Streets of Rage 4 is already an awesome game, but it could have even better if Sega Japan approved one idea from Guard Crush game designer Jordi Asensio.
During a live stream interview on the Twitch channel Gwak, Asensio explained how he wanted Joe Musashi from the Shinobi series and other Sega characters to appear in the fourth entry, but unfortunately, Sega turned down the idea.
Further on in the interview, he mentions how it was far from a simple matter, as Sega is a huge company made up of multiple smaller entities and it all depends on who the character is related to within the company (thanks, DualShockers).
Although Joe didn't make the cut in the end, if you've played Streets of Rage 4, you'll likely be aware of certain old school throwbacks that did make it in. You can unlock a number of retro characters as well.
If you would like to play as Joe Musashi, for now, you'll just have to settle with the Sega Ages version of Shinobi, which was released on the Switch eShop at the start of this year.
[source dualshockers.com]
Comments 45
Too bad he wasn’t included; that would’ve been awesome if he made an appearance.
Huh, and you'd think Sega was very generous when it comes to this kind of stuff.
Would love to see this team tackle a new Golden Axe entry
But knowing Sega, they probably countered his suggestion with, "We'll let you put Sonic in there." To which (hopefully) Asensio would have replied, "I'm good, thanks anyway."
That’s a bummer; he would have made a great fit into the game. Maybe (but highly doubtful) in the future he will be included via DLC. A man can dream.
@AtlanteanMan
Or since they own Atlus, it'd be Joker from Persona 5. Not like he's in enough places as it is amirite? 🙄
Just once can they let a cult classic character be revived? Sega is sitting on a gold mine of characters/IPs and doing nothing with them. Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5, ChuChus, Crazy Taxi, Billy Hatcher...
Bummer. Honestly though would have rather had a new retro styled full shinobi game. If the team that made streets of rage 4 did it I'd be all over that! Speaking of which who's played the 3DS shinobi? It's very much a hidden gem on the system but sadly it's like almost no one played it. I remember people complaining it looked like a regular DS game but really if you're a fan of shinobi i urge you to check it out! It's really good! Don't let the wrapper fool you.
I do hope they're allowed to tackle a Shinobi game in the future. I'd get it in a heartbeat!
He's included in the background art of the sewer stage, so he's kinda in the game...
Why SEGA?
@Zeldafan79 I own it and while it is a great Shinobi game, it didn't really grapple me like Shinobi III, but that is a pretty high bar to reach. I should get back to it though, and complete some if those challenges.
One "major" criticism I have about the game is the bonus stage. It is mind numbingly easy, especially if you have played the original arcade version of it.
Damn got excited for a minute. I’m not keen on his new look(Shinobi 3DS/Sega Transformed) Hopefully they would use his Super Shinobi 1 & 2 costume.
There’s a unreleased Streets of Rage 2 rom where Shinobi is playable with his white mask and icon look. His special moves are dashing with his sword hitting enemies multiple times and swing the sword in a blur both directions.
@Zeldafan79 Loved that game! Huge Shinobi fan tho.
My best shinobi is shadow dancer(sega)
The dream scenario would be having a Daytona car as a playable character like in Fighters Megamix.
@sleepinglion a Golden Axe 2D remake would be amazing.
Sega is such a silly company. Had they asked for Sonic they would have said yes in a heartbeat.
Sega taking charge of their old IP?!....oh, but not in any good way
Damn you Sega, can we trade in Cherry Hunter for him
The funny thing is Sega has always been a much bigger company in size than Nintendo.
@AtlanteanMan I wouldn't have minded that
They should have just added Joe anyway. Cheekily using characters from other IPs is the way of the Shinobi game series! 😉
It better have only been turned down because they have guard crush lined up to make Shinobi IV: Revenge of the Ninja Master.
Shinobi III has and will eternally be in my top ten games of all time. Sega FINALLY handing over progress on a true sequel and producing something as awesome and honouring as Streets of Rage 4 would be an incredible move.
Yeah, as others have correctly pointed out on here, old Joe's definitely graffitied onto a sewer pipe in the 'Underground' stage. I've also spotted a cap adorned, suspiciously shadowed Terry Bogart based character drinking in one of the various dive bars permeating the first level.
Personally I was really, REALLY hoping it was an Easter egg for a new, upcoming Shinobi project involving these devs, regarding the aforementioned Shinobi graffiti piece.
Yep, I've purchased SoR4, and I'll admit right here and now that the game's excellent! I'm 42 and sadly I find that 90 % of video games nowadays have pretty much lost their appeal to me.
SoR4 was a beautiful tilt back in the nostalgia department. More to the point it stands up as a very good game in its own right!
For me a SoR original trilogy remake and a Shinobi trilogy remake (***** it, just remake Revenge of Shinobi) would be day one purchases. Without a second of hesitation would I buy a new Shinobi game (or even an updated one)
These guys have done an absolute Stella job with SoR4! Anybody saying it's "too old" or redundant in these here sadly ground-hog-days of COD XXXVII, well, put simply...
They're missing the point.
Good, it's a stupid idea. Musashi is the greatest Ninja that ever lived. He doesn't belong in any other game than Shinobi.
Shinobi plays so differently to Streets of Rage. Imagine going through the levels throwing shuriken at everyone. I fear it sounds more fun than would actually be. Could maybe work as a beginners mode or something.
Not cool at all sega...
It's easier to pretend Ryu Hayabusa is Joe Musashi and less hurtful than yet another failed sequel made by someone who doesn't know or care about the game.
I played a SOR mod with Sketch Turner from Comix Zone. He would be a great addition he fits in naturally with the SOR universe.
You make it sound like there are retro characters from other games in SoR. Are there?? The "other unlockable retro characters " are just old streets of rage ones. Or am I missing something
That would be pretty cool to have him. There’s always the background art in stage 5 I guess.
@AtlanteanMan Yea I'd even take rocket knight over Sonic
Silly silly Sega. If it wasn't enough to have waited over 2 decades to let someone make the game, now you are saying your that stupid as to not let them put Another Sega IP character that fits from the same era?
I really want to slap the person who made this decision around the face with a large wet fish.
I hope this secretly means they are working on a new Shinobi game, but it's usually the opposite. They'll want gamers to forget, despite being a mascot character before Sonic existed.
Doesn't surprise me, I mean the way they told bombergames it was okay to make SOR remake then saw how awesome it was and made them shut it down after like 8 years of work shows how Sega works
Sega Japan always make bad decisions, they are the ones that ruin Sega of America during the Sega Genesis and Saturn days and were responsible for the death of those consoles. They were the reason the Sega Dreamcast failed, why the 32X exist, why Shenmue 2 sucks, and why Sega as a whole is now a third party company. They were also the reason why Atlus are acting like douchebags nowadays cause the ones at the helm right now certainly aren't the same Atlus as we once knew them.
Them not allowing Joe Musashi in their own IP certainly isn't too bad but it would had open up a lot more interest especially for newer Sega fans who never knew about Shinobi but would love to know the main character behind the franchise. For them to completely dropped the idea altogether is just lame and certainly not fan service. Even Nintendo was able to put their own character in their own IPs of another game like Donkey Kong in Punch-Out!!, Wario in Super Mario 64 DS, James McCloud in F-Zero AX/GX, and Link in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe but not Sega, they won't even allow their own character to be play in their own IP of another game. Such a miss opportunity indeed.
@Dog I wonder if Sega is working on a new Shinobi game which is why they said no...?
@pa261639 Even if they are working on a new Shinobi game, wouldn't they want to advertised Joe Musashi within their own IP? I mean I know Streets of Rage 4 is made by LizardCube but c'mon it's still a Sega IP and having Joe Musashi in it doesn't hurt the property one bit, if anything it'll help advertised fans for the new Shinobi game if Sega is making one.
@retro_player_77 I was 'til now unaware of this matter of an automobile fighting in Fighters Megamix, and that was truly disturbing. But this idea of Donkey Kong as a hapless opponent for Little Mac is sickening and tragic. (I will have to track that game down.) DK clearly must be the protoganist. Retro Studios, where is my Donkey Kong Boxing??
“Sega is a huge company made up of multiple smaller entities“
That’s been the company’s critical flaw for years now.
@sleepinglion Good idea, but I personally would prefer a Sega Ages version of Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death-adder, which was my favourite coin-op game of all time and was never officially released on anything else.
This automatically has me thinking about how LizardCube ought to do Shinobi next. That and Rolling Thunder.
thought as much, he was in the game as graffiti in the sewer level
@Falien Arcade1UP is making a cabinet out of it. But we're talking several hundred bucks. An AGES release would be ideal. I mean, if Arcade1UP understands the demand enough to produce an entire replica cabinet, Sega should
@sleepinglion Cheers. Yes, I had read about it but unfortunately Arcade1UP cabinets are not an option where I live.
@Falien I'm sorry to hear that. On my end, it's a space issue. I simply have no room for replica cabs. Perhaps if enough Golden Axe fans were to Tweet at Sega, we could get a proper AGES version in time. We'd just need a common hashtag. Perhaps #GoldenAxeReturns or something
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