Top 5 Commodore 64 Scrolling Beat 'Em Ups

Here's my favorite 5 C64 Scrolling Beat 'Em Ups , not the best of all time just simply the ones I enjoy the most + 3 honorable mentions.
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[@andrewdavie386]

Surprised to see Street Hassle there! I am one of the programmers. Thanks for your kind words and review. Of most interest, I have carried my absolute dislike for political correctness to my fast approaching old age. These days I'm actively programming homebrew Atari 2600 games. Cheers!

[@BastichB64K]

Wow! What an honor , thank you for such a classic I love it and its non PC attitude 😎🤜

[@g04tn4d0]

@@BastichB64K Yeah, holy shit dude! 🐐🤯😎

[@ridjobradikapetantrokuka3834]

I didn't even know TMNT and The Simposons were converted so nicely, it's a joy to watch.

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah really good jobs

[@maxmirni2768]

Street Hassle is a pretty fair representation of Melbourne - although there are a ton more gorillas these days..... many of them run the state.

[@BastichB64K]

🤣👍

[@RibbonPL]

First 3 are on point! I would add Express Rider, Barbarian 2 and in the first Usagi Yojimbo. I didn't play the c64 version but Altered Beast looks like a good conversion. All and all maybe you should drop the "scrolling" and do just beat'em ups (not fighters). That way you have a lot more games to cover. Cheers.

[@BastichB64K]

Cheers thx , express raiders is in my arcade vid already . As for Barbarian 2 and Usagi they have a lot of other elements that go beyond simple beat em up mechanics so i personally wouldn't lump usagi in with bop and rumble for example its just too different but thats just my view and I respect yours . Cheers and thx for watching

[@retro_noix]

I agreed with these extra games too!

[@theyamo7219]

Usagi Yojimbo is more of an arcade adventure with beat em up elements more than a straight up beat em up.

[@Nolasco.]

For me personally my favourite genre when I was growing up in the 80's was scrolling beat em up's and although i never got the chance to play games such as The Simpsons, playing streets of rage one and two on the Mega drive and final fight in the arcades was living in heaven. Never got to play this conversions for the c64 but they look great. Thanks bro

[@BastichB64K]

No probs , Streets of Rage 1&2 are epic . The arcades were always where this genre was at its best though 🕹️👍

[@Fastbikkel]

I agree on the Kung Fu master review here. I was elated back then that it captured the essence from the original, even with the limitations of the C64. I am glad i was a kid during those days. The scene was wonderful, sharing games, visiting people we would never get into contact with in other ways. Im sure our parents were wondering sometimes why we were so excited over these futuristic computers. Sometimes i regret selling my C64 with all disks/equipment. But i needed the money to buy an Amiga ;-)

[@BastichB64K]

😀👍 those were good days

[@merman1974]

Bop n Rumble featured a wrestler, in Street Hassle's instructions he's called Gorgeous Gregg after Beam Software programmer Gregg Barnett. (The Gorgeous Gregg character had also appeared in Rock 'n Wrestle/Bop 'n Wrestle.) Good list. The presentation of The Simpsons is fantastic, and I was really impressed the first time I played it. Not the biggest fan of C64 Renegade, graphics are really chunky and the control method makes it trickier than it needs to be.

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah every version of Bop has a completely different write up and backstory 🤣🤣🤣. I have a bit of a soft spot for Renegade because my Dad and I visited a shop and bought it together based solely on the awesome cover , I played it to death ... It is flawed in the controls been a bit weird ... But even the arcade controls were weird 🤣🤣

[@dennyhaynes3]

Never realised how good The Simpsons conversion was, looks a top game packed with fun.

[@BastichB64K]

Its excellent, especially considering the limits 🕹️👍👍

[@klurman]

Street Hassle doesn't get enough love!

[@BastichB64K]

Tell me about it , such a fun game 🕹️✅

[@andrewdavie386]

I have more talent in my left pinkie than the programmer of that game ever had.

[@SummerSunshine02]

Wow!!! So much nostalgia in this video. I was absolutely obsessed with TMNT arcade on my C64. Renegade was a close second for me. Thanks for uploading.

[@BastichB64K]

Cheers thx for checking it out ✅✅

[@pferdebert]

Fun fact: Kung Fu Master was originally based on the Bruce Lee movie Game of Death but they didn't get the license so the game was rebranded. You can still see the story elements from the movie. Most notably: The fight against the giant is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - yes, the basket ball player: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bprGY55ohcR5fZIsi=w7MNBoB6wGlOa3ua

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah then they took it and repurposed it again as Spartan X the jackie chan tie in movie but simply released it as kung fu master in the west lol .... Thats a lot of repurposing

[@JensenBrosGaming]

I played "The Simpsons C64" about a month ago. Played it on 2 player with my brother and I was a fan. He didnt like it. Really ambitious port that plays fine, only let down by blocky sprites and slightly dodgy hit detection.

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah its not perfect but considering what they were trying to convert I think its pretty impressive

[@RacerX-]

Great list. Some of my favorites from back then. Thanks!

[@BastichB64K]

Cheers , thx for watching 🕹️👍

[@megadruretrogames]

I couldn't wait for this video after seeing the trailer! I really enjoyed most of these when they came out. 😂 Glad to see Final Fight didn't make the list 😂 Double Dragon 2 was fantastic, what a step up from the first game! Another great video as usual! Loved every minute

[@BastichB64K]

Cheers thanks dude as always , if Final And DD were on the list then you would know that the person making the video is full of BS 🤣👍👍👍

[@nanorider426]

I usually played Int.Karate or IK+ when I played fighting games but Bop'n Rumble was my only beat'em up I played. It was so funny! I especially liked the wringing of the ears. 😆😆😆

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah the special moves for each lvl are the best

[@nanorider426]

@@BastichB64K Yep!

[@paolosixtyforeverdipace4416]

I was sure this was the list and the order when watched the trailer and I agree, great stuff as always.

[@BastichB64K]

Cheers and thanks for watching 🕹️👍👍

[@Scopie33]

Crazy to think the simpsons intro is included in the c64 game! And the Tmnt game looks like a much better conversion than the amiga.

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah its so well done , you can tell both teams really cared 👍👍

[@OperationPhantom]

That's a great list man! The Simpsons conversion really must've been a labor of love, done by a Hungarian programming team I believe? Must play that one again soon. I understand not including (Target) Renegade, as the first one needs the keyboard + joystick if I remember correctly... pretty weird. Target Renegade I found very repetitive mainly and annoying when getting caught between two enemies, who use cheap tactics. The game does look absolutely fantastic and has an amazing soundtrack with pumping tunes. Wish they had put a little more effort towards making the game play more like the excellent Spectrum and Amstrad versions. Any fan of those systems will likely want to bore you to tears with how their version of the game is like the best beat 'em up ever! I only played the Speccy game but have to admit, it's (much) more fun.

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah it was a Hungarian team as far as I know , very impressive work. Yeah and Target Renegade is very frustrating to play , lovely production values ... Forgot about the gameplay though 😂😂

[@OperationPhantom]

@@BastichB64K Beautiful but a bit dumb.

[@joecincotta5805]

Always look forward to your genre retrospectives. Nice work! Good inspiration for the weekend 😃

[@BastichB64K]

Thx for watching 🕹️✅✅

[@NickTaylor-Phantom-Works2]

Yeah I absolutely love the genre, but I'm hard pushed to think of any classics on the 64. Another quality upload mate.

[@BastichB64K]

Thx for watching 🕹️✅

[@DJSvenNo1]

Simpsons looks mega! Thanks for sharing.

[@BastichB64K]

Its pretty damn cool 👍👍

[@SynthLover-hw8ik]

I love the graphics of these, especially the Simpsons one they did a great job getting the look right on the C64. Not to get too off topic but I just picked up River City Girls and am excited since it's really been awhile since I've played a beat em up.

[@BastichB64K]

I enjoyed River City Girls , very fun with lots of depth

[@komemiute]

I realize I am in the minority but I loved Golden Axe. Yes it was limited in a lot of ways and probably too easy but I fell in love with it!

[@BastichB64K]

I admire the attempt at converting it , great music but I couldn't honestly recommend it

[@GreyMouth]

I love Target Renegade, Bad Dudes Vs Dragon Ninja and Double Dragon 2. Usagi Yojimbo is also good. Don't know how i never played the TMNT game

[@amerigocosta7452]

I played and enjoyed all of these and then some more that today people say are terrible: The Last Battle and Double Dragon 3. As bad as they might have been, for some reason they clicked with me (also I owned legitimate copies of them so they couldn't go to waste!). I didn't also mind Dynamite Dux, eventhough at times it feels more like a shooter.

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah when you had original versions of games i always found back then even if they were bad or good you always played them a ton more probably because we spent real money on them 👏🤣

[@jasonz7788]

Thanks bashb great work Sir

[@BastichB64K]

Cheers and thank you

[@retro_noix]

There is quite few under this category, could have also mentioned: renegade 3, ninja warriors, shinobi, shadow warriors , last samurai, etc

[@BastichB64K]

Its not simply about mentioning games its about talking about the best of the genre. Shadow warriors and Renegade 3 are awful .. shinobi is not a scrolling beat em up . Like i said its simply my favs, whatever are your top of the genre is way more important than this .

[@guybrushthreepwood3054]

No Target Renegade on the 1st place?! It's one of the best games on C64 in general. For me it has the most arcade-like experience on Commodore, with smooth and detailed gfx/animation, beautiful color scheme, satisfying fighting experience, original characters...and of course the music - a SID masterpiece

[@BastichB64K]

Its simply my favs like I said , the game is in the video in the honorable mentions.

[@guybrushthreepwood3054]

@@BastichB64K sure, it's just my personal subjective opinion. i think that on C64 Target Renegade has the most of that arcade feeling

[@ncf1]

Street Hassle is the best game of all time.

[@BastichB64K]

Its soooo good , love it 🤜🤜🤜

[@andrewdavie386]

I hear the programmer went mad.

[@benstylus]

Work is over, time for 64K!

[@BastichB64K]

👏😎

[@davidclark8260]

They did a good job with DD2, considering only one fire button! I managed to pull off all the moves as desired. NES version still king for me, but c64 definitely enjoyable 👍 need to some how try out the TurboGrafx version...

[@BastichB64K]

Never tried the Turbo version either

[@RextheSwede]

I really dont remember Target Renegade being that hard?!? That was the last game i bought for my c64 and i have only fond memories of it. 😅

[@BastichB64K]

If you find it easy , then you sir are a gaming god 👏😀😀 the thing which is difficult for me at least is if you mistime one hit and theres 2 badguys left you usually go into a loop and get beat to death which is super annoying .

[@RextheSwede]

Well i havent played it since around 1989 so my memory of the difficulty is a little bit hazy. So you are probably right. 😂 But i remember that i loved it. It was always one of my top games when someone asked me what my favorites was.

[@BastichB64K]

@@RextheSwede yeah still a good game though 🕹️👍

[@chriswheatley3146]

I never found Bad Dudes / Dragon Ninja to be that hard of a game on the C64. Definitely easier than some of the other ones on this list. I wonder if they spiked the difficulty in the European version vs the US version?

[@BastichB64K]

Maybe , I had the UK version and it was tough ! 😭

[@pferdebert]

Oh, and you missed Golden Axe as an honorable mention :)

[@BastichB64K]

I thought about including it but when I went back to play it , it just isn't all that great to be recommended... They did their best ... The music is awesome 🎶🎶🤜🤜

[@pferdebert]

@@BastichB64K yeah. I agree. Not bad. But not good either. Music is awesome though.

[@Corsa15DT]

You forgot the best - Shinobi

[@BastichB64K]

Not really, its in my C64 Arcade Top 20 already and personally i wouldn't class it as a beat em up as a genre .

[@Corsa15DT]

@@BastichB64K most are arcade ports. but the second argument is somewhat valid, what is beatemup? Maybe shinobi is not, but its similar to kung fu master..

[@filipgullv5774]

For some reason, you forgot about Shinobi and Usagi Yojimbo!?

[@BastichB64K]

I dont consider those scrolling beat em ups , shinobis already on my top arcade conversions but besides that its got lots of platforming , and distance shurikan attacks ... For me personally its not a beat em up . Usagi is the same its an Adventure with action , it has the whole karma system which encourages you not to fight thats the whole point of it , not really a beat em up for me either . Those are just my takes anyway if you disagree thats fine , i love those 2 games anyway .

[@robchissy]

did you not like or forget about vigilante

[@BastichB64K]

Not a fan of the c64 version , arcade is excellent though

[@robchissy]

@@BastichB64K I enjoyed it

[@pferdebert]

To be frank, the HW of the C64 just isn't the best for decent beat'em'up. You will simply run out of memory very soon. If you have space shoot'em up you need 1 or 2 sprites or so for an enemy. But for a decent beat'em up you have lots of moves, need several sprites to have a decent size for the players etc. To make things worse, you only have 16K of RAM that the graphic chip can see at a time. This makes things even more complicated. Maybe you can do some cool stuff with modern HW that you multiplex sprites like crazy and DMA-copy via easyflash or a REU into the sprite buffers.

[@BastichB64K]

I think modern C64 developers should take a stab at the genre with like you said modern tools can probably make it even better

[@solsticeprojekt1937]

Kung Fu Master had a Pistol? I've spent so much time trying to beat this game, often failing at the final boss only to repeat it all over again, or to just turn off the Commodore, insulting it all the way out of the room. ......... and now you're telling me ... there was AN EFFING PISTOL IN THIS STUPID EFFING GAME I HATE YOU! lol

[@solsticeprojekt1937]

PS: You're the best. I'll stop hating you tomorrow. ^_^

[@BastichB64K]

😂👍 cheat only works on lvl 1 but yeah .. there is a gun involved 🤣

[@BastichB64K]

😂👍

[@theyamo7219]

There were actually two ports of the original Double Dragon on the C64...and both were god awful. The only good thing about it was the music. The less said about Double Dragon 3, the better. of course that game was awful, even in the arcades.

[@BastichB64K]

Yeah totally, i covered both versions in this video 👇 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXXNp3ubr91qnLs They are both rubbish and DD3 is terrible in every version ever 🤣🤣🤣🤜