A few decades ago the masses believed video games were a waste of time for lackadaisical youths to pacify themselves while ignoring their responsibilities as both kids and young adults. As more and more people started understanding the benefits of gaming so too did the perception of what a video game is and, most importantly, the benefits gaming can bestow on a person’s life changed.
Hi, my name is James Bullock and I am a gamer who has spent the better part of his existence testing the laws of physics, exploring the vastness of a world ruined, and been a champion inside various arenas courtesy of digitized worlds both driven by reality and created through pure unbelievable ingenuity unlike anything seen by human eyes. And as a gamer I’ve discovered something else video games provide: life lessons. Today I examine a franchise that changed an entire genre and warranted a third sequel nearly thirty years later, “Streets of Rage”.
If it Ain’t Broke….
With the 1980s gaming boom came the birth and eventual popularity of platformers – a game genre allowing players to take a character from one side of the screen to another in hopes of completing a goal usually hampered by various enemies both large & small. As platformers evolved so did the developers in their presentations. These side-scrolling presentations could do more than just have a plumber jump up & down; adding combat to the fray similar to fighting games. One of the most revolutionary games in the then-budding platforming sub-genre known as “Beat ‘Em Up” games was none other than the Sega exclusive, “Streets of Rage”.
Taking control of one of three ex-police officers (Axel Stone, Blaze Fielding or Adam Hunter), the player would go through eight levels unleashing kicks, punches & even a rocket courtesy of a police car called into the fray once per level in an effort to reach the purpose of chaos ravaging the city: Mr. X & his Syndicate. What “Altered Beast”, “Shinobi”, “Final Fight”, and “Double Dragon” did before it, “Streets of Rage” implemented most everything its predecessors utilized for thrilling, challenging gameplay; perfecting these gameplay offerings.
“SOR’s” direct sequel saw the developers improve upon believed perfection to craft an experience somehow outdoing its prequel not by changing the gameplay formula, but adding to it with two-player co-op, more stages, multiple story endings, and better graphics. In the middle of it all was a rocking soundtrack that turned “Streets of Rage 2” into a must-play experience for Sega Genesis/Mega Drive owners. “Streets of Rage 3” unfortunately failed in gaining universal acclaim not solely by doing too little to differentiate itself from its predecessors, but because of publisher & developer decisions to make the game harder for North American gamers in an effort to prevent rentals where gamers could complete the game in two days and never purchase it for their home consoles.
Though fans didn’t rally behind “SOR 3”, the want for “Streets of Rage 4” to become a true return to form was a strong one for years; even having gamers work on their own unlicensed variations of a “Streets” game. In 2020, gamers finally got “Streets of Rage 4” and it proved everything they wanted. The gameplay was rooted in old school, beat ’em up action featuring a variety of enemies, protagonists both new & old, unlockables only available through continuous gameplay, and a soundtrack second to none. While evolution & change my sound good, at times a nostalgic formula can fuel greatness even thirty years after something’s heyday especially when it’s rooted in the simplicity of bashing heads of some no-good goons.
Have you learned any major life lessons from playing the “Streets of Rage” franchise or any video game for that matter? Leave them in the comments below and, as always, thanks for reading.
