Streets of Rage 2 FAQ
by Ed the Moogle
Version 1.0
Copyright 2001 Ed the Moogle

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Characters

Rather than just three characters with similar abilities like the first Streets
of Rage, this game has four characters, each with their own distinct abilities
for you to use. You can no longer call upon the police force, but they gain
special moves of their own to make up for this.

Definitions

Power- How powerful your character's attacks are.
Technique- No clue.
Speed- How quickly your character moves to avoid enemy attacks.
Jump- How high your character jumps.
Stamina- Defensive power. Affects how many hits your character can take before
dying.

Blaze
The "All-around average" character.
Standing Special Tech: Embukyaku (Backflip)
Advancing Special Tech: Kikoushou (Thrusts out arms and fires a burst of
energy)

Power......**
Technique..**
Speed......**
Jump.......**
Stamina....**

Special Moves
Forward, Forward+B- Flip Kick. Blaze jumps over just about any attack and kicks
the enemy. Hits up to three times for major damage. Does significant damage
even if blocked.

B, B (With knife)- Blaze can swing the knife twice, hitting up to three times
(if in close) before the opponent bounces back. No other character has this
advantage with a knife.

Axel
The combo master.
Standing Special Tech: Dragon Wing (Spinning Punch)
Advancing Special Tech: Dragon Smash (Long punching combo) (the worst in the
game IMO)

Power......**
Technique..***
Speed......**
Jump.......*
Stamina....**

Special Moves

B, B, Forward+B- Manta Claw Combo.
Axel launches two quick attacks, then follows up with a powerful Manta Claw
uppercut. This move hits five times and does major damage. Try it instead of a
standard combo.

Skate
The speed master.
Standing Special Tech: Double Spin attack
Advancing Special Tech: Corkscrew Kick (it sounds like he says "Don't be a
geek!"). This move does a ton of damage because it hits so many times. Even
against a blocking opponent it will work well.

Power......*
Technique..**
Speed......***
Jump.......***
Stamina....*

Special Moves
Forward, Forward (Hold)- Dash.
Skate is the only character who can dash, and you can go into a headbutt attack
by tapping B anytime.

B,B,B,B...- Skate's standing combo is the only one that can hit opponents both
behind and in front of him, making attacks from behind less of a concern.

Max
The "slow but hella tough" guy.
Standing Special Tech: Knuckle Bomb
Advancing Special Tech: Thunder Tackle

Power......***
Technique..**
Speed......*
Jump.......*
Stamina....**

So, who is the best character? All the characters are good if you can get their
attack timing down and use their attacks effectively, but overall, I'd have to
say that Blaze is the best. Blaze is an all-around good character,  her flip
kick temporarily takes her away from harm, and her Kikoshou is a great move to
stop enemies in their tracks. I choose her because Axel's lack of an advancing
special really hurts him (he stands in place to perform his Forward+A) against
bosses, Max is just way too slow, and Skate, while very quick and posessing the
ultra-deadly Drill Kick, is weak both offensively and defensively.

Universal Move list

Left, Right- Move left or right.
But you knew that, right?

Up, Down- Sidestep up or down.
Very useful for avoiding enemy attacks, especially with faster characters.

C- Jump.
You can jump straight up, or use Left/Right to move forward or back.

B- Attack.
Tapping the button once will cause a weak single attack. Tapping the button
several times when near an enemy will launch a combo attack for moderate
damage.

B (after Jump)- Jump Kick.
Useful for making opponents drop weapons.

Forward, Forward, B- Charge attack.
Great for avoiding low attacks and going on the offensive. You can quickly nail
enemies close behind you and several enemies in front of you with thsi mvoe.

C+B- Back Attack.
Useful for knocking opponents away if you are surrounded. You will also throw a
weapon backwards if you have one, so don't do it if you want to keep your
weapon.

Forward+C+B- Throw Weapon.
This move throws your weapon at the opponent. A good move to use if you want to
deal the finishing blow to a tough enemy with a weapon, but I'd rather hang on
to a weapon than throw it. Then again, if two weapons land right next to each
other, you can throw away the one you don't want so that you don't waste their
uses trying to pick them up and attack...

B, B, B, B...- Cheap Victory
If you tap the B button slowly while beating up on an enemy, they will
constantly be stunned, and you won't launch a combo, meaning you'll defeat them
easily. Cheap, but effective.

A- Standing Special Tech.
Often a spinning attack that hits enemies on either side of you. Subtracts your
life depending on how many enemies are hit. Great if you are surrounded. This
move is more defensive than offensive.

Forward+A Advancing Special Tech.
Great against tough opponents and for stopping charging enemies. More offensive
than defensive. Takes a small amount of life away regardless of number of
enemies hit.

Move very close to the enemy- Grab.
From here, you can perform one of several techniques. Note that grabbing an
enemy will cause you to drop your weapon.

From a front grab...

C- Switch to a Back Grab.

Tap B- Combo attack.
Launch a few quick attacks, then drop the opponent.

Press Forward+B- Smash attack.
Instantly throws the enemy to the ground.

Back+B- Throw
Tosses the enemy away. The flying enemy can clobber any enemies behind him.

B,B,Back+B- Double-hit Throw Combo.
Nail an opponent twice, then throw them away. Inflicts major damage.

From a back grab...

Back+B- Suplex.
Can inflict major damage on just about any enemy.

C- Switch to a front grab.

Power Ups

Apple- Picking one up will restore about 1/4 of that character's health.
Meat- Fully restores the life of whoever picks it up. If you find one on a
screen with a boss or full of enemies, wait until you are critically injured,
then use it for maximum effect.
Bag of Money- Picking one up will earn you 1000 points.
Gold Bars- Picking these up will earn you 5000 points!!
1 UP- The most valuable power-up in the game. Collecting one will instantly
merit you an extra life. Do whatever it takes to get these!

Weapons

Any weapon will vanish after being picked up and dropped three times.

Knife- Does a small amount of damage when stabbed with or thrown. Blaze is
especially deadly with knives.

Ninja Knife- Basically the same as a knife, but a bit more powerful. Blaze
can't swing it twice in a row, though.

Steel Pipe- Highly damaging, but slow. Stops enemies in their tracks.

Sword- Pretty much the same as the Steel Pipe. Watch out for ninjas that carry
these.

Dagger- Basically the same as the Knife, but a little bit stronger. Blaze isn't
nearly as adept with these as knives.

Grenades- Enemies will throw these at you. DON'T try to pick them up, though.
Instead, you can knock enemies back into the blast for major damage.

Enemies (in order of appearance)

Punks- These guys often appear in large numbers, and sometimes tote knives or
steel pipes. They often appear as a guy in a jacket or a guy with chains and
sunglasses. They're usually the easiest enemies to dispatch, although they can
be dangerous if they hit you with a pipe or charge with a knife. You can
counter the knife charge by sidestepping or jump-kicking.

Difficulty: * (Alone) ** (Groups)

"Signals"- These guys have white mohawks, and brightly-colored jackets.  They
often have more stamina than Punks, and if you get too close to them they will
always throw you. I haven't seen any use a weapon, but their high stamina and
throwing ability are possible dangers. They can also perform sweep kicks, which
they often do when you're pounding on their buddies and they want to stop you.

Difficulty: ** (Alone) ** (Groups)

Knife Maniacs- These guys wear black jackets and always carry knives. If you
combo or jump-kick one so that they drop the knife, they'll always pull out
another. They're not too dangerous when alone, but in groups with other enemies
they can be hard to defeat.

Difficulty: ** (Alone) *** (Groups)

Chicks with whips- These chicks attack with electrified whips that can do major
damage if they connect. The best way to defeat them is to side-step the whip,
then walk up and combo or throw them, then repeat.

Difficulty: ** (Alone) *** (Groups)

"Blocking" Punks- These guys are about twice as big as any of your characters,
and they often block your attacks and do a highly damaging throw if you get too
close. The best way to defeat them is to wait for them to come to you, then
perform your Advancing Special Attack for major damage. You can also hit them
with a quick combo once they drop their guard to attack, but don't try to throw
them or you'll be hurtin'.

Difficulty: *** (Alone) **** (Groups)

Bikers- On their bikes, these guys can be dangerous. They often drive by and
try to run you over, or throw grenades on the ground that will blow you up.
It's easiest to avoid them while on their bikes, but you can defeat them with a
well-timed jump kick (they often have a very small amount of life).
Ocassionally they may jump off their bike (be sure to jump it!) and fight you
on foot. On foot, you can pretty much pretend that they're a Punk enemy, and
defeat them using the same strategy.

Difficulty: * (Alone) *** (Groups)

Karate guys- These guys often appear as tall guys in white pants. They can
launch quick "energy fist" attacks that do pretty good damage, as well as a
small combo that does a good amount of damage as well. Your best bet is to take
out anyone that is with them first, then fight them one on one. You should be
able to take them out without any major problems.

Difficulty: ** (Alone) **** (Groups)

Jetpacks- These guys are ANNOYING. They fly around, punching and kicking at
you, and occasionally pick you up and drop you on your head for major damage.
The best way to beat them is to wait for them to charge at you, then perform a
quick Advancing Special or jump kick to do major damage, then move away to a
different location and repeat. They may take a while to defeat, but they won't
be too tough.

Difficulty: * (Alone) *** (Groups)

Ninjas- These guys look more like scuba divers than ninjas, but their behavior
tells you that they definitely are ninjas. They flip around and make quick
attacks, and sometimes carry huge Katanas and knives to attack you with. If you
can make them drop their swords with a quick jump-kick, you can use their own
weapon against them, and defeat them rather easily. If that's not an option,
just jump up close to them and perform a throw or a combo. They will often dash
away if you try to jump kick them, and similar to Signals, they will jump-kick
you instead of standing by.

Difficulty: ** (Alone) **** (Groups)

Alien Things- There's only one of these in the entire game, but since it's an
enemy type I still list it here. The alien thing has a movable head, makes
obnoxious sounds whenever you hit it, and take several hits to defeat.
Fortunately, it is very easy to beat. Just stand in one place and attack with
standing punches and jump kicks every time it gets close, and it'll be defeated
easily.

Difficulty: * (Alone) * (Groups)

Blanka Look Alikes- ARGH, I hate these things. They backflip around, perform
charging attacks that do major damage, and if they get close enough they throw
you for major damage as well. Fortunately, there is an easy way to beat them.
First, defeat all their underlings if there are any, then wait for them to roll
at you. Perform a quick Advancing Special to inflict major damage, then repeat.
If you're playing as Axel, just do a Standing Special.

Difficulty: *** (Alone) **** (Groups)

Fat Guys- These guys are annoying, but aren't too fast. Jump kick them when
they try to jump on you, and sidestep their fiery charges and launch a combo or
a throw. Once they hit you or think they're far enough away from you, they'll
do an annoying Elmer Fudd laugh, which leaves them open to attack. Dash up and
nail them while they're open!

Difficulty: ** (Alone) ** (Groups)

Professional Wrestlers- These guys are fast and powerful. Trying to throw or
grab them is suicidal, because they'll break free and you'll take damage.
They'll also often break out of combos and damage you heavily. Side-step their
powerful charging uppercut, then launch a quick Special attack after they stop
to inflict a bunch of damage.

Difficulty: **** (Alone) ***** (Groups)

Kickboxers- Tall guys in boxer shorts with tape on their hands. These guys
pretty much act like Blocking Punks- blocking your attacks, and throwing you if
you get too close. Wait for them to drop their guard (they do right before they
attack), then attack.

Difficulty: *** (Alone) ***** (Groups)

Boxers- BIG pain in the butt. They look like fat guys in stripes with boxing
gloves. This guy jumps into the air to try and land on you, and launches highly
damaging punch combos if you get too close. When he is standing still, walk up
to him (don't jump kick) and launch a combo or Special. When he charges, get
away ASAP to avoid a nasty combo. The first one you fight also has an infinite
number of minions at his disposal. Don't let them gang up on you!

Difficulty: ***** (Alone) ***** (Groups)

Robots- Pain in the butt, especially in groups. They jump around quickly,
stopping only to swing their big maces at your or fire a laser. When they stop,
perform a quick jump kick or special move. Combos are mostly useless, because
they only hit a jumping opponent once. Watch out when they are low on life,
though, because they will often blow themselves up and inflict major damage to
you.

Difficulty: *** (Alone) **** (Groups)

Ninja Master- Mr. X's right-hand man, Shiva, is a Ninja Master. He's not too
tough to beat since he only fights one-on-one, though. Just don't try to grab
or throw him, he'll always beat you to it. Wait for him to back up, then jump
in and launch a Advancing Special or a Combo move. When he gets too close to
you, do an Advancing Special.

Difficulty: ***

Guys with machine guns- Mr. X is the only one of these. At the beginning of the
fight he pulls out an Uzi, backs up, and begins to open fire, literally
spraying bullets across the screen and hitting anything in his path, even his
own men! Despite this, more goons just keep appearing endlessly to be mowed
down by machine gun fire. X is quite crazy, but not too difficult. Ignore his
goons (he'll probably just shoot them, getting them out of your way for a
while), jump over the stream of bullets when he begins firing, and launch an
Advancing Special Move to inflict major damage. Don't try to approach him when
he's not firing, though, because nine times out of ten he'll just smack you
with the butt of his gun, knocking you down. Pretty easy for a last boss, if
you ask me.

Difficulty: ***

Game Mode Bosses

1st Stage (City)

Jack (Knife Guy)
Electra (Chick with whip)
Barbon (Blocking Punk)

2nd Stage (Highway)

Hakuyo (Karate guy)
Ryokurou (Karate guy)
Jet (Jetpack)

3rd Stage (Amusement Park)

Beano (Knife Guy)
Vehelits (Alien Thing)
Zanza (Blanka Look-Alike)

4th Stage (Stadium)

Big Ben (Fat guy)
Abadede (Wrestler)

5th Stage (Ship)

Heart (Fat Guy) (Fist of the North Star reference?)
Raven (Kickboxer)
Wayne (Blocking Punk)
Balloon (Fat Guy)
R. Bear (Boxer) (This guy is a PAIN!)

6th Stage (Beach/Street)

Gourmand (Fat guy)
Souther (Blanka Look-Alike)

7th Stage (Factory)

Ibis (Kickboxer)
Soya (Knife Punk)
Anry (Fat Guy)
Particle (Robot)
Molecule (Robot)

8th Stage (Syndicate HQ)

Bear Jr. (Boxer)
Vulture (Blocking Punk)
Nail (Blanka Look-Alike)
???? (Professional Wrestler)
Shiva (Ninja Master)
Mr. X (Machine Gun)

General Strategy

-Don't let enemies surround you! If they manage to get on both sides and you
try to attack just one side, the other will start beating on you in
retaliation. To avoid this, use your Standing Special Technique, do a Back
Attack (B+C) or jump-kick one side to knock them down, then quickly move behind
them so that all the enemies are on one side of you. That way, the others will
just patiently stand there and wait their turn while you beat up on one or two
at a time (Signals, however, will try to slide-kick you).

-If you come to a tough boss with a billion minor enemies around him, take out
the minor enemies before you go after the boss. This will ensure that you don't
get ganged up upon, and if you are careful you will have plenty of health left
to do your Advancing Special a few times to soften them up. This won't work on
Mr. X or R-Bear, though. Their minions appear infinitely.

-Trash everything you see! Knock over tables, crates, roadblocks, anything
that's destroyable. They often contain power-ups.

-If you see a tough-looking character (Fat Guy, Boxer, etc.) on the edge of the
screen and not trying to attack you, don't scroll over if you are still
fighting minor enemies. Defeat the minor enemies first, then walk over. Once
they spring to life, you'll be able to take them on alone and have an easier
time beating them.

-Use weapons on bosses whenever possible. This makes the stage 3 and 5 bosses
much easier to defeat! Just go slice-and-dice every time they get too close to
you, and avoid their dash attacks, and you should win easily.

-Fight tooth and nail to remain onscreen with powerups. Enemies may try to kick
you back to scroll the screen away from the powerups, leaving you unable to get
them. Do whatever it takes to prevent this. I've been cheated out of a 1up in
Stage 7 TWICE this way.

-Save Turkey whenever possible. They often appear near big boss battles, so
saving them for when you're low on life is a good idea. You'll preserve your
extra lives for later levels, and trust me, you'll need them to get past levels
7 and
