Streets of Rage: Meet the New Boss
[ Company: Sega | Year: 1991 | Grade: B ]
Streets of Rage (Genesis)
We're up the 28th day in our 32 Game Endings of Christmas. Today we're looking at another alternate finale, the so-called "bad ending" of Sega's Streets of Rage. While it may not look like much now, Streets of Rage was the game that out-brawled the great Final Fight. It also featured multiple endings, including one that is full of sinister goodness. Find out which one we chose when you read another episode of the 32 Game Endings of Christmas!
Previously On Streets of Rage:
When an evil criminal syndicate takes over a once peaceful city, Adam Hunter, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding decided to forgo their careers in legal law enforcement and put their lives on the line. Despite taking over the government and enforcing a strict curfew, the leader of this dastardly outfit has somehow remained shrouded in mystery. Thankfully this trio of ex-police officers is here to save the innocent citizens and bring whoever is responsible to justice.
Like the many brawlers that came before it, Streets of Rage sees our heroes walking from left to right fighting any criminal that gets in their way. Over the course of one night they bust heads in the inner city streets, at the beach, over an unfinished bridge, aboard a ship, in a factory and yes, on a freight elevator. Because it wouldn't be a classic beat-em-up without at least one dangerous elevator scene. Eventually the team figures out who is behind this evil plan and confronts him on (surprise, surprise) a swanky office.
How It Ended:
As the two brawlers walk up to the mysterious Mr. X, the syndicate's kingpin makes a tempting offer. It took a lot of determination and skill to make it past hundreds of ninjas to locate this secret hide out. That kind of talent does not go unnoticed. Mr. X offers you
No, that's the wrong kind of bare Knuckles!
a chance to become his right hand man, potentially giving you near unlimited power of the city. Adam, the straight-laced hero of this piece, is totally against the idea. However, that's an offer Blaze can't refuse. Her first task? To kill her friend and fighting partner.
Blaze holds in her excitement after she brutally murders Adam with a metal pipe. She's overjoyed, but knows there's still more to be done. Mr. X asks this spunky vixen to join the team and sit alongside him. She declines, instead opting
Suddenly I'm okay with Blaze ruling over me!
to fight this big boss. As expected, Mr. X doesn't stand a chance. He dies with no friends and family around, just a pathetic old man beaten by a girl. With Mr. X out of the way, you sit in his abandoned throne and take over the city. You're rich and powerful. And best of all, nobody knows who she is or where she came from. It's the perfect crime.
How It Should Have Ended:
As Blaze sits down in her new throne, she can feel the power pulsating through her veins. Suddenly she controls everything. From what the schools teach to who becomes a judge to how many strip clubs can be zoned downtown, Blaze had absolute power. That is, until Axel shows up and shoots her right between the eyes. In all the excitement of killing Adam and Mr. X, Blaze completely forgot about Alex. Thankfully this slowpoke got here just in time to end what would have been a crazy woman's reign of terror. Crisis averted. Now it's time to rebuild this city with the sweet jams of Spencer Nilsen.
