I bet it plays differently if you "overclock" your genesis. I should give that mod a shot sometime.
Dylan Campbell
Honestly I just hate the sprites in 2 by comparison. even though they're more detailed they look rubbery in compairson, like the characters are baloons, and many of the poses look more awkward.
Dylan Gonzalez
Sold. What system is it? Arcade or SNES?
Not really, Dragon's Crown is way more control complex and has a far more involved story/grinding. They are both designed by Kamitani though, so they're similar in some regards. Tower of Doom is also good.
Also, no one listed Dynamite Deka. Shame, that's also a great game.
Austin Watson
Play the arcade
Not OP but it's a solid game
Mason Nelson
Will do, thanks.
Cameron Jackson
If you liked Golden Axe, I really recommend you to play Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder on MAME. It's by far the best Golden Axe game.
Landon Ross
Others may be better games, and have better "gameplay" but those originals have a far more satisfying brutality.
Slashing someone with a sword 10 times before they die is gamey a.f… where as 4-5 crunching punches and a finisher feels like a street fight.
Are there any newer games with the same tone/atmosphere? Haven't seen any.
Nolan Hall
No man, SoR1 was REALLY rough as it was a first one, the worst offender being the horrifically broken and op boss battles. SoR2 has much more polish. They are still both great games while the third one is just a big fail.
Anthony Parker
git gud, outside of maybe Mr. X there's nothing unavoidable
Oliver Lopez
So, there's Pretty Soldier on Arcade, but is R on SNES any good? I think someone in a previous thread recommended it, but I don't remember.
William Campbell
It's not bad but the Arcade is better
Samuel Nguyen
Gotcha, thanks. I just got Arcade, liking it so far. Just need to figure out what buttons are mapped where for MAME. Otherwise, hits are satisfying, hitboxes are decent. Venus a best
Parker Allen
Wow…just wow….no words….
Adam Gray
You can cheese the boss fights in SoR1 though, even Mr. X.
Nathan Smith
Zero Wing Gunstar Heroes Alien Soldier …
Leo Jackson
Did you post in the wrong thread?
Jack Stewart
I think SOR1 had better music.
Lincoln Butler
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Dominic Walker
So, I tortured myself by trying to play Light Bringer in MAME. Lemme share a pro-tip: don't play it, it's bad. Hitboxes are wonky, and it takes an assload of monster killing to level up. At least being able to choose your own route in every level is neat.