Rushing Beat
A beat 'em up series with localized name changes and Angry mode.
Rushing Beat is a trilogy of beat 'em up games from Jaleco for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. All three titles saw releases outside Japan, but localization brought major changes to their stories, character names, and gameplay. The Japanese versions follow police officers Rick Norton and Douglas Bild as they patrol "Neo-Cisco," a futuristic version of San Francisco. The English title plays on the idea of a rushing attack and the officers working a beat.
The gameplay is standard for the genre, with jump and attack buttons. Players can perform standing combos, jumping attacks, holds, and throws. Each game supports one or two players who fight through waves of enemies using punches, kicks, and weapons. A special attack can be used at the cost of health. Later entries added more super attacks triggered by specific button and directional inputs. A key series feature is the "Angry" (or "Ikari") mode: after taking enough damage, a character becomes temporarily invincible and gains stronger throws. The third game also includes a versus mode for up to four players.
The first game, *Rushing Beat*, was released overseas as *Rival Turf!*. The Western version cut the introduction scene and renamed the heroes from Rick Norton and Douglas Bild to Jack Flak and Oozie Nelson. The second game, *Rushing Beat Ran*, kept the original characters and added new ones. It came out in the West as *Brawl Brothers*, with Norton and Bild renamed Hack and Slash. A cheat code in the Western version unlocks the original Japanese characters. The third game, *Rushing Beat Shura*, introduced new player characters, branching story paths, new special moves, and multiple endings. The Western release, *The Peace Keepers*, altered the story, gameplay, and soundtrack.
A revival, *RUSHING BEAT X: Return Of Brawl Brothers*, launched on March 19, 2026. It is set between *Brawl Brothers* and *The Peace Keepers*. All playable characters from *Brawl Brothers* return, joined by two new fighters: Kahlua, an amnesiac gyaru who uses a self-taught style similar to Jeet Kune Do, and Juliet Rorinzam, a recurring boss who is a gunslinging cyber clone maid with ties to the series antagonist, Kulmbach. Juliet is also a hidden unlockable character.
Later in *Rushing Beat X*, new mechanics appear. The combo system adds a do
- Developer
- Jaleco
- Platform
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- First Release
- Rushing Beat (Rival Turf!)
- Number of Games
- 3 main titles plus 1 revival
- Genre
- Beat 'em up
- Notable Feature
- Angry (Ikari) mode
Lore & Background
The Rushing Beat series revolves around two heroes, Rick Norton and Douglas Bild, police officers working a beat in the futuristic city of Neo-Cisco, a futuristic San Francisco, California. The first game, Rushing Beat, was released outside Japan as Rival Turf!, with the protagonists renamed to Jack Flak and Oozie Nelson and the introduction scene omitted. The second game, Rushing Beat Ran, became Brawl Brothers in Western markets, with Norton and Bild renamed Hack and Slash, and added several other playable characters. The third game, Rushing Beat Shura, was localized as The Peace Keepers, featuring new characters, branching story paths, and various changes to storyline, gameplay, and soundtrack. A revival, RUSHING BEAT X: Return Of Brawl Brothers, was released on March 19, 2026, set between Brawl Brothers and The Peace Keepers.
Reader's Guide
The Rushing Beat series is significant as a trilogy of beat 'em up games that underwent substantial localization changes, altering storylines, character names, and gameplay elements for Western audiences. The games feature typical beat 'em up mechanics including jump and attack buttons, standing combos, holds, throws, and special attacks that cost health. A defining feature is the Angry (Ikari) mode, granting temporary invincibility and stronger throws after taking enough damage. Later games introduced versus modes for up to four players and new mechanics like double jumps, run/step dash, air combos, and a Rage gauge system that allows power-up modes and super moves without health cost. The revival game RUSHING BEAT X added further mechanics such as launchers and aerial attacks. The series' legacy lies in its varied localizations and the preservation of its Japanese versions through cheat codes, as well as the 2026 revival that expanded the storyline and roster.
Did You Know?
- The Japanese storyline sets the game in 'Neo-Cisco', a futuristic San Francisco, California.
- The Angry mode, called 'Ikari' in Japanese, makes the character temporarily invincible with more powerful throws.
- The third game, Rushing Beat Shura, includes Rick Norton as a secret character and Douglas Bild as a hidden cameo.
- The revival game RUSHING BEAT X introduces a Rage gauge system that allows a super move only when entering Rage mode at full gauge.
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