Retrogaming: Bare Knuckle/ Streets of Rage

In the late 80s the best side scrolling beat-em-ups were Double Dragon and Golden Axe. There were so many mediocre games of the genre. Most have crappy sprites during repetitive attacks against countless baddies that looked the same.

In 1991, Sega released Bareknuckle/ Streets of Rage and the side scrolling fighter genre was never the same. Some of the 'innovations' include:

• Unlike the other games, SOR had tons of move animations. Sure there was only one attack button but you could pull of a variety of attacks, expecially from grapples. I remember one SOR ad where the showed all the moves in the game and I just marvelled at the number of different animations.
  

• The ability to land from air throws which was fucking cool.

• When the enemy grabs you from behind, you could press 'jump' to kick out in front of you and then 'attack' to throw the enemy grabbing you.

• The ability to throw your teammate at your opponent.

• Stage 7, set on a rising platform where the fun was throwing the enemies down to their doom.

The profiles of our heores...... Even after playing this game so many times, I still have no idea wtf Lambada is. I have I feeling I'm better off not knowing..............

By pressing the A button a policeman comes out of a policecar.......

.... and launches a rocket that damages everyone in the screen except our hero.

The most memorable thing about the game was the music by Yuzo Koshiro. SOR showed that the Megadrive, even with its crappy sound chip could produce one of the video game soundtracks ever. SOR showed that video games were about working around and pushing the limitations of the system, and the Megadrive was still in the beginning of its lifespan.

I got the game in 92 and I remember playing with my brother and dying at the last stage. Unfortunately we had to go to bed and I just couldn't wait to defeat Mr X the next day. We played the game a lof but not as much as SOR 2, but that is another story.........

Blaze throws the final boss, Mr X. Good thing her skirt is short enough to fight in, hehe.