(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