Two Crude Dudes (1990). Play online

Summary

Two Crude Dudes drops you into a ruined Manhattan where two government‑hired mercenaries fight back after a terrorist group called Big Valley triggers a nuclear blast. The premise feels like an over‑the‑top action cartoon, and the game leans into that vibe with exaggerated brawls against endless waves of gang members, police, and even improvised enemies. What makes the Genesis version memorable is how the hulking fighters can hoist cars, traffic lights or a stunned opponent and slam them back as projectiles.

Co‑op play turns the madness up a notch: you can actually toss your partner across the screen as a weapon, while the infamous “Power Cola” vending machines restore health with a satisfying burst of soda cans. Every stage is peppered with these machines, turning a simple health refill into a comic beat‑up tableau.

Critics at the time praised its blend of humor and muscle‑bound mayhem, with publications like MegaTech declaring it the first Mega Drive beat‑’em‑up to challenge Streets of Rage. Even years later the game still appears on retro rankings, celebrated for its quirky charm and unapologetic power‑lifting antics.

Storyline

The year is 20XX, and a mad scientist detonates a nuclear weapon laced with chemicals in New York City. The blast mutates countless citizens into savage, obedient mutants and the scientist forms the terrorist group Big Valley, bolstering it with advanced military hardware. Big Valley seizes the ruined metropolis, blocking any outsiders from entering.
Desperate, the U.S. government contracts two super‑powered mercenaries— the protagonists of Two Crude Dudes— to storm the city. Their mission is to fight through the mutant forces, dismantle Big Valley’s operation, and reclaim New York for the nation.