Abandonware DOS title

Beat 'em ups (aka brawlers)

A beat 'em up video game, also known as a brawler, is a genre of action video games that focuses on close combat fighting against multiple enemies. In these games, players control a character who must battle through hordes of enemies using hand-to-hand combat or melee weapons.

Beat 'em up games often feature side-scrolling or 2D gameplay. Players move across the screen, progressing through levels or stages, while encountering waves of enemies. The primary objective is to defeat all the enemies and progress further in the game.

These games usually provide a variety of moves and attacks, including punches, kicks, throws, and special abilities or power-ups. Sometimes, beat 'em ups allow cooperative multiplayer, where two or more players can join forces to fight enemies together. Classic examples of beat 'em up games include Double Dragon, Golden Axe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Most popular beat 'em up games

Golden Axe
actionDOS
Robocop
shooterDOS
alteredbeast-1

Altered Beast

DOS19904.1/5 Sega
Altered Beast is a classic side-scrolling beat 'em up arcade game developed and published by Sega. It was originally released in arcades in 1988 and later ported to various home consoles, including the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.Players control a resurrected centurion who battles through five levels filled with undead creatures and other mythical beas...
barbarian2-1

Axe of Rage

DOS19894.1/5 Palace Software
bad-dudes-02

Bad Dudes VS Dragon Ninja

DOS1988protected4.1/5 Data East
bad-street-brawler-06

Bad Street Brawler

DOS19874/5 Beam Software
Bad Street Brawler is a beat 'em up video game developed by Beam Software and published by Mindscape. Originally released for the Commodore 64 in 1987 and later for other platforms. The game features Duke Davis, a former punk rocker turned vigilante, as the protagonist. In "Bad Street Brawler," players guide Duke through various urban environm...
batmanreturns-3

Batman Returns

DOS19923.8/5 Spirit of discovery
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Beats of Rage

DOS2003freeware3.8/5
bushido-03

Bushido

DOS19833.7/5 Ebenel enterprises
comix-zone-95-04

Comix Zone

Windows XP/98/9519954.2/5 Sega
Comix Zone is a peculiar science fiction and superhero themed action game.It was developed and released by Sega in 1995 for Windows and other platforms. What makes Comix Zone different from other similare titles is that the game world is framed like a comic book.
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Cougar Force

DOS19903.9/5 Coktel Vision
crime-wave-03

Crime Wave

DOS19903.7/5 Access Software
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Double Dragon

DOS19884/5 Technos Japan
double-dragon-3-02

Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone

DOS19924.2/5 East Technology Corp.
double-dragon-2-03

Double Dragon II: The Revenge

DOS19884.2/5 Technos Japan
fallen-angel-03

Fallen Angel

DOS19892.4/5 Emerald Software
goldenaxe-3

Golden Axe

DOS19914.2/5 Sega
Golden Axe is a classic arcade game developed by Sega and released in 1989. It's a side-scrolling beat 'em up game set in a fantasy world where players choose one of three characters: a barbarian, a dwarf, or an amazon, each with their own strengths and abilities.The game follows the quest of these heroes to rescue the King and Princess of Yuria fr...
ikari-warriors-3-04

Ikari III: The Rescue

DOS19903.4/5 SNK Corporation
ninja-rabbit-returns-02

International Ninja Rabbits

DOS19913.6/5 Flair Software
karateka-2

Karateka

DOS19864.1/5 Broderbund
Karateka is a martial arts themed action / fighting game released by Broderbund in 1986 for DOS. Karateka is the first game designed by Jordan Mechner, the father of the Prince of Persia franchise. Karateka was also published for Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, C64, MSX, NES, ZX Spectrum.
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Last Action Hero

DOS19933.5/5 Psygnosis
lorna-04

Lorna

DOS1990NSFW3.9/5 Topo Soft
ninja-mastetronic-03

Ninja

DOS19862.5/5 Acclaim Entertainment
ninjagaiden-1

Ninja Gaiden

DOS19903.7/5 Tecmo
Ninja Gaiden, released in 1988 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and later to other platforms, is a side-scrolling action-platformer developed by Tecmo. It follows the story of Ryu Hayabusa, a skilled ninja on a quest for vengeance and justice.In the game, players control Ryu as he battles through six acts, each divided into several stage...
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Ninja Rabbits

DOS19923.6/5 Villa Crespo Software
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Onslaught

DOS19904/5 Arc Developments
renegade-1

Renegade

DOS19883.8/5 Technos Japan
robocop-2

Robocop

DOS19894/5 Data East
Robocop is an abandoned beat 'em up / run and gun shooter game developed and released by Data East in 1989 for a number of platforms, including DOS. Robocop is a conversion from an arcade game released by Data East in 1988 and it was based on the movie of the same name, Robocop, by Paul Verhoeven. Your goal is to get to the final boss by shoot...
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Shinobi

DOS19894/5 Sega
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Surf Ninjas

DOS19943.3/5 Creative Edge Software
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Sword of Honour

DOS19933.8/5 Dynafield Systems International