An ode to the side-scrolling, beat ‘em up!

This was written for Maglomaniac on September 3, 2013

 

There are a slew of video game genres I have grown to love over time.  From RPGs and simulations to open world action games and rail shooters, I have my choices for great games.  However, if I have to place one or two at the top, they would definitely be the platform game (thanks to my love for Super Mario Bros.), and the game genre that’s the subject of this post: the side-scrolling beat-em-up!

I got my first taste of this genre back when I was a young lad of about 9 or 10.  My older brother took us to a corner store and we saw some arcade video games there.  There I saw a woman, standing there minding her business, and then……WHAM!  Punched in the stomach and she was carried off.  The garage door opened, and two men came back.  Obviously, this girl had to do with them, so they were then off in search of them.  Punches, kicks, jump kicks, throws, whips, bats, boxes, and giant hulking brutes breaking through walls followed.  That was the first time I saw Double Dragon.  I had to see how it would end, and lo and behold, one day, I did.  I finally got to see the end of a game.  This was around the time we had the NES and hadn’t finished any of the games we had.  I guess you could factor this to my older brother’s inability to finish our games initially.  During the years, as I watched, I was blessed with some of the coolest games around.  Within the arcade alone, I got to see Final Fight, Spider-Man: the arcade game, The Simpsons arcade game, Captain Commando, Dungeons and Dragons: Tower of Doom, Dungeons and Dragons: Shadows of Mystara, Superman, Ninja Gaiden (yes, there was an arcade version first for those who remember), Double Dragon 3 (surprisingly not Double Dragon 2), and the ever-popular Xmen: The Arcade Game.  I wondered if I could be lucky enough to play any beat-em-ups at home.  How lucky would I get?

I was lucky enough to come across a few classics on the home consoles.  Unfortunately, with the advent of home consoles, the games would actually get more difficult.  Either that, or, I really had to get playing these.  The reason was, initially, when I saw these games, all I did was see them.  I guess I was still used to watching games, and not playing them.  This carried over a bit to the home consoles, so I didn’t really get to play a real butt-kicker in The Adventures of Bayou Billy or even the fabled game, Black Belt for the Sega (Little known fact: that game is actually a home adaptation of Fist of the North Star for the Sega).  However, I got my first taste while playing the Sega Master System, when my godfather dropped a plethora of games on us to play.  One of them was a special edition game for the Sega as it was a game that only could be ordered.  It was Double Dragon for the Sega.  Was it arcade perfect?  Nope, but I didn’t mind.  I will say this, and with no regrets.  If you want a more comprehensive version of Double Dragon for your home console back then, this was the version to get, not the Nintendo version.  This has two-player simultaneous action, most of the stages intact, and even the correct final boss.  The Nintendo version has some added stages with platforming parts, it’s two-player alternating, and the final boss ends up being a dark version of you.  In the original game, if both of you survived, you fought to the death to see who got to save Marian.  I guess Nintendo wanted to go straight to that part, but I wouldn’t know since I’ve never played that version, nor plan to.  Now, this game was incredibly hard, and you would find yourself wasting a lot of continues and lives trying to get to the end.  Once I learned the trick to get more continues, the game became much easier, tolerable, and fun.  This is essentially what made beat-em-ups difficult for the home console: a fixed number of continues.  It made for a great way to improve your gaming in this genre, though, as it forced me to find better ways to handle difficult situations in these games.  I’ll try to get into that later.  After this game, due to a lack of funds, getting more games would be virtually impossible…until the Super Nintendo and Genesis era.

 

 

 

Double Dragon, through the years!

As I got older, getting games fell into one of two categories.  First, there was the game for my birthday and/or for Christmas.  Second, once I got a job and could pay for what I wanted, I went to get games at my local toy store or FuncoLand (pre-Gamestop years).  Through that whole time, beat-em-ups came my way much easier, but not lacking in difficulty.  With the Super Nintendo in my possession, I came across a plethora of games in this category.  I couldn’t have been happier.  I did have a Genesis, even for a limited amount of time, and I made it a point to get as much gaming out of that system along this genre.  With the Genesis, I never got to play Streets of Rage, nor was I really interested.  Call me a Final Fight purist, but I knew a rip off when I saw it.   I did get to play the first game later, though.  For the Genesis, it was either Altered Beast (which was tough as nails) or Golden Axe (which was a gem of a game).  I still remember days when I was playing Golden Axe and going through the marathon of motions to finish it.    As for the SNES, where do I begin?  I’ll just name the games I own and/or played:  Final Fight, Final Fight 2, Final Fight 3, TMNT IV: Turtles in Time, The Peace Keepers, The King of Dragon, Captain Commando, Super Double Dragon, and Knights of the Round, to name a few.  The bright colors, the huge sprites, the frenetic action, it was all there.  It also made for one amazing experience with my brothers and sisters on a Saturday afternoon, playing through one of our favorites.  Then with the graphical upgrades, things didn’t really go very far.

SNES and beat em' ups:  my childhood was awesome!!!

The Nintendo 64 didn’t really have what we were looking for in beat em’ ups, as they were all, practically non-existent (yea, Fighting Force didn’t do it for me, either, as I never bothered).  When the Gamecube came into play, there were a few and far between, but enjoyable.  First, there was Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu.  I bought it as a game to make up for me not having X-men: Legends.  It was a good mistake, as I enjoyed the game.  It had the elements I was looking for when it came to beat em’ ups.  Simultaneous gameplay?  Check!  Items to use in battle? Check!  Tough boss battles and a slew of bad guys?  Check all around!  The most interesting part?  You had the ability to level up your character, buying different moves, items, strengths and such to improve your character.  So, it had some RPG elements to it.  It’s definitely a game to play or own if you’re a collector, a Batman fan, or a fan of the genre.  X-men Legends was more RPG than beat em’ up to me, but it had its great points.  I’m glad I got it, especially as an X-men fan.  Next, we have Viewtiful Joe.  This platform/beat em’ up hybrid was as tough as it was interesting.  I found a lot of fun testing my abilities the old school way and it was worth it.  I never bothered with the sequel as it just didn’t appeal to me.

 On the newer and later consoles, my beat-em-up fix was appealed to in spots here and there.  On the Wii, the games that had my attention on full are an eclectic mix of games.  No More Heroes was an open world masterpiece of insane cultural references filled with blood, guts, and goofiness.  I could not have been more surprised, intrigued, or eager for more.  So, I got the sequel, and I wasn’t disappointed.  Then, we have MadWorld.  You want to talk what happens when Sin City meets Smash T.V.?  This is that game.  It was a black-and-white blend of blood, guts, hilarity, and hard-hitting moves.  Then, we have a game that got me interested in a television show I’ve never seen until recently, and I’m glad I did:  Batman- The Brave and the Bold: The video game.  This game, like Viewtiful Joe, is all kinds of fun filled with platforming and pugilism.  It also captures the motif of the show in one nice little package.  Like Sin Tzu, you can upgrade and unlock skills.  Unlike Sin Tzu, it’s not fully 3-D.  Instead, we have a cel-shaded experience worth remembering. It’s a must-have for the parent or collector in you.  I could go on and on about the other games I’ve played, but maybe more bullpen calls are needed to do just that.

 

The Wii had some love for my fix

Beat em' ups will always have a soft spot in my heart.  They are simple enough to play, yet complex enough to challenge the game in you.  It's great for you and your friends and family as it is practically the epitome of multiplayer action on the video game console.  It's a great experience for a short or long amount of time and I encourage you to do so if you haven't already.  If you don't believe me, ask the dozens of gamers at MAGFest who roar like Colossus whenever humanly possible (but that's another story for another time)...