13.00. Brawling Genre

Brawlers center around eliminating enemies, typically with melee attacks.

Subgenres

Side-Scrolling Brawler

Side-Scrolling Brawlers take the basics of Linear Platformers but emphasize defeating enemies.

• Examples: Altered Beast (Sega, 1988); Viewtiful Joe (Capcom, 2003)

Belt-Scrolling Brawler

Belt-Scrolling Brawlers, often from an isometric perspective, build upon Side-Scrolling Brawlers with combos and disposable weapons.

• Isometric Examples: Final Fight (Capcom, 1989); Streets of Rage (Sega, 1991)
• 3D Examples: Die Hard Arcade (Sega, 1996); God Hand (Capcom, 2006)

Adventure Brawler

Adventure Brawlers incorporate story, puzzle-solving, and exploration to a brawling backbone.

• Examples: God of War (Santa Monica Studio, 2005); Dante's Inferno (Visceral Games, 2010)

Spectacle Brawler

Spectacle Brawlers feature character-focused action with a wide variety of flashy combos.

• Examples: Devil May Cry (Capcom, 2001); Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PlatinumGames, 2013)

Onslaught Brawler

Onslaught Brawlers task the player with defeating armies as a single character while simultaneously commanding troops.

• Examples: Dynasty Warriors 2 (Omega Force, 2000); Hyrule Warriors (Koei Tecmo, 2014)