Three Games to Bid Farewell to March

You can experience it just about anywhere.

Right now, I’m on a mission: to clean up the virtual streets and bring some justice to the chaos.

Recently, I’ve been diving back into Capcom’s phenomenal beat ’em ups from the late ’80s through the mid-’90s, and in some cases, discovering them for the first time. This past week, a friend and I tackled Capcom’s awesome duo of licensed Dungeons & Dragons brawlers—Tower of Doom and Shadow over Mystara—using the Chronicles of Mystara compilation. I was blown away by the games’ engaging combat, the wealth of secrets and branching paths, and the way they incorporated inventory systems and magic elements. Now, as the weekend rolls around, I’m itching to revisit the game that set Capcom’s beat ’em up legacy in motion: 1989’s Final Fight.

When you think of the ultimate beat ’em up, Final Fight inevitably comes to mind. Back in the day, seeing this game in arcades, laundromats, or corner stores was a thrilling experience. Those massive sprites, the gritty voice samples, the impactful combat—it was all revolutionary. It was one of those games that you could tell right away would leave a lasting mark on the genre. It took the core elements laid out by predecessors like Double Dragon and Renegade and honed them into something more accessible, captivating, and memorable. It’s been ages since I last played Final Fight, and the friend accompanying me on this retro journey has never played it. So, this weekend is perfect for Metro City’s Mayor Mike Haggar to step back into the fray, bodyslam a few Mad Gear gang members, and confront the true evil: a wealthy and powerful villain running his empire from the top of a glass tower, high above the city’s deteriorating streets and subway scenes that so vividly illustrate Final Fight’s gritty urban jungle. — Carolyn Petit