There’s something timeless about a good old-fashioned brawl. The crunch of a pixelated punch. The rhythmic thud of boots against pavement. The chaotic ballet of fists, fury, and flashing power-ups. Beat ‘em ups are the street poets of the gaming world—raw, loud, and unfiltered—and somehow, they’ve never gone out of style. In fact, on Steam, they’ve evolved into a full-blown renaissance.
What began in smoky arcades with games like Final Fight and Double Dragon has morphed into a diverse digital dojo where indie darlings, licensed legends, and modern masterpieces co-exist. Whether you’re reliving side-scrolling glory with slick, cel-shaded ninjas or diving into gritty underground turf wars with brooding anti-heroes, Steam’s lineup is stacked with contenders. These aren’t just nostalgia trips—they’re pulse-pounding showcases of style, substance, and savage co-op joy.
From high-octane throwdowns to melancholic coming-of-age street tales, these are the 15 best beat ‘em up games on Steam—each one ready to throw down, level up, and remind you why two buttons and a D-pad can still feel special today.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
- Developer: Tribute Games
- Release Date: June 16, 2022
With its pixel-perfect visuals, buttery-smooth animations, and responsive controls, Shredder’s Revenge captures everything that made the ’90s arcade era electric—then sharpens it for today. Whether you’re unleashing multi-hit combos or chaining team attacks in 6-player co-op, every punch feels snappy, satisfying, and slick.
Why It's Worth Playing: This isn’t just a game—it’s a celebration. Tribute Games and Dotemu have created a heartfelt homage to Turtles in Time that leans deep into nostalgia without feeling like a retread. From classic villains like Bebop and Rocksteady to cameos from the Channel 6 crew, the game is stuffed with fan service and Saturday morning cartoon vibes. It’s a reminder of how good it feels to yell “Cowabunga!” with friends on your couch—or across the internet.
River City Girls
- Developer: WayForward
- Release Date: September 5, 2019
River City Girls flips the script on the classic Kunio-kun formula, putting high school heroines Misako and Kyoko front and center in a brawler brimming with attitude. The combat is fast, flashy, and surprisingly deep—complete with aerial juggles, environmental takedowns, and a roster of unlockable moves that keep things fresh. Whether you’re pounding punks with a baseball bat or executing a perfectly timed dodge, the gameplay is as slick as it is satisfying.
Why It's Worth Playing: The game isn’t just about fists—it’s packed with personality. From hilarious NPCs and cheeky fourth-wall breaks to expressive anime-style cutscenes, River City Girls delivers a story that’s both smart and silly. The pixel art is drop-dead gorgeous, packed with color, detail, and charm in every frame. It’s a beat ‘em up with brains, beauty, and a whole lot of bite.
River City Girls 2
- Developer: WayForward
- Release Date: December 15, 2022
The sequel doesn’t just add more—it amplifies everything. River City Girls 2 brings an expanded world with interconnected zones, new enemy types, and six playable characters, each with their own fighting style and voice lines. Online co-op means you’re no longer limited to local brawls—team up with friends across the globe to bring the pain in synchronized style.
Why It's Worth Playing: While retaining the humor and hand-drawn charm of the first game, River City Girls 2 deepens its RPG elements with skill trees, side quests, and gear systems that let you tailor your beatdown approach. The story is snappier, the bosses are meaner, and the music—once again courtesy of Megan McDuffee—absolutely slaps. It’s not just a sequel—it’s a confident evolution of one of the freshest beat ’em ups of the decade.
The friends of Ringo Ishikawa
- Developer: yeo
- Release Date: May 17, 2018
This isn’t your typical side-scrolling slugfest. The friends of Ringo Ishikawa blends street fighting with slow, contemplative storytelling. You play as Ringo, a high school gang leader navigating the final days of adolescence. Between brawls, you’ll attend class, write essays, read books, smoke on rooftops, and hang out with friends—each moment soaked in melancholy and meaning.
Why It's Worth Playing: Combat is raw, weighty, and sometimes brutally quiet—more a reflection of mood than mechanical mastery. But the real hook is how the game asks you to find purpose in a world that offers none. With gorgeous lo-fi pixel art and a haunting soundtrack, Ringo Ishikawa stands apart as a meditative, moody beat 'em up that punches you in the soul as much as the face.
Decline’s Drops
- Developer: Moulin aux Bulles Studio
- Release Date: October 10, 2024
Decline’s Drops is an underground gem that blends side-scrolling combat with stark emotional weight. Set in a fractured dystopia, this beat ‘em up isn’t about overwhelming your enemies with flashy combos—it’s about surviving in a world that’s falling apart. The combat is tight and gritty, paired with somber visuals and a minimalist synth soundtrack that perfectly captures its bleak, neon-soaked atmosphere.
Why It's Worth Playing: Imagine Blade Runner meets Streets of Rage. The game weaves existential themes, cryptic dialogue, and slow-burn storytelling into its gameplay, giving it a distinct narrative rhythm. It’s as much about the space between fights as the fights themselves, with an eerie stillness that lingers long after the battle ends. Decline’s Drops is a noir-soaked curveball in the genre—and that’s what makes it unforgettable.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons
- Developer: Secret Base
- Release Date: July 27, 2023
The Double Dragon name carries weight, and Rise Of The Dragons wears it proudly—while boldly remixing the formula. This isn’t just a revival; it’s a reinvention. Featuring roguelike elements, randomized stage progression, and unlockable upgrades, each run feels unique. The stakes stay high, and the replayability is off the charts.
Why It's Worth Playing: The real hook is the tag-team system—letting you swap between two characters mid-combo for stylish team attacks and tactical variety. Each fighter brings their own flavor, from projectile specialists to brutal grapplers. Combined with branching paths and dynamic difficulty scaling, Double Dragon Gaiden turns every fight into a strategic dance of fists, timing, and choice. It’s retro DNA with modern muscle.
Streets Of Rage 4
- Developers: Dotemu, Guard Crush, Lizardcube
- Release Date: April 30, 2020
After 26 years, Streets of Rage 4 arrived not just as a comeback—but as a masterclass. Faithful to the series’ roots yet fearlessly modern, it reintroduces Axel, Blaze, and company with fresh hand-drawn animation, explosive new moves, and razor-sharp mechanics. This is how you resurrect a franchise: with reverence, confidence, and a whole lot of knuckle sandwiches.
Why It's Worth Playing: The combat is slick, responsive, and brutal in the best way—letting you chain together juggles, throws, and supers with rhythmic satisfaction. The soundtrack? Pure fire, featuring Yuzo Koshiro and a dream team of composers delivering pulse-pounding tracks that keep every level charged. It’s a rare sequel that improves everything while preserving the soul—and it might just be the gold standard for modern beat 'em ups.
99Vidas
- Developer: QUByte Interactive
- Release Date: December 22, 2016
99Vidas wears its love for the ’90s on its sleeve—and in every punch, kick, and pixel. Developed in Brazil, this side-scroller taps into the spirit of classics like Final Fight, Streets of Rage, and Double Dragon, delivering fast-paced action, a vibrant cast of characters, and a chunky, CRT-inspired art style that feels like it came straight out of the arcade.
Why It's Worth Playing: What sets 99Vidas apart is its cultural flavor. It blends universal beat ‘em up mechanics with Brazilian humor, music, and personality, creating a nostalgic trip that still feels fresh. With up to four-player local and online co-op, unlockable characters, elemental attacks, and bonus modes, it’s a full-package throwback with a distinctive international punch.
Bud Spencer & Terence Hill – Slaps And Beans
- Developer: Trinity Team
- Release Date: December 15, 2017
Based on the iconic Italian film duo, Slaps And Beans brings Bud Spencer and Terence Hill’s unmistakable brand of slapstick brawling into the pixelated realm. The game trades blood and grit for laughs and charm, with over-the-top slaps, hilarious animations, and lovingly crafted nods to their cinematic adventures. It’s goofy, joyful, and unapologetically fun.
Why It's Worth Playing: Set across classic movie-style backdrops—from saloons to seaside brawls—the game is dripping with retro film atmosphere. Whether you're breaking bar stools over bad guys or racing dune buggies in between punch-ups, Slaps And Beans captures the lighthearted spirit of the duo's films in a way few licensed games ever manage. It’s a beat ’em up with heart, humor, and a whole lot of smacking.
River City Ransom: Underground
- Developer: Conatus Creative
- Release Date: February 27, 2017
River City Ransom: Underground isn’t just a tribute—it’s a full-fledged, community-powered evolution of a cult classic. Developed with the blessing of the original creators, this sprawling brawler expands on everything that made River City Ransom a fan favorite, offering dozens of hours of punchy pixelated action with a massive roster and a branching, open-ended city to explore.
Why It's Worth Playing: Whether you're grinding for cash, unlocking new moves, or switching between fighters with unique abilities, the RPG mechanics run deep. Customization is key, letting you shape your street-fighting style as you rise through the ranks of River City’s turf war. It’s a love letter to DIY gaming culture, packed with charm, challenge, and a gritty sense of place. Perfect for players who want their beat ’em ups layered and limitless.
Fight’N Rage
- Developer: sebagamesdev
- Release Date: September 19, 2017
Fight’N Rage hits like a freight train. With lightning-fast gameplay, crisp hit detection, and a deep combo system, it brings arcade-perfect precision to modern PCs. You’ll chain air juggles, parries, and supers in a dance of destruction that feels endlessly satisfying—especially in 3-player local co-op, where the screen explodes in pure, unfiltered chaos.
Why It's Worth Playing: Created by a single developer, this passion project channels the spirit of Streets of Rage, Final Fight, and Golden Axe—but dials everything up to eleven. The pixel art is bold and gritty, the enemy designs are wonderfully grotesque, and the soundtrack is pure metal adrenaline. With multiple paths, endings, and unlockables, Fight’N Rage doesn’t just honor the classics—it punches through them and carves its own legacy.
Final Vendetta
- Developer: Bitmap Bureau
- Release Date: June 17, 2022
Final Vendetta is raw, ruthless, and unapologetically old-school. Developed by Bitmap Bureau, this brawler proudly wears its UK arcade influences on its knuckles—channeling the gritty vibe of Renegade and Double Dragon with sharp pixel art, a thumping techno soundtrack, and a vibe that screams “underground London brawl.”
Why It's Worth Playing: Forget hand-holding—Final Vendetta wants to break you. With no continues and brutally aggressive AI, every fight is a test of timing, spacing, and reflexes. The controls are crisp, responsive, and precise, allowing for satisfying combos and punishing counterattacks. It’s a game that rewards mastery and punishes button-mashers, making each victory feel like a hard-earned, street-level triumph.
Castle Crashers
- Developer: The Behemoth
- Release Date: Sep 26, 2012
Castle Crashers helped kickstart the indie beat ’em up revival—and it still holds up today. With its charming hand-drawn art style, simple-yet-deep combat system, and RPG-lite progression, it laid the groundwork for a generation of modern brawlers. Whether you’re leveling up your knight, unlocking new weapons, or rescuing a very weird princess, every moment is packed with character and chaos.
Why It's Worth Playing: The game truly shines in co-op, where up to four players can slash, cast, and bash their way through hordes of enemies, demented bosses, and absurd set-pieces. From riding deer-powered rocket farts to dueling your friends for a kiss, Castle Crashers blends fast-paced action with laugh-out-loud moments. It’s pure multiplayer joy wrapped in irreverent charm—and it still rocks harder than ever.
Viking Squad
- Developer: Slick Entertainment Inc.
- Release Date: October 4, 2016
Viking Squad takes the classic beat ‘em up formula and adds tactical depth with a unique lane-based combat system. You’ll choose from a band of battle-hardened Norse warriors, each with their own weapon class and playstyle, then sail into combat across stylized, mythic battlefields. Add in gear upgrades and loot drops, and you’ve got a rewarding mix of button-mashing and build-crafting.
Why It's Worth Playing: Built with co-op in mind, Viking Squad supports up to three players locally or online, encouraging team synergy and coordination as you fight off waves of enemies, siege fortresses, and take on massive bosses. With its painterly visuals and a rock-solid combat loop, this one’s perfect for fans of both hack-and-slash mayhem and Viking mythology—best served with a horn of ale and a few trusted allies.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World™: The Game – Complete Edition
- Developers: Engine Software, Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Chengdu, Ubisoft Pune Production
- Release Date: January 5, 2023
Exploding with pixel-perfect visuals and infectious chiptune beats by Anamanaguchi, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is a side-scrolling showdown drenched in comic book energy. Whether you’re brawling through snowy streets or knocking the coins out of evil exes, every stage is a celebration of style, satire, and sheer audiovisual fun.
Why It's Worth Playing: Originally delisted and nearly lost to time, the Complete Edition brings this beloved beat 'em up back with all its DLC, online co-op, and extra modes intact. It’s not just a game—it’s a resurrection. With deep combo mechanics, RPG-style progression, and loads of nods to the graphic novel and film, Scott Pilgrim stands tall as both a loving tribute to retro brawlers and a fan-fueled redemption story.
Bonus Round: What Makes a Great Modern Beat ‘Em Up?
Today’s best beat ‘em ups are more than button-mashers—they’re finely tuned machines. Fluid combat with real depth, distinctive visual flair (whether gritty pixel art or vibrant hand-drawn animation), and co-op that actually feels cooperative are key ingredients. When done right, every punch connects with purpose, every boss fight becomes a test of synergy, and every level feels like part of a world you want to fight your way through.
Steam has become a playground for creative studios—big and small—to revive, reimagine, and reinvent the genre. From indie love letters to fresh takes with roguelike layers, the platform’s flexibility and global reach have made it the perfect dojo for beat ’em ups to thrive. These games combine pick-up-and-play accessibility with deep replay value, making them ideal for both solo runs and Friday night friend brawls.
Final Thoughts
From gritty street brawls to surreal, stylized showdowns, beat ’em ups on Steam are delivering the goods in every flavor imaginable. Whether you crave old-school arcade authenticity or something experimental and story-driven, the genre continues to evolve without losing its hard-hitting heart. These games prove that fists, fun, and a killer soundtrack still go a long way.
Nothing beats the pure joy of teaming up with a buddy, laying waste to digital punks, and sharing that post-boss-fight victory cheer. So pick your fighter, power up your special move, and dive in—because the world of Steam beat ’em ups is big, bold, and begging for a good throwdown.
