Fists

The default unarmed melee attack or weapon used by player characters in various retro video games.

Action

Games

1993–2002

Years

Platforms

About

In the 1993 game Jurassic Park, the player can use fists as a basic melee attack. It also serves as the default, non-ammo-depleting melee weapon in the classic first-person shooter Doom (1993/1994), the combat game Godai Elemental Force (2000), and the action-adventure game Star Wars Bounty Hunter (2002).

Integrating these mechanics highlights the evolution of unarmed combat across diverse genres. In the 16-bit adaptation of Jurassic Park, close-range strikes allow players to fend off smaller dinosaurs when ammunition runs low. The mechanic evolved significantly in Doom, where acquiring the Berserk power-up transforms the basic punch into a highly lethal attack capable of tearing through demonic hordes.

For Godai Elemental Force, physical strikes serve as the foundation for complex elemental combos, allowing players to channel wind, fire, earth, and water through their hands. In Star Wars Bounty Hunter, the mechanic serves a tactical purpose; Jango Fett relies on physical blows to daze opponents, enabling him to bind them with his whipcord and claim bounties alive. Across these titles, the implementation of hand-to-hand combat transitions from a desperate survival tool to an active tactical asset, reflecting broader shifts in game design during the 1990s and early 2000s.