Two beat ’em ups from 1992 hide more beneath the surface than their reputations suggest.
Jaleco’s Rushing Beat may look like another Final Fight imitator, but its invincible dash attacks, rear throws and unusual approach to enemy encounters make it a very different game once you understand how it wants to be played.
SNK’s Mutation Nation delivers some of the most satisfying punching on the Neo Geo, backed by extended combos, screen-clearing orb attacks and mutants created by another scientist who really should have known better.
Both games prove that beat ’em ups were becoming more mechanically ambitious—even when they did a terrible job explaining those mechanics to the player.
