3 Games to Close Out March

You can play it on nearly any device

Right now, my mission is clear: clean up the chaos on the streets. Recently, I’ve been on a nostalgic journey with Capcom’s iconic beat ’em up titles from the late ’80s to mid-’90s. Some are old favorites, others new discoveries. Just last week, my friend and I immersed ourselves in Capcom’s fantastic Dungeons & Dragons brawlers, specifically Tower of Doom and Shadow over Mystara. We experienced these through the Chronicles of Mystara collection, and I was blown away by the engaging combat, the multitude of hidden elements and choices, as well as the clever use of inventory and magical items. Now, I’m eager to revisit the groundbreaking game that began Capcom’s legendary era of beat ’em ups: Final Fight from 1989.

Final Fight is the image that pops into my head when I think about the classic beat ’em up genre. I vividly recall the awe of spotting this game at arcades, laundromats, or local convenience stores back in the day—the enormous character sprites and those explosive, digitized voice sounds, coupled with the impactful combat. It was clear from the start that this game would redefine the genre, building upon the foundational elements of titles like Double Dragon and Renegade to become more engaging, approachable, and memorable. I haven’t played it in such a long time, and my current gaming buddy has never tried it, so I think it’s high time to unleash Mayor Mike Haggar once again. We’re diving back into the gritty world of Metro City to take on the notorious Mad Gear gang. Our ultimate goal? To confront the puppet master, a wealthy, powerful figure ruling his criminal kingdom from a towering high-rise, looming over the rundown streets and subway lines that perfectly illustrate the city teetering on the edge of collapse. – Carolyn Petit