Streets of Rage (Genesis)

Pub: Sega | Dev: Sega AM7 | August 1991
Pub: Sega | Dev: Sega AM7 | August 1991

Although I started RVGFanatic nearly 12 years ago with the main goal of reviewing SNES games, I’ve always wanted to highlight a select handful of Genesis games that have resonated with me over the years. I finally reviewed my first Genesis game last month, Sonic the Hedgehog (appropriately so). It only took me over 11 and a half years but hey, this now makes two! Streets of Rage is a dear personal favorite of mine, especially when it comes to beat ‘em ups and Genesis games. Released in Japan on August 2, 1991, this month marks the 27th anniversary of Streets of Rage. And with the Streets of Rage 4 announcement made just a few days ago, I can’t think of a better time to pay homage to this game than right now.

The stuff legends are made of
The stuff legends are made of

By the way, there’s just something magical about those early Sega Genesis boxes. Many of them are incredibly nostalgic to me. Every little detail, from the white grid adorning the black background on the clamshell box to the cheesy but charming early ’90s art style, all add up to some wonderful memories of a special time in our young lives when video games were video games. By that I mean when games came fully packaged. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great benefits to the digital medium, but nothing will ever beat out physical copies complete with badass art and good old instruction manuals. All those vintage memories of sitting in the backseat of your dad’s car, eagerly scanning every tiny screenshot a hundred times over and devouring the manual front to back on the ride home… those times will never be replicated.

IT CAME FROM JAPAN…

Its known as Bare Knuckle over in Japan
It’s known as Bare Knuckle over in Japan
Ah, nothing like admiring those import covers
Ah, nothing like admiring those import covers

In a rare case, both the Japanese and North American names for this game absolutely rock. Bare Knuckle sounds cool as hell, but then so does Streets of Rage. In fact, I’ll give the slight edge to Streets of Rage. Not just for familiarity and nostalgia but how can you beat the name STREETS OF RAGE? I mean, that’s badassery personified.

Whether you refer to it as this...
Whether you refer to it as this…
... or this, the game flat out rocks
… or this, the game flat out rocks

MEET THE CREW

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THE STORY GOES…

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ROUND ONE: CITY STREET

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Although graphically it may not seem like much today, I can’t emphasize how much the visuals blew me away some 27 years ago. The first level sets the perfect tone, with the Pine Pot diner being a memorable standout. Although this first stage is full of bright lights and color, it’s also full of danger. There’s a certain grit to it and it has an impeccable late ’80s vibe. It almost feels like a Michael Jackson music video could break out at any moment!

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Nothing like a good ol’ leaping knee to the mush.

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Remember how those mini garage doors would open dramatically, revealing a bad guy inside? A classic trope of the genre that never gets old, no matter how many iterations appear.

Blaze with the vicious throw
Blaze with the vicious throw
And a German Suplex to make Brock Lesnar jealous
“SUPLEX CITY, BITCH!”
Tell em, Blaze Brock!
Tell ‘em, Blaze Brock!
Ah, who could ever forget this?
Ah, who could ever forget this?

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Perhaps the coolest and most memorable “ass saving special” in beat ‘em up history. I don’t know of many cooler than calling on your cop buddy who comes barreling in only to launch an all-out fiery assault. It’s things like this that makes video games so damn fun.

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The sprites in this game are smaller than I would like, but the bosses are usually significantly bigger. Just look at Boomer, f’rinstance. He was an intimidating sight back in the day, for sure, with his oversized boomerang and towering physique.

ROUND TWO: INNER CITY

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I’m tellin’ ya, it’s a Michael Jackson music video just waiting to happen.

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I remember this clown being the first regular enemy that gave me some trouble.

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Wolverine’s claws but Sabretooth’s body. Lucky you, eh?

Credit Jey2K for this beautiful artwork
Credit Jey2K for this beautiful artwork

ROUND THREE: BEACHFRONT

A nice beach stroll this wont be
A nice beach stroll this won’t be
Talk about memories...
Talk about memories…

When my best friend Nelson and I first saw this, we both had to pick up our jaws off the floor. Sure, it’s not as memorable as the rain in Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, but this was definitely a cool moment. And one that sticks out in my mind even 27 years later.

"ITS THE ULLLLL-TIMATE WARRIOR!!!!"
“IT’S THE ULLLLL-TIMATE WARRIOR!!!!”
Blatantly so, but hey, it was good shit
Blatantly so, but hey, it was good shit ;)

ROUND FOUR: BRIDGE

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What’s a beat ‘em up without a level where there’s some kind of opening to throw bad guys into?

Looks like an interesting night...
Looks like an interesting night…
Where have I seen that enemy before?
Where have I seen that enemy before?
Hmmm
Hmmm. Naaaaah…

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Big Ben is yet another classic genre trope. It’s the fat bald guy who ironically likes to run.

ROUND FIVE: “SHIP HAPPENS!”

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One of the cool things about Streets of Rage is how crowded the screen can get. Most SNES beat ‘em ups, for comparison sake, would often max out at three bad guys onscreen. Not the case here!

Even more enemies here!
Even more enemies here!

I love the SNES (you might have noticed that…) but there’s definitely nothing like THAT on the Super Nintendo.

Double trouble!
Double trouble!
Chun-Lis long lost twin sisters
Chun-Li’s long lost twin sisters

ROUND SIX: FACTORY

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If you’re not careful on this level, your brains will get crushed. But it’s fair game, so lure the enemies in if you can. No bonuses, but it’s just plain irresistible!

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Another classic genre trope: previous bosses becoming “regular” enemies. The actual boss for this stage admittedly reeks of laziness: it’s just the stage two boss, only this time there’s two of him to contend with.

Not these assholes again...
Not these assholes again…

ROUND SEVEN: FREIGHT ELEVATOR

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No boss is featured here, it’s just a straight shot up to the final stage. My best friend Nelson and I always got a kick out of using our special attack here. There was something ridiculously amusing about watching our cop buddy send a blast high and deep into the night sky from ground level.

FINAL ROUND: SYNDICATE HEADQUARTERS

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By far the hardest stage of the game. This is due to a couple reasons. Namely, being indoors, your special attack is rendered useless. The second thing is you’ll face enemies (and former bosses) galore! In fact, the ever lovable (or not) beat ‘em up trope of a “boss rush” or “boss gauntlet” is in full (annoying) effect here.

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When you finally make your way to the top, Mr. X will offer you the chance to be his top crony. If you select yes, you’ll be sent back to level six and forced to play through to the end of the game. This also applies to when both players say yes. However, if one of you says yes and the other says no, you’ll be pitted in a duel to the death. Only by selecting no (both players have to select no in the 2-player mode) do you immediately fight Mr. X. This was pretty cool, especially back then when things were very cut and dry. This at least gave you the option to rebel and presents a bit of a moral dilemma. It’s nothing crazy but for 1991, it was a nice subtle touch.

There was even a bad ending
There was even a bad ending

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My brother and I always held this final boss fight in high regard. That’s because Mr. X was the spitting image of my brother’s best friend’s dad. Yep, Kerwyn’s dad was Mr. X in the flesh. So whenever we went to Kerwyn’s house and saw his dad, we couldn’t help but stupidly grin at each other behind his dad’s back. Ah, to be kids, eh?

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Mr. X’s lethal gun is no joke though, that’s for damn sure.

Shades of Belger's building...
Shades of Belger’s building…
Hmmm
Hmmm
"Sorry I couldn't help y'all in there..."
“Sorry I couldn’t help y’all in there…”
"All good. I get all the credit at least..."
“Eh. You won’t be back for the sequel!”
Classic
Classic stuff

TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

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One of the many neat things about Streets of Rage is the ability to work with your friend and perform some sweet tag team attacks.

Always so damn satisfying
Always so damn satisfying
But careful -- you can also hurt your partner!
Careful — you can also hurt your pal!

STREETS OF RAGE 2

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Released just mere days before Christmas of 1992, Streets of Rage 2 is often considered the best beat ‘em up not only on the Sega Genesis but of all time.

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I definitely dig it too but I don’t know. Call me an overly nostalgic fool but I honestly tend to prefer the original game.

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In terms of gameplay, Streets of Rage 2 is objectively the more polished product. But similar to Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, despite being the slightly inferior game, I actually prefer the first one. I know I’m in the minority but oh well. You like what you like!

STREETS OF RAGE 4

It's finally happening
It’s finally happening

For years decades, gamers have been clamoring for a Streets of Rage 4. There were rumors nearly 20 years ago that such a sequel might appear on the Dreamcast but that dream was shattered in short order. However, just a few days ago on August 27, 2018, the announcement was made official… Streets of Rage 4 is finally happening after all these years! A teaser trailer was released and fan reaction is a mixed bag. Personally, I’m not a fan of the art style but I’m going to keep an open mind and wait to play it until I cast judgment. One thing is for sure, it’s just nice to see Streets of Rage 4 happening at long last. Here’s hoping it does the franchise proud like Sonic Mania did for Sonic the Hedgehog!

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

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Streets of Rage was well received for its time. It was seen by many as not only a very competent Final Fight clone, but some even viewed it as superior, especially when you compare the Genesis game to the SNES port of Final Fight (which was butchered without question). However, some gamers feel Streets of Rage doesn’t hold up quite as well today as it did in 1991. I can see this perspective but I still get a kick out of this game whenever I play it.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

SoRTwoZam

One of my favorite Genesis games back in the day was Streets of Rage, and I still have a soft spot for it 27 years later. Playing it back in 1991 transported my best friend Nelson and I, two young regular 8 year old boys, into the baddest ass kicking warriors this side of town. In fact, one of my fondest memories that Christmas season was playing Streets of Rage at Nelson’s house while his family was hosting a party. I remember Nelson’s uncles were there; I used to look up to them because I thought they were so cool. That night we fired up Streets of Rage on the ol’ Genny and I remember all the uncles in the living room stopped what they were doing to watch us play. They too were entranced by the simple beauty that was Streets of Rage.

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And I still remember to this day feeling so high and alive. Feeling that Nelson and I, along with Streets of Rage, became the smash hit of the party. It was the coolest feeling an 8 year old kid could experience at that point in his young life. It’s a feeling I wish I could bottle up because Nelson and I were floating on cloud 9 that night kicking ass and taking names, all as Nelly’s uncles watched on. There was something special about playing beat ‘em ups with your best pal growing up. And there was something extra special about playing a beat ‘em up the caliber of Streets of Rage with your best friend back in 1991. It was a moment in time that you just had to be there in order to grasp the full effect. The gritty visuals, the epic electronic dance music and just the overall feel of the game… Streets of Rage was and forever will be a special Genesis game.

Award4Overall: 9.0
Gold Award

Thanks for the memories!
Thanks for the memories!

Die Hard Arcade (Saturn)

Pub: Sega | Dev: AM1 | March 1997
Pub: Sega | Dev: Sega AM1 | March 1997

With the boom of the 3D era in 1996, some of our old favorite genres took a backseat to this changing of the guard. Or in some cases, they became an endangered species. One of those was the beat ‘em up genre. From the glorious late ’80s to early-mid ’90s, beat ‘em ups ruled the arcade (and home console) scene. From classics such as Final Fight, Double Dragon, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage just to name a few, they were a staple of many childhoods. But they went by the wayside when 3D gaming ushered in the next generation. Enter Sega’s Die Hard Arcade. It was a 3D interpretation of the classic beat ‘em ups of yore. A Saturn port was released a year later in March of 1997. It’s not the best game in the world but damn if it isn’t wacky fun.

Yippe-Ki-Yay indeed
YIPPEE-KI-YAY indeed

30 YEARS OF KICKING TERRORIST ASS

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Today (July 15, 2018) marks the 30 year anniversary of Die Hard. Released in theaters on July 15, 1988, Die Hard carved its way into our hearts and memories. The film followed the exploits of one, John McClane. A one man wrecking crew, he attempts to save his separated wife and countless hostages from the vile clutches of some East German terrorists. Taking place over the course of one wild night (Christmas Eve) and one highly memorable location (the fictionally named Nakatomi Plaza), Die Hard was an action movie for the ages. It launched Bruce Willis into superstardom and had one critic call it “a perfect action movie in every detail, the kind of movie that makes your summer memorable.”

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The film worked on so many levels. One of its biggest reasons was the pinpoint portrayal of villainous mastermind, Hans Gruber (arguably one of the best movie villains of all time, right up there with the likes of Darth Vader himself). Played by Alan Rickman, Hans Gruber was masterfully memorable for his accent and wicked ways.

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Die Hard was filmed at Fox Plaza in Los Angeles. Completed in 1987, Fox Plaza is 35 stories tall (493 feet) and served as the film’s memorable backdrop. Made on a budget of 28 million, Die Hard went on to gross that number five times over for a whopping 128.1 million. There are currently five Die Hard films with a sixth one on the way. Willis will reprise the role of McClane but a younger version is being cast for the earlier portions of the film which will depict McClane as a rookie cop in the ’70s. Happy 30 years, Die Hard!

DieHardMovie

Hmm....
A combination of The Towering Inferno and Die Hard

My girlfriend and I caught Skyscraper in theaters last night. I’m a big Rock fan but this one just didn’t do it for me. Maybe I was subconsciously comparing it too much to Die Hard, but it had none of the charm and memorable characters.

Give me Die Hard instead any day of the week
Give me Die Hard instead any day of the week

ARCADE ORIGINS

MakotoUchida

Die Hard Arcade was conceived by AM1’s Makoto Uchida. Uchida worked on numerous well known Sega titles such as Altered Beast and Golden Axe. A big fan of the original Die Hard film, Uchida had the idea of creating a 3D beat ‘em up with Die Hard as his main inspiration.

And thus ,Die Hard Arcade was born
And thus, Die Hard Arcade was born
Ad for the arcade
Ad for the arcade
Ad for the Saturn
Ad for the Saturn

THE STORY GOES…

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Wolf Hongo and his cronies have invaded a skyscraper in Los Angeles. They want the vast riches in the vault and have also kidnapped the president’s daughter. It’s up to you (and your partner) to stop Wolf.

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Die Hard Arcade doesn’t take itself seriously as seen here. The president’s daughter manages to elude the bad guys at some point and they cannot find her despite her being right under their nose.

DEEP SCAN CAMEO

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Deep Scan is a 1979 arcade game from Sega. Play it to earn extra continues.

The extra continues help
The extra continues help

“WELCOME TO THE PARTY, PAL!”

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The action starts out hot and heavy on this little rooftop ledge.

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Many weapons are in play, including brooms!

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There’s also the ever reliable handgun.

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The blocky graphics add to the charm of the game. It’s a little rough around the edges, literally, but that’s just all part of the charm.

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Quick time events, if handled right, allow you to recover some lost health. If you fail however, you’ll need to clear that area of any bad guys that linger. You have to pay attention to which button they ask you to press, like a Simon Says. It’s pretty neat and was later used in Shenmue on the Dreamcast.

YOU TELL EM, JOHN!
YOU TELL ‘EM, JOHN!

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Next, make your way to this elevator lobby where you can beat up the bad guys with everything from a missile launcher to a grandfather clock! This game is ridiculous and I can’t help but love how insane it is.

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The bum in the green hat actually falls into the blue dumpster during a cutscene prior to McClane arriving on the scene. As stated earlier, Die Hard Arcade doesn’t take itself seriously and has a ton of black humor.

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Watch out for the water spray, which can juggle you for damage. It can also hurt the enemies. Pick up the fire axe and hack away. There are also exploding barrels that you can heave their way.

WHAT THE -- !
WHAT THE — !

The next scene is unforgettable. One of the bad guys is relieving himself as you approach ready to maim. Stuff like this is what makes video games so great.

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Yes, John McClane is suplexing a naked man in a diaper. Some descriptions defy logic.

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Anti-tank rifles, clubs, guns and more can be used here. Or just kick their ass the good old fashioned way. Toilet paper rolls roll around. This section is by far my favorite part of the game and I wish it were longer.

So damn satisfying
So damn satisfying
What a cinematic scene
What a cinematic scene

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Use robot arms lying around to send these bastards back to the trash heap.

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“Come on, hand over the club. We all know how this ends.”

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This big, beefy, masked mauler is one tough son of a gun. It’s a good thing you can shoot his ass and throw chairs at him, then. I love the whale swimming in the aquarium tank in the background.

McClane goes barefoot, just like in the movie
McClane goes barefoot, just like in the movie
"Come out to the coast, have a few laughs..."
“Come out to the coast, have a few laughs…”

THE SEQUEL: DYNAMITE COP

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A sequel, Dynamite Deka 2 or Dynamite Cop in North America, came out in 1999. It was released in the arcade and on the Sega Dreamcast. It takes place on a boat and similar to the first game, has something of a cult following behind it.

Choose from these three
Choose from these three
Good ol Wolf Hongo is back
Good ol’ Wolf Hongo is back
Its just as crazy as Die Hard Arcade
It’s just as crazy as Die Hard Arcade
Actually, its a lot crazier
Actually, it’s a lot crazier
The stuff nightmares are made of...
The stuff nightmares are made of…
Hard to say if its Dynamite Cop or John Wick 2
Hard to tell if it’s Dynamite Cop or John Wick 2
Casinos can ruin your life. This one can kill it
Casinos can ruin your life. This one can kill it
Looks like an online meetup gone horribly wrong
Looks like an online meetup gone horribly wrong
My butt a few hours after eating Taco Bell
My butt a few hours after eating Taco Bell
Definitely a fun and worthy sequel to Die Hard Arcade
Definitely a fun and worthy sequel to Die Hard Arcade

DYNAMITE DEKA EX: ASIAN DYNAMITE

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8 years later, a revised version of the second game was released in arcades in Japan only. It was an odd release to say the least. By then the beat ‘em up genre was even more obscure than it had been in the early 2000s. The game was never ported to home consoles nor did it ever officially leave Japan.

Um... yeah...
Um… yeah…

RE-RELEASE ON THE PLAYSTATION 2

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In 2006, Dynamite Deka was re-released in Japan for the PlayStation 2 under the Sega Ages 2500 budget line. It featured revamped graphics.

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BURNING 2020

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Die Hard Arcade was even made into a manga by the name of Burning 2020.

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It’s pretty incredible how Japan latches on to random entities and makes a “thing” out of them.

GAMETZ MEMORIES

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GameTZ (or Game Trading Zone) was a website where gamers can share their wanted and available list of games. You can browse other users’ listings and message them to strike up trades. I joined on March 21, 2001 — I was still a few months away from graduating high school. It was a crazy fun time… it was like the Wild West of the internet back in those days. People were more willing to trade before the site became a shell of itself in the years to come. My third deal there was trading my copy of Resident Evil (PlayStation 1) and $6 for Virtua Cop 2 and Die Hard Arcade (Saturn). At that time, I had just gotten back into all things Sega Saturn and I vividly remember the day Virtua Cop 2 and Die Hard Arcade arrived in the mail. Later that night, my brother and I binged on both games and it was the best arcade experience at home I had had in the longest time. It sent me on a tailspin of endless Saturn love as I would explore the system’s library further in-depth and uncover the most obscure of obscure games. Great memories!

My bro and I had so much fun that night
My bro and I had so much fun that night
The trade a smash SUCCESS ;)
The trade a smash SUCCESS ;)

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There were truly some funky deals I made on GameTZ. Maybe a story for another day. But I can’t resist sharing a few right now. I once got Street Fighter Collection in exchange for Golden Axe: The Duel and an obscure Wolfgang Krauser collectible that I got in the mail circa 1994 via TAKARA. But perhaps my funniest trade was getting High Velocity (an obscure racing game for the Saturn) for my Predator 2 VHS copy. Ah, GameTZ, how I loved thee once upon a moon.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

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Die Hard Arcade is a blast. It never takes itself too seriously, it’s violent as hell and it’s stupid fun with a friend by your side. My brother and I loved playing this game and although it’s short at around 20 minutes or so, we kept coming back to it over the years. It’s a true testament to how fun and over the top the game is. We didn’t care that the graphics were a little blocky or that the story wasn’t anything we hadn’t seen a thousand times before: a good beat ‘em up should be fun and Die Hard Arcade most certainly is.

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There’s actually something charming about the blocky visuals. It was in the early days of 3D where polygons were mostly blocky. Developers were still finding their way with the new style of graphics; it was a sign of the times. But the best thing about this game is teaming up with a buddy to kick terrorist ass in the most amusing of ways. Whether you’re chucking a grandfather clock at the bad guys or beating them upside the head with a broom, Die Hard Arcade is a memorable foray into the realm of the 3D beat ‘em up. It’s campy, over the top and balls to the walls nutty. It’s not a perfect game, but for what it is, it’s perfect (if that makes sense). Now excuse me while I find my copy of this game and dust off the ol’ Saturn one more time…

AwardsOverall: 8.0
Silver Award

 

John McClane would approve
John McClane would approve
The Japanese Saturn version nailed the art cover
The Japanese Saturn version nailed the art cover