What Is OpenBeats of Rage (OpenBOR) and What Can You Do With It?
OpenBeats of Rage (OpenBOR) is a 2D side-scrolling engine used to build and play beat 'em up games. It grew out of the original Beats of Rage, a fan-made tribute game, and was later released as an open engine that anyone can use to create their own titles. If you want to make or play 2D beat 'em ups, side-scrollers, or sprite-based action games, OpenBOR is built for exactly that. The main hub for the engine, its documentation, and its games is ChronoCrash, which describes itself as "the home community of OpenBOR, the world's most powerful 2D side scrolling engine."
What OpenBOR actually is
OpenBOR is an engine, not a single game. The original Beats of Rage was a specific fan project; OpenBOR took that foundation and turned it into a general-purpose tool. That distinction matters:
- Beats of Rage — the original fan-made beat 'em up that started it all.
- OpenBOR (OpenBeats of Rage) — the open engine derived from it, which creators use to build their own games.
Because it's an engine, the games you see running on OpenBOR are separate projects made by different creators, not official releases from a single studio.
What you can build and play with it
OpenBOR targets 2D, sprite-based action games. The most common output is the classic side-scrolling beat 'em up, but the engine is used for a range of side-scrolling and sprite-based projects. ChronoCrash groups OpenBOR alongside other sprite-based engines like Mugen and IKEMEN, so if your interest is 2D fighting or brawler-style games more broadly, the community covers that ground too.
In practical terms, you can:
- Play finished games and demos made by the community.
- Build your own game using the engine, plus the tools and assets shared by other creators.
- Learn the engine through the wiki and community support.
Where to get started
ChronoCrash organizes its resources into a few clear entry points:
| Resource | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Forum | Community hub — ask questions, get support for OpenBOR and other engines, or just talk with members. |
| OpenBOR Wiki | Knowledge base, lexicon, and technical manual for the engine — described as the reference for new and experienced creators alike. |
| Downloads | Catalog of finished games, demos, tools, and assets to help you build your own. |
| YouTube channel | Playthroughs, tutorials, and previews of new OpenBOR projects. |
One thing to know before downloading
Browsing the downloads catalog is one thing, but downloading games and assets from ChronoCrash requires forum registration. If your goal is to grab a game or a set of assets, plan to create a forum account first.
Who this is for
ChronoCrash describes itself as a support community for independent game makers and fans, with a focus on OpenBOR and a willingness to help with general questions and related sprite-based engines. If you're a creator who wants to build a 2D brawler, or a player who wants to explore what the community has already made, the forum, wiki, and downloads section are the three places to start.