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

Double Dragon

actionDOS

Lorna

actionDOS

Beat 'em up games

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Altered Beast

DOS19904.1/5 Sega
Axe of Rage

DOS19894.1/5 Palace Software
Bad Dudes VS Dragon Ninja

DOS1988protected4.1/5 Data East
Bad Street Brawler

DOS19874.2/5 Beam Software
Batman Returns

DOS19923.9/5 Spirit of discovery
Bushido

DOS19833.7/5 Ebenel enterprises
Comix Zone

Windows XP/98/9519954.1/5 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.
Cougar Force

DOS19903.9/5 Coktel Vision
Crime Wave

DOS19903.7/5 Access Software
Double Dragon

DOS19884/5 Technos Japan
Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone

DOS19924.2/5 East Technology Corp.
Double Dragon II: The Revenge

DOS19884.2/5 Technos Japan
Fallen Angel

DOS19893/5 Emerald Software
Golden Axe

DOS19914.2/5 Sega
Ikari III: The Rescue

DOS19903.5/5 SNK Corporation
International Ninja Rabbits

DOS19913.4/5 Flair Software
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.
Lorna

DOS1990NSFW4/5 Topo Soft
Ninja

DOS19862.5/5 Acclaim Entertainment
Ninja Gaiden

DOS19903.8/5 Tecmo
Ninja Gaiden 2: The Dark Sword of Chaos

DOS19904.1/5 Tecmo
Ninja Rabbits

DOS19923.6/5 Villa Crespo Software
Onslaught

DOS19904/5 Arc Developments
Renegade

DOS19883.8/5 Technos Japan
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...
Shinobi

DOS19893.9/5 Sega
Surf Ninjas

DOS19943.6/5 Creative Edge Software
Targhan

DOS19893.5/5 Silmarils
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Manhattan Missions

DOS19914/5 Distinctive Software
Terminator 2: Judgment Day

DOS19914/5 Syntetic Dimensions

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is one of the many adaptations of the Terminator franchise. This one is based on the movie of the same name, but it's not as good as the movie, according to critics. Terminator 2 is an action game developed by Syntetic Dimensions and released by Ocean Software in 1991 for DOS. It was also published for C64, ZX Spectrum, A...