Renegade

Renegade is a foundational side-scrolling beat ’em up for the NES, bringing Technos’ arcade brawling style to home players in 1988. Published by Taito, it puts you in control of a tough street fighter taking on waves of rival gang members across rough urban locations. The action is direct and physical: punch, kick, jump, shove, and grab enemies before they can surround you. Positioning matters, since opponents can approach from either side and attacks must be timed carefully rather than thrown out at random.

The NES version is built around a sequence of confrontations, with each area presenting groups of enemies and a stronger opponent to overcome. Fights can become hectic quickly, especially when several attackers close in at once, but the simple control scheme makes the action easy to understand. Knocking enemies down, creating space, and choosing when to move forward are the keys to surviving. Environmental hazards and occasional weapons add some variety without taking attention away from the close-quarters combat.

Renegade also supports two players, giving friends the chance to share its rough-and-ready street fights. It is not a lengthy or elaborate adventure, but its compact stages and demanding encounters make it a worthwhile snapshot of the genre before beat ’em ups became more expansive. The chunky visuals, hard-edged presentation, and impactful hits give the game a distinctive old-school character, while its arcade roots are apparent in the emphasis on memorizing enemy patterns and improving through repeated attempts.

For players interested in the early history of console brawlers, Renegade remains an engaging NES curiosity. You can play online on your browser through RetroCloud and revisit Technos’ uncompromising take on urban fighting.