The Streets of Rage series holds a special place in the hearts of beat ’em up fans. Emerging from the golden age of side-scrolling brawlers, the original Streets of Rage on the Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive) captivated players with its gritty urban environments, memorable characters, and pulse-pounding soundtrack. Given the franchise’s popularity on home consoles, it was only natural for Sega to attempt to bring the action to their handheld Game Gear. Released in 1992, Streets of Rage for the Game Gear aimed to capture the essence of its Genesis counterpart in a portable format. But how well did this downsized version fare? While it attempts to mirror the Genesis experience, the Game Gear iteration ultimately falls short of its 16-bit inspiration, offering a compromised experience that’s more frustrating than fulfilling.
Genesis DNA: Graphics and Sound
Despite the Game Gear’s technical limitations compared to the Sega Genesis, the developers commendably tried to replicate the visual and auditory atmosphere of the original Streets of Rage. If you’re familiar with the Streets of Rage Genesis title screen and storyline, you’ll find a sense of déjà vu here. The handheld version impressively recreates the stage designs, backgrounds, and enemy sprites, albeit with understandably less detail and color depth. Many graphical elements and objects from the Streets of Rage Genesis made their way into this portable iteration. With only five stages selected from the original eight, it seems the developers prioritized visual fidelity within the Game Gear’s capabilities.
The music, a hallmark of the Streets of Rage series thanks to the legendary Yuzo Koshiro, also makes a transition to the Game Gear. While rendered in a more 8-bit style, the iconic tunes are instantly recognizable and retain their memorability. Koshiro’s compositions shine through even on the Game Gear’s less powerful sound hardware, contributing positively to the overall presentation. The sound design, while not as rich as the Streets of Rage Genesis soundtrack, is still a highlight of this handheld port.
Gameplay Compromises: Where the Portable Version Falters
Unfortunately, the gameplay experience in Streets of Rage for the Game Gear is where significant compromises become apparent. This version suffers from notable control and collision detection issues that severely hamper the enjoyment. Characters Axel and Blaze, the playable duo in this iteration (Adam is absent from this version), feel sluggish and unresponsive at times. Axel, in particular, feels too slow, making him vulnerable to the faster enemy attacks. While Blaze offers more speed, she feels underpowered, struggling against the waves of enemies.
Basic combat mechanics, which were smooth and satisfying in Streets of Rage Genesis, become clunky and unreliable on the Game Gear. Punch-kick combos often fail to connect properly, leaving players open to counterattacks and enemy ganging. The absence of special attacks further limits combat options, forcing reliance on jump kicks and throws, which feel less refined than in the Streets of Rage Genesis version. These gameplay shortcomings lead to a frustratingly high difficulty level, making progress feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge. Many players might resort to cheat codes just to experience the game to its conclusion, as was the case for this reviewer.
Stages and Content Reduction
The Game Gear version of Streets of Rage features only five stages compared to the eight found in Streets of Rage Genesis. While some might view this reduction as a negative, in this case, it could be considered a blessing in disguise. The original Streets of Rage Genesis could feel somewhat lengthy and repetitive, and condensing the experience for a handheld format is arguably a sensible decision. The selected stages are recognizable from the Streets of Rage Genesis game, maintaining a sense of familiarity for fans. However, the reduced stage count also means less overall content and a shorter playtime compared to its console predecessor.
Legacy and Recommendation
Streets of Rage on the Game Gear is a valiant but ultimately flawed attempt to bring the Streets of Rage Genesis experience to a portable platform. While it manages to capture some of the visual and auditory charm of the original, the compromised gameplay mechanics significantly detract from the overall enjoyment. The control issues and unreliable combat make the game more frustrating than fun, even for seasoned beat ’em up players.
Unless you are a die-hard Streets of Rage completist or a dedicated Game Gear collector, Streets of Rage for the Game Gear is difficult to recommend. Players seeking a genuine Streets of Rage experience are far better served by revisiting the superior Streets of Rage Genesis versions or exploring the excellent sequels. This handheld iteration serves as a reminder that not all games translate perfectly to portable formats, and sometimes, the compromises are too significant to overlook.
