Renegade (1987). Play online

Summary

Renegade puts you in the shoes of Mr. K, a streetwise fighter battling gangs through tight two‑screen arenas instead of endless scrolling. Each of the four levels starts with a mixed squad of weaker thugs—one quick with a weapon, the other tougher and able to grab you—until only three are left, when the level’s boss charges in. The second stage throws bikers at you for a high‑speed chase, while the third pits you against a gang of women led by a massive female boss, and the final act is a knife‑wielding gauntlet ending with a one‑hit‑kill mobster who holds your girlfriend hostage.

Controls feel surprisingly deep for an 8‑bit beat‑’em‑up: an eight‑direction stick and three buttons let you punch, rear‑kick, jump, and combo‑run by double‑tapping. Running unleashes a fast punch, a flying kick or a sudden back‑kick depending on direction, and you can even perch on downed foes and pummel them. After each boss fall you escape a maze‑like building, rescue your love with a kiss, and the cycle repeats with the difficulty cranked up.

Storyline

In the NES version of Renegade, you play as a street‑wise vigilante known as Mr. K (the manual simply calls him “Renegade”). The game pits him against four distinct street gangs that have taken over the city’s alleys and warehouses. Each level culminates in a showdown with a tougher gang leader, leading up to a final mob boss who’s holding the hero’s girlfriend hostage. After a hard‑fought battle, Mr. K defeats the boss, bursts out of the building and is reunited with his rescued girlfriend, who greets him with a kiss. The simple plot drives the side‑scroll brawler’s relentless beat‑em‑up action.