List of beat 'em ups explained

Beat 'em ups are video games which place a fighter or group of fighters in a world of many adversaries, and the goal is to defeat them via punching or kicking or striking with handheld weapons such as clubs.

It is often useful to characterise gameplay as either 2D (largely characterised by the player walking only to the left or right) or 3D (characterised by full movement in the implied horizontal plane, sometimes also with a button for jump). Graphics can likewise be categorised as 2D (with sprites, sometimes with an isometric or parallax effect) or 3D (polygons), or hybrid (e.g. sprite characters in front of polygon backgrounds, or vice versa).

Beat 'em ups

Graphics	gameplay	gameplay
2D (sprites)	(Also known as single-plane or side-scrolling) Act of Fighter - SoftStar After the War - Dinamic Multimedia Altered Beast - Sega Asterix and the Magic Cauldron / Ardok the Barbarian - Melbourne House / Spinnaker Software Corporation - Treasure/Sega Atrog - Zafiro Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja / DragonNinja - Data East / Imagine Entertainment Bad Street Brawler / Street Hassle / Bop' N Rumble - Beam Software Batman: The Brave and the Bold Batman Forever - Probe Entertainment (Game Gear, PC), Acclaim Entertainment (SNES, Genesis, Game Boy) Billy 2 - Loriciels Black Belt - Sega Bob Winner - Loriciels Bronx - Animagic Bruce Lee - Datasoft China Gate - Technōs China Warrior - Hudson Soft Dan the Man - Halfbrick Studios Deathkick - Blaby Computer Games - Dimps Eightman - Pallas Guardian Heroes - Treasure Fighting Warrior / Kung-Fu II: Sticks of Death - Melbourne House Freddy Hardest in South Manhattan / Guardian Angel / The Guardian Angel - Imagine Entertainment / Codemasters Gladiator - Taito Hammerfist - Vivid Image I Am The Hero - Crazyant International Ninja Rabbits - Microvalue Karateka - Broderbund Knight Force - Titus Software Last Action Hero - Sony Imagesoft Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force - Family Soft/Fill-in-Cafe - Capcom Michael Jackson's Moonwalker - Sega My Hero - Sega Ninja/Ninja Mission - Sculptured Software/Mastertronic The Ninja Warriors series The Ninja Warriors - Taito Ninja Warriors - Natsume Co., Ltd. (SNES) Panzer Bandit - Fill-in-Cafe Power and Magic - Zigurat Power Rangers series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Natsume Co., Ltd. (SNES) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie - Sims, Bandai (SNES) Power Rangers: Time Force - Vicarious Visions Power Rangers: Ninja Storm - Natsume Co., Ltd. Rapid Angel -Techno Soleil Red Heat - Ocean Rescate en el Golfo - OperaSoft Running Battle - Sega Saboteur - Durell Shanghai Warriors - Players Shank series - Klei Entertainment Shank Shank 2 S.P.Y Special Project Y - Konami Spartan X series - Irem Kung-Fu Master / Spartan X Spartan X 2 Splatterhouse series - Namco Splatterhouse Splatterhouse 2 Street Gang - Time Warp Subway Vigilante - Players Teen Titans (GBA) - A2M - Treasure - SNK Two Crude - Data East Vigilante - Irem - Capcom - Matrix Software Way of the Tiger - Gremlin Interactive Western Express / Express Raider - Data East Wild Streets - Titus Software	(Also known as belt scroll) - Jaleco Advance Guardian Heroes / Guardian Heroes 2 - Treasure Alien Storm - Sega Alien vs. Predator (Arcade) - Capcom Alien vs Predator (SNES) - Jorudan Arabian Fight - Sega Arabian Magic - Taito Armored Warriors / Powered Gear: Strategic Variant Armor Equipment - Capcom Asterix - Konami Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (GBC) - Kemco - Iguana Entertainment Batman Returns (SNES) - Konami Batman Returns (NES) - Konami Battle Circuit - Capcom Battletoads series - Rare Battletoads (1991 video game) Battletoads & Double Dragon Battletoads in Battlemaniacs - Rare (SNES), Virgin Interactive (SMS) Battletoads / Super Battletoads Beats of Rage - Senile Team - Tatsumi Black Touch '96 - DGRM Blade Master - Irem Brute Force - Leland Corporation Bucky O'Hare - Konami Burning Fight - SNK Cadillacs and Dinosaurs / Cadillacs Kyouryuu Shin Seiki - Capcom Captain America and The Avengers - Data East Captain Commando - Capcom Castle Crashers - The Behemoth Charlie Murder - Ska Studios Cliffhanger - Sony Imagesoft The Combatribes - Technōs Japan Corsarios - OperaSoft Crime Fighters series - Konami Crime Fighters Vendetta / Crime Fighters 2 Violent Storm / Crime Fighters 3 Crows: The Battle Action - Athena The Crystal of Kings - BrezzaSoft Cyborg Justice - Novotrade International D. D. Crew - Sega Dark Judgement - Frankenstein Studio The Death and Return of Superman - Blizzard Entertainment / Sunsoft Defenders of Dynatron City - Lucasfilm Denjin Makai series - Banpresto Denjin Makai Guardians / Denjin Makai II DJ Boy series - Kaneko DJ Boy B.Rap Boys! Double Dragon series - Technōs Japan Double Dragon (video game) - East Technology Super Double Dragon / Double Dragon 4 Double Dragon Neon Dragon Bowl - Nics Dragon's Crown - Vanillaware - Atlus Dungeon & Guarder - Game Park Dungeons & Dragons series - Capcom Dungeon Fighter Online - Neople Dungeon Magic / Lightbringer - Taito Dynamite Düx - Sega Electronic Popple - Byteshock Fight'N Rage - Seba Games Dev Final Fight series - Capcom Final Fight Mighty Final Fight - Capcom Final Fight 2 / Fainaru Faito 2 Final Fight 3 / Final Fight Tough / Fainaru Faito Tafu Final Vendetta - Bitmap Bureau Franko series - Blue Sunset Games - World Software - Blue Sunset Games Gaiapolis - Konami Gaia Crusaders - Noise Factory Gang Wars - Alpha Denshi - Naps Team The Gladiator / Shen Jian Fu Mo Lu / Shen Jian Fengyun - International Games System Golden Axe series - Sega Golden Axe Golden Axe II Golden Axe III Gourmet Warriors / Gurume Sentai Barayarō - Virgin Interactive / Piko Interactive Growl - Taito Guardians of the 'Hood - Atari Games Hachoo! - Jaleco Her Knights: All for Princess - Byulbram Hook (Arcade) - Irem Jackie Chan Adventures: Legend of the Dark Hand - Torus Games Judge Dredd (unreleased) - Midway Games - WayForward Technologies Iron Commando - Arcade Zone Kabuki-Z - Kaneko Karate Blazers - Video System The King of Dragons - Capcom Knights of the Round - Capcom Knights of Valour series - International Games System Knights of Valour Knights of Valour 2 Knights of Valour 3 Knights of Valour: The Seven Spirits - International Games System, Sega Sammy Holdings Knuckle Bash series - Toaplan Knuckle Bash Knuckle Bash 2 Lethal Weapon (NES, Game Boy) - Ocean Kozure Ookami - Nichibutsu Kung Food - Atari Corporation Kunio-kun series - Technōs Japan Renegade / Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun River City Ransom / Street Gangs / Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari - Technōs (NES), Million (GBA), SPS (X68000), KID (TurboGrafx-16) Double Dragon II/ Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun: Bangai Rantō-hen / Kunio-kun 3 (Game Boy) Downtown Special: Kunio-kun's Historical Period Drama! / Kunio-kun 4 Shodai Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun / Kunio-kun 5 Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-tachi no Banka / Kunio-kun 6 River City Ransom: Underground - Conatus Creative Inc. River City Girls - Arc System Works Last Action Hero (Amiga) - The Dome Legend - Arcade Zone Legend (1998 remake) - Toka Legend of Heroes - Limenko The Legend of Silkroad series - UNiCO Electronics The Legend of Silkroad Age Of Heroes - Silkroad 2 Legionnaire - TAD Little Fighter series Little Fighter - Marti Wong Little Fighter 2 - Marti Wong, Starsky Wong Little Fighter Online - Marti Wong, Oscar Chu - Dynamic Planning Metro-Active X - Metro-Star Metamorphic Force - Konami Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie - Banpresto (Genesis) Mother Russia Bleeds - Le Cartel Studio Mug Smashers - Electronic Devices, 3D Games Mutant Rampage: Bodyslam (CD-i) - Animation Magic Mutation Nation - SNK Nekketsu Oyako - Technosoft Night Slashers - Data East Ninja Baseball Bat Man - Irem Ninja Clowns - Strata, Incredible Technologies Ninja Combat - Alpha Denshi Ninja Gaiden / Shadow Warriors - Tecmo Ninja Kids - Taito Oriental Legend series - International Games System Oriental Legend Oriental Legend Super Oriental Legend Super Plus Oriental Legend 2 The Pirates of Dark Water (SNES) - Sunsoft - SNK Pu·Li·Ru·La - Taito The Punisher - Capcom Raging Justice - MakinGames Renegade series Renegade / Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun - Technōs / Imagine Entertainment - Imagine Entertainment - Imagine Entertainment Riot Zone - Westone Bit Entertainment Riot City - Sega, Westone Rival Turf	/ Rushing Beat series - Jaleco Rival Turf! / Rushing Beat Brawl Brothers / Rushing Beat Ran Fukusei Toshi The Peace Keepers / Rushing Beat Syura Robo Army - SNK San Guo Yan Yi: Huo Shao Chi Bi - Gamtec (Mega Drive) Sailor Moon series - Angel Sailor Moon - Angel (SNES), Arc System Works (Genesis) Sailor Moon R Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon - Gazelle, Banpresto - Ubisoft Sengoku series - SNK Sengoku Sengoku 2 Sengoku 3 - Noise Factory Shadow Force - Technōs Shingen Samurai-Fighter / Takeda Shingen - Jaleco Silent Dragon - Taito The Simpsons Arcade Game - Konami Sonic Blast Man series - Taito Sonic Blast Man Sonic Blast Man II Spider-Man series - Software Creations - Sega Splatterhouse 3 - Now Production Stone Protectors - Kemco Storm series Eojjeonji Joheun Il-i Saenggil Geot Gateun Jeonyeok - TG Entertainment Storm: Eojjeonji Joheun Il-i Saenggil Geot Gateun Jeonyeok 2 - MOOV Generation Streets of Fury - Cyrille Lagarigue / Jordi Asensio Streets of Rage series - Sega Streets of Rage Streets of Rage 2 - Ancient / H.I.C. / Shout! Designworks Streets of Rage 3 Streets of Rage 4 Streets of Rage Remake - unofficial fangame Tecmo Knight / Wild Fang - Tecmo The TakeOver - DANGEN Entertainment Three Dirty Dwarves - Sega The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa - Yeo The Tick - Software Creations Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Konami - Konami - Konami - Konami TMNT (GBA) - Ubisoft Tenchi wo Kurau series - Capcom Dynasty Wars / Tenchi wo Kurau Warriors of Fate / Tenchi wo Kurau II: Sekiheki no Tatakai Tough Turf - Sega, Sunsoft Ultra Toukon Densetsu - Banpresto / Tsuburaya Productions Ultraverse Prime / Microcosm - Sony Imagesoft Undercover Cops - Irem Vamf x1/2 - Danbi / F2 System Violent Storm - Konami - Taito Water Margin: A Tale of Cloud and Wind - Piko Interactive - Panda Entertainment West Adventure / Xi You Ji - Panda Entertainment Wild C.A.T.s - Playmates Interactive X-Men - Konami - Digital Eclipse Yang Jia Jiang - Yang Warrior Family - Sanxun Information Co. Zero Team - Seibu Kaihatsu
3D (polygons)	(Also known as 2.5D) Fairy Bloom Freesia - Edelweiss / Nyu Media - Treyarch / Shaba Games (PSP, PS2), Griptonite Games (NDS) Viewtiful Joe series - Clover Studio Viewtiful Joe Viewtiful Joe 2	Anarchy Reigns - PlatinumGames ben 10 protector of earth - High voltage software - Ubisoft Montreal Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker - Kemco - Capcom The Bouncer - DreamFactory, Square Capoeira Legends - Donsoft Entertainment Crisis Beat - Bandai Cowboy Bebop: Serenade of Reminiscence - Bandai Crimson Tears - Capcom The Crow: City of Angels - Gray Matter Dead Rising - Capcom Death by Degrees - Namco Demolish Fist - Sammy, Dimps Dynamite Deka series - AM1 Die Hard Arcade / Dynamite Deka - AM1, Sega Technical Institute Dynamite Cop / Dynamite Deka 2 - Eidos Interactive Fantastic Four - Acclaim Entertainment Fighting Force series - Core Design Fighting Force Fighting Force 2 - Capcom, Secret Level Gekido - Naps Team, Gremlin Interactive God Hand - Clover Studio Jackie Chan Stuntmaster - Radical Entertainment - Sony - Atlus Kung Fu Strike - The Warriors Rise - PC, Xbox 360 MadWorld - PlatinumGames - Midway Games, Paradox Development Mortal kombat special forces - midway - Activision Naruto: Uzumaki Cronicles series Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles - Cavia Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 - Bandai Perfect Weapon - Gray Matter Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue - THQ Power rangers megaforce - bandai namco games power rangers super megaforce -bandai namco games The Rage - FluidGames Sifu (video game) - Sloclap Spikeout series - Sega Spikeout: Digital Battle Online Slash Out State of Emergency - VIS Entertainment - Activision Tokyo Beat Down - Atlus Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series - Konami Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TMNT - Ubisoft Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - magic pockets Urban Reign - Namco The Warriors - Rockstar Toronto (PS2, Xbox), Rockstar Leeds (PSP) - Deadline Games - GenePool Software - Z-Axis Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series - Sega Yakuza Yakuza 0 Yakuza 2 Yakuza 3 Yakuza 4 Yakuza 5 Yakuza 6 Yakuza Kiwami Yakuza Kiwami 2 Zombie Revenge - Sega

Games with beat 'em up sections

• The Adventures of Bayou Billy - Konami
• Asterix & Obelix XXL - Étranges Libellules
• - Étranges Libellules
• Bebe's Kids - Radical Entertainment
• Bully - Rockstar Vancouver
  • - Rockstar New England
• Crash of the Titans - Radical Entertainment
• - Radical Entertainment
• Darkman - Ocean
• Guilty Gear Isuka - Sammy
• Guilty Gear Judgment - Sammy
• Legend of Success Joe - Wave
• Lego video games - TT Games
• - Midway
• Ninja Golf - Atari
• S.P.Y. the Special Project Y - Konami
• Shenmue - Sega
• Street Fighter EX3
• Super Smash Bros. Melee - HAL Laboratory / Nintendo
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Sora / Nintendo
• Tekken 3 - Namco
• Tekken 4 - Namco
• Tekken 5 - Namco
• Tekken 6 - Namco Bandai
• King Kong (2005 video game) - Ubisoft

Hack 'n slash

See also: Hack and slash.

2D

• The Astyanax - jaleco
• The Legend of Kage (1985)^[1] - Taito
• Captain Silver (1987) - Data East
• Rastan (1987)^{[2] [3]} - Taito
• Tiger Road (1987) - Capcom
• Shinobi series (1987 debut)^{[2] [4]} - Sega
• Ninja Gaiden (Shadow Warriors) series (1988 debut)^[2] - Tecmo
• Golden Axe series (1989 debut)^{[5] [6]} - Sega
• Strider series (1989)^{[1] [7]} - Capcom
• (1990)^[2] - Sega
• First Samurai (1991)^[1] - Vivid Image
• Saint Sword (1991)^[2] - Taito

3D

• - Collision Studios
• Afro Samurai - Namco Bandai Games
• Akuji the Heartless - Crystal Dynamics
• Astral Chain - PlatinumGames
• Asura's Wrath - CyberConnect2
• Attack on Titan - Koei Tecmo
  • Attack on Titan 2
• Bayonetta series - PlatinumGames
  • Bayonetta
  • Bayonetta 2
• - Ubisoft
• Blades of Time - Gaijin Entertainment
• - Omega Force
• Blood Will Tell - Sega Wow/Red Entertainment
• BloodRayne series - Terminal Reality
  • BloodRayne (video game)
  • BloodRayne 2
  • - WayForward
• Bujingai - Taito/Red Entertainment
• - Konami
• - Konami
• - Konami
• Chaos Legion - Capcom Production Studio 6
• Conan - Nihilistic Software
• Dante's Inferno - Visceral Games
• Darksiders series - Vigil Games
  • Darksiders (video game)
  • Darksiders II
  • Darksiders III
• Deadpool - High Moon Studios
• Devil Kings/Sengoku Basara series - Capcom
  • Devil Kings/Sengoku Basara
  • Sengoku Basara 2
• Devil May Cry series - Capcom
  • Devil May Cry
  • Devil May Cry 2
  • Devil May Cry 4
  • Devil May Cry 5
  • - Ninja Theory
• Dragon Valor - Namco
• Drakengard series - Cavia
  • Drakengard
  • Drakengard 2
  • Drakengard 3 - Access Games
  • Nier
  • - PlatinumGames
• Dungeon Magic - Taito
• Dynasty Warriors series - Koei/Omega Force
  • Dynasty Warriors 2
  • Dynasty Warriors 3
  • Dynasty Warriors 4
  • Dynasty Warriors 5
  • Dynasty Warriors 6
  • Dynasty Warriors 7
  • Dynasty Warriors 8
  • Dynasty Warriors 9
• - Ignition Tokyo
• Fire Emblem Warriors series - Omega Force/Team Ninja/Nintendo/Koei Tecmo
  • Fire Emblem Warriors
• Gauntlet series - Atari Games
  • Gauntlet
  • Gauntlet II
  • Gauntlet (NES) - Tengen
  • - Tengen
  • Gauntlet Legends
  • Gauntlet Dark Legacy - Midway Games West
  • - Midway Games
• Genji series - Game Republic
• Ghost Rider - Climax Group
• - Acclaim Studios Manchester
• God of War series - Santa Monica Studio
  • God of War
  • God of War II
  • God of War III
  • God of War (2018)
  • God of War Ragnarök
  • - Ready at Dawn
  • - Ready at Dawn
  • - Javaground/SOE Los Angeles
• - Secret Level
• Heavenly Sword - Ninja Theory
• Hulk - Radical Entertainment
• Hyrule Warriors series - Omega Force/Team Ninja/Nintendo/Koei Tecmo
  • Hyrule Warriors
• Killer Is Dead - Grasshopper Manufacture
• - Crystal Dynamics/Nixxes Software BV
• The Legend of Korra - PlatinumGames
• Lollipop Chainsaw - Grasshopper Manufacture
• The Lord of the Rings series
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Stormfront Studios/Hypnos Entertainment
  • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - EA Redwood Shores
• Lucifer Ring - Toshiba EMI
• Mazan: Flash of the Blade - Namco
• MediEvil series
  • MediEvil
  • MediEvil 2
  • MediEvil (2019)
• - PlatinumGames
• - Monolith Productions
• - Vanillaware
• Nano Breaker - Konami
• Ninja Blade - FromSoftware
• Ninja Gaiden: Second Series - Team Ninja
  • Ninja Gaiden
    • Ninja Gaiden Black
    • Ninja Gaiden Sigma
  • Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword
  • Ninja Gaiden II
    • Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
  • Ninja Gaiden 3
• Ninja Spirit - Irem
• No More Heroes series - Grasshopper Manufacture
  • No More Heroes
  • No More Heroes III
• The OneChanbara series - Tamsoft
• Onimusha series - Capcom
• Otogi series - FromSoftware
• Persona 5 Strikers - Omega Force/P-Studio/Atlus
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time series - Ubisoft
  • • Prince of Persia: Revelations (PSP)
  • • Prince of Persia: Rival Swords (PSP)
• Prince of Persia - Ubisoft
• Ragnarok Battle Offline - French Bread
• Red Steel 2 - Ubisoft
• Rune - Human Head Studios
• - Banpresto
• - Tecmo
• - Grasshopper Manufacture
• - Beam Software / Firebird
• Samurai Warriors series - Koei, Omega Force
  • Samurai Warriors
  • Samurai Warriors 2
    • Samurai Warriors 2: Empires
    • Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends
  • Samurai Warriors 3
• Savage - Probe Software
• Senran Kagura series - Marvelous/Tamsoft
  • Senran Kagura Burst
    • Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal
  • Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson
  • Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus
  • Senran Kagura Estival Versus
• Seven Samurai 20XX - Dimps
• - Rebel Act Studios
• - Technos
• Shinobi series - Sega
  • Shinobi (Arcade)
  • The Revenge of Shinobi
  • Shadow Dancer
  • The Cyber Shinobi
  • Shinobi (Sega Game Gear)
  • Shinobi Legions
  • Shinobi
  • Nightshade
• Skull & Crossbones - Atari Games
• The werehog gameplay of Sonic Unleashed - Sega
• Soulcalibur Legends - Bandai Namco Entertainment
• - The Creative Assembly
• Splatterhouse (2010) - Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed series - LucasArts
• Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - Respawn
• Sudeki - Climax Group
• - Yuke's
• Sword of Sodan - Innerprise
• Targhan - Silmarils
• - PlatinumGames
• - Capcom
• - PlatinumGames
• - Omega Force
• Van Helsing - Saffire
• - The Creative Assembly
• - Taito
• Warriors Orochi series - Koei, Omega Force
  • Warriors Orochi
  • Warriors Orochi 2
  • Warriors Orochi Z
• The Wonderful 101 - PlatinumGames
• Wulverblade - Darkwind Media
• X-Blades - Gaijin Entertainment
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Raven Software
• Xena: Warrior Princess - Vivendi
• Yakuza Ishin
• Yakuza Kenzan
• Yo-kai Watch Blasters -Level 5
• -Level 5
• - LTBDesigns

See also

• Beat 'em up
• Hack and slash
• List of fighting games

Notes and References

1. First Samurai . . 15 November 1991 . 121 (December 1991) . 28–30 .
2. Complete Games Guide . . May 1992 . 20 (28 April 1992) . 6, 14, 18, 20, 22, 26 .
3. Web site: Reed . Kristan . Taito Legends Power-Up . . 11 April 2021 . 4 January 2007.
4. News: Gass . Zach . 10 Awesome Hack and Slash Games That Aren't God of War . 11 April 2021 . . 11 May 2020.
5. Web site: Golden Axe Review . Greg Kasavin . GameSpot . 2006-11-30 . 2008-10-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090204233037/http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/goldenaxegen/review.html . 2009-02-04.
6. Web site: Golden Axe: Beast Rider . Patrick Shaw . 2008-05-16 . 2008-10-07 . GamePro . https://web.archive.org/web/20081017133630/http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/185688/golden-axe-beast-rider/. 2008-10-17.
7. Book: Weiss . Brett . Classic Home Video Games, 1989-1990: A Complete Guide to Sega Genesis, Neo Geo and TurboGrafx-16 Games . 9 July 2018 . . 978-0-7864-9231-2 . 206 .