We all like classic arcade action of some kind, and it is the beat em up genre that stands out as the best of the arcade to many. Capcom delivered hit after hit in the arcade when it came to this genre, and now in 2018 have brought us a collection of their best in the form of the Capcom Beat Em Up Bundle. This collects the cream of the crop when it came to Capcom’s brawlers as well as Warriors of Fate, because that game makes all the others looks so much better in comparison.
Before I get into the meat of the review, I need to address the elephant in the room. Games like Alien Vs Predator and Cadillacs and Dinosaurs are not present in this collection despite their acclaim. This is because of the licensing issues involved ( especially for the latter), which would be a nightmare for Capcom to deal with. I can understand questions about the D&D games, because as far as I know, Capcom still has the rights to re-release those. That said, I suspect they will re-release those again separately for modern systems due to wanting to avoid licensing issues with this release. Likewise, Final Fight 2 and 3 are not here, because they were not made for the arcade but were originals for the SNES.
Regarding the collection, these are indeed arcade gems. Final Fight should need no introduction, as it is one of the two main games that shaped modern beat em ups, along with Streets of Rage. It remains a classic, even if some parts are dated, and can still be enjoyed today. Captain Commando was one of the titles I was excited to play again, and I have to admit I am a but disappointed. Maybe its false memories, but I could have sworn that the game played at a faster pace. It is still very good if rather generic, and was a great way to give Capcom’s original mascot his own game. The four main playable characters all have similar playstyles, which means playing co-op shouldn’t lead to any arguments about who gets which character. Not much to say other than its a very competent game.
The main games I want to take about here are Knights of the Round, The King of Dragons, Battle Circuit and Armored Warriors. The King of Dragons was the clear forerunner to Capcom’s D&D arcade brawlers. While basic when compared to those games, King of the Dragons managed to have an epic fantasy feel to it, while bringing in neat RPG elements. It also had a nice way of offering you the chance to switch your character after a level and experience other ways of playing. It is one that is worth giving a playthrough indeed. Knights of the Round is more well known and lives up to its reputation as a great game. This is basically Capcom’s answer to Golden Axe, but set in the Arthurian legends instead. RPG elements such as leveling up are kept here, and you can see visual evidence in your character as it happens. The game gave numerous shakeups to how it was played, such as bringing in horses at time like Warriors of Fate did, but here it was just for a short period. The gameplay was polished and refined, and some of the best Capcom had done up to this point. There is indeed a reason this title is so well remembered.
Battle Circuit and Armored Warriors are the standout games here. This is the first time these games are being released outside of arcades officially and they alone are worth the price of the collection. Armored Warriors is a mech based brawler and one of the beat em ups ever made. Capcom brought in street fighter style inputs here, making the combat much more involved, as well as allowing you to customize the mech via what items you chose to pick up. There was an actual story here, and your actions during certain levels affected how the story would play out. People often criticize beat em ups as being monotonous, but Armored Warriors was anything but. It still feels fresh today, and is a lot of fun.
Battle Circuit was the last major beat em up for the arcades from Capcom. It had beautiful fluid animation just like Armored Warriors, and also used Street Fighter style inputs to give its combat a fighting game feel. This game has been called the spiritual sequel to Captain Commando and I have to agree there. It feels like Capcom wanted to give that game another shot, but instead used new characters to replace the originals. These new characters are indeed interesting, as in addition to a stand in for the Captain, there is also a man eating plant that you can play as. There was a story here as well, but what stood out more was how the coins dropped in the course of gameplay actually have a use. You use them as currency to buy upgrades such as new moves and more health, giving the game more replay value depending on what you choose. Capcom took the best of all their previous beat em ups and combined them for this game, and it was an excellent way to end their arcade beat em up run.
I highly recommend this collection. The games have an excellent online mode, as well as a nice bonus gallery and various adjustable options so you can alter the play to suit your comfort. Capcom went all out here and I salute them for it. This is a must have for retro fans, fighting game fans, and fans of great games in general
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch