Rushing Beat X: The Brawl Brothers Are Back

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What we’re about to talk about stretches back to the early 90s, when fighting and brawling games were as plentiful as water. It was 1992 when Rushing Beat came out on the Super Famicom, and was then localized for the US as Rival Turf (with a totally embarrassing photo as box art). This was followed up by Brawl Brothers, the sequel that shared the same title in both regions. IF you’re curious about either game, and own a Switch, they’re playable on NSO. A lot of obscure 16-bit characters seem to be coming back these days, and guess what — so are the Brawl Brothers! They’re starring in RUSHING BEAT X: Return of Brawl Brothers, a new game coming to PC and Nintendo Switch 2. The PC version has a demo that’s live right now as part of Steam Next Fest. The Brawl Brothers’ actual names are Rick Norton and Douglas Bild, and in this game they’ll be part of a six-person team, with all characters playable. Their quest this time is to stop the release of a deadly engineered virus, and the best way to do that is — what else — to walk through the streets and beat […]
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Rushing Beat X: The Brawl Brothers Are Back | popgeeks.com

RUSHING BEAT X: Return of Brawl Brothers is a new game coming to PC and Nintendo Switch 2. The PC version has a demo that's live right now as part of Steam Next

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[Cody]

I remember renting Brawl Brothers from the local video store back in the '90s. It wasn't Streets of Rage or Final Fight, but I appreciated the grit and how weirdly offbeat it was. Seeing Rushing Beat X pop up in 2025 is surreal. I tried the demo today, and man, it feels familiar in the best way — side-scrolling beatdowns, goofy enemy grunts, and all. The auto-combo feature is a good move for newer players, but I prefer the classic inputs. Rage Mode feels like a natural evolution of the genre’s super moves. I never thought I'd see Douglas Bild again outside of an emulator, but here we are. The nostalgia is strong, but it’s not just that — it actually plays well. This could be a sleeper hit if they market it right.

 

[Merlin29]

I don’t know. These retro revivals feel kind of cheap sometimes. Like they just slap a pixel art filter and call it a day. I haven’t played the demo yet, but I saw the trailer and it looks decent, I guess. I just hope they put real effort into the controls and enemy variety. Six characters is cool, but not if half of them feel the same. The whole “walk and punch until the virus stops” thing is silly, but maybe that’s part of the charm. I’ll check the demo before I judge too hard.

 

[katana]

I love that smaller or forgotten games from the 16-bit era are getting their turn in the spotlight. Rushing Beat wasn’t huge, but that makes it perfect for a comeback. There's a lot more creative freedom when there’s no massive fanbase to please. I haven’t played the original games, but I’m definitely trying the demo. The idea of walking through a shopping mall and just wrecking bad guys with updated moves sounds relaxing in a way. It’s like a stress reliever. If the music’s good and the combos feel right, I’m in.

 

[Kyo]

This looks janky but in a fun way. I played the demo for like 20 minutes, and yeah, it’s not going to change the world, but it’s honest about what it is. Beat stuff up, move to the right, do it again. I respect that. Sometimes you don’t need depth or branching storylines or a million menus. You just want to punch some guys in a subway and call it a night.

 

[benimaru]

So they’re still calling them Rick Norton and Douglas Bild? I love that. Most retro revivals try to change the names or modernize them, but keeping their original identities is a nice touch. I wonder if the plot connects at all to the older games or if it’s just a soft reboot. The idea of a team of six characters gives me hope that maybe there’s more going on in the story this time. Maybe a betrayal twist or a hidden boss tied to the virus origin. I’ll play it even if it’s basic, just for the continuity alone.

 

[Mike20]

I never played the old game, but I like side-scrolling games. This one looks okay. I watched the trailer and the Rage Mode is interesting. It is nice that you can choose between auto and manual attacks. I will try the demo later this week. If it feels good to play and has local multiplayer, I might play it with my cousin.

 

[Vicks Addict]

Yes! I still own Rival Turf in the original SNES box. The art is terrible, but it’s part of the charm. I never thought this series would get a follow-up, let alone with original characters intact. I’m hoping they do a physical release eventually, maybe with a collector’s edition and soundtrack CD. I live for that stuff. As for the game itself, the graphics are clean and the action looks fast. As long as they don't forget to include co-op, I’ll be buying this on day one.

 

[Seb]

It’s encouraging that the developers are modernizing the mechanics without losing the roots. Auto-combo for accessibility, Rage Mode for strategy, and power buildup systems — that’s good design. But what will matter most is enemy behavior and level pacing. Beat-em-ups live or die on rhythm. Too many bad guys at once, it’s overwhelming. Too few, it’s boring. I’ll keep an eye on how it evolves after the demo. Potential is there, but it needs polish.