RUSHING BEAT X: Return Of Brawl Brothers Is A Charming Throwback Brawler That Can’t Quite Stick The Landing (Review)

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Classic “beat ’em up” games are making a comeback, with recent hits like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, and Scott Pilgrim EX successfully blending old-school gameplay with modern features and vibrant worlds. The newest game in this style, RUSHING BEAT X: Return of Brawl Brothers, aims to continue this trend by building on the legacy of these action-packed titles.

The Rushing Beat trilogy on Super Nintendo was a beloved, quirky classic. Now, 23 years later, Rushing Beat X: Return Of Brawl Brothers revives those characters with a modern take. The game strikes a great balance between over-the-top action and satisfying gameplay. Despite some pacing issues and occasional difficulty spikes, Rushing Beat X delivers a strong dose of nostalgic fun.

Review Score: 3/5

Pros: Cons:
Combo-heavy combat provides a weighty crunch to succesful hits. Inconsistent difficulty curve is more frustrating than challenging.
The right blend of retro campy characters and blunt action creates a charming world. Slow pacing and tricky hit-boxes lead to a much slower game than other modern beat ’em ups.
The deceptively complex combat provides players with plenty of clever options. Relatively short-run time.

Are You A Bad Enough Dude To Save Neo-Cisco?

Whether you’re new to the series or an old fan, RUSHING BEAT X: Return of Brawl Brothers successfully revives this beloved classic. The game quickly catches players up on what happened before, reintroducing Rick Norton and Douglas Bild – two former police officers who previously saved Neo-Cisco from dangerous gangs, and now face a fresh wave of enemies. Along with these returning heroes, you’ll meet new characters like Kahlua. The Brawl Brothers series has always been a little quirky, and this game leans into that absurdity, giving it a unique energy. Expect to fight a wild mix of opponents, from gangsters and commandos to zombies and fighters under mind control.

Okay, so jumping back into the game, you quickly remember Rick Norton and Douglas Bild – those ex-cops who already cleaned up Neo-Cisco from the gangs. Now they’re facing a whole new wave of trouble! The game brings back these familiar heroes, but also introduces some fresh characters, like Kahlua. Honestly, the brawlers of this style always felt a little off-the-wall, but Brawl Brothers really leans into that weirdness, which I love. You’re fighting everything – gangsters, commandos, robots, even zombies and fighters who are being controlled by someone else! It’s all done with a really blunt, but playful tone – it knows it’s a bit silly and isn’t afraid to be funny, but it doesn’t go too over the top.

The Zeekus Festival level perfectly captures the game’s unique charm: you approach a boss fight, only to find her performing a dance routine with her zombie army, and instinctively know you shouldn’t interrupt. This blend of colorful visuals and genuine emotional impact is what makes games like Street Fighter and Fatal Fury so special, and the updated graphics give the characters a fresh, modern look. Though the visuals can sometimes feel a little stiff and there are occasional performance hiccups, the game quickly draws you into its classic beat ’em up world.

Deep Combat Suffers From An Approach That Stumbles

The fighting in Rushing Beat X feels like a classic beat ’em up, where each character offers slight variations on a core fighting style. Up to two players can explore Neo-Cisco, using punches, kicks, and counters against enemies. The combat is surprisingly deep, with lots of combo options letting players personalize their approach. You can also find or buy items – like a machine gun from a food truck – that add unpredictable twists to battles. However, the combat isn’t without its flaws.

The game’s pace is noticeably slower than most modern action games, which might frustrate players used to faster-paced combat. The precise timing needed to land hits, combined with stages that allow attacks from all sides, can also be challenging. This leads to an uneven difficulty level – easy stages can suddenly be followed by surprisingly tough boss fights or large groups of enemies. While the combat itself is satisfying – pulling off perfect combos, throwing enemies off the stage, or defeating hordes with powerful moves feels great – there are enough small issues to be a bit annoying.

Rushing Beat Has Enough Charm To Make Up For Some Internal Flaws

Recent beat ’em up games like Scott Pilgrim EX have become popular by combining classic gameplay with more complex features, all while looking and feeling great. Rushing Beat X tries to bring that same modern feel to its older series, and it largely succeeds. The game has a lot of character, feeling like the beat ’em ups we all know and love, but with enough unique elements to stand out on its own.

The combat feels satisfying thanks to its focus on combos, though the game’s speed and systems don’t always fully deliver on their promise. The story mode is a concise and enjoyable action experience, and the diverse roster of playable characters adds replay value. While it doesn’t quite match the fast pace of today’s best beat ’em ups, Rushing Beat X offers plenty of depth and a nostalgic charm that will appeal to fans of 90s side-scrolling action games.

Comicbook.com received a PS5 code for Rushing Beat X: Return Of Brawl Brothers to use for our review of the game.

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2026-03-20 21:12