This Week in Defunct Games - July 29, 2011

What Is It? Not content to let Final Fight and Rival Turfs have all the glory, Jaleco has decided to release their 1993 hit, Brawl Brothers. Do you like walking to the left and punching gang members? Of course you do, which is why there are hundreds of these middling Double Dragon clones on game systems. This one is different because you can select from five different characters, including a ninja, woman and a police officer. Stop me if you're heard this before: You (and a friend) take these brawlers on a mission to clean up the streets and solve the city's crime problem. Through back alleys, bridges and even the city sewer, you'll kick and punch your way to victory ... or get bored and give up.

As I played through this generic brawler I was struck by how many unanswered questions I was left with. Here are just a few: Why do regular bullets ignite my character in fire? Why does my character swing a bat with only one hand? Why is the police officer wearing a hot pink uniform? Shouldn't this game be called Brawl Brothers & Sister? Like Lost, we're supposed to argue these questions for the rest of time.

Does It Still Hold Up? The gameplay isn't bad, but there's nothing especially new or original here. When you die you get to choose where you come back and each character has his or her own ground attacks, both of which you normally don't see in brawlers from this era. The graphics aren't bad and the music is upbeat. This is one of the more colorful 2D brawlers, especially if you choose the cop.

Is It Worth The Money? Brawl Brothers is the shallow experience that you expect from this type of arcade experience. You've been here before and fought gang members that look oddly similar to what is on display in this game. Having said that, I did have fun speeding through the various levels. This is especially fun with a second-player, though not enough to warrant the eight dollar asking price. Brawl Brothers is neither great nor terrible, it's just another middling game in a genre known for its mediocrity.