Growing up in the late 80s/early 90s, I’ve been around the block when it comes to old-school beat ‘em ups. The arcades were filled with ‘em back then and every console had scads of brawlers. From classic greats like Double Dragon and Streets of Rage, to licensed hits like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Simpsons, to the copycat junk like Bad Dudes, the brawler was the genre of that time. But then people started pining for a little thing called “gameplay”, something the brawler just couldn’t provide. After all, there isn’t much depth to a genre that consisted of little more than waves of neon-haired bad guys and ten-cent storylines. And so over the years, the brawler just faded away.



Enter Spikeout: Battle Street. A Japanese arcade game, and originally intended to appear on the Dreamcast, Spikeout is exactly what old school brawler fans like myself have been wishing for. Unfortunately, it’s a case of “be careful what you wish for” as Sega has stayed true to the age-old formula, despite that said formula hasn’t aged well. However, if you’re able to look at Spikeout as a homage and not a contender for Game of the Year, there may be a good deal of enjoyment in it for you.

Because it’s all there, just as you remember it. The mindless waves of enemies who sometimes run face-first into obstacles as they try to get to you. The silly voice acting and cheesy dialogue. The corny character names, wanky guitar rock, and late 80s gang clichés. The incessant button mashing. And the wrenches, pipes, knives, and other weapons are there too.

But in an attempt to bring the game into the twenty-first century, Sega has added a surprisingly long list of combo moves and attacks. Unfortunately, the questionable button mapping almost negates their efforts. For example, simply picking up one of the aforementioned weapons requires you to pull down on the L stick while holding X and Y, a task that isn’t easily accomplished with a handful of brutes surrounding you. Other moves require such awkward button combinations as X+B and X+Y+B. Luckily, with a decent arcade stick, these moves are easier to pull off, and even better is the ability to customize the button layout. However, one can’t help but wonder what in the world they were thinking when designing such an unintuitive default scheme.

Spikeout was originally stuck in the arcades for its multiplayer mode, and Xbox Live is the perfect catalyst for getting this game at home. Unfortunately, finding someone with whom to play may prove difficult. The game is already fetching crazy prices on eBay thanks to its rarity. However, it’s just as fun, if not more, to get a handful of buddies in the room with you to kick some street thug ass.



Graphically, Spikeout looks the part of an aging arcade title, but does the job adequately. There are the occasional hiccups during multiplayer mode, but beyond that it runs silky smooth. As mentioned, the audio is straight out of classic Sega arcade games: cheesy, silly, and cliché.

Despite the bonus points awarded for nostalgia, the fact remains that Spikeout is merely an average game with qualities far below the standards for the tastes of modern gamers. And while the multiplayer modes and the variety of moves are nice touches, they do little to erase this fact. The game is becoming more and more difficult to track down, and whether or not you should set upon that task depends on your affinity for the genre. Sega has mentioned downloadable content, so that, along with the great multiplayer fun the game provides, may help your decision. Just remember to wear your LA Gear high tops, your ripped, acid-washed jeans, and don’t expect anything resembling depth.



Article By: John