5 Best Sega Genesis Beat ‘Em Ups That Still Hold Up Today

The Sega Genesis launched in Japan in 1988, then reached other regions over the next few years. As one of the big competitors to Nintendo’s Super Nintendo, Sega brought in several big-name developers to improve its library. The early ’90s were also the era of beat ’em ups. The genre had started to build up hype during the ’80s, but hardware improvements to home consoles made it much easier for developers to port over hit arcade games. It wasn’t always a one-for-one port, but it was much closer on the Genesis.

Here are the five best beat ’em ups that made their way to the Sega Genesis.

5) Splatterhouse 3

The Splatterhouse series has always been about putting as much violence on the screen as possible, and the third game took that to another level. It took that classic, side-scrolling action and added a few innovations to keep things fresh. Most notably, Splatterhouse 3 includes an in-game map and a time limit. That turns the linear action into a more open-ended game, giving Splatterhouse 3 some real player choice.

That leads into the final big addition Splatterhouse 3 made to the formula: multiple endings. The team at Now Production gave players four possible endings, depending on their choices and skill. If characters die because you can’t finish a task within the time limit, it’ll alter the ending. That added replay value and challenged players to up their beat ’em up skills.

4) Streets of Rage

The first Streets of Rage was Sega’s chance to give its young console its own version of Double Dragon and Final Fight. Technically, Double Dragon was already on the system, but Streets of Rage was an exclusive, in-house production, which meant it could take full advantage of everything the Genesis had to offer.

Another game in the series has since surpassed the original, but at the time, Streets of Rage was one of the best games on the Genesis. It featured crisp graphics, phenomenal gameplay, and one of the most banging soundtracks in video game history. All of that came to a head for Streets of Rage‘s huge boss fights, which were a must-see event in 1991.

3) Golden Axe 2

Golden Axe 2 is an often-forgotten beat ’em up. It launched in 1991 in Japan as the sequel to the landmark original, but was quickly followed by an arcade quasi-sequel called The Revenge of Death Adder. That game is much better, and the switch caused some confusion among players, thinking they were getting a port of the arcade version.

While that’s not the case, Golden Axe 2 is still a solid beat ’em up. Sure, it’s a little easier than the other games in the series, but that’s part of the appeal for some players. Sega took the Golden Axe formula and introduced a new back attack and a revamped magic system. That was just enough variety to take Golden Axe 2 over the top and make it the best Golden Axe game on the system.

2) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Hyperstone Heist

Most TMNT fans know about Turtles in Time, the all-timer beat ’em up on the Super Nintendo and arcades. However, the Genesis had its own TMNT beat-’em-up that’s nearly as good. Hyperstone Heist is heavily based on the arcade version of Turtles in Time; however, it switches things up quite a bit.

There are only five levels to play through, but each level is much longer. The AI is also much more aggressive, making for an experience that feels unique to the Turtles in Time games despite sharing a ton of DNA. Hyperstone Heist isn’t nearly as beloved as Turtles in Time, but it’s right up there in terms of quality.

1) Streets of Rage 2

You can quibble with the placement of the other games on this list, but I don’t think anyone would disagree that Streets of Rage 2 deserves the top spot. It’s not just the best beat ’em up on the Sega Genesis, but it has a case for the best beat ’em up of all time. Sega took everything you loved about the original and expanded it in major ways.

That includes several new playable characters, giving you brand-new ways to play. You also had access to new Blitz and Special Attacks, which could help turn the tide in a difficult fight. Streets of Rage 2 looks even better than the original, as the team at Sega was fully coming into its own on the Genesis, taking advantage of all of the bells and whistles of the console. And on top of all that, Streets of Rage 2 has one of the best soundtracks of all time, earning several end-of-year awards in 1992. Simply put, there’s nothing better than skating through levels as Eddie Hunter and taking out Mr. X.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

10 Best Sega Genesis Games, Ranked