Streets of Rage

aka: 3D Streets of Rage, Bare Knuckle: Ikari no Tekken, DSWAT, SoR, Streets of Rage Classic
Moby ID: 6599
Genesis Specs
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Description official descriptions

Streets of Rage, Sega's answer to Final Fight, follows the story of three young police officers (Adam Hunter, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding) in a city controlled by a criminal syndicate led by a "Mr. X" where crime is rampant, which leads the three heroes to make a pact to leave the force and topple the syndicate by themselves.

Gameplay is straightforward and simple. Three buttons are used, one to jump, other to attack and another to perform a range attack from a support police car. Each character has a limited set of moves that include punching and kicking or performing a back attack (if in the open), two grapple moves (depending if holding the opponent in front or by the back), a flying attack, and if playing with another player two additional tag attacks, and different abilities: Adam is slow, but a good jumper and a hard hitter, Axel fast and also a hard hitter, but a lousy jumper and Blaze fast and a good jumper, but weak hitter. Levels are in typical arcade side-scroller fashion: move from left to right (with two exceptions), clearing screens from enemies one after another as fast as possible while avoid taking damage with a boss in the end. Some levels feature "death drops" where the player must avoid falling, while throwing enemies there at the same time, including a typical elevator level. Several items are scattered on the ground, from melee weapons and bonus points (and lives or additional police cars) to apples and turkeys (to restore health).

Spellings

  • ベア・ナックル 怒りの鉄拳 - Japanese spelling
  • 스트리트 오브 레이지 (베어너클) - Korean spelling

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Credits (Genesis version)

18 People (12 developers, 6 thanks)

Game Designed By
Programming
Designed By
Music
Sound Assistance
Special Thanks To
Presented By
  • SEGA
Cover Artwork by

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 78% (based on 48 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 166 ratings with 10 reviews)

Taking it to the streets...

The Good
The first in the legendary beat ‘em up franchise from Sega. All of which appeared on the Sega Genesis, and the first two on the Master System and Game Gear. These were some of the finest games on the Genesis and of the 16-bit era.

In Streets of Rage series you chose between 3 characters. Axel, Adam, and Blaze. They become vigilantes, when Mr.X’s stranglehold on the city becomes to tight. The ex-cops vow to rid the streets of his insidious presence. Eight stages of head busting action await you before you can face Mr. X.

The Graphics in SOR are not that good. It came out in 1991 and compare it to other games at the time, like Sonic.

The Music/Sound is one of the areas where this game really excels. Yuzo Kosihiro’s soundtrack is incredible, there is not a single tune that does not kick ass. The sound effects are passable, but the incredible score makes up for this ten-fold.

The Gameplay is solid. With plenty of bone-cracking action to go around. It is one of the most satisfying action games this side of Shinobi III.

The Bad
The Graphics are bad, for the time. And compared to the others this one is weak.

The Bottom Line
Play this game, it is still fun after all these years.

Genesis · by MasterMegid (723) · 2006

A pretty good conversion

The Good
The graphics are good considering the Master System's limitations. The changes from the 16-bit version are interesting as well. Instead of the crushers in Level 6, there are vertical electric currents to avoid. Level 6 also ends with a boss who is a little old man with a rocket-launcher. He is dressed like a stereotype English toff in a top hat and tails (?!) Certainly more original than just facing the Level 2 boss again. The game's still quite fun to play, especially if you have someone on hand to join in.

The Bad
Though this is a pretty good conversion in terms of graphics, the music is pretty dull and the fighting becomes repetitive. Of particular annoyance is the inability to grab enemies. Try moving in on them to hold them and you'll be given a punch or a kick for your troubles.

The Bottom Line
A scrolling beat-em-up in the style of arcade games like Final Fight. As one of three trained fighters, make your way through eight levels of street-fighting action. There are numerous weapons such as pipes, knives and the like which are hidden inside barrels and bins or which can be obtained by knocking them out the hands of enemies. In later levels, hazards such as holes in an uncompleted bridge present themselves. There's a two-player mode in which a friend can join in.

SEGA Master System · by Gary Smith (13) · 2007

streets of rage--release your rage

The Good
This is perhaps the most awesome of all kick arse games for the Sega Genesis. The amount of times this has helped me to release my anger.

The special's have come in handy i don't know how many times, but you can not use them on level 10, the final round.

The Bad
The levels are almost the same, with the exception of levels seven and ten. You also cant high kick the level 2 boss, god damn it.

The Bottom Line
Well worth the money.

Genesis · by paul cairey (319) · 2002

[ View all 10 player reviews ]

Discussion

Subject By Date
DSWAT j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】 (93195) Jul 20, 2013

Trivia

References

  • Many in-game sounds and even the main font were lifted directly from Revenge of Shinobi.

  • In difficult situations, you can press the 'special attack' button. A cop will drive by in a car and set the entire environment on fire with a rocket launcher. The artwork of the police car may look familiar, it's exactly the same car used in E-SWAT: Cyber Police, an older SEGA arcade title which also got converted to the Mega Drive.

  • The game is referenced in the second episode of the second season of the US Netflix series Narcos. Pablo Escobar can be seen playing the game with his son on a Genesis system. He gives his son instructions and comments on having to fight a woman.

Release

One of the few games to be packed in with the Genesis.

Soundtrack on vinyl LP

In summer 2015, Data Discs released a vinyl soundtrack with the remastered soundtrack from the game. The remasterings were done in collaboration with the composer of the original game tracks Yuzo Koshiro. The LP features 16 tracks, 8 on each side. The recording were made from the original NEC PC-88 files, as well as a sampling from the Yamaha YM2612 chip of the Mega Drive/Genesis console.
(Source: Product description on Data Discs website, LP at Discogs)

Awards

  • EGM
    • 1992 Buyer's Guide - Hottest Videogame Babe

Information also contributed by Jo and Robbb

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  • MobyGames ID: 6599
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Satoshi Kunsai.

Android, iPad added by GTramp. Nintendo 3DS added by Michael Cassidy. Windows added by 666gonzo666. Wii added by Guy Chapman. iPhone added by Sciere. Macintosh, Linux added by Foxhack. Arcade added by Kohler 86. Game Gear, SEGA Master System added by festershinetop.

Additional contributors: chirinea, Sciere, Alaka, j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】, Thomas Thompson, GTramp, Rik Hideto, Jo ST, Harmony♡.

Game added June 7, 2002. Last modified March 25, 2024.