So, surprise surprise, the best game I've played on the PC Engine is a cute shoot 'em up! 

There is tons of variety in the level designs, the boss battles are all interesting, tough but not unbearable difficulty, and there is a great item management system in which you can buy them at the stores and use them where you see fit.

This game is what I wish the Cotton games were. 

NOW WE ARE TALKING

Of course, the game is not finished since this is just a prototype, a collaboration between Sega and Nec that never came to be. Bosses are super short, some animations are not complete, the game has visual glitches once in a while, and I've encountered some really neat exploitables that I'm sure were not intended in the final game. Even the music don't loop well, you can test it yourself by pausing the game and letting it play. 

But goddamn, this is the most fun I've had in a while playing a video game. Bosses have all their own unique gimmicks; enemy coreography gets crazy in the latest stages; and the music is an absolute banger, probably my favorite video game track of all time.

I just love how fast and challenging it is. I'm so impressed the PC Engine can keep up with it since, even with the help of the CD add-on, this is running on what essentially is an 8-bit system yet there's no slowdowns.

If you liked Space Harrier and Fantasy Zone, you owe yourself playing this, it's an absolute blast.

This game is the definition of nothing special. Enemy's are bullet sponges; there's a severe lack of shooting styles, and the two of them are pretty useless. The choreography and projectile patterns are super boring and uninspired, and leaving the animated cutscenes aside, this game does not look or play better than the best shoot 'em ups on the regular Mega Drive. 

The only outstanding thing about this game is its soundtrack, which I'd admit is pretty great. 

Other than that, I just can't understand how people can pay such outrageous prices for a copy of this one. Just stick with Thunder Force IV.  

I'd really like to know what happened during development, because there's no way this was the intended final product. 

You simply don't waste your time creating a beautiful cinematic intro, a detailed shop screen, and a variety of enemies and environments on the first few levels, just to absolutely rush the last ones. I kid you not, you can literally beat the last three in less than 30 seconds each.

The end result is a game that ends up feeling unfinished, and it's an absolute shame because the mechanic of powering up your dragon by making it grow is really fun, and the visuals are super cute.

Even some of the tracks lack polish; they sound like they were in an early alpha state because the musicalization is absolutely horrible, some of the worst i've heard in the system.

My disappointment is unmesaruble, and my day is ruined.

Metal Slug is one of those games beloved all around the world. And how could it not be? It's extremely charismatic and full of chaotic energy; you wipe out thousands of soldiers, get to fight massive giant tanks, ships, and airplanes, and get to ride your own vehicles! all in incredible high-definition pixelart.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it very much. There's simple stuff I think would massively improve the game, like shooting in all eight directions or being able to jump down. I also found the controls to be rather stiff, which doesn't offer much movability when it comes to dealing with large hoards of enemies. It's still a great time, though, and I'd definitely pop some quarters on it if I saw an arcade of it.

There are some neat ideas here and there but the execution is lousy.
Still, i can't bring myself to over-critique it because it is an Atari 2600 game with little to nothing to work with and still manages to portray some of the most memorable scenes in the movie.

Now, is it enjoyable? 
Hell no

So, I decided to go for the Japanese version since I heard the Western release had a lot of censorship, and this has definitely become my favorite one yet!

Being able to run and roll either up or down by double tapping the D pad in the direction you want makes all the difference. You can even use it to avoid enemy attacks—such a fantastic new feature!. 
Even the special moves got an upgrade since you can now use them without getting hurt; all you have to do is wait for the special meter to refill overtime, which is a great idea since it doesn't let you spam them all the time. Even weapons have specials now if you try different input combinations, that's so cool!

AND you can unlock a character that's a kangaroo wearing boxing gloves?! 
All you have to do, (and the game actually gives you a hint on this) is to defeat his owner instead, since it's him who's forcing it to fight you by hitting it with a whip. I think that's a super smart design on the game's part.

The sprites are not as big and impressive as the last game, but what you get in return is more space to move, which I think is not a bad deal at all. Having more room also allows the game to have more variety in its level design, like the subway level in which you have to watch for the trains... Oh, and there's a new elevator level in which you can throw enemies off the stage!!! Streets of Rage 3, I love you so much. 

Yeah, the music is not as good and the final boss being under a timer were not very cool, but overall, I think this is the most replayable in the franchise.

Also, I almost forgot to mention it, but by using specific character combinations like Blaze and Axel or Jet and Skate, you can perform special team moves. I need to find someone to play with ;;

I might be insane for saying this, but I think I prefer the first one best.

Sure, the graphics are a lot better on this one, featuring some of the finest spritework of its era, and the soundtrack is arguably one of the absolute best of all time, but I find the level design to be a tad boring and very similar to each other. The first one had that fantastic elevator section where you could throw off enemies, the one in the factory where you could use the industrial press to your advantage, and the bridge under construction where you had to watch your step. The addition of special moves is fantastic, but I don't know if the trade-off is worth it. 

Still a fantastic game, Streets of Rage is one of the best (if not the best) beat-em-up franchises of all time.