Streets of Rage | |
---|---|
Genres | Beat 'em up |
Developers | Sega AM7 |
Publishers | Sega |
Platforms | Mega Drive / Genesis, Mega-CD, Sega Game Gear, Sega Master System, Sega Mega-Play, Virtual Console, Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Microsoft Windows |
First release |
Streets of Rage August 2, 1991 |
Latest release |
Streets of Rage 3 March 18, 1994 |
Streets of Rage (ベア・ナックル Bea Nakkuru?, "Bare Knuckle") is a beat 'em up video game series developed and published by Sega exclusively for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in response to Final Fight, an arcade beat 'em up developed by Capcom. The Streets of Rage series centers on the efforts of several heroes, including series mainstays Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding, to rid a troubled city from the rule of crime boss Mr. X and his syndicate. The first game in the series was released in 1991. Two sequels were also produced, adding various new characters and features.
The games were generally well received and have been re-released many times both as part of compilation games and as standalone downloads. The dance music-influenced soundtracks of the games, scored by Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima, have received much acclaim as well.
The three games in the series were released between 1991 and 1994, the first of which was later included as part of the Sega 6-Pak compilation. The first entry in the series, Streets of Rage introduces the main characters: three young former police officers (Axel, Blaze, and Adam) and Mr. X, the evil mastermind. Gameplay is different from later games in the series, as were the graphics—which are significantly smaller in scale than the graphics of the later games. It is the only game in the series to feature a special attack that defeats all non-boss enemies on screen.
The next entry in the series, Streets of Rage 2 had new music (influenced by early '90s club music) from series composer Yuzo Koshiro and the newcomer composer Motohiro Kawashima, more defined graphics and a bigger selection of moves. It also introduced two new characters, Eddie "Skate" Hunter, and Max Thunder (or Sammy "Skate" Hunter and Max Hatchett in some regions). Various game-play tweaks and enhancements were added.