8 Best Beat ’em Ups With High Replay Value

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Side-scrolling beat ’em up games were hugely popular in arcades during the late 80s and early 90s. Whether you played them at a local arcade or a place like Chuck E. Cheese, these games were always a big draw. However, because they were designed to make you keep putting in quarters, they didn’t translate well to home consoles and the genre faded in popularity around the early 2000s.

Older beat ’em up games were enjoyable, but once you finished them, there wasn’t much reason to play again besides trying to beat your high score. Modern games in this style are different – they’re actually designed to be completed and offer rewards that keep you playing. Things like leveling up your character, unlocking new weapons, or getting access to new characters give you a reason to keep playing even after you’ve seen the ending.

8. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Great For An Afternoon With Friends

Movie-based games are often disappointing, but there have been a few surprisingly good ones. The 2010 game based on the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was one of them. It stood out with its fantastic pixel art, music by Anamanaguchi, and genuinely enjoyable gameplay.

Okay, so the game pretty much follows the movie’s story, which itself is a fast-paced take on the Scott Pilgrim comics. Basically, I’m running around Toronto with my friends, beating up a whole lot of bad guys – specifically, Ramona’s seven seriously tough exes! It’s a pretty straightforward game, but there are some cool secrets hidden in the levels, like shops and shortcuts. And I find myself going back to certain areas pretty often to stock up on health and power-ups, which is helpful.

While there’s a reason to replay the game – each character gets their own unique ending – it’s mostly just a really enjoyable experience to play with friends. The game tracks each player’s progress individually, which is surprisingly rewarding when you consistently play with a small group of friends, as you can all see and feel each other’s improvement.

7. Absolum

Nothing Adds Replayability Like Repeated Deaths

Today, when people talk about games you can play over and over, roguelikes are always part of the conversation. The genre’s core idea – starting from scratch after a defeat – really encourages repeat playthroughs. This concept actually fits surprisingly well with classic beat ‘em up games, as demonstrated by Absolum, given how often those older games led to game overs.

Absolum is a fantasy action game where you control four heroes on a quest to defeat an evil king. It plays like classic beat ‘em up games, but with a twist: it includes elements from roguelike games. This means your characters get stronger as you play, and you can customize them with unique upgrades and skills to match how you like to play.

Absolum features a randomly generated map, so each playthrough will be unique. Like many roguelike games, it will likely take multiple attempts to win, but each try helps you learn and progress. It’s similar to classic arcade games of this type, but without the need to keep inserting coins to continue.

6. Dragon’s Crown Pro

Kind Of Like Arcade Diablo

Many classic beat ‘em up games were set in fantasy worlds filled with swords and magic, such as Golden Axe and Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara. Dragon’s Crown Pro successfully captured the feel of those older games, offering an updated and improved version of the original Dragon’s Crown, which came out five years prior.

Dragon’s Crown Pro is a modern take on the classic game Princess Crown, following a group of adventurers on a quest to defeat dragons and stop evil. It blends the loot-focused dungeon crawling of games like Diablo with the action of a beat ‘em up, featuring sidescrolling combat and plenty of treasure. You can play with friends in co-op, or even team up with AI companions by reviving fallen adventurers you find in the dungeons.

The game is designed to be played again and again, with different paths through each dungeon. Once you finish the game on normal difficulty, you’ll unlock a harder mode with higher levels, and an endless mode that creates new challenges whenever you want to play.

5. Fight’N Rage

Real Arcade Action

As a gamer who grew up loving beat ‘em ups, I’ve noticed most new ones are made by people just like me – folks who spent their youth pumping quarters into arcade cabinets. A lot of them are clearly made with a ton of passion for the classics, but honestly, Fight’N Rage feels like the one that really nails that old-school arcade vibe. It just feels the most authentic.

Fight’N Rage is a surprisingly complex beat ‘em up game where three martial artists are caught in a war between humans and mutants. What sets it apart is that each of the three characters plays very differently, offering unique moves and styles – a refreshing change from many similar games where characters feel almost identical. The game features a robust combat system with intricate combos, special attacks, and even the ability to parry. While you don’t level up your character, you can collect coins to unlock new outfits and extra game modes, encouraging high-score chasing.

Okay, so Fight’N Rage isn’t just a straight line – every level throws different paths, backgrounds, and enemies at you, even in the classic arcade mode. But that’s not all! I can unlock a versus mode to battle friends, plus score and time attack challenges if I want to push my skills, and even a survival mode to see how long I can last. It’s a great way to really master your favorite character.

4. Streets Of Rage 4

Challenge Higher Difficulties

Beat ‘em up and fighting games often appeal to the same players. Although beat ‘em ups aren’t usually as complex as fighting games, they offer a similar, satisfying combat experience for those who enjoy a good challenge. If you’re looking for a tough but rewarding game, Streets of Rage 4 is a great choice.

Okay, so Streets of Rage 4 is basically the long-awaited sequel to those classic Streets of Rage games from the 90s. You’re back playing as Blaze, Axel, and the crew, fighting bad guys on the streets, but it’s set ten years later. What really surprised me is how deep the combat is! It’s got a combo system that feels like a proper fighting game – you can link regular attacks with special moves, do juggles, bounce enemies off walls, the whole nine yards. If you’re the type of player who loves to master complex fighting game mechanics, you’re going to love how Streets of Rage 4 plays.

The game offers a variety of ways to play, including a story mode, classic arcade action, a boss rush, and competitive battles. Once you beat the game, you can unlock even more challenging difficulty levels if you’re up for a real test of skill.

3. Castle Crashers

Keep Playing To Unlock Everything

I mentioned that beat ‘em up games weren’t very popular in the early 2000s. However, one indie game, Castle Crashers, really helped bring them back. When it came out on Xbox Live Arcade in 2008, it quickly became a favorite for playing with friends locally, and people kept coming back to it again and again, which was a big reason for its success.

Castle Crashers is a lighthearted and easy-to-pick-up action game for up to four players. You play as one of four knights on a quest to save the king’s daughters from a wicked wizard. While it doesn’t have the complex combat of some modern games, that makes it a great choice for anyone new to the beat ‘em up genre. As you play, your knight will level up and become more powerful, making the game enjoyable and easy to learn.

Castle Crashers has tons of stuff to unlock, like new characters, weapons, and animal companions. Unlocking all the characters takes dedication – you’ll need to finish the game multiple times, each time playing as a different character.

2. River City Girls

Short, Sweet, Yet Deceptively Deep

The River City/Kunio-Kun series is a classic and highly respected name in the beat ’em up genre. River City Ransom stood out from other games of its time by offering a unique experience – an open world map combined with gameplay elements typically found in action role-playing games. This style continues in the spin-off title, River City Girls.

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River City Girls puts you in control of Kyoko and Misako, the girlfriends of classic characters Kunio and Rikki, as they fight their way through River City to find them. Like previous games in the series, it’s a beat ‘em up where you can explore a map and complete quests. Instead of traditional levels, the game uses ‘screen locks’ – you have to defeat all the enemies on screen to progress. You can also level up your characters, learn new moves at dojos, and equip accessories bought from shops.

River City Girls 2 has two different endings, and the best one requires completing a lengthy side quest. This gives players plenty to do even after finishing the main story. While it’s very replayable, the original River City Girls might be slightly better in that regard, simply because its map is a bit more streamlined.

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Replay It Alone, Replay It With Friends

If you ask someone who grew up playing arcade games about their favorite fighting game, many will likely say Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time. That game is a classic, and the Turtles have always been great in side-scrolling adventures. So, it’s not a surprise that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is one of the most fun and highly-rated modern fighting games available.

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a classic-style beat ’em up game that feels both nostalgic and modern. You can play as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as April O’Neil and Splinter, battling Shredder and the Foot Clan. The game offers a quick arcade mode and a longer story mode with side missions and hidden secrets. Most characters are available from the beginning, and unlocking Casey Jones – by completing the game once – is well worth the effort.

The game offers achievements for character progression and completing the story, giving you lots to do. Plus, downloadable content adds a survival mode for players who enjoy the combat and want a new challenge, and it also introduces two new characters you can play as.

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2025-12-22 22:41