The first Streets of Rage, a benchmark Sega beat'em up. Short, dated, with timeless charm thanks to Yuzo Koshiro's unforgettable soundtrack.
Your verdict
Category
Beat-'Em-Up2 players12+
Co-op
Description
Axel, Blaze and Adam battle Mr. X's criminal syndicate in this first Sega Streets of Rage for Mega Drive. Published by Sega, released in Europe in September 1991. Founding beat'em up with three playable characters of distinct styles, varied urban levels and memorable bosses.
Streets of Rage review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
An absolute pioneer, Yuzo Koshiro injects into the FM chip the pulse of the house and dance of the era's clubs, from the famous "Fighting in the Street" to nocturnal pads. The music turns the street brawl into an irresistible urban trance. This visionary sonic daring redefined what a game could sound like.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Pummelling thugs through neon-lit streets to one unforgettable electro soundtrack: that's the promise, and it delivers flawlessly. Hits crack, the police-call special clears the screen, and two-player co-op multiplies the catharsis. You return for the punchy beat-'em-up rhythm and that evocative urban mood. A Sega classic whose sensations stay fully intact, pad in hand, years on.
The European edition of Streets of Rage is the PAL pressing of Sega's beat 'em up, absolute founder of the Streets of Rage sub-series. Its collector interest comes from the game's founding position, with Yuzo Koshiro's soundtrack, and from the fact that the cartridge remains an emblematic object of Sega's 16-bit beat 'em up.
Is Streets of Rage still worth playing in 2026?
The first entry of the famous Sega saga, Streets of Rage offers an urban beat'em up where three heroes face the gangs of a corrupt city. The cyberpunk art direction, the techno soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro turned mythical and the two player cooperative mode make it an absolute classic of beat'em up on Mega Drive. For anyone fond of classic beat'em ups or wishing to discover the founding myth of the saga, an absolutely essential recommendation today still without the slightest hesitation on the Sega machine truly indeed here.
