Featuring hand-drawn visuals from the team behind 2017’s gorgeous Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap remake, Streets of Rage 4 builds upon the classic trilogy’s gameplay with new mechanics, a fresh story and a gauntlet of dangerous stages with a serious crime problem.

Streets of Rage 4 recalls classic gameplay but it stands as an entirely original arcade-style romp thanks to the expertise of Guard Crush Games and Dotemu.

Whether players gang up with a friend or clean up the city solo, Streets of Rage 4 is a skull-bashing, chicken-chomping delight all set to a thumping soundtrack sure to get your blood pumping.

Publisher and co-developer Dotemu (Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, Windjammers 1 and 2) with co-developers Lizardcube (Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap) and Guard Crush Games (Streets of Fury) today revealed that Yūzō Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima, the original Streets of Rage series’ incomparable composers, will be joined by an all-star ensemble in contributing brand new tracks for the Streets of Rage 4 soundtrack.

In a new video released by Dotemu, Yūzō Koshiro and fellow Streets of Rage composer Motohiro Kawashima detail their direction and goals in making an impactful, unforgettable score for Streets of Rage 4. Filmed earlier this year during BitSummit, the group discusses a range of subjects, from channeling the thumping club anthems fans loved in the original games to crafting sounds that weren’t heard in the previous entries. 

Revealing that Yūzō Koshiro and studio Ancient pitched a sequel to Streets of Rage at one point, the video also candidly explores some of the internal pressures that the original Streets of Rage team was facing during development while directly competing with Capcom’s Street Fighter II, which at the time was being scored by Yoko Shimomura. The legendary Shinomura is revealed below as lending her musical mastery to the upcoming soundtrack as well. 

Thanks to the help of Brave Wave Productions, a music label that brings the work of Japanese game musicians to global audiences, Streets of Rage 4 will feature original music from:

• Yūzō Koshiro (Streets of Rage 1, 2 & 3, Ys I & II, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Revenge Shinobi, Shenmue I & II, Super Smash Bros. Brawl for 3DS and Wii U & Ultimate, ActRaiser 1 & 2)
• Motohiro Kawashima (Streets of Rage 2 & 3, Shinobi II, Batman Returns)
• Yoko Shimomura (Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, Kingdom Hearts I, II & III, Super Mario RPG, Legend of Mana, Parasite Eve) 
• Hideki Naganuma (Jet Set Radio & Future, Super Monkey Ball, Sega Rally 2)
• Keiji Yamagishi (Ninja Gaiden, Tecmo Bowl, Captain Tsubasa)

“Among these names stand some of the most legendary and memorable musical architects in video game history,” said Cyrille Imbert, executive producer of Streets of Rage 4. “Since we first announced the title last fall, fans have been asking who will be involved in the game’s soundtrack as it is a vital element to the Streets of Rage games. We are thrilled to confirm this world-class lineup of musical talent for Streets of Rage 4.” 

More information and surprises about the Streets of Rage 4 soundtrack will be revealed in the future. 

Streets of Rage 4 is the first installment to the mainline series in more than two decades and will revitalize the iconic baddie-bashing gameplay with modern touches, fresh pulsing jams, and more surprises to be revealed.

The team behind Streets of Rage 4 is drawing from a lifetime of love for brawlers to introduce new fans and remind veterans alike why Streets of Rage is one of SEGA’s most beloved series.