Lizardcube and Dotemu’s Streets of Rage 4 is the 2020 reboot of the classic beat ’em up franchise and the first new game in the series since 1994. The project’s origins date back well before Lizardcube attempted to revive the franchise, with unfinished versions of Streets of Rage 4 circling Sega’s offices back during the creation of the Dreamcast. Following Lizardcube’s completion of its work on Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, the studio’s lead artist expressed an interest in reviving Streets of Rage 4, which prompted Lizardcube to put together a pitch that it and publisher Dotemu successfully presented to Sega.
Streets of Rage 4 was originally released on April 30, 2020, for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One before eventually making its way to Android and iOS mobile devices two years later. Largely considered to be one of the best modern beat ’em ups and a commendable revitalization of a legacy franchise, Streets of Rage 4 holds impressive critical and commercial reception. In addition to some very respectable review aggregate scores across each of its release platforms, Streets of Rage 4 would sell more than 2.5 million units just a year after its release.
Streets Of Rage 4 Premise
©Streets of Rage 4 gameplay screenshot – Original
Though there’s a 25-year gap in the real world between Streets of Rage 3 and Streets of Rage 4, the games only take place 10 years apart. A decade after the heroes of the original trilogy topple Mr. X and his criminal organization, The Syndicate, Mr. X’s children begin to pick up the pieces of their father’s criminal empire. Slowly but surely, Wood Oak City once again falls victim to a crimewave, giving the old heroes no choice but to suit up once again and take to the streets. Original heroes Axel and Blaze are joined by newcomers Cherry and Floyd, each of whom has connections to some of their old allies. Together, the four heroes set out to stop Mr. and Ms. Y and restore peace to Wood Oak City.
Much like the first three games in the now-legendary series, Streets of Rage 4 is a side-scrolling beat ’em up. Players initially have 4 heroes they can select from to play the game’s Arcade mode in either single-player or co-op (both local and online), journeying across 12 stages to put a stop to The Syndicate and its new leaders. Combat is dependent on fighting game-style button inputs, including some complex combo chains that characters can achieve, which differ across each of the game’s playable heroes. Completing stages and fighting enemies using a variety of combos awards points, which players can exchange for new playable heroes at an in-game marketplace.
In addition to the standard Story mode, Streets of Rage 4 also includes a multiplayer-specific Survival mode where players fight through hordes of increasingly difficult enemies, as well as an Arcade mode with limitations on characters’ lives, and a new Battle mode.
Streets Of Rage 4 Main Characters
©Streets of Rage 4 gameplay screenshot – Original
Following the downfall of the nefarious Mr. X in Streets of Rage 3, Wood Oak City experiences a generally peaceful quarter century until his children, Mr. and Ms. Y, begin to restore his criminal legacy. With the Syndicate back in action and crime once again on the rise, Axel and Blaze decide to take to the streets once again, only this time they are joined by Adam Hunter’s daughter, Cherry, and Dr. Zan’s apprentice, Floyd. Together, the four heroes set out to stop Mr. and Ms. Y and rid their home of the criminal element that threatens to tear Wood Oak City apart. Main characters in Streets of Rage 4 include:
- Axel Stone: A former Wood Oak City police officer, Axel comes out of retirement to fight the Syndicate once again.
- Blaze Fielding: Blaze is another former Wood Oak City police officer and a longtime friend of Axel’s. He pulls Axel out of retirement when he begins to see Syndicate activity resume following years of peace.
- Cherry Hunter: Cherry is the daughter of Axel and Blaze’s old buddy Adam and one of the new protagonists in Streets of Rage 4.
- Floyd Iraia: Floyd is the fourth default playable protagonist in Streets of Rage 4 and the assistant to the group’s old mentor, Dr. Gilbert Zan.
- Mr. and Ms. Y: The children of Mr. X, Mr. and Ms. Y pick up where their father left off, consolidating all of the underworld’s power in their criminal organization, The Syndicate.
Games in the Streets of Rage Series
2020’s revival of the Streets of Rage franchise with Streets of Rage 4 was a welcome surprise for fans of old-school beat ’em ups, bringing the long-dormant series back for the first time in over 25 years. Despite being a mainstay on the Sega Genesis with a trilogy of critically acclaimed and historically significant games, Streets of Rage would end up being completely absent from Sega’s 5th and 6th generation hardware. Despite this, the series was able to maintain a cult following of fans thanks to its regular inclusion on Sega’s Genesis game collections released for other platforms, as well as standalone releases on Xbox 360’s Xbox Live Arcade and the Nintendo Virtual Console service for the Wii. Games in the Streets of Rage series include:
- Streets of Rage (Genesis, 1991)
- Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis, 1992)
- Streets of Rage 3 (Genesis, 1994)
- Streets of Rage 4 (PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, 2020)
Streets of Rage 4 Cheats & Secrets
While there’s only one official “cheat” for Streets of Rage 4, there are plenty of unlockables to earn as well as secret levels to uncover. Additionally, the PC version of Streets of Rage 4 is compatible with third-party cheat engines and cheat trainer files to alter the gameplay.
Streets of Rage 4 Cheats
Unlock Roo
Note: Some sources report needing to own either the Mr. X’s Nightmare DLC for Streets of Rage 4 or the Anniversary Edition of the game for this code to work.
On the title screen, hold Up, Attack, and Start for several seconds. Release the buttons, then choose “Stage Select”. You should now be able to choose Roo as a playable character. The button for “Attack” will change depending on the platform (e.g., Square on PS4, X on Xbox One, Y on Nintendo Switch).
Streets of Rage 4 Unlockables
Players can unlock several bonus characters in Streets of Rage 4 by playing the game and accruing Lifetime Points. The following characters become available after acquiring the corresponding amount of Lifetime Points, except for Adam Hunter (who players will unlock after completing Chapter 4):
| Character | How to Unlock |
|---|---|
| Adam Hunter | Complete Chapter 4 |
| Streets of Rage Axel Stone | Earn 200,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage Adam Hunter | Earn 250,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage Blaze Fielding | Earn 310,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 2 Max Thunder | Earn 390,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 2 Axel Stone | Earn 480,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 2 Blaze Fielding | Earn 570,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 2 Skate Hunter | Earn 650,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 3 Axel Stone | Earn 730,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 3 Blaze Fielding | Earn 840,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 3 Skate Hunter | Earn 940,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 3 Dr. Gilbert Zan | Earn 1,050,000 Lifetime Points |
| Streets of Rage 3 Shiva | Earn 1,150,000 Lifetime Points |
Streets of Rage 4 Secrets
Hidden Retro Levels
In addition to the many retro characters players can unlock in Streets of Rage 4, there are also 4 hidden retro levels for players to uncover in various stages. Each of these hidden retro levels requires the same “trick” to access, requiring players to “zap” a nearby arcade cabinet with a stolen taser. Once inside these levels, players will face off against a boss from one of the original Streets of Rage games.
Jack’s Retro Level
Players can access the first retro level during Stage 2, Police Precinct. Before reaching the security checkpoint, a police officer enemy will attack. Defeat him and then deal with the remaining enemies before picking up his taser. With all enemies dealt with, pick up the taser and bring it to the arcade cabinet in the back room. Zap the cabinet with the taser to access the retro level. The boss of this level is the first boss from Streets of Rage 2, Jack. Make sure to destroy the sign in the bottom right to earn a special Star Move reward after defeating him.
Zamza’s Retro Level
The second retro level is within Stage 4, Old Pier. Before jumping down to the second level of the pier, you should be able to spot an arcade cabinet behind a large window. Again, you will need to defeat a police officer who spawns nearby and steal his taser. Zap the arcade cabinet with the taser to be transported to the second retro level. The boss of this level is Zamza, the original boss of Streets of Rage 2‘s Stage 3. After defeating him, a crate will drop containing the Star Move reward.
Abadede’s Retro Level
The next retro level can be found during Stage 5, Underground. After entering the biker bar, be on the lookout for the arcade cabinet. Note that the cabinet is in a zone where several enemies appear, so you’ll want to make an effort to kite them away so that they don’t destroy the cabinet. The taser you’ll need to access the level lies under a nearby table that an enemy will charge into. After dealing with all the enemies and grabbing the taser, zap the cabinet to access the level. The boss of the third retro level is Abadede, the Stage 4 boss from Streets of Rage 2. After defeating him, smash the nearby boxes to claim your Star Move reward.
Mr. X’s Retro Level
The fourth and final retro level is accessible from Stage 8, Art Gallery. Just before the end of the level, you’ll spot an arcade cabinet in the room with the golden chickens. The taser can be hard to spot but it is there, you just need to search the crates in front of the arcade cabinet. The boss of this final retro level is the main boss of Streets of Rage 2, Mr. X.
Survivor Mode Weapon Glitch
When playing as Shiva in the multiplayer Survival mode, it’s possible to exploit a glitch to bring weapons from one stage into another. Just before ending the level, allow the other player to walk toward the portal to exit. As Shiva, timing a kick to have the weapon pass through the portal at the same time as the other player will transport the weapon into the next stage. It takes some practice to pull off correctly, but it can provide a helpful boon at the beginning of a new Survival mode stage.
Streets of Rage 4 Cheat Engine Mods (PC Only)
PC players have the option of using third-party cheat engines and cheat trainer files with Streets of Rage 4 for several game-breaking mods. One such cheat trainer file can be found here and contains the following options:
- Infinite Health
- Infinite Lives
- Infinite Star Moves
- Infinite Score
- Max Combo
Streets of Rage 4 Achievements/Trophies
Completing the following in-game tasks will unlock the corresponding achievement/trophy.
| Acheivement/Trophy | Description |
|---|---|
| My Work Here is Done | Collect all Trophies (PlayStation-exclusive) |
| All Clear: Axel | Discover a retro-level |
| All Clear: Blaze | Clear all stages as Blaze |
| All Clear: Cherry | Clear all stages as Cherry |
| All Clear: Floyd | Clear all stages as Floyd |
| All Clear: Adam | Clear all stages as Adam |
| All Clear: SOR1 | Clear all stages as any “SOR1” character |
| All Clear: SOR2 | Clear all stages as any “SOR2” character |
| All Clear: SOR3 | Clear all stages as any “SOR3” character |
| All Clear: Estel | Clear all stages as Estel |
| All Clear: Shiva | Clear all stages as Shiva |
| All Clear: Max | Clear all stages as Max |
| Ultimate Warrior | Unlock all alternate moves for 1 character |
| The Possibilities Are Endless | Unlock all alternate moves |
| 100 Yen | Clear Arcade mode on Hard difficulty or higher |
| Bleeding Knuckles | Reach 5,000,000 Lifetime Points |
| Combo Pro | Get a “Super!” combo |
| Combo Expert | Get an “Amazing!!” combo |
| Combo Master | Get an “Out of this world!!!” combo |
| Throwback | Discover a retro level |
| Miss Me? | Meet Adam |
| Dojo Master | Beat Shiva |
| Snap Out of It | Beat Max |
| Old-Schooled | Beat Mr. and Ms. Y |
| Stage Mastery | Get an S-Rank on any stage |
| Perfect | Complete a stage without taking damage |
| Maniac | Get S-Rank on all stages on Hard difficulty |
| All Too Easy | Complete a stage on Mania difficulty |
| Oops | Hit an ally |
| Birth of the Cool | Catch a weapon in midair |
| Eating off the Ground | Consume a healing item |
| THIS IS WOOD OAK CITY!!! | Toss an enemy in a hole |
| Life’s a Struggle | Break free of a grab |
| It’s Chilly in Here | Break both elevator windows |
| Family Reunion | Get the Golden Chicken from the art gallery to the stock room |
| Somebody Call the Cops! | Call the police with a Streets of Rage 1 character |
| Dude, My Car! | Break the car in The Streets |
| Wasted Wine | Break a wine bottle |
| Walk on Foot | Destroy all motorcycles |
| Demolition Man | Use a wrecking ball to kill an enemy |
| Collateral Damage | Kill 3 enemies with one barrel or grenade |
| An Elegant Death | Kill an enemy with a chandelier |
| Broke My Toy | Break a spear |
| Clown Wars | Lead an army of 3 clowns |
| Phantom in the Hull | Reach level 18 in Survival mode |
| I Am the One | Reach level 30 in Survival mode |
Streets Of Rage 4 Cheat FAQs
Who is the strongest character in Streets of Rage 4?
The strongest character in Streets of Rage 4 is, undoubtedly, Shiva. Not only does Shiva deal the most damage of any character, but he’s also incredibly fast and the only character capable of performing air combos. Players will need over a million Lifetime Points in order to unlock Shiva as a playable character.
How do you unlock all characters in Streets of Rage 4?
As players play through Streets of Rage 4, they will acquire points based on a number of different factors. These points accumulate toward the player’s score, which the game then tabulates at the end of a level to contribute toward a global “Lifetime Points” score. Achieving certain milestone totals of Lifetime Points unlocks different bonus characters for use in the game. To unlock all characters (including the game’s strongest fighter, Shiva) players will need to amass 1,150,000 Lifetime Points.
Who is the best regular character in Streets of Rage 4?
While the “best” character is arguably whoever you enjoy playing most, there are some qualities that set certain heroes apart from others. In general, most high-level players of Streets of Rage 4 tend to prefer Cherry as the default starting character thanks to her speed, strong combos, and proficiency toward crowd control.
How long to beat Streets of Rage 4?
While most could complete a single playthrough of Streets of Rage 4 in an afternoon, earning all achievements/trophies and unlocking all of the game’s bonuses will take much longer. Most standard playthroughs of the game’s Story/Arcade mode will take roughly 3 hours, potentially less depending on player skill. Unlocking all bonus characters requires multiple playthroughs to acquire enough Lifetime Points, and performing all the in-game actions to earn all achievements/trophies is a similarly demanding task. To fully 100% complete Streets of Rage 4, players can expect to spend 20-25 hours.