Introduction Captain America and the Avengers was developed and published by Data East, released in arcades in 1991 as a side-scrolling beat ’em up based on Marvel’s team of superheroes. Up to four players simultaneously control Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, or Vision as they fight through a campaign built around thwarting the villain Red…
Introduction Magic Sword: Heroic Fantasy was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in 1990 as a side-scrolling action game built around a straightforward but addictive premise: fighting upward through a 50-floor tower to rescue prisoners trapped on each level while battling toward a final confrontation with the demon lord Drokmar. Players control a…
Introduction The King of Dragons was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in 1991 as one of the studio’s earliest attempts to blend traditional beat ’em up combat with genuine role-playing mechanics. Up to three players choose from character classes including Fighter, Cleric, Wizard, Dwarf, and Elf, each with distinct weapons and, for…
Introduction Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in 1996 as the sequel to 1994’s Tower of Doom. The game expanded on its predecessor’s D&D-based class system, adding a Magic-User and a Thief to the returning Fighter, Cleric, Dwarf, and Elf, giving up to four cooperating players…
Introduction Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in 1994 as the studio’s first game built directly on the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop ruleset. Up to four players choose from character classes drawn straight from the D&D rulebook, including Fighter, Cleric, Dwarf, and Elf, each with distinct…
Introduction Altered Beast was developed and published by Sega, released in arcades in 1988 before becoming one of the launch titles for the Sega Genesis later that year. Loosely inspired by Greek mythology, the game casts players as a Roman centurion resurrected by the god Zeus and tasked with rescuing his daughter Athena from the…
Introduction Cadillacs and Dinosaurs was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in April 1993 on the studio’s CPS-1 hardware. The game is based on Mark Schultz’s Xenozoic Tales comic book series and was timed to coincide with the short-lived Cadillacs and Dinosaurs animated series airing that same year. Set in a post-apocalyptic 26th…
Introduction Final Fight was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in 1989, designed by Akira Nishitani and Akira Yasuda. Set in the crime-ridden Metro City, the game follows former pro wrestler turned mayor Mike Haggar, along with martial artist Cody and ninja Guy, as they fight their way through the streets to rescue…
Introduction Battle Circuit was developed and published by Capcom for its CPS-2 arcade hardware, produced by Noritaka Funamizu and Yoshiki Okamoto with designers Ken Kun and Tomoshi Sadamoto and a score by Syun Nishigaki, released in Japan and Europe in 1997 but never officially brought to North American arcades. It holds a distinct place in…
Introduction Warriors of Fate was developed and published by Capcom for arcades, released in October 1992 under the Japanese title Tenchi wo Kurau II: Battle of Red Cliffs, making it the third Capcom game based on the Tenchi wo Kurau manga and the second actual video game adaptation, following 1989’s Dynasty Wars. Set during the…
Introduction Knights of the Round was developed and published by Capcom for its CPS-1 arcade board, released in Japan in November 1991 as part of a wave of fantasy-themed beat ’em ups the studio put out around that era, alongside titles like The King of Dragons. Loosely built around the legend of King Arthur, the…
Introduction Double Dragon is Technos Japan’s original 1987 arcade beat ’em up, created by designer Yoshihisa Kishimoto as a spiritual successor to his earlier Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun after company executives pushed for the next game to support two simultaneous players. Kishimoto drew inspiration from gritty street-gang pop culture of the era, citing the 1979 film…