Space firefighters of the future by Sonic Team: a bold concept well executed. Procedural levels, dynamic gameplay, excellent music. Some technical issues on Saturn, but the experience remains original and memorable.
Your verdict
Category
Action1 player12+
Description
Futuristic action game in which firefighters of the future rescue civilians from blazing complexes. Published by Sega, released in Japan in 1998. Semi-open levels with partial random generation, synthetic voice guidance system, energy crystals to collect, two-player mode and an upbeat pop soundtrack. The last major Sonic Team title on Saturn.
Burning Rangers review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
A luminous future by Sonic Team, dazzling flames and glittering crystals: the game unfurls a colourful, optimistic science fiction, rare in the firefighting game. The vividness of the effects and the elegance of the design compose a warm universe. This visual direction, luminous and polished, keeps a singular charm.
Energetic and moving, Sega's music blends rousing vocal themes and electronic pads in an infectious heroic fervour. The title song "Burning Rangers" galvanises the momentum of the future firefighters with a rare warmth. This sonic generosity, optimistic and polished, remains one of the finest surprises of the Saturn catalogue.
The last Sonic Team game on Saturn, this 1998 firefighter rescue action is, in its Japanese version, the most available of the three regions and the most reasonable way into the title. The appeal lies in its place as the studio's swan song on the machine and in its bold ideas, voice navigation and generated levels, rather than in a scarcity that is relative here.
Is Burning Rangers still worth playing in 2026?
A futuristic action game from Sonic Team, Burning Rangers puts you in the shoes of future firefighters who rescue civilians in burning complexes, moving in 3D through dynamic fires and explosions. The rescue rather than destruction concept, the fluidity of the action and the optimistic science fiction mood give a singular identity, carried by the Sonic studio's inventiveness. The Saturn's technical constraints weigh at times. For a fan of original retro action, someone curious about Sonic Team's boldness or a collector, the title keeps a remarkable singularity and breath.
