River City Ransom (1989) quietly invented something special: a beat-'em-up crossed with an RPG. You roam an open city, pummel gangs, pick up the coins they drop, and spend them at shops on food and books that permanently raise your stats.

Eat a burger, get stronger. Read a book, learn the Stone Hands technique. Two players can roam together. And when you knock someone out, they yell the immortal "BARF!"

It's funny, it's deep, and it was decades ahead of the "brawler with progression" idea everyone copies now. A cult classic that absolutely earns the love.