The original, and arguably, still the best (Streets of Rage)

Member Name: sagat

Product:	Streets of Rage
Date:	25/03/09 (125 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Co-op mode, amazing graphics and sound

Disadvantages: None

If you are an original Megadrive owner and played or owned Streets of Rage at the time, only then can you appreciate its greatness. Released in the early 90s as a rival to Capcom's Final Fight, it is simply sublime. Whilst Capcom ported a substandard version of Final Fight to the SNES (the later Mega CD release was virtually perfect, but hardly anyone owned the damn thing!), Streets of Rage sought to take the scrolling beat 'em up genre to new heights.

In the early 90s, arcades and consoles were awash with scrolling beat 'em ups of varying quality. The likes of Turtles, Simpsons and Avengers offered four player action with a famous license, whilst Final Fight offered bigger sprites than ever before, with plenty of enemies to smash. Sadly this genre is almost defunct now as it seemed to reach exhaustion as developers ran out of ideas and decent licenses, which is a tragedy. Luckily, thanks to the marvels of emulation and online game purchases, the lkes of Streets of Rage lives on.

Considering the hardware differences between the Megadrive and Capcom's CPS1 technology, Streets of Rage is still gorgeous when compared to Final Fight. Whilst Final Fight features large, cartoony graphics, Streets of Rage takes on a much darker tone and atmosphere.

From the iconic introduction scenes to the opening few frames where you walk onto the streets, the animation is smooth, the characters well drawn and the sound is sublime. You are one of the few honest cops left in the city. Your colleagues are corrupt and the system has failed. Mr X controls the gangs, the police and the streets. You have to fight your way through hordes of enemies and ensure that justice prevails!

Either on your own, or with a friend, you select one of three characters; Axel, Blaze and Adam. In a tried and tested formula, each character has different attributes; Axel is the all rounder, Adam is slow but strong, Blaze is speedy but weak. In two player mode, you cannot select the same character, and any real hero wants to pick Axel, so be prepared to have a row before you even start!

You take to the streets and must battle your way over eight levels before confronting Mr X. These stages are your stereotypical beat em up levels; streets, bar, factory, boat, beach, lift, boss' hideout. Each level is lovingly rendered with a stunning soundtrack. One particular moment of sheer beauty is the obligatory lift level where you rise high above the streets, seeing the city glisten and glimmer in the background as the lift takes you higher and higher, closer and closer to your destiny!

Each level has its fair share of enemies as well as the odd mid level boss and mandatory end boss. The enemies are nicely varied and generally play fair (except for those girls with the whips) and you never feel cheated when you die. Each boss is different and requires a tactic to defeat, some of these are a bit more frustrating, but that is to be expected!

You can fight your opponents in a variety of ways. You can use a standard flurry of blows, jumping attacks, grabs and throws as well as reverse attacks and team attacks. Each character has a slightly different moveset, such as Axel's jump attack is a knee which is less effective than the jump moves of other characters. You need to know your character and understand how to get the best out of them.

Most beat em ups feature a special attack which will hurt opponents and drain a small portion of health. Streets of Rage ramps this up and features a superb special attack. Pressing the 'A' button calls up one of your loyal policce friends who arrive in a police car and launch a barrage of flames at your enemies, maiming them badly. You only get one per level (unless you find a power up) and so they are best saved for the bosses.

Defeating enemies obviously earns you points, as does completing levels within a timelimit, not using your special attack and the like. It is always good fun to criticise your partners performance when their score is pitiful compared to yours. Extra lives are also awarded for hitting certain hi-scores. A minor complaint is that it would make the game even more competitive if it recorded how many enemies you had each killed, but this is a minor quibble.

There are several difficulty levels to complete, and on higher levels, it really is a struggle to complete, which is how things should be. Enemies get faster, more aggressive, tougher and smarter- you will die! There is no 'Mania' mode in the original, but it is not necessary after hard.

One of the most interesting features is the final showdown. I will not spoil it for those who have not played, but the game features two endings, one a bit less obvious than the other. This inclusion is a complete shock when you consider how the narrative of these games usually plays out. The first time I saw it, I was freaking out in amazement. It is the most badass ending of any game EVER!!! I still get goosebumps thinking about it.

The co-op mode is where the real fun is. As with many beat em ups, you can inflict damage on your buddy, either deliberately or accidently by throwing someone their way). This makes for an intense rivalry as tempers flare and words get exchanged.

It is possible to get this game on its own or as part of the Mega Games series (which has two other games on the cartridge). Either option was a bargain at its full price in the early 90s. They can now be picked up for pittance, and this game is a bonafide classic. If you have never experienced the beauty and intensity of this game, then my soul weeps for you. It is essential playing for any gamer.

Summary: A vital part of gaming history