My top 10 scrolling beat ‘em-ups on Nintendo Switch – Reader’s Feature

A fan of scrolling beat ‘em-ups such as Final Fight and Streets Of Rage offers his list of the very best, including arcade classics and brand new indie titles.

With the resurgence of the scrolling beat ‘em-up, I thought I’d do a Reader’s Feature on my top 10 picks you can own on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. I’ve chosen the Switch because it’s the format where I have all these games. They make for good pick up and play titles, but they’re also available on other formats.

My choices may have been slightly different if a few absentees were available, such as The Simpsons (1991), X-Men (1992), Cadillacs And Dinosaurs (1993), Violent Storm (1993), and Alien Vs. Predator (1994). Unfortunately, I think most have licensing issues that may be preventing their re-release.

Nonetheless, here’s my list of the top 10 scrolling beat ‘em-ups you can play today, with a couple of similar games you may like on the Switch in the genre.

Final Fight – Capcom (1989)

Found on: Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle

Why it’s worth playing: This game started its life as the follow-up to the original Street Fighter, initially called Street Fighter 89. High quality graphics; large, detailed sprites; and excellent sound for its time. It featured memorable characters, with distinct enemy and boss designs. Complex gameplay for the year, which would influence all the scrolling beat ‘em-ups from thereon in. It’s still worth a play through today.

Avoid if: you moisturise your hands regularly, as there’s going to be plenty of button mashing and sore thumbs with this one.

Alternatively, you could play: Double Dragon (1987) or Vendetta (1991)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Konami (1989)

Found on: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection

Why it’s worth playing: One of the first four-player cabinets released in the arcade by Konami. Four players was a perfect fit, as it meant you could choose and play as any of the four hero turtles. The game perfectly captured the extremely popular cartoon’s spirit, using smooth animation and featuring action-packed gameplay and great music. Every level featured bosses and locales from its cartoon episodes, it really did stay true to its source material.

Avoid if: you don’t like a pizza, Cowabunga, or sensei rats.

Alternatively, you could play: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time (1991) or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (2022)

Zero Team – Seibu Kaihatsu (1993)

Found on: eShop (Arcade Archives)

Why it’s worth playing: The scrolling beat ‘em-up market was saturated by 1993 and there was now a shift to one-on-one fighters, due to the immense popularity of Street Fighter 2. This is one that went under my radar at the time but it’s one of my favourites that I’ve discovered over the years. It features engaging gameplay, with unique combat mechanics and detailed and interactive environments. It’s a solid and fun example of the genre and is definitely a giggle when played on couch co-op as you can hurt each other, by accident or otherwise.

Avoid if: you don’t like erotic sounding deaths as Spin, the female character, has one of the most excruciating in gaming.

Alternatively, you could play: Mutation Nation (1992) or The Punisher (1993)

Battle Circuit – Capcom (1997)

Found on: Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle

Why it’s worth playing: It features a unique take on scrolling beat ‘em-ups with its deep upgrade system, where you can buy new moves with in-game currency to customise your character’s fighting style. It features five playable characters, that play quite differently: a balanced cyber human, a rubber man that has ice powers, a speedy fashion model with whip attacks, a flying ostrich with strong aerial attacks, and a plant based monster excelling in strength. This was Capcom’s final beat ‘em-up of this type that was developed for arcades.

Avoid if: you’re afraid of Venus Fly traps and bright and colourful beat ‘em-ups.

Alternatively, you could play: Captain Commando (1991) or Metamorphic Force (1993)

Sengoku 3 – SNK (2001)

Found on: eShop

Why it’s worth playing: What appears to be a shallow run of the mill arcade beat em up in it’s initial coin op presentation features one of the deepest combat systems of any of this style of game. It definitely becomes more rewarding the more time you put into It learning it’s attack inputs. It has great presentation and diverse enemy variety. The beginning 3 areas to explore on the map opens up into a much larger and longer story with different paths making for good replayability. It also features unlockable characters, who doesn’t like an unlockable character?
Avoid if: you have a fear of 15th and 16th century Japan or Ninjas.
Alternatively you could play: Sengoku (1991) Sengoku 2 (1993).

Mayhem Brawler – Hero Concept (2019)

Found on: eShop or physical

Why it’s worth playing: It has a modern comic book art style and an engaging story, which branches based on player choices, which gives it added replayability. It features freeform combo creations – button mashing will only get you so far, as this one requires skill and strategy, which may lead to a difficulty level too high for some. I enjoyed this one because of its memorable and varied cast of five playable characters, featuring a she-wolf, a he-wolf, a big Frankenstein fish guy called Dolphin, a telekinetic, and a witch. I particularly liked this one because it plays like Streets Of Rage 4, with a similar move set.

Avoid if: You don’t like supernatural things or women with hairy arms.

Alternatively, you could play: Raging Justice (2018) or Fight’N Rage (2019)

River City Girls – WayForward (2019)

Found on: eShop or physical

Why it’s worth playing: River City Girls is a fast paced beat ‘em-up with a sense of humour and a great soundtrack. It features colourful pixelated graphics with a manga art style and light role-playing elements, which by the end offers a surprising amount of depth. It’s one of the best examples of how the genre can be evolved and modernised, while still showing off a retro presentation that stays true to its scrolling beat ‘em-up roots of yesteryear, as it’s part of the Kunio-kun series.

Avoid if: Japanese school girls that kick butt aren’t your thing.

Alternatively, you could play: River City Ransom (1989) or River City Girls 2 (2022)

The TakeOver – Pelikan13 (2020)

Found on: eShop or physical

Why it’s worth playing: At the time of writing it’s only £2.69 on the Nintendo eShop, which is worth any scrolling beat ‘em-up fan’s money. It’s combat mechanics are satisfying, it features a 3D/2D hybrid graphics style. There’s no getting away from it, that’s it’s been highly influenced by Streets Of Rage and even features some music by Yuzo Koshiro, who worked on the Streets Of Rage series. It’s worth your time if you like these type of games, especially at this price point.

Alternatively, you could play: any of the Streets Of Rage games.

Streets Of Rage 4 – Dotemu (2020)

Found on: eShop or physical

Why it’s worth playing: Streets Of Rage 4 an excellent blend of classic beat ‘em ups and modern design. It features an outstanding soundtrack and also a retro soundtrack, if you prefer the series’ original music. It features deep and modern combat mechanics for each of its long list of characters. It’s a fitting tribute to the other games in the series, while setting the bar for the genre in the modern age, in my opinion. It allows you to play as all versions of all characters from the previous titles, as well as its new iterations of characters and new members of the roster.

Avoid if: you’re afraid of dirty cities full of crime that need cleaning up, or boxing kangaroos.

Alternatively, you could play: Streets Of Rage (1991), Streets Of Rage 2 (1992), or Streets Of Rage 3 (1994)

Absolum – Dotemu (2025)

Found on: eShop or physical

Why it’s worth playing: Absolum has a gorgeous art style, an excellent soundtrack, addictive gameplay, and it’s trying something new with its roguelike permanent progression system, which I’ve never seen before in this type of scrolling beat ‘em-up game. It features four playable, totally different, characters which unlock as you progress through its game world, which is ever changing with every attempt at success you venture into. The game has secrets, hidden paths, and hidden loot; every new game is different as power-ups change with every run you undertake. It really is a fresh take on the scrolling beat ‘em-up.

Avoid if: you don’t like scary cartoon goblins and dwarves.

Alternatively, you could play: Golden Axe (1989) or Knights Of The Round (1992)

So that finishes off my top 10 of the best scrolling beat ‘em-ups you can play today on Nintendo Switch. Looking to the future, there’s some more exciting beta ‘em-up games on the way, such as Marvel Cosmic Invasion (2025) He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe: Dragon Pearl Of Destruction (2026), and the possibility of Streets of Rage 5 in the near future.

Thanks for reading.

By reader Nick The Greek

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

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