The final chapter in the Rage series and worthy addition to any Genesis library.

User Rating: 8.6 | Bare Knuckle III GEN
The Streets of Rage series has been one of my favorite Genesis series. When Streets of Rage 3 came out, I didn’t get it right away because I had access to it on the Sega Channel. I couldn’t really justify paying close to $50 for a game that I had already play extensively, so I decided to wait for the price to go down. Since Streets of Rage 3 came out towards the end of the Genesis’s run, the game quickly disappeared. I found a complete copy on EBay years later for $10 and promptly bought it. Good thing because now I can’t seem to find a copy for anything close to $10. I consider myself lucky.

If you played Streets of Rage 2, then you will be familiar with the graphics in Streets of Rage 3. There isn’t much difference between the two games except for some minor enhancements. I am not saying the graphics are terrible; just don’t expect the difference between Streets of Rage and Streets of Rage 2. The graphics are well above average for a Genesis game. The music is composed by the same guy who did the previous two Streets of Rage. I don’t recall his name, but there are many who can for some reason. I guess he’s got some kind of cult following or something. The music has a techno beat that was popular in the early and mid 90’s. It definitely goes well with the action and sets the tone of the game well.

Game play is very similar to the previous games. Control is responsive and easy to maneuver your character. You start off with four playable characters, but there are two unlock able characters, my favorite is Shiva, the 1st level boss. Each character has unique repot ire of moves and their own strengths and weaknesses. The Streets of Rage games are difficult, but with perseverance, they do become easier. Streets of Rage 3, to me, seemed to be the most difficult taking me the most time to complete it. It seemed to be more difficult back when I played it on the Sega Channel, but I did have a few more years of gaming experience when I finally beat it.

I would recommend Streets of Rage 3 if you are a fan of the series. It is a pity that it seems to be a rare game to find, and as a consequence, expensive. Some of the prices are ridiculous, but I guess there are some people who have to have the game. I wouldn’t recommend paying more than $20 for just a cartridge, but if the game is complete then all bets are off. If you can get a decent copy at a decent price, then Streets of Rage 3 is a must for any Genesis collection.