The Sega Genesis remains one of the most popular gaming consoles of all time. Players fondly remember the console's classic games, and collections of beloved gems are regularly released for modern consoles, as well as the titles that came pre-loaded with the Sega Genesis Mini.
Unfortunately, many hugely successful Sega Genesis games remain firmly rooted in the past, with no sign of a reboot. However, the recent success of Streets Of Rage 4 proves that there is still a huge market for archaic franchises to be revitalized with either remakes or new sequels.
What Streets Of Rage 4 Got Right
Streets Of Rage 4 was released in 2020, and has gone on to sell over 2.5 million copies. It has been praised for its satisfying combat, eclectic soundtrack, and its bold and colorful art style. All of these successfully blend what made the old classics so popular, with new and modernized elements, including some brave design decisions that have made Streets Of Rage 4 a hit with old and new fans alike.
The original Streets Of Rage was released in 1991 and helped propel the Sega Genesis to enormous global success. Its sequel, Streets Of Rage 2, is regarded as the pinnacle of the franchise, and one of the greatest Sega Genesis games ever released. From its huge and distinctive sprites to its celebrated soundtrack, the game is truly iconic, and the developers of Streets of Rage 4 knew that a backlash would follow if they made any missteps in designing their long-awaited follow-up.
Thankfully, they made a number of successful choices in crafting Streets Of Rage 4. From hiring legendary composers Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima to contribute music tracks, to bringing back some old favorite characters like Barbon to battle against the heroes, the developers consistently nailed the game’s design choices. It’s no surprise that Streets Of Rage 4 has been so successful, including spawning a recent DLC release in the shape of Mr. X Nightmare. Now that a template has been established, fans are hopeful that other treasured titles from the Sega Genesis’s heyday will be given the reboot treatment.
Other Sega Genesis Classics That Deserve a Reboot
Cutscenes are commonplace in modern video games, with gamers becoming inured to even the most eye-popping graphical masterpieces. However, in the early 90s, cinematic sequences like these were far from typical, and games that pushed the boundaries of the Sega Genesis’s graphical capabilities were rightly revered. One such game was Another World (released as Out Of This World in North America), which featured an opening cinematic that had fans’ jaws on the floor.
The game itself was an ingenious, atmospheric puzzle platformer, and a modern reimagining as a first-person “immersive sim” could be a huge hit for fans of creepy science fiction games like BioShock or Half-Life. Conversely, the game would still work perfectly well as a side-scrolling platformer if its graphics were overhauled in a way that didn’t undermine the original game’s memorable aesthetic.
The game’s spiritual successor, Flashback, has already had an unexpected sequel announced. The creator of the original Flashback is involved, and the new release promises to deliver a much better experience than the 2013 remake, which was a critical failure.
There are many other titles that Sega Genesis fans would be delighted to see brought to modern consoles. Lemmings was an enormously popular puzzle game, labelled the 21st greatest computer game ever released by PC Gamer in 1998. Although it has been brought to the PS3 and PlayStation Vita in recent years, a re-release for the current console generation would surely be well received.
Fans of Streets Of Rage and similar scrolling brawlers would also appreciate a return to the world of Golden Axe. The original game allowed players to lead their barbarian, Valkyrie, or dwarf hero across a ravaged fantasy landscape, battling the pillaging minions of dastardly villain Death Adder. It is easy to imagine such a title reworked as a third person action-adventure title in the vein of God Of War.
From Rocket Knight Adventures to Ristar, the options available to developers looking to revitalize a forgotten Sega Genesis game or franchise are endless. Following Streets Of Rage 4’s success and the announcement of Flashback 2, retro gaming fans eagerly await news of any further classics being revived.