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Which Streets of Rage game has your favorite soundtrack and why?

Favorite SoR OST?

  • 1

    Votes: 37 19.0%

  • 2

    Votes: 142 72.8%

  • 3

    Votes: 2 1.0%

  • 4

    Votes: 14 7.2%
  • Total voters
    195
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
61,779
I love the soundtracks of this series, especially the first two, both from Yuzo Koshiro, one of gods of VGM, still very active.

Three was very experimental and had newer talent along with Koshiro. And 4, the latest game had a few tracks from him, but was mostly done by another composer.

My favorite is the original these days. Moon Beach, Fighting in the Street, and Attack the Barbarian are just bangers.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yln1vew2mFs


View: https://youtu.be/Ru2KA1sLaiQ?si=HZqn2Tfa6uu93jXR


View: https://youtu.be/TcUBjZGc_zk?si=2vpoOYibUkw4cvxs

My rankings:

1>2>3>4
 
Last edited:
RocketDarkness

RocketDarkness

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,314
SoCal
1 is a classic, but I have a hard time choosing between 2 and 4. 4 is excellent; it might surpass 2 with the DLC OST added to it.
 
nullref

nullref

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,095
I can't say anything other than 2, just by virtue of having played it so much. The whole series is pretty killer, though.
 
higemaru

higemaru

Member
Nov 30, 2017
4,165
I'll throw a bone to 3. I love the crunch and Koshiro borrowing liberally from really unique (for the time) influences in the American & European techno scenes makes it an incredibly interesting sonic document. Sor1 & Sor2 are unimpeachable classics though and SoR4 is pretty damn good too (but doesn't have that nostalgia factor for me yet)
 
TheDarkKnight

TheDarkKnight

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,732
my ranking is

2 > 4 > 1 > 3

4's soundtrack got real close to 2 which surprised me. 3 remains a distant last place

and 1 has the best boss theme
 
OP
OP
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
61,779
So I do hope the 3D installment continues the OST excellence
 
djplaeskool

djplaeskool

Member
Oct 26, 2017
19,957
2>3>4=1

2 is a given as the goat. An absolute triumph in 90s house and dance.
Yuzo Koshiiro's custom programming and sound banking on the Genesis was sheer brilliance.

3 gets me hype because it delves pretty deep into hardcore techno and industrial music in a way not a lot of media was back then.
SoR3's soundtrack actually got out looking for records and CDs from outfits like The Subjects, Jeff Mills, Adam, etc.
 
Taco_Human

Taco_Human

Member
Jan 6, 2018
4,262
MA
Back during the Wii days when I had less cash, I trusted the forums to tell me which of the three to buy. I bought two, and that was the correct choice. It stuck to me since then.
 
Vex

Vex

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,244
It is OBJECTIVELY understood that two is the definitive winner here. But I'll play along and give my opinion:


Two.
 
Segaswirl

Segaswirl

Member
Feb 5, 2018
416
Glasgow, Scotland.
The original for me, love the 3 tracks in the OP. All 4 games are amazing though.

I don't think it can be overstated how good a job the developers did with SoR4. They really brought it back.
 
Damaniel

Damaniel

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
6,560
Portland, OR
2 by a mile (I'd argue it's one of the top 5 OSTs of the 16 bit era), then 4, then 1. 3 is just a bit too experimental for my taste, though I appreciate the songs from a technical aspect.
 
q4core

q4core

Member
Feb 26, 2021
409
DMV
I owned 1 on Genesis so I listened to that soundtrack the most and loved it, but when I rented 2 I was like, woah this is next level. And time has proven that to be the case.
 
Anth0ny

Anth0ny

Member
Oct 25, 2017
48,062

View: https://twitter.com/yuzokoshiro/status/1362778079383359495

200.gif
 
L Thammy

L Thammy

Spacenoid
Member
Oct 25, 2017
50,204
I flipflop between 1 and 2. I think I like 1 better overall, but what I like in 2 I like better.

3 I haven't really played but nothing I've heard of it has me thinking I'd like it the best. 4 has its moments but mostly it's kind of a disappointment in this regard, it was definitely lacking for the absence of Yuzo.
 
kidnemo

kidnemo

Member
Dec 11, 2017
1,224
I love ALL of them... except for 3.

The crazy procedural computer ai stuff that yuzo tried with 3, while admirable from an artistic standpoint, doesn't make for a good soundtrack IMO.

Also for any of you that don't follow yuzo koshiro on twitter definitely need to. He regularly posts super interesting stuff about older projects, his old gear, and the processes behind his music design.

Super cool dude.

*edit*

And for my order:

1 > 2 > 4............. 3
 
yap

yap

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
9,108
Was about to say 4 but needed a reminder from 2, and naaaah 2 is still the goat. Iconic fm music at every turn. 4 is up there though.
 
mysteriousmage09

mysteriousmage09

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,912
2 by a landslide, everything just sounds amazing and I can't picture any of the stages / areas within the stages without the music. SoR1 is an incredible soundtrack as well, but as with the visual jump, SoR2 was some "how the hell is this happening on a damn Sega Genesis?" sorcery with the music. Seriously, listen to the amount of layers in some of the songs, it's fucking bonkers.
 

Deleted member 36578

Dec 21, 2017
26,561
2 by far for me. It's one of the greatest ever
 
Virtua King

Virtua King

Member
Dec 29, 2017
4,026
2>1>3>4

2's is perfection; 1's is excellent but the tracks are better sounding in Remake; 3's, I didn't like when it came out, but now I dig, especially "the poets"; I don't like most of 4 tracks aside from the ones done by Yuzo Koshiro and Tee Lopes.
 
Aswitch

Aswitch

"This guy are sick"
Member
Nov 27, 2017
5,143
Los Angeles, CA
All around has to be Streets of Rage 2 for me. Like literally every track I really enjoy compared to the other titles where they're genearlly more hit or miss.
 
Pat_DC

Pat_DC

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,683
Oneself said:
2-3-1-4 for me. Yuzo has been an influence on my music actually, it's so cool that most game had a sound test back then. And that sweet Genesis headphone jack!

I did two tracks in the style of those games for those interested!


View: https://youtu.be/0b2PD2gFTL8?si=SLZrAIIHkUBlqGAj


View: https://youtu.be/oacl_whPFmI?si=7qbI8uzHzu65IJRp
Click to expand...
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These are so cool. I found your bandcamp via this post and some fantastic stuff on this 'Video games 1' album you did.
The Donkey Kong Country 2 track is beautiful, great work!

As for SOR, it is 2 for me. Hard to beat it.
 
Keldroc

Keldroc

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,124
2 is easily the best soundtrack by an infinite margin. It's one of the top 10 game soundtracks of all time, not just the best SoR soundtrack. 1 and 4 are okay. 3 is complete shit.
 
DrFunk

DrFunk

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,226
It's 2 for me. Hearing Go Straight on Christmas morning in 92 was a memory I never forgot.

I'm also growing more warm to 3's soundtrack - the experimentation came too soon imo
 
GillianSeed79

GillianSeed79

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,437
I know everyone loves SOR2, but I'm partial to the original. Nothing slaps harder than the original's boss music.
 
Spectral Glider

Spectral Glider

Member
Oct 28, 2017
667
It's 1 for me. 2 is really great, but 1 is just friggen sublime. 3 sucks. 4 has a few good moments, but it needs more Yuzo.
 
Doctrine Dark

Doctrine Dark

Member
Nov 13, 2017
2,498
I'll always have to go with 2. It was my first SOR and I love every single track in that game.

4 comes right after. They're all great to me.
 
ShiftyRat

ShiftyRat

Member
Oct 27, 2017
463
RocketDarkness said:
1 is a classic, but I have a hard time choosing between 2 and 4. 4 is excellent; it might surpass 2 with the DLC OST added to it.
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Click to shrink...

Exactly my thoughts. Before 4 came out I thought there was no WAY I'd enjoy the soundtrack nearly as much as 2s, especially since Yuzo Koshiro was only involved in one or two of the tracks. I was very happy to be proven wrong. Olivier Deriviere knocked it out of the park, and Tee Lopes' tracks for the expansion were also fantastic.

The whole series is just full of amazing music.
 
onpoint

onpoint

Neon Deity Games
Verified
Oct 26, 2017
15,446
716
Cmon this isn't a fair fight. 2 isn't just the best in the series, it's the best in the genre, maybe the best on its original console and definitely one of the best of all time.

That opening track on the attract mode story is one of the tracks I remember hearing then immediately thinking: I'd like to write video game music someday

It's non stop bangers. Perfect use of the Genesis audio hardware and near and dear to my heart.

I love you, SoR2 OST. Thank you Yuzo Koshiro.
 
Oneself

Oneself

#TeamThierry
Member
Oct 26, 2017
4,864
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Pat_DC said:
These are so cool. I found your bandcamp via this post and some fantastic stuff on this 'Video games 1' album you did.
The Donkey Kong Country 2 track is beautiful, great work!

As for SOR, it is 2 for me. Hard to beat it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Thanks for checking it out! I had a lot of fun recreating the feeling of those classics, or at least how I remember them, and just do something that would probably fit an alternate version of those games.
I couldn't sing for months because of COVID so I plunged into this little project, I hope I'll have time for a Volume 2 eventually (sooo many more titles to tackle like Castlevania, Doom, Contra, Star Fox etc).

Oh and sorry if it's a bit off topic. 😅
 
erikNORML

erikNORML

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,736
I'm honestly confused how you can hear the first like 5 tracks in SoR2 and this even be a competition. 2 is the far and away winner (but obviously they all have some bangers)
 
ventuno

ventuno

Member
Nov 11, 2019
2,355
2 is just incredible. I think it's the right balance of trendy and ambitious. I can get into how truly experimental 3 (and it has Random Cross, a gem of a track) is and I enjoy 1, but 2 is the most unique. 4 is also really great, I think the composers definitely rose to the challenge.
 
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