Defending democracy has always been a formidable task. And without the tools of diplomacy or the threat of mutually assured destruction, there is only one way to let freedom ring yet again, through brute force in the hands of some highly trained, well armed soldiers - fearless in both determination and attitude. Two such soldiers, one red and one blue, were the only thing standing between democracy and destruction in Ikari Warriors. Shirtless and sporting Rambo-esque headbands, these guys stood ready to bring the enemy to its knees.

One of the most popular vertical-scrolling fighting games ever devised, Ikari Warriors placed these two heroes well within enemy territory, sporting a machine gun and a handful of grenades (each represented by their own button) to fend off the assaults of soldiers, tanks, pillboxes and whatever else the opposing side saw fit to throw at them. More advanced weaponry could be accumulated along the way, thanks to various power-ups, including an armored tank ready to make mincemeat of the opposition. The pair of trusty defenders of freedom also benefited from a particularly effective ability to strafe and fire behind them, thanks to a joystick that included a rotary control on top. By twisting this knob, the soldier’s torso was able spin in any direction it needed to fend off an attack, even while continuing to advance forward.

The frenzied battlefield of Ikari Warriors proved to be irresistible to both arcade junkies and home gamers. Game developers SNK and Tradewinds responded with a suitable sequel, Victory Road, which pitted our brave soldiers against some unworldly foes, including one-eyed green men, the occasional rock-headed beast and other advanced adversaries. While the game played exactly the same as its predecessor, at least they saw fit to include some nifty new weapons to take on these much more formidable opponents.

While the second installment of Ikari Warriors enjoyed similar success to its predecessor, the gaming world had a new hero on the horizon to contend with – the Double Dragon series, which was quickly becoming a favorite around the arcade world. Up for the challenge, game developers paid attention to the competition when they created Ikari III: The Rescue – incorporating plenty of hand-to-hand combat techniques into the soldier’s arsenal. Now, our pair of heroes could not only punch and kick their way out of a close situation, they could also steal various weapons from their fallen enemies in their pursuit to save the world. These hand-to-hand techniques were particularly effective when used in conjunction with the rotating knob atop the joystick, as it allowed all attacks to be performed in any direction while the soldier advanced. This particular ability set Ikari III apart from the competition, rather than relegate it to mere clone status.

Billy and Jimmy Lee of Double Dragon fame may have stolen a slice of the popularity pie from this successful franchise, but when it came to pure guts and glory, the shirtless red and blue warriors from the Ikari series proved that they were formidable forces to be reckoned with in their own right - and surely worthy of a steady diet of quarters to advance their mission.