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Base-game unlocks
Adam Hunter
Clear Story Mode level 4 to unlock Adam as a playable character, according to PC Gamer’s Streets of Rage 4 character guide. Adam appears in a cutscene during the story, then becomes available to play.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Streets of Rage 4 - Anniversary Edition - PlayStation 4 | $22.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Streets of Rage 4 - Anniversary Edition - Nintendo Switch | $28.10 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Streets of Rage 4 - PlayStation 4 | $17.50 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Streets Of Rage 4 - Anniversary Edition (Nintendo Switch) | $38.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Streets of Rage 4 - Nintendo Switch | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Twelve retro characters
The Steam listing says the game includes a dozen unlockable characters from earlier Streets of Rage games, playable in their original pixel-art form. You earn them by reaching cumulative score milestones as you play stages, according to PC Gamer’s retro-character guide. The available sources establish the milestone system and total, but not a complete threshold list, so there is no reliable table of exact scores to give here.
Music from earlier games
Steam’s listing and Xbox’s listing note that music from previous Streets of Rage games is included. Those listings do not specify the unlock condition for each music selection.
#1 Best Overall
- 3 new playable characters with new weapons and enemies!
- A new survival mode with Weekly challenges
- Character customization to build your own fighting style and unlocking new moves
What Mr. X Nightmare adds
Mr. X Nightmare is DLC rather than part of the base-game unlock roster. Dotemu lists three additional playable characters—Estel Aguirre, Max Thunder, and Shiva—alongside Survival mode, weekly challenges, character move customization, weapons, and enemies. See Dotemu’s DLC overview for the feature list.
Survival mode and permanent moves
Survival sends you through waves of enemies in trap-filled arenas. After waves, you choose perks to shape your run. Playing Survival can also earn permanent move unlocks for characters. Jordi Asensio, Dotemu lead game designer and Guard Crush Games co-founder, described the idea as: “That’s how the idea to permanently unlock new moves as a reward in Survival mode.” His PlayStation Blog article explains how experiments with alternate move sets informed those rewards.
Rank #2
- 3 new playable characters with new weapons and enemies!
- A new survival mode with Weekly challenges
- Character customization to build your own fighting style and unlocking new moves
Roo
Roo is a secret character that requires Mr. X Nightmare. Playdigious support confirms the DLC requirement and hints that the secret can be discovered in the game menus, but does not provide the button sequence in its Roo unlock FAQ. The sequence should not be treated as official support guidance based on that page.
Base game or DLC: what you need
| Unlock or feature | What you need | How it is earned or accessed |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Hunter | Base game | Clear Story Mode level 4, according to PC Gamer. |
| 12 retro characters | Base game | Reach cumulative score milestones while playing stages. |
| Music from earlier games | Included in the game; exact per-track unlock conditions are not stated by Steam or Xbox. | Listings confirm the music is included but do not explain individual unlocks. |
| Estel Aguirre, Max Thunder, and Shiva | Mr. X Nightmare | Additional playable characters in the DLC. |
| Survival mode and permanent move unlocks | Mr. X Nightmare | Play its wave-based Survival mode; permanent moves are earned through Survival play. |
| Roo | Mr. X Nightmare | Secret unlock hinted at in the game menus; the cited support FAQ does not state the input sequence. |
How to plan your unlocks
- Start with the base game. Story progress gives you a direct route to Adam, while stage scores contribute to the retro-character milestones.
- Play stages for score. The retro roster is tied to cumulative score, not a single character-specific mission. Exact score thresholds are not established in the sources cited here.
- Add Mr. X Nightmare for its separate roster and modes. The DLC is needed for Estel, Max, Shiva, Survival mode, its permanent move rewards, and Roo.
Streets of Rage 4 launched on Steam on April 30, 2020, and Mr. X Nightmare launched July 15, 2021, according to the cited store and developer pages. Those dates provide release context, not current pricing or availability.
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Best Value
- Beautiful graphics fully hand-drawn animated by the studio behind wonder Boy: the Dragon's trap.
- 2 players online co-op, and up to 4 players locally
- 5 main playable characters and many unlockable retro characters.
- Story mode, arcade mode, battle mode.
- Soundtrack by a wide line-up of world-class musicians.
Rank #4
- With this new DLC, get ready for:
- 3 new playable characters
- a new survival mode with weekly challenges
- character customization: build your own fighting style with new moves
- new weapons and enemies!
Rank #3
- Beautiful graphics fully hand-drawn animated by the studio behind wonder Boy: the Dragon's trap.
- 2 players online co-op, and up to 4 players locally
- 5 main playable characters and many unlockable retro characters.
- Story mode, arcade mode, battle mode.
- Soundtrack by a wide line-up of world-class musicians.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
