Sengoku 3

A brawler that blends feudal Japan with ninjas and supernatural powers — that is how you could briefly sum up Sengoku 3, the third installment of the beat 'em up series from SNK for the Neo Geo platform. It came out at the turn of the millennium, when the beat 'em up genre had already passed its golden age, which made it all the more surprising how brisk and polished the action it offered was.

Unlike the two older, somewhat stiff installments of the series, Sengoku 3 turned into a fast, fluid slaughter with an emphasis on combos and mobility. Players could choose from several fighters with distinct styles, chain combos, use special attacks, and coordinate in co-op. The result was one of the most playable late brawlers of all.

Visually, the game benefited from the mature Neo Geo hardware. Detailed sprites, dynamic animations, and stylish environments combining historical Japanese motifs with fantastical elements gave the game a distinctive look. The pace was fast, the blows had punch, and the boss fights did not lack imagination.

Sengoku 3 was created at a time when the Neo Geo hardware was already on its way out and the beat 'em up genre was fading into oblivion, pushed aside by 3D action games. That is precisely why it is prized as one of the last great representatives of the classic brawler, showing that even in the cramped 2D format you could create fresh and entertaining action.

For fans of cooperative brawlers, Sengoku 3 represents a smaller hidden treasure worth discovering — especially thanks to later digital releases that made the game accessible to a wider audience beyond the expensive original hardware.

Why play: For the brisk, polished cooperative slaughter that ranks among the best late brawlers and stylishly mixes history with fantasy.