It took twenty-six years, but fans finally got a new Streets of Rage game back in 2020 with Streets of Rage 4. Made by Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games, it brought the classic sidescrolling brawler back in style with bolder, crisper graphics, new gameplay techniques like "Star Moves," additional modes, and a new story where the heroes must battle a new Syndicate headed by the Y twins, the children of Mr. X.

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Still, five characters may have been enough for a roster back in the early 1990s, but SOR4 may need more than that to get players to pick it up, even with it now being on PlayStation Plus. This is why, on top of the base roster, there are three DLC characters, and thirteen retro characters to give players twenty-one brawlers to get to grips with. But when they go up against each other, some prove to be better than others.

21 SOR1 Axel

He Is So 1991

• Strengths: Good speed, strong range and attack power, good with weapons.
• Weaknesses: Weak range on Flying Knee, limited combo potential, lacking crowd control.

The Streets Of Rage 1 characters suffer overall in SOR4 as they lack the advances their sequel counterparts gained. They don’t really have any special moves, lack defensive options, and are generally quite dull to play due to the lack of combo potential.

They do more damage to make up for that, with SOR1 Axel having some particularly strong jabs. His range is pretty decent compared to the other Axels too, and his Pipe Rage Star Move does a lot of damage. But with his limited moveset, he's unable to capitalize on it as effectively as his counterparts.

20 SOR3 Dr. Zan

Requires A Firmware Update

• Strengths: Has many safe moves, long attack range, strong projectile attacks.
• Weaknesses: Can't use weapons, can't access special stages by himself, weak Blitz moves, slow Energy Ball attack.

Being more advanced, the Streets Of Rage 3 characters are perhaps some of the comfier retro characters to play as. They have more varied movesets, are nimbler on their feet, and have some powerful Blitz attacks. Some of them can be a dream to play, and others are SOR3 Dr. Zan.

The cyborg scientist can be quite fun to play, as he has some long-range strikes and powerful projectiles to make up for his lack of speed and jump. His Blitz Attacks are some of the weakest in the game, and he can’t pick up weapons either. Players must rely on his Energy Ball, which is the strongest projectile in the game, but requires careful use as it’s slow to fire.

19 SOR2 Axel

Perhaps Best Left In The Past

• Strengths: Improved speed, strongest Grand Upper.
• Weaknesses: Slow, weak punch range, limited combo potential.

Streets Of Rage 2 may be a classic game, but its characters lack the damage buff of their SOR1 counterparts or the mobility of their SOR3 predecessors in SOR4. SOR2 Axel particularly suffers as his jab recovery and throws are slow, making him come off like a weaker version of the regular Axel.

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Thankfully, his speed has been buffed with updates, making it easier to get his combos going, as players can just jab away. Still, like the other SOR2 characters, he can’t cancel his Blitz Attacks into special moves, limiting their combo potential. His reach is bad too, so like SOR1 Axel, he has to risk a pummeling to deliver a pummeling.

18 SOR3 Roo

Giving Players A Little More Than They Paid For

• Strengths: Strong special attacks, good against long-range foes, only SOR3 character with an Air Special.
• Weaknesses: Poor attack range, his best combos require a wall, can't use weapons, can't access special stages by himself.

SOR3 Roo was snuck in without warning as part of the Mr. X Nightmare DLC. Once it’s bought, players can hold Up+Attack on the main menu, press Start, then let go of all buttons and select Story Mode, where they'll see the boxing kangaroo on the character select screen. Players then just have to beat one stage with Roo to make him a permanent addition.

On the one hand, it’s neat to be able to play a character without spending real or in-game currency. He has some strong default abilities too, with his Here Comes Bruce Star Move coming in handy against bosses. The only default thing that holds him back is his strength, as his damage output and punch range are quite weak.

17 SOR1 Adam

His First And Only Outing For Decades

• Strengths: Good attack range, great weapon reach, strong jump kick and Roundhouse Kick.
• Weaknesses: Worse range than the other SOR1 characters, limited combo potential, lacking crowd control.

Like in the original game, SOR1 Adam is a powerhouse character with a decent attack range. His flying kick is better at connecting opening strikes than SOR1 Axel’s flying knee strike, and his follow-up strikes have the heft to put enemies down faster.

Still, with how basic the SOR1 characters are, players will have to rely on Adam's flying kick a lot to get in against enemies. He has the worst range of the SOR1 characters and, since they don’t have great crowd control, SOR1 Adam would be better off skipping his Slash Kick in favor of the Summon Police Star Move to get them off his back.

16 Floyd

Part Machine, All Man

• Strengths: Great damage output and reach, strong combo chains and grab combos, good at crowd control.
• Weaknesses: Very slow, bad jump kick, combo chains aren't as good as other characters (e.g. SOR4 Axel).

Floyd is essentially a mix of Dr. Zan and SOR2’s Max Thunder. He’s got the size, strength, and throws of the latter, with the cybernetic shenanigans of the former. Before it was patched out, his Magnetic Grab, where he could pull in people from a distance, gave him an infinite combo.

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Without it, he’s still a tough character with some good crowd-control options, like his Thunder Sphere move. But he’s also one of the slowest characters on the roster, if not the slowest, and he doesn’t have a sliding kick or tackle to make up for it as Max did. Players just have to deal with his tank-like movement as best as they can.

15 SOR1 Blaze

Best Of A Limited Bunch

• Strengths: Fast jabs with great range, strong flying kick, easy to grasp for beginners.
• Weaknesses: Low damage, low stamina, limited combo potential, no blitz, star moves or haymakers.

The original incarnation of the series’ femme fatale, SOR1 Blaze was considered the best of the trio in the first game, and she’s still the best here. What she lacks in strength she makes up for in mobility, as she can leap out of trouble as easily as she can leap into it.

Like Adam, she has a flying kick that gives her more range for an opening strike, and her basic combo is better at crowd control as it can hit foes standing behind her too. Still, her low damage is an issue, and she has fewer combo options than every other version of Blaze in the game.

14 Blaze

Still A Contender

• Strengths: Strong Blitz Attacks and Star Moves, high combo potential, great grapples and speed.
• Weaknesses: Low stamina, combo potential limited by updates, Hishou Souzan leaves her open.

Blaze used to be one of the best characters in SOR4, and she’s still a decent character now. It’s just that everyone else in the game got more buffs than her, while her old OTG (off-the-ground) combos got significantly nerfed. The updates were meant to stop infinite combos, among other issues, but it made a combo-heavy character like Blaze less fun to play.

That said, she’s still a sturdy character with plenty of tricks up her sleeve. She’s got special attacks to counter all sorts of foes, like the Uraken Uchi for crowds, Embukyaku for combo launchers, and the Kikou Shou for zoners. Nerfed as she is, Blaze still has plenty to offer.

13 SOR2 Blaze

Old School Cool

• Strengths: Strong combos and charge attacks, great Star Moves, great weapon range.
• Weaknesses: Low stamina, limited combo potential in open spaces, Hishou Souzan leaves her open.

Blaze is generally meant to be the agile one in the SOR games, yet SOR2 Blaze manages to have some of the strongest combos in the game. Her additional mobility, special moves, and Hishou Souzan combo chain can tear through enemies and their armor well if used correctly.

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Her Ring of Fire Star Move is great for crowd control too, as it lingers on the screen for a while, giving the player and their friends something to chuck their foes into for extra damage. They just have to be wary of her low stamina, and that her best combos work when her opponents have their backs to the wall.

12 SOR3 Blaze

Burning Through The Competition

• Strengths: Strong Blitz moves with invincibility, can blitz with all weapons, great weapon range, good at juggle combos.
• Weaknesses: Low damage output, poor jab range.

The third time seems to be the charm with SOR3 Blaze. That game introduced Blitz attacks, and she can use them with aplomb. Her Blitz moves don’t do as much damage as her other versions, but they have more invincibility, letting them connect through enemy strikes without them hitting her back.

Her Hishou Souzan also gained I-frames to make up for its damage reduction, making it a better tool against aerial opponents. She’s great at getting combos going and is stronger still when she’s holding a weapon. She’ll need it too, as SOR3 Blaze has bad reach on her standard punches.

11 Adam

Fashionably Late

• Strengths: Decent attack range, combos and damage, good crowd control.
• Weaknesses: Less powerful combo chains than others, has harder knockback moves to perform, some special moves leave him open.

Adam Hunter has been away from the series for a long time. The Genesis sequels used his younger brother Skate, and SOR4 seemed like it would bypass him again for his daughter Cherry. But if players beat Stage 4, he’ll be unlocked for regular play for the first time in decades.

Adam’s essentially been rebuilt from the ground up, as he now has a versatile moveset where he can be played in all sorts of ways. He’s got a decent attack range, decent combos, and is good at getting people off his back. While he doesn’t excel in one area or another, he’s strong in all of them. He's a jack of all trades, so to speak, but that's better than being a master of none.

10 Cherry

Rocking To The Beat Till Dawn

• Strengths: Fast, able to run, good crowd control and combo potential.
• Weaknesses: Low stamina, can't take damage well, hard to get to grips with, some special moves leave her open.

Adam’s daughter, Cherry, is the successor to her uncle, Skate, as the superfast but super-weak option. Like Skate, she can run all around the screen, with plenty of dashing, leaping, and sliding attacks to close the distance. Her guitar moves, like Sound Check, are great at keeping people off her back too.

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With expert play, she could be the best damage dealer in the game, with her head-stomping aerial combos and mounting strikes. For beginners, they’re likely going to be punished a lot until they get to grips with her, as she doesn’t have a lot of health, and some moves (like Sliding Knee) leave her open to attack.

9 Axel

The Classic Brawler Returns

• Strengths: Improved jab range, damage output and combos, strong offensive moves are great at handling bosses.
• Weaknesses: Has trouble chasing down faster and/or aerial enemies.

Originally, Axel was only the best all-rounder in the game until players unlocked Adam. But he’s since received plenty of buffs, improving his jabs, damage output, and combo options. For example, he can chain his combos into his classic Grand Upper, which can be canceled into his Dragon Smash, and still leave room for a Star Move.

With that and his weapon blitzes and strong special attacks, he’s great at handling burlier foes and bosses. But the nimbler they are, the harder a time he’ll have chasing after them. As such, he might be better as a co-op partner for nimbler characters like Cherry. They can deal with the flying, leaping foes while Axel beats up the big guys.

8 Estel

The Boss Of Bruisers

• Strengths: Good jab range, high damage output, good crowd control, long-range charge attacks, powerful Blitz and Star moves.
• Weaknesses: Slow, some special moves leave her open, Star Moves can't be canceled.

Estel, the foe-turned-friend from the main story, is as strong as she looks, with great jab range and charging attacks. She’s got some of the best Star Moves in the game too, from the screen-nuking Tactical Support to the swift Surgical Strike.

Her Grenade moves are good at dealing damage (Grenade), or for opening foes up for strikes (Flashbang). She’s slow by default but has quick leaping attacks to make up for her lack of speed. Just be careful of pits or other hazards, or she’ll be leaping into trouble.

7 Max

Thunder Strikes Again

• Strengths: High damage output, mobile dashing, sliding and jumping attacks, plenty of throws.
• Weaknesses: Slow, short jab range, limited combos, lacking weapon range.

Max is back from SOR2 via the Mr. X Nightmare DLC, and like Floyd, he’s as slow as a tectonic plate. However, like Estel, he’s got lunging attacks that make him more mobile. His Power Slide and Thunder Tackle close the distance well, with the Tackle being invincible against nearly every other strike in the game.

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Max is great at handling crowds, has a lot of throws, and even a few aerial attacks for taking care of midair foes. It makes up for his lack of combo potential and short punching range. He’s not so great with weapons either, so it’s best to make the most of his tackles and lunges.

6 SOR3 Axel

Brawler Learns How To Roll

• Strengths: Decent damage output, strong special moves, able to run and roll.
• Weaknesses: Has trouble dealing with more agile foes, short jab range, can't cancel Grand Upper.

SOR3 Axel still isn’t any better with his jab reach than the other Axels, and he lacks the cancelable Grand Upper that his sequel counterpart has. So, why is he this high over the rest of the cast? For one, his running and rolling abilities make him much more mobile and able to escape danger more easily.

Then, while he can’t cancel the Grand Upper into special moves, he can use it to end any combo or throw he does via buffering. His Scissors Kick can cancel into his specials, and his Dragon Smash has enough I-frames to attack through errant strikes. He’s a strong character, and certainly the best Axel in the game.

5 SOR3 Shiva

Turning Over A New Leaf

• Strengths: Fast, strong, high combo potential, strong Blitz and Star Moves.
• Weaknesses: Can only throw weapons instead of wielding them. Can't access special stages by himself. No vertical roll. Special moves leave him open.

SOR3 Shiva isn’t quite as OP as he was in the Genesis game. His basic strikes don’t do as much damage, and his special moves aren’t very safe. If they didn't hit their mark, they’d leave Shina open for punishment. Yet they wouldn’t be this high on the list if they couldn’t make up for that.

Their Dashing Moon Kick is fast, powerful, hits in all directions, and works great as a combo ender. His jabs have great range too, so players will be able to get those combos started soon enough. Their Star Moves are strong and versatile too, from the crowd-punishing Ultimate Final Crash to the boss-smashing Asura Ranbu.

4 SOR2 Skate

He Was A Skater Boy

• Strengths: Fast, able to run, deadly with one-handed weapons, powerful throws and Blitz attacks.
• Weaknesses: Low stamina, can't take damage well, some specials leave him open.

Skate couldn’t make it back as a canon character, but he came back in spirit with two retro characters. SOR2 Skate is the weaker of the two, though only just. His Flying Headbutt is harder to connect with and leaves him weak to anti-air attacks. He doesn’t deal much damage, making it harder for him to handle crowds.

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Still, he’s one of the fastest characters in the game, being able to run all around the screen. His Back Attack does a lot of damage and is good for evading errant strikes. He’s got some good throws, and his Flying Headbutt Blitz can tear through armor and bosses quite well. If he's used well, SOR2 Skate can be a powerful character.

3 SOR3 Skate

He Said See You Later Boy

• Strengths: Fast, able to run, deadly with one-handed weapons (e.g. knives), powerful specials and Grab Combos.
• Weaknesses: Low stamina, can't take damage well, some specials leave him open.

That said, SOR3 Skate has more advantages than his predecessor. His Flying Headbutt was made weaker than the SOR2 version, but it hits as he comes down as well, making it a safer move. SOR3 Skate’s throws aren’t as strong as SOR2’s individually, but his Grab Combo is stronger overall.

He’s great at chaining Blitz attacks together into nasty combos, be they his standard attacks or weapon blitzes, making him a good choice for expert players. His Ground Roll is particularly deadly once an enemy is cornered against a wall. It can’t quite juggle them indefinitely (not anymore anyway), but it’ll form a close enough space for every hit within it to count.

2 SOR2 Max

King Of The Ring

• Strengths: High damage output, great weapon reach and power, best Thunder Tackle and Power Slide, decent crowd control.
• Weaknesses: Slow, slower combos, no Air Special, limited combo potential, fewer safe moves.

SOR2 Max initially lacks the advantages his SOR4 successor has. He doesn’t have an Air Special, his basic combo is slower and weaker, and he can be hit out of his Rolling Grab. However, he’s better with weapons, as he swings it faster, swipes it in front and behind him, and they have a longer reach.

But the real reason he’s still a force to be reckoned with is his Power Slide and Thunder Tackle. They’re even stronger than SOR4’s Max’s, reaching further, moving faster, while still being invincible to enemy strikes. Players who cut their teeth on Max will find his more pixel version more powerful overall.