Hardcore Gaming 101 recently published an eye-opening retrospective of Capcom's prolific beat-em-up arcade and console output, all very much derivatives of their 1989 classic Final Fight. While Capcom may not have created the genre—that distinction is uniquely Technos'—they refined it, some say perfected it, over the course of a dozen plus formulaic releases.

Final Fight and licensed properties like Aliens vs. Predator may be household names, but some of Capcom's "punch first, ask questions later" beat-em-ups tread on obscure ground—Armored Warriors, anyone? I've played many of these games to completion, as I was lucky enough to have access to them at an excellent arcade in college, but there were a few undiscovered gems within.

Many of these games are available in the recent Capcom Classics Collections, others are available... elsewhere. If nothing else, gorgeous 16-bit sprite porn will make you misty-eyed for a gaming era far less brown. Michael McWhertor

Capcom Beat-em-ups [Hardcore Gaming 101]

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