I’ve gravitated to brawlers for a very long time, basically since they first started popping up in arcades in the mid-1980s.
The brawler — if you need a primer — is a genre of video game that involves beating up a bunch of bad guys who keep coming at you. Also sometimes referenced as a “beat ’em up” — though I shy from that designation as that to me denotes more of a one-on-one fighter like Street Fighter II — it essentially boils down to mashing punch and kick buttons, often with a teammate(s) helping you, through several stages until you defeat the big bad, probably/possibly rescue a family member/significant other, and live happily ever after (until the sequel).
There’s probably something to unpack there about why I enjoy these games as much as I do [insert analysis about wish fulfillment in regards to settling conflict with one’s fists HERE], but the appeal of the genre runs much deeper than simple violence.
To me, it’s all about how communal they are.
Brawlers, you see, are short, and since multiple people can generally play, they become communal by their very nature. That makes a good brawler a tremendous bonding opportunity, in the same way a sports title can be. You can gather with friends, have a quick, fun experience together, and then move on to other interests or part ways.
Gaming is just more fun when it’s done together.
But brawlers might be even better for cooperative play than sports games. In sports titles, you’re often taking on your friends and family. You’re opponents. In a brawler, you’re united against a common foe. Teamwork carries the day. And while “friendly fire” can be a fun aspect to that sort of experience too, it’s ultimately most rewarding to team up and defeat the game together.
So yeah, I like these kinds of games a LOT. And yet, when I sat down to think about which games are some of my all-time, can’t-miss recommendations, not many were emerging at the top of my list … for various, sound reasons.
Streets of Rage and Double Dragon haven’t aged all that gracefully.
Final Fight and Streets of Rage 2 were never really my jam at the time, so they don’t have that “first love” appeal.
Battletoads? A smidge too tough.
The Golden Ax series? A little too niche.
And honestly, most other arcade brawlers that came along afterward just felt too derivative.
Which is how we ended up with a licensed arcade port sitting here at No. 16.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time
Genre: Brawler
Released: 1992
Platform: SNES
No. 24 on GamesRadar’s Best SNES Games of All Time