Games Like Double Dragon II: The Revenge

A landmark crossover event for early 90s beat-em-up fans, Battletoads & Double Dragon unites Rare's bruising amphibian warriors with Technos' iconic martial arts duo against the shared threat of the Dark Queen and the Shadow Warriors. The game wisely tempers Battletoads' notorious difficulty with Double Dragon's more accessible combat pacing, resulting in a co-op brawler that rewards skilled play without punishing newcomers at every turn.

Rare's beat-em-up masterpiece is one of the most technically impressive NES games ever made — and one of the most brutally difficult. The Turbo Tunnel alone has broken thousands of controllers.

The beat-em-up that started it all. Double Dragon's blend of martial arts combat, weapon pickups, and mission-based brawling defined the belt-scrolling genre for years to come.

Konami's NES port of the beloved 1989 TMNT arcade game — controlling Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, or Raphael through eight stages of Foot Soldier combat, boss encounters including Bebop, Rocksteady, and Shredder, and two exclusive NES stages not in the original arcade. The definitive NES Turtles game and one of the best beat-em-ups on the platform.

Konami's 1992 NES beat-em-up and the second side-scrolling TMNT NES game — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project improves on TMNT II: The Arcade Game with Super Jump moves unique to each turtle, a longer eight-stage campaign with Manhattan transported to Florida by Shredder's flying island, and a larger budget presentation that made it one of the NES's finest late-era beat-em-ups.

Capcom's 1994 CPS-2 arcade beat-em-up and the definitive AvP game — Alien vs. Predator features three-player co-op with two Predators (Hunter and Warrior) and two humans (Dutch's niece Linn Kurosaki and Lt. David Gibson) fighting through Alien hordes in a large-scale urban environment, with distinct character abilities and the series' iconic weapon set.

Capcom's 1993 SNES beat-em-up — Alien vs. Predator is not the arcade game but a distinct SNES-exclusive action game where players control Dutch Schaefer or Linn Kurosawa fighting Aliens across seven stages. Two-player co-op, weapons including plasma cannon and smart discs, and dark action that captures the sci-fi horror tone.

The Genesis launch pack-in that greeted millions of new console owners. Altered Beast's transformation mechanic was innovative and memorable, even if the overall game was short and repetitive by modern standards.

Konami's SNES beat-em-up adaptation of Tim Burton's Batman Returns, featuring cooperative two-player combat against a Halloween carnival of villains. Batman Returns SNES offered significantly different gameplay from other platform versions — a slower, heavier brawler with grapple mechanics that matched the film's dark aesthetic.

Capcom's 1997 arcade beat-em-up and the final entry in their classic beat-em-up era — Battle Circuit features five eclectic bounty hunters (including a plant person, a cyborg, and a yellow alien with sawblade arms) fighting through a cyberpunk setting to capture the hacker Dr. Saturn, with the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle's only new addition being this overlooked gem.

Capcom's 1993 arcade beat-em-up based on the Xenozoic Tales comic and CBS animated series — Cadillacs and Dinosaurs features four playable characters (Mustapha, Jack, Hannah, Mess) fighting through a post-apocalyptic future where humans and dinosaurs coexist, using the CPS-1 hardware that powered Final Fight with the addition of firearms to the melee combat.

Capcom's 1995 SNES beat-em-up — Captain Commando follows the Capcom mascot and his three allies (Mack the Knife, Sho Ginsei, Ginzu the Ninja, Baby Head) fighting crime in futuristic Metro City. Four-player in the arcade; two-player on SNES. One of the finest beat-em-ups of the 16-bit era and the origin of a beloved Capcom character.