The beat ’em up genre has always held a special place in gaming history. From arcades drenched in neon lights to living rooms filled with chunky CRT televisions, games like Final Fight, Double Dragon, and Streets of Rage defined a generation of co-op action. But for every mainstream hit, there were dozens of quirky, ambitious, or downright strange brawlers that slipped through the cracks.
That’s where QUByte’s Beat ’Em Up Collection comes in. Rather than serving up the usual “greatest hits,” this package focuses on lesser-known titles, offering a fascinating glimpse at the more experimental corners of the genre. Containing seven side-scrolling fighters, it’s both a nostalgic curiosity and a preservation project that introduces hidden gems to a new audience.
What do we get?
- First Samurai – Originally developed for the Amiga, First Samurai blends action-platforming with martial arts mysticism. You play as a wandering samurai aided by a spirit guide, facing everything from demons to giant insects. The controls feel unusual compared to typical brawlers—you’re juggling swordplay with platforming challenges—but the atmosphere makes it memorable. The SNES version included here isn’t quite as sharp as the Amiga original, but it retains that surreal, almost dreamlike quality.
- Second Samurai – The sequel expands the concept with two-player co-op, allowing players to tackle mythological beasts together. Unfortunately, QUByte opted for the Mega Drive version instead of the superior Amiga edition. The result is a game that feels clunky and unrefined, with downgraded visuals and sound. It’s a missed opportunity, but still interesting for fans who want to see how the series evolved.
- Gourmet Warriors – This is the standout oddity of the bunch. Set in a futuristic, food-obsessed world, you play as eccentric characters like Bonjour and Très Bien, defeating enemies not for points or health but for ingredients. At the end of each stage, those ingredients are cooked into dishes that boost your stats. It’s a brawler that’s part cooking sim, part parody, and it leans hard into its comedic personality. Think of it as a mix between Streets of Rage and Iron Chef.
- Iron Commando – One of the chunkiest-feeling beat ’em ups you’ll play. Combat is deliberate and heavy, making every punch feel impactful—but also a little sluggish. The twist here is weapon variety: knives, pipes, grenades, and even machine guns litter the battlefield, turning fights into chaotic shootouts as much as fistfights. While this makes it distinct, some purists might feel it strays too far from traditional hand-to-hand brawling.
- Legend – Borrowing heavily from Golden Axe, Legend tries to deliver a medieval hack-and-slash experience, complete with swords, armor, and a pseudo-fantasy setting. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite capture the magic. Combat feels repetitive, enemies lack variety, and the magic system is underdeveloped. Still, for anyone fascinated by 16-bit “clone” games, it’s a fascinating artifact.
- Sword of Sodan – If Legend is light fantasy, Sword of Sodan is dark fantasy at its grittiest. You play as a barbarian warrior—male or female—cutting through grotesque monsters in a bleak, medieval world. The graphics were impressive for their time, with large sprites and grim art design, though gameplay can feel stiff. It’s an atmospheric curiosity, particularly for fans of Conan-style fantasy worlds.
- The Tale of Clouds and Winds – Perhaps the most traditional beat ’em up in the package, this one takes cues from classics like Double Dragon while mixing in Eastern storytelling influences. It’s straightforward—walk right, fight thugs, repeat—but the setting makes it stand out. This one will likely appeal most to genre purists who want a no-nonsense, old-school brawler.
The biggest strength here is variety. No two games feel the same: one blends cooking with combat, another dips into grimdark barbarian fantasy, and another flirts with platforming. This makes the package feel like a time capsule of experimentation, showing how developers in the ’90s tried to push the beat ’em up formula in different directions. Presentation is another win.
Classics with new features
Where QUByte shines is in how it presents these games. Rather than simple ROM dumps, each title comes with quality-of-life features that make them more accessible for modern players. With features like Save States, Pause mid-level and save progress, essential for tough sections or revisiting later. Rewind Function: Instantly undo mistakes, perfect for cheap enemy hits or tricky boss fights. Button Remapping: A must for comfort, allowing players to tailor controls to their liking. These are the additions that make such titles accessible by today’s standards. These games are difficult and unforgiving and if like many others you do not have time to master the mechanics, these features will save you.
There are also more cosmetic and fun additions such as digital Manuals & Extras. Each game includes its manual, giving insight into original mechanics, artwork, and story context. These help bridge the gap between playing and understanding each title’s quirks. CRT Filters & Screen Options allow players to choose between crisp pixels or authentic retro aesthetics with scanlines. You can even adjust aspect ratios for widescreen or the original 4:3. Region Versions (where applicable): In some cases, the collection allows players to experience different versions of a game, preserving regional differences.
My Conclusion
The Beat ’Em Up Collection is a fascinating, uneven, but ultimately valuable package. It doesn’t deliver perfection, nor does it aim to, it preserves history, warts and all. For retro fans, it’s a goldmine of curiosities, presenting forgotten experiments alongside cult favourites. For casual players, it’s a tougher sell, but still worth a look if you’re curious about the weirder side of the genre. If you are a fan of beat ’em ups give Heroes of Mount Dragon a quick look too. A new and polished beat title with a recent free update adding new characters.
At its best, this collection is a celebration of the beat ’em up’s wild, diverse past. At its worst, it’s a reminder of why some games stayed obscure. Either way, it’s an engaging journey for anyone who wants to see beyond the usual suspects.
