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- Streets of Rage -

Developer: Team Shinobi (SEGA)

Publisher: SEGA

Original Platforms: Genesis/MegaDrive, MegaPlay/MegaTech, Game Gear, Master System, Sega CD

Ports: Wii (VC), IOS, Windows, Nintendo 3ds

Collections: Sonic Gems (JP), SEGA Classics, MEGA Games II,

Players: 2

Genre: Beat 'em Up

Release Date: (JP) 08/02/1991 - (US) 09/18/1991 - (EUR) 10/?/1991

Ratings:CERO: All Ages (A) (Sonic Gems Collection)
Ages 12 and up (B) (Virtual Console)
PEGI: 7+ (Virtual Console)
Apple: 12+

(known in Japan as Bare Knuckle: Ikari no Tekken (ベア・ナックル 怒りの鉄拳, lit. "Bare Knuckle: Furious Iron Fist")

was the first SOR title, released by SEGA in 1991 on the 16-Bit Mega Drive and later ported to the 8-Bit Master System, and Game Gear handheld as well as an Arcade version and slightly modified SEGA CD port.

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Sega employed its internal development team headed up by former members of Team Shinobi, who used a heavily modified version of the Golden Axe engine to produce what would eventually become 'Bare Knuckle'. They re-used some graphics and sound effects from The Revenge of Shinobi. A key selling point for the game was its simultaneous 2-player option, a feature omitted from the SNES port of Final Fight. Upon its release, Streets of Rage was a success for Sega, welcomed by critics and gamers alike. It had good graphics for the time and showcased what the Megadrive was capable of.

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Streets of Rage features a superb 'house' soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro that really sets the mood as you punch, kick and smash your way through the 8 levels with pipes, bats and bottles to reach the lair of Mr. X, the leader of the evil Syndicate. The music was and still is incredible, despite the fact that the Megadrive sound chip was infamously awful and very much inferior to that of the SNES.

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The gameplay introduced enough new elements into the usual beat 'em up formula to make it stand out above many other beat em ups at the time despite being consideed a final fight clone. It was easily the best side-scrolling beat 'em up on the system and was only surpassed by it's own sequels.  In my opinion, Streets of Rage more than made up for the absence of a Megadrive version of Final Fight, and it performed well enough for Sega to start development on a sequel for release the following year...


Production Credits (Genesis Version):

Director: Noriyoshi Ohba

Game Designer: Hiroaki Chino
Programmers: Momonga Momo, Little Sun
Designer: Seishi Atsumiya, Rascal Fuku-Chan, Nandemo, Udi
Music: Yuzo Koshiro
Sound Assistance: Takayuki Nakamura
Special Thanks: Tokuhiko "Bo" Uwabo, Kottu, Yamaichi, Ore, Thunder, Scott
Presented By: SEGA

Production Credits (8-bit Version):

Game Designer: Abadede
Programmer: Nagisa, AT1000, IK
Designer: Abadede, Honey
Music: Yuzo Koshiro, Mikito Ichikawa
Special Thanks To: Mul, Kei
Presented By: SEGA

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Master System Version

Streets of Rage on the Master System is a slightly scaled-back port of Sega's immensely popular Genesis brawler. It has all the characters, enemies, and stages of the original, but it's a single-player game and you only fight two enemies at once. Its soundtrack is a mix of both Streets 1 and 2 music.

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- Trivia -

  • This version of Streets also includes an exclusive Boss in the factory stage. The fan base likes to call him the monopoly man

  • The music in the second stage was replaced with the character select music from the original. Also, the beach stage now has "Back to the Industry" from Streets 2.

  • Development of this game was personally handled by Yuzo Koshiro and his company, Ancient. There's a programmer credited as Abedede.

Game Gear Version

Streets of Rage for the Game Gear is a semi-faithful port of Sega's beloved Genesis classic. Although it removes Adam, some stages, and some attacks, it gives a semblance of Streets' gameplay and challenge. It also features simultaneous 2-player co-op action. Its OST is a combination of tracks from Streets of Rage 1 and 2.

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- Trivia -

  • This version uses the same OST as the SEGA Master System version

  • Stage 2 was removed from this version of the game as well as Adam himself

  • Two extra items are featured here, a screen clearing item and a time item

  • The last stage scrolls left instead of right, Mr.X also sports a white suit here.

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