Shoot em ups or beat em ups, what do you prefer?

[venkman00]

Also what are your favorite games from these two genres?

[Arseen]

Out of those two Beat'em ups, favorite being either Killer Instinct or Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, pure enjoyment without fancy crap.

But nothing beats Action Role Playing Games, so Zelda Link to the Past or Parallel Worlds redone for the win.

[wiggy]

Those aren't beat em ups, those are (2D) fighters.  Beat em ups are games like Streets of Rage and Final Fight.

[Arseen]

Those aren't beat em ups, those are (2D) fighters.  Beat em ups are games like Streets of Rage and Final Fight.

No those are rolling beat-em-ups.

I'm using the old Finnish magazine definitions from the 90's.

[sheep2001]

I'm with Wiggy.  Fighters are different to Beat 'em ups.    Hence the names that they got - rushing beat, beats of rage, etc were beat em ups - and street fighter, turtles tournament fighter, virtua fighter, etc were fighters. (i know you are going to pluck some exceptions to this out now, lol)

It's a tough call on which genre I prefer - I think going back to my Megadrive/SNES days - i preferred shoot em ups when i was gaming alone, but when friends were around beat em ups AND fighters. 

These days there aren't that many decent new beat em ups (even the reboot of double dragon was pretty poor in my opinion), and both fighters and shoot em ups have taken the genre too far.  Too many options and special weapons/moves.  Of course that's probably because i'm an old man, and cant cope with memorising so many button combinations, and my reactions aren't what they used to be.   

[Arseen]

I'm with Wiggy.  Fighters are different to Beat 'em ups.    Hence the names that they got - rushing beat, beats of rage, etc were beat em ups - and street fighter, turtles tournament fighter, virtua fighter, etc were fighters. (i know you are going to pluck some exceptions to this out now, lol)

From all mighty Wikipedia

Beat 'em ups are related to—but distinct from—fighting games, which are based around one-on-one matches rather than scrolling levels and multiple enemies. Such terminology is loosely applied, however, as some commentators prefer to conflate the two terms. At times, both one-on-one fighting games and scrolling beat 'em ups have influenced each other in terms of graphics and style and can appeal to fans of either genre.[8] Occasionally, a game will feature both kinds of gameplay.

What were the original 2D fighters but desperately smashing buttons [/s]

OK it seems the correct term means mostly rolling beat'em ups and the calling 2D fighters beat 'em ups is old definition.

But do tell me definion of smash' em up could not find it while checking definions.

[wiggy]

It's all relative to what the OP meant.  No need to nitpick over semantics when we have the source on hand

[amarthar]

Beat'em up - you beat people up
Shoot'em up - you shoot stuff up
(duh)

Favorite Beat'em up - Alien vs Predator
Favorite Shoot'em up - Battle Garegga

[MisterDaSausage]

I prefer Shoot em-up over Beat em-up...but really, it's close...

Best beat em-ups for me : River City Ransom on NES and Ninja Warriors on SNES!

Best Shoot em-ups : I'd say the Raiden series...but also the Gradius serie, Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga....can't decide...

[Dr.Agon]

the fact that all  of the games installed on my original xbox (30-ish), are beat-em-ups should tell you where my loyalties lie!
(although i do have a soft spot for shmups!)

too many to choose from, but if i was forced to pick favourite(s) I'd go for;

(B) streets of rage
(S) zero gunner 2

[venkman00]

I prefer beat em ups. My favorite beat em up would have to be Batman Returns on the SNES and Raiden on the SNES for my shoot em up.

Beat'em up - you beat people up
Shoot'em up - you shoot stuff up
(duh)

Favorite Beat'em up - Alien vs Predator
Favorite Shoot'em up - Battle Garegga

The arcade Alien vs Predator or home console?

[FFXIK]

Not picking between the two.  It would be too difficult.

Beat'em up - Double Dragon series
Shoot'em up - 3 way tie - Raiden series, Thunder Force series, Darius series

[pringlesman]

I think this thread has gone too long without mentioning the best beat em up ever (or atleast my favorite).  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time.

[venkman00]

Yeah, Turtles In Time is one of my faves, too. And it's the perfect choice when you've got someone else to play with.

[amarthar]

I prefer beat em ups. My favorite beat em up would have to be Batman Returns on the SNES and Raiden on the SNES for my shoot em up.

Beat'em up - you beat people up
Shoot'em up - you shoot stuff up
(duh)

Favorite Beat'em up - Alien vs Predator
Favorite Shoot'em up - Battle Garegga

The arcade Alien vs Predator or home console?

Arcade. In my opinion that is THE Best CPS2 beat'em up ever.