Streets of Rage

Original trilogy The first entry, Streets of Rage , focused on former police officers Axel Stone, Blaze Fielding, and Adam Hunter as they battle the forces of the crime lord Mr. X. It is the only game in the series to feature a Shinobi -style special attack that defeats all non-boss enemies on-screen. Streets of Rage was released for Sega 's Mega Drive/Genesis , Master System and Game Gear consoles.

The second entry in the series, Streets of Rage 2 , had new music (influenced by early-1990s club music ) from series composer Yuzo Koshiro and newcomer composer Motohiro Kawashima , more defined graphics and a larger selection of moves. It also introduced two new characters: Eddie "Skate" Hunter, and Max Thunder (or Sammy "Skate" Hunter and Max Hatchett in some regions). Like the original title, Streets of Rage 2 was playable on Sega's Genesis, Master System, and Game Gear. The third entry to the Streets of Rage series, Streets of Rage 3 , was less well received than its predecessors; despite some enhancements, it was seen as very similar to the second game.

This entry added a more complex storyline told using cutscenes . The Western version featured increased difficulty, with other elements altered or censored from the Japanese release. The music, again composed by Koshiro and Kawashima, was also criticized for being radically different from the music of the first two games. Unlike the two preceding games, Streets of Rage 3 was available only on the Genesis.