Play Bare Knuckle III (Japan) Online

Bare Knuckle III came out on the Sega Genesis in 1994, developed and published by Sega. It was part of that era when side-scrolling beat 'em ups were everywhere, and this one stood out for its smooth animation and the way it pushed the hardware. The Japanese version, which I played, had a few tweaks that made it a bit more forgiving than its overseas counterparts.

You control one of three returning characters, like Axel Stone or Blaze Fielding, and you move from left to right clearing screens of thugs and cyborgs. Your main goal is to stop Mr. X and his latest criminal scheme by fighting through urban and industrial areas. The combat relies on combos, grappling throws, and special attacks that drain your health if overused. Enemies block and counter more often than in earlier games, so you have to time your moves and use environmental weapons like pipes or knives. It feels fast and responsive, with a difficulty that encourages replaying stages to learn patterns. Landing a full combo on a boss and watching their health bar drop never gets old.