10 Best Beat 'Em Up Video Games Of All TIme

With a market that in 1989 was fast-becoming saturated with brawlers set in tough, inner-city locals, Sega pulled off an absolute masterstroke with this unique title. Not only did they forge a fantasy world that was as bonkers as it was believable – flying turtles, anyone? – they created a beat ‘em up (or, is that slash ‘em up?) that was incredibly addictive to play.

Like others in the genre, Golden Axe was best played with a friend, which created numerous bedroom arguments between bickering kids over who was going to play with Gilius Thunderhead – aka the kick ass dwarf – and who was going to be left with either the bloke or the bird, both of which may have had better magic, didn’t have a dirty great big axe to play with.

Stages were Conan-esque in their grandeur and by introducing a dash attack players had the immense joy of using the level design to their advantage, booting players down crevices and off cliffs.

Also including some raging mountable beasts and a soundtrack that could whisk you from your armchair into the thick of a buzzing arcade, Golden Axe rightly remains a fan favourite within the genre. Just don’t mention Beast Rider.