Few games say “old-school” like a side-scrolling beat ‘em up does. As technology advanced, 2D art was no longer a limitation and became a design choice. 2020’s Streets of Rage 4 reminded us all that beat ‘em ups were the way of life for many gamers in the ‘90s. And now we have Okinawa Rush releasing on Xbox to remind us once again of those glorious days of beat ‘em ups.
Set in medieval Japan, players can choose to play as either Hiro, Meilin or Shin in their attempts to defeat the Black Mantis Clan. Each character has their own unique set of moves, combos and even endings to discover. They can all wield weapons though: swords, nunchakus, katanas and more, deal out additional damage with a variety of weapons.
These martial-arts masters will need all the help they can get too as they face off against hordes of ninjas, demons and bosses. You don’t need to do it all alone though, as Okinawa Rush allows for two-player cooperative gameplay. Bring a friend for twice the damage and twice the fun.
This feudal Okinawa looks stunning too with the pixel art that just fits a beat ‘em up better than AAA graphics ever could. Want to know how well it is suited? Have a read of our review here.
Okinawa Rush is available to download now from the Xbox Store priced at £16.74. An absolute must-play for fans of the genre, it also represents a great starting point for those wanting to throw their first few punches in beat ‘em ups. How does it stack amongst your favourites? Let us know in the comments below.
Game description:
The Black Mantis Ninja clan has come to Okinawa… Play as a martial-arts master and take on the role of Hiro, Meilin, or Shin as they face hordes of ninja, demons and more in a desperate fight for their lives against the Black Mantis Ninja clan. Bring a friend to the fray in local 2 player co-op and double the mayhem in this platforming, action adventure set in a mystical, fantasy version of Okinawa. Fast, fluid combat-engine gives you many moves, combos, juggles and an intuitive parrying system
