For more KKP Best of 2020 entries, head here. 

#9: Streets of Rage 4

2020 has its shares of old 90s gaming properties coming back to life, from Battletoads to Trials of Mana. Thankfully, they’re all good and retains the spirit of their predecessors.

You can add Streets of Rage 4 onto that prestigious pedestal.

Developers Guard Crush Games, Lizardcube, and DotEmu took the essence of the last three SoR titles and added a lot of new elements between the mid-90s to right now in part 4. The 2D beat-em-up gameplay is retained, but now you can do juggles and implement your life-draining supers more by getting your “drained” life back with counter-hits (but also losing all of it if you get hit once). Oh, and there’s a separate button now to pick up weapons and even catch them mid-flight.

Just like the old games, you are invincible during your throw animations, as well as do a quick ukemi when you’re knocked down or thrown yourself. These old and new mechanics combine really well to form a lovely tribute and worthy successor to Sega’s iconic beat-em-up series.

Also, the soundtrack slaps. You don’t need me to tell you that since Olivier Deriviere, Yuzo Koshiro, Motohiro Kawashima, and the other guest musicians brought their A-game here.