Play Dynasty Wars Online

Game Overview

Dynasty Wars is one of those classic arcade beat-em-ups that feels like it was made for late-night gaming sessions with a pocket full of quarters. You pick from four legendary warriors—Liu Bei with his broadsword, Guan Yu swinging that massive guan dao, Zhang Fei’s halberd, or Zhao Yun’s pike—and ride into battle against waves of infantry and archers. The controls are simple, but there’s a neat twist: holding down the attack button charges up your swing for a more devastating hit, so timing matters.

What really stands out are the "tactics"—desperate, screen-clearing moves that cost you health but can turn the tide when you’re swarmed. One second you’re barely holding off a mob, the next you’re calling down rockslides or summoning backup. And between stages, those yellow and blue orbs you’ve been grabbing actually level up your health and attack power, which is a nice touch for an arcade game.

It’s got that classic arcade jank—some character names are hilariously misspelled in translations—but the horseback combat and chaotic battles make it way more fun than it has any right to be. Just don’t expect historical accuracy when you’re mowing down hundreds of soldiers with a single charged swing.