There's something wonderfully pure about a beat 'em up. You and your mates line up on the left of the screen, a horde of baddies pours in from the right, and everyone starts mashing buttons until the street is clear. No complicated menus, no fiddly rules, just a shared mission to punch, kick and throw your way to the final boss. It's the arcade cabinet experience, minus the pocket full of coins.
Better still, the genre is having a proper golden age right now. Clever studios have taken the side-scrolling brawlers we grew up with and polished them up with gorgeous pixel art, deeper combat and drop-in, drop-out co-op that's perfect for the couch. We've picked 5 of the best beat 'em ups you can play together on one screen, whether you're a seasoned combo king or someone who's just picked up a controller for the first time.
If you've got a full couch, start here. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a love letter to the classic TMNT arcade games, made by Tribute Games and published by Dotemu. The colourful pixel art, cheesy one-liners and catchy soundtrack make it feel like a Saturday morning cartoon you can actually play.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
The headline feature is that up to six players can brawl at once, with Casey Jones, April O'Neil and Master Splinter joining the four turtles. With six heroes on screen it gets beautifully chaotic, but the controls are simple enough that younger players and non-gamers can join in and still feel useful. Throw in flashy team-up attacks and you've got the ultimate pizza-night game.
Streets of Rage 4 took a series that had been asleep since the 90s and brought it roaring back to life. Axel and Blaze are back on the beat, now with stunning hand-drawn art and a thumping soundtrack, and the combat is tighter and more satisfying than it has ever been.
Up to four players can team up locally on the same screen (online co-op is limited to two), which makes it a cracking choice for a small group. It's the most "serious" fighter on this list, with juggles, combos and plenty of depth for players who like to master a game. Feeling brave? Turn on friendly fire and discover just how quickly a co-op run turns into a squabble.
A true couch co-op classic. Castle Crashers from The Behemoth first appeared back in 2008, and it's still one of the funniest, most charming games you can play with friends. Four little knights set out to rescue the princesses, battling barbarians, wizards and some gloriously silly giant bosses along the way.
Up to four players can play together locally, and there's a light RPG twist, with your knight levelling up and collecting animal companions as you go. The slapstick humour lands with all ages, and the arena mode adds a dash of friendly rivalry. Just be warned: the end of each rescue sees your knights fighting each other for the princess's affection. Friendships have been tested.
For years this cult favourite was impossible to buy, so fans were thrilled when Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition returned in 2021. Based on the comic series, it follows Scott and his friends as they take on Ramona Flowers' seven evil exes, all wrapped up in eye-popping pixel art and a brilliant chiptune soundtrack by Anamanaguchi.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition
Up to four players can team up locally or online, and the Complete Edition includes the Knives Chau and Wallace Wells add-ons, so there are six characters to choose from. Your fighters level up and learn new moves as you play, which gives it a satisfying sense of progress over a few sessions. It's a great one for a regular game night where the same crew comes back each week.
The newest game on our list comes from the same team behind Shredder's Revenge, and it shows. MARVEL Cosmic Invasion sends a roster of 15 Marvel heroes across the galaxy to stop Annihilus and his Annihilation Wave, from the streets of New York City all the way to the Negative Zone.
Up to four players can play together locally or online, and its clever twist is the Cosmic Swap system: each player picks two heroes and tags between them mid-fight to chain combos together. Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America and friends all feel distinct, so there's plenty of fun in finding your favourite pairing. If your crew loved the TMNT game, this is the obvious next step.
Whether you're slicing through the Foot Clan, cleaning up the streets with Axel and Blaze or tag-teaming cosmic villains, beat 'em ups are one of the easiest ways to get everyone on the couch playing together. Grab some snacks, hand out the controllers and settle the age-old argument of who gets to be Leonardo. Which brawler is your crew's favourite? Let us know in the reviews, and keep an eye on Couch Gaming Hub for more local multiplayer picks!