Scott Pilgrim EX, the long-awaited sequel to Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World: The Game, is probably the best new beat 'em up this year. It features gorgeous pixel art, catchy chiptunes, a diverse but manageable open world, and 4-player local and online co-op with cross-play. That's a lot to like! Well, now there's even more to like. Today, the game got a free update alongside the arrival of a DLC character pack.
The annual Steam Summer Sale started this week, and thousands of games are currently discounted. This includes plenty of games in one of our favorite genres: beat 'em ups like Rotwood! With that in mind, we've compiled a list of every beat 'em up in the Steam Summer Sale - and their co-op features! Lots of these game support Remote Play Together while the console versions have no online co-op, making these the best versions to get.
Rayman's 30th anniversary celebrations continue as Ubisoft announced today they are remastering their 2013 platformer Rayman Legends as Rayman Legends Retold. Alongside a graphical overhaul, a shift from the UbiArt Framework engine to Snowdrop, and fully voiced characters and cutscenes, this "reimagining" will feature a new story, new "dragon ride" levels, and a new realm to explore. I was invited to participate in a remote hands-on preview of a work-in-progress build of the game recently, and I came away feeling overall positive about the game's revitalized return.
When Absolum debuted last year (and this year on Xbox), it quickly emerged as one of the best modern beat 'em ups. A big part of Absolum's appeal is that it was the only roguelike brawler on the market. Well, that has just changed with the arrival of Mad King Redemption from Secret Mission and Pixel Doors. This one is both a beat 'em up and a roguelike, but it looks vastly different from just about any other game in the genre thanks to its bold 2.5D graphics. It also features 4-player local co-op, so it's definitely on our must-play list.
Sometimes, workers just really resent their bosses. The boss looks down on them, asks them to do too much, and never provides substantial raises. Who wouldn't want to rise up and overthrow the tyrannical boss? Well, that's not what Underling Uprising is about. Oh no, this game is about a group of test subjects who rebel against the mad scientist who empowered them. This fresh, new beat em up (and Kickstarter success story) comes from Dummy Dojo and Abylight Studios, and it features 4-player local co-op.
It seems like it was only two years ago when Taito released the first co-op console entry in the Puzzle Bobble/Bust-a-Move series, Puzzle Bobble Everybubble. That's because it was two years ago! The only major downside to Everybubble is that it was a Switch exclusive game. Other people want to play Puzzle Bobble too! Well, now some of them can, because Arc System Works has just published Puzzle Bobble Everybubble on Steam. It still features 4-player local co-op and 2-player online versus battles, not to mention plenty of bubble-popping puzzles.
Last year, we played a demo of Survivor Mercs, an upcoming bullet heaven (Vampire Survivors-style) shooter with a military theme. At the time, developer Wandering Wizard was targeting a summer release for the game. Well, sometimes things work out better than planned. Survivor Mercs is now due out on Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam (where it's currently in Early Access) on April 30. It's not much longer until we get to survive some mercs, baby!
Scott Pilgrim VS. The World: The Game was a fairly successful video game adaptation of the Scott Pilgrim franchise, so it’s not too surprising that it would receive a sequel. Okay, it would be surprising if Ubisoft released a sequel since they haven’t had their act together in years. Instead, Tribute Games, which consists of some of the...
One of last summer's most pleasant surprises was the announcement of a new Scott Pilgrim beat 'em up from Tribute Games. Well, time marches on, and Scott Pilgrim EX is soon to launch on consoles and PC. Ahead of that impending launch, players can try the Steam demo (with local co-op) right now... This very minute. Get to it, folks!
During the cold winter months, sometimes you need a game to match the season. Wendigo Blue is a beat 'em that's currently in Steam Early Access, and it might just fit that bill. Indie developer EndlessFluff published the game early in 2025 and continues to develop new content for it. The game already features 4-player local co-op, so it's right up our alley.
Tribute Games and DotEmu struck gold with TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, one of the most popular beat 'em ups in recent memory. After years of updates, the team has finally released their big follow-up: MARVEL Cosmic Invasion. The new brawler promises all the style and charm of Shredder's Revenge but with a fantastic lineup of Marvel heroes and villains. It's out now on all current-gen platforms.
When it comes to video games, people tend to think of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a beat ‘em up franchise, but the heroes in a half shell have appeared in many other genres as well. A few years ago, a mobile game developer called Super Evil Megacorp had the brilliant idea of making a TMNT roguelike. After first releasing it on Apple Arcad...
