Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a classic-style beat-em-up that lets you and up to five other players take control of Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, April O'Neal, Splinter, or Casey Jones to take on Shredder and the Foot Clan.
Published by Dotemu, this is another modern revival of an old-school style of game. The game received rave reviews for its style, pixel art, crunchy gameplay, and multiplayer options. Fans of classic TMNT games or arcade brawlers will greatly enjoy this. If you've just rolled credits on Shredder's Revenge, there are lots of options for what to play next, as both beat-em-ups and the turtles themselves have a long history in the gaming industry.
Updated on June 23, 2023, by Cameron Miller: Thanks to a renewed love for the classic side-scrolling beat ‘em up genre, people are going back to find the best of the best the genre has to offer. While there are tons of great modern gems, there are even more classics you should seek out if you want some more fantastic bad-guy-bopping.
15 Streets Of Rage 4
If you're looking for another top-tier beat-em-up after your time with Shredder's Revenge, then Streets of Rage 4 is easily your next purchase. This game reimagines Sega's classic brawler series as a fully modern experience.
Done in a gorgeous 2D art style, this game lets you control classic and new characters through a gauntlet of levels, has numerous combos for you to master, tons of unlockable characters to keep you coming back for more, and some tough-as-nails boss fights to give veterans a good challenge. Couple that with a meaty DLC release, and Streets of Rage 4 is one of the best of its kind.
14 Battletoads
When Battletoads was first released back in the day, it was clearly an irreverent spin on the TMNT, as controlling radical frogs as they go through beat-em-up levels is a similar format.
Famous for its brutal difficulty, this franchise disappeared for several years until getting a recent revival in collaboration with Microsoft. While some have criticized the new style of Battletoads, it has a brand new presentation style, over-the-top gameplay, and the tried and true gameplay loop that kept people playing on arcade machines all those years ago.
13 Dungeons & Dragons: Tower Of Doom
Dungeons & Dragons: Tower Of Doom may be limited in certain aspects like playable characters, but it makes up for that by providing a thrilling multiplayer experience and some inventive boss fights that fans of the tabletop game will be able to apply their knowledge to.
The game’s combat is also quite extensive, giving you and your friends a ton of flexibility in combat. Luckily, you can get this hidden gem and the even better sequel in a single collection if you seek out Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles Of Mystara.
12 Capcom Beat Em Up Bundle
Capcom was one of the biggest developers when arcade machines were big. They are known for fighting games and beat 'em up games, and if you want to experience some of the originals that inspired an entire genre, then you should grab the Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle.
It includes Final Fight, Captain Commando, The King of Dragons, Knights of the Round, Warriors of Fate, Armored Warriors, and Battle Circuit. There is great value for money with this bundle, and fans of Shredder's Revenge will have a great time revisiting these classics.
11 Castle Crashers
The Behemoth left its mark on the gaming industry when the Xbox 360 brought indies into the fold. While Alien Hominid and Battleblock Theater each have their fans, it was Castle Crashers that put the studio on the map.
Castle Crashers is a chaotically fun beat 'em up with a simple premise and masterful execution. With a 2D art style, the visuals in this game have aged extremely well compared to other games that came out during its time. The game also received a remaster, which makes an already great game even better. Grab some buddies and dive into this medieval mayhem.
10 River City Girls
River City Girls is another game that took an old franchise and brought it up to modern standards. You'd be hard-pressed to find people who know the Kunio-kun franchise, but WayForward was more than up to the challenge when reviving it, having worked on other franchises that have been around for years, such as Shantae and DuckTales.
Starring two schoolgirls as they beat up an entire city, it's a goofy premise that the game leans into well. River City Girls is a game that doesn't lean on its roots to deliver a satisfying experience, but on its own strengths to get the job done.
9 Double Dragon Neon
The Double Dragon series has been a staple in gaming since the days of the NES, but it has seen a lot less love recently. Luckily, Double Dragon Neon changed that with a modern uptake on a classic formula.
Whether you tackle this game solo or with a friend, you’ll love bashing your way through the Shadow Warriors on your way to rescue Marian. The game has some fantastic moments, even better boss fights, and of course, excellent music, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.
8 Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is a popular comic book and feature film but was also adapted into a fun game by Ubisoft. Unfortunately, the game couldn't be purchased after its initial release for several years.
Thankfully, Ubisoft delivered and re-released the game in the form of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Complete Edition. Like many other beat 'em ups, Scott Pilgrim has a fantastic pixel art style, a banging soundtrack, and over-the-top characters who will stick in your head long after the credits roll.
7 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time
It only makes sense that if you love Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, you’ll probably love the all-time SNES classic Turtles In Time. This timeless game will feel great since the combat and mechanics are simple yet thrilling.
You’ll get to take on a huge list of Ninja Turtle baddies as you travel across time in order to put a stop to Shredder’s nefarious plans. While great to play alone, this game is a ton of fun with a friend, and it can take you by surprise with how challenging it can be at times.
6 Dragon's Crown Pro
Dragon's Crown Pro combines the best aspects of RPGs and beat 'em ups to deliver a unique and satisfying experience. Unlike most beat-em-ups, Dragon's Crown Pro takes a dark fantasy style as its main inspiration, complete with a class system that allows you to substantially change your style of play.
The original Dragon's Crown was released on PlayStation 3 and Vita, but the PlayStation 4 release was given 4K visuals, a live orchestra, and more. If you're looking for a great beat 'em up on the PS4, then Dragon's Crown Pro is a great choice.
5 Dungeons & Dragons: Shadows Over Mystara
The sequel to Tower Of Doom, Dungeons & Dragons: Shadows Over Mystara manages to further improve on what was already a surprisingly solid experience. You have tons of classes to choose from and you continue to grow in strength as you make it through levels.
This game is infinitely replayable, if not for its epic battles then for all the secrets, different story routes, and endings that you can find. In this instance, it’s actually better to try each and every character so your odds of finding all the game’s secrets are even higher.
4 Cuphead
There's not a lot to say about Cuphead that hasn't already been said. This rubberhose style game is an absolute treat to play from start to finish, and deftly combines shooters and beat 'em ups into one game. If you've somehow missed Cuphead, then it's time to rectify that.
The controls are smooth and tight, leading to some nail-biting moments going through enemy gauntlets, or fighting larger-than-life bosses. Cuphead is fun to tackle with a friend and will keep you coming back for more.
3 Fight N' Rage
Fight N' Rage is a beat 'em up that didn't receive many headlines, so it likely slipped under your radar when it launched in 2017.
Instead of focusing on modernizing the classics, Fight N' Rage went back to basics to remind people why beat 'em ups were so popular back in the day.
This game looks and plays like it could still function on an arcade cabinet with lots of added extras, including alternate paths, multiple endings, endings, and a deep combat system that takes a while to master.
2 Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure
If you’re someone who loves beat ‘em up games, but also enjoys when those games throw in a few twists, this handheld classic is for you. You get some standard action, but you also get a one-on-one fight mode, times where you fly, and even a whole host of fun little mini-games.
This game lets you play through the main story of a majority of the original Dragon Ball series. Whether you’re a major Dragon Ball fan or not, this game has a lot to love, so it’s no surprise it still has quite a dedicated following.
1 Injustice 2
While Injustice 2 isn't a beat 'em up, it does include one of the biggest selling points of Shredder's Revenge: the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves. The final DLC characters released for the game were all four ninja turtles.
Now included in the Legendary Edition, it's easy to boot up the game with these four already on your roster. They're complete with their own movesets, quips with famous DC characters, and a brutal super move. If you want to see Leonardo take on Batman, or Michelangelo laugh his way around the Joker, then Injustice 2 is the fighting game for you.