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.
We first ran across Japanese merchandise label Kumagumi when they released a cool line of Double Dragon clothing a few years ago. Well, now they're back with a similarly attractive array of physical goods dedicated to SNK's Metal Slug. Metal Slug, of course, is a series of run-and-gun shooters that began its life on the NeoGeo arcade hardware. The series is known for its attractive pixel art and memorable character designs, to say nothing of the challenging gameplay.
Ever since the film Clerks perfectly captured the drudgery and indignity of convenience store work, Jay and Silent Bob have been popular characters. They've popped up in numerous Kevin Smith films, on Degrassi: The Next Generation, and even starred in a series of beat 'em ups. The latest of those beat 'em ups is Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch, and it's out today, a normal day just like any other.
It's always sad when a game developer dies, but especially so when that person is the founder of an actual genre. Yoshihisa Kishimoto is just such a person. He created the Kunio-kun/River City and Double Dragon franchises, and as such, is considered the father of the beat 'em up genre. Double Dragon was instrumental in popularizing cooperative multiplayer, so his influence even extends beyond the genre that he created. Lamentably, Kishimito died on April 2, as reported by his son.
While Arc System Works is best known for games like Double Dragon Revive and the BlazBlue series, they also make non-punching games from time to time. DAMON and BABY is just such a game. It stars a future demon king named Damon who is bound by a curse to a mysterious baby (more like a toddler, really). In 2-player local co-op games, the second player gets to be Damon's dog! The game has just launched on PlayStation, Switch, and Steam... Poor Xbox doesn't get to hold the baby.
Dotemu's Absolum broke all kinds of sales records when it debuted on PlayStation, Switch, and Steam last year. The developers even promised a big Version 1.1 update which came along in February of this year. All the while, Xbox gamers had no choice but to look on from the outside and long for the coveted Absolum beat 'em up roguelike experience. It wasn't easy, I can tell you. Thankfully, those long months of yearning are finally behind us. Absolum came out on Xbox Series consoles today, and it's even on Game Pass. It's time to get absolumming, boys and girls!
If you asked me about my most-anticipated shoot 'em up(s) at the beginning of the year, I'd have answered "the Raiden Fighters Remix Collection from MOSS and H2 Interactive." But when the 3-game collection arrived at the end of February, fans like me were dismayed to discover that it suffered from problems like a too-high frame rate and a scarcity of visual options. Thankfully, MOSS has acknowledged fan feedback and is working on a fix to implement the proper frame rate.
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...
Way back in the innocent days of the Xbox 360, a collection called Raiden Fighters Aces allowed gamers to experience the tight gameplay and peppy soundtracks of the Raiden Fighters series. That collection is sadly not backwards compatible, but Raiden Fighters has finally become playable on some modern platforms. The Raiden Fighters Remix Collection from MOSS and H2 Interactive Co. is out now on PlayStation and Switch, and each game on the collection features 2-player local co-op.
Toaplan is a Japanese developer known for creating lots of beloved shoot 'em up classics like Truxton, Out Zone, and Zero Wing. Most of these games are available in Toaplan Arcade Collection Vol.1 and Vol. 2 on PlayStation and Switch, or sold individually on Steam. Maybe Plain Jane collections aren't good enough for you, though. You want something special! Well, Kyukyoku TigerHeli - Toaplan Arcade Garage has just launched worldwide on PlayStation and Switch (after first appearing in only specific regions). This new collection was developed by M2, and it offers enhanced ports of Tiger Heli and its co-op sequel, Twin Cobra, plus a whole lot more.
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!
Absolum is one of the most popular new beat 'em ups of 2025 (right alongside MARVEL Cosmic Invasion), so it's no surprise that the game will continue to grow. Today, Dotemu announced that a version 1.1 update is in the works, as well as what the update will include. The only downside is that the update won't be released for a while yet, but there's plenty to look forward to!
