Carl is doing this review, so he can avoid having to read Joe’s argument about why Streets of Rage 2 is better than Streets of Rage 3 (for the next 5-10 minutes), and then never address the actual game itself. Here’s the truth as to why Streets of Rage 2 is the best beat-em-up experience nearly 30 years since release.
Streets of Rage 2 was released in December of 1992 and took everything that was successful with the original and improved upon it. Better controls, more varied movesets, 4 playable characters, and Yuzo Koshiro’s soundtrack (which set the bar for what 16-bit audio could achieve). This was not incremental improvement – it was perfecting the genre.
What Made Streets of Rage 2 Different?
Streets of Rage was a good, but somewhat limited game. The original had only 3 playable characters, with only slight variations among the three; the levels were very similar; and the difficulty spikes randomly throughout. Streets of Rage 2 fixed each of those issues while also adding layers to the gameplay that allowed players to discover new strategies for years to come.
With 4 playable characters came 4 different ways to play the same levels. Axel was the middle ground brawler with strong specials. Blaze had the fastest movement and kick combos. Max was the heavy-hitter with big hits and throws. Skate brought mobility with a hit-and-run approach. Each character required a different approach to the levels, giving the game true replayability (and not just increasing the difficulty).
The addition of a wide variety of moves to the basic brawling turned the game into strategic combat. The animation for grabs differed based on whether you grabbed from behind or in front of the enemy. Running attacks gave you mobility. Blitz moves gave you a risk-reward scenario. The crowd-clearing moves that sacrificed some of your health forced players to manage resources.
The level design knew how to pace. The first level started you off easy with simple enemies and straightforward arena designs. By the fifth level, you’re running down tight bridges with aggressive enemy placement and obstacles. The baseball stadium level brought personality to the areas that could’ve easily been generic beat-em-up backdrops.
The Combat System That Still Amazes Today
While Streets of Rage 2 seemed like a simple button-masher at first glance, the combat was surprisingly deep. The enemy behavior patterns were consistent enough to figure out and learn, but they were varied enough to not make playing too automatic. The karate fighters required a slightly different timing than the fat guys with pipes. The dominatrixes (yes, they are in the game) had a unique way of grappling with each other.
The friendly fire system added a layer of strategy to the cooperative gameplay. If you threw your partner, you could damage them with a throw or a special move, and you’d need to coordinate your positioning and communicate with your partner. Cooperative play was not “just both players mashing buttons” – it was planning crowd control, deciding who gets which enemies, and not accidentally throwing your partner off the platform.
Adding the ability to use items and weapons to your combat added a tactical layer to the gameplay without making the core gameplay too complicated. The pipes stretched your reach and dealt good damage. The knives attacked fast, but they were only useful for a few hits before breaking. The swords offered massive damage at close-range. Knowing when to pick up a weapon versus using your bare fists distinguished average players from the best players.
The grabbing system enabled players to create juggle opportunities that may have taken some time to realize. In many cases, player combinations would allow them to pass enemies back and forth between players and deal constant damage to the poor guy. The execution required precise timing, but pulling it off felt amazing. Sam has mastered these techniques and now will not stop talking about frame data.
Legendary Soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro
The music in Streets of Rage 2 went far above the call of duty for a game’s soundtrack and into truly memorable territory. Koshiro combined house, techno, and electronic music styles to create songs that matched each level’s mood, while being good enough to stand on their own as excellent pieces of music.
Go Straight (stage 1) introduced the game’s style right away – upbeat rhythms, bold synths, music that indicated this would be worthwhile to invest your time. While the repetition of the game’s music could grow tiresome in less talented composers, the hooks and progression in the individual compositions made the repetition not a problem.
Dreamer (character select theme) is recognizable enough today to identify even decades later. Combining a piano melody over electronic backing created emotional resonance unlike any other beat-em-up game. It was both melancholic and hopeful and fit the game’s story better than either party thought at the time.
The boss theme (Under Logic) captured the anxiety and exhilaration of battling the game’s toughest foes. The aggressive tempo and harsh synths put pressure on the player to succeed. Even the ending song provided a sense of closure that simple “you win” music typically doesn’t provide.
Accessibility and Difficulty Balance
On Normal difficulty, Streets of Rage 2 seems to be designed for two moderately skilled players. Solitary play requires mastering enemy behavior and efficient combat to survive. The higher difficulties (Hard, Hardest, Mania) turn the game into serious tests of the player’s mastery of all systems.
The number of continues rewarded players’ progress, but did not eliminate consequences of dying. Losing all continues forced players to restart from the beginning, which created stakes that mattered. However, players could earn additional lives and continues by completing certain objectives.
Each boss fight pushed all skills the player had developed. Barbon was aggressive and hit hard. The twin martial artists required identifying and anticipating their patterns. Mr. X, in his final form, used a combination of attack patterns that required the player to adapt. Each boss had identifiable tells and weaknesses, but discovering them required players to observe and experiment.
At stage 5, the game introduced branching paths that added replay value. Players could choose to rescue or kill the Commissioner, resulting in different level 6s with unique bosses. It was simple branching, but it provided true new content for replaying the game and not just attempting to increase the difficulty.
Graphics That Showcased What the Mega Drive Could Do
The sprites in Streets of Rage 2 showcased what the Mega Drive was capable of with talented artists. All of the character animations were smooth, the enemies were uniquely designed, and the backgrounds had a lot of personality beyond serving their function as mere backdrops. The pixel art has aged well due to the artists understanding their limitations and working within them creatively.
Parallax scrolling in the backgrounds created a 3D effect without needing Mode 7. The bridge levels displayed multiple layers of parallax scrolling, creating a believable 3D space. Additionally, the attention to detail in the backgrounds – such as fans cheering in the baseball stadium, or rain in later levels – represented high-level polish beyond what was expected of a minimalistic game.
Over-the-top special move animations were used effectively. For example, when Axel performs his Dragon Uppercut special, the screen flashes, the enemies are sent flying backward, and all of it creates an emphasis on the strength of the move. Max’s Flying Tackle covers almost the entire screen and sends enemies flying. The visual feedback enhanced how effective the special moves were intended to be.
The color palette used the Mega Drive’s abilities well, considering the console’s tendency to produce harsher colors than the SNES. The dark alleys, neon-lit skyscrapers, and industrial areas fit the game’s atmosphere perfectly. Later stages explored brighter colors that demonstrated the range of the Mega Drive beyond merely portraying the griminess of urban environments.
Why Streets of Rage 2 Is the Best
We’ll never agree on which Streets of Rage is better – 2 or 3. Joe thinks 3 is more complex and offers more routes. I think 2 is superior because of its perfect blend of accessibility and depth, allowing for replayability beyond simply increasing the difficulty. Both perspectives are legitimate, but 2 is the clear winner when looking at broader appeal and cultural impact.
Streets of Rage 2 understood that beat-em-ups needed to be fun right away, but also hidden depths for players seeking them out. You could merrily button-mash your way through Normal difficulty with a friend and enjoy yourself. Alternatively, you could master the combo system, learn enemy behaviors, and attempt to beat Mania difficulty on your own. Both of those ways of enjoying the game were valid and enjoyable.
Cooperative gameplay created memories that lasted decades. Fighting through the entire game with a friend, arguing about who got the extra continues, competing for the highest score while working together against the AI – all of those experiences defined why local multiplayer mattered. Online play has lost much of this specific type of social experience in modern gaming.
Accessible Versions and Ports
Streets of Rage 2 has appeared in every major Sega compilation released in the last 20 years. The Sega Genesis Classics collection, available on modern platforms, contains it with online cooperative play. The Sega Ages version on Switch adds QOL features. The recent Streets of Rage 4 reminded everyone why the series is significant and proved that the core gameplay is still relevant today.
The Mr. X Nightmare DLC for Streets of Rage 4 included Streets of Rage 2’s soundtrack as an optional choice, recognizing the legendary status of Koshiro’s music. The fact that a modern game considered its predecessor from decades ago worthy of including as an option for purchase shows the lasting influence of the original.
Communities for Speedrunning and Challenges
Players and fans continue to find new ways to utilize Streets of Rage 2’s mechanics. One life runs, no-special–move runs, solo Mania difficulty runs – Streets of Rage 2 has enough depth to support many self-imposed challenges. Many YouTube channels showcase superplays that demonstrate the mastery of the game that most players never envisioned.
Conclusion
Streets of Rage 2 is the ultimate beat-em-up. It is accessible enough for casual play, deep enough for serious mastery, visually pleasing enough to remain impressive today, and musically rich enough to transcend the limits of video game audio. Each component of the game combines to represent the genre at its pinnacle.
Are there more complex versions of Streets of Rage? Does Final Fight have better arcade pedigree? Can there be more modern interpretations of the genre? Of course, but for the perfect blend of accessibility and depth, Streets of Rage 2 is unmatched.
This is the game you show someone to demonstrate why 16-bit beat-em-ups mattered. This is the experience that justified bringing friends together in front of a TV for local cooperative play. This is Sega showing the world what they could do with their hardware and talent.
And yes, Joe, I know you think the third game is better. You are wrong.
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