Man, Bare Knuckle (or Streets of Rage, depending on where you grew up) is pure Genesis-era beat 'em up gold. You pick from three ex-cops—Axel, Blaze, or Adam—and just start punching your way through waves of goons in this grimy, neon-lit city. The first level alone throws bottles, knives, and pipe-wielding thugs at you while that iconic Yuzo Koshiro soundtrack pumps in the background.

What I love is how weighty the hits feel—when you land a proper combo or suplex some punk into a trash can, it just satisfies. And the bosses? Big, screen-filling dudes who actually make you think instead of just button-mashing. The game’s got this perfect balance of simplicity and depth—easy to pick up, but you’ll quickly learn when to dodge, when to call in your police backup special, and when to just go ham with a lead pipe.

It’s one of those games where even after all these years, I’ll still boot it up just to vibe with the music and relive that arcade-style brawling. If you’ve never played it, you’re missing a piece of gaming history.