Bad Street Brawler
| Bad Street Brawler | |
|---|---|
 NES version package | |
| Developer(s) | Beam Software Pty., Ltd. |
| Publisher(s) | Mindscape Inc. |
| Programmer(s) | Tomasz Tomaszek |
| Artist(s) | Mariusz Pawluk (graphics and animation) |
| Composer(s) | Gavan Anderson and Tania Smith (NES version), Sławomir Mrozek |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, NES |
| Release date(s) | 1987 |
| Genre(s) | Beat 'em up |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Bad Street Brawler is a 1987 video game by Beam Software Pty., Ltd. It was distributed worldwide by Mindscape Inc. and Mattel. It was released for the Commodore Amiga, the Commodore 64, MS-DOS, and the NES. The NES version was one of only two NES games specifically designed for use with Mattel's Power Glove.
Gameplay
The player plays the character Duke Davis, who goes from stage to stage beating up gangsters that get in his way, dressed in a yellow tank top, sunglasses, and yellow pants. He is described as a former punk rocker and the "world's coolest" martial artist.
Before the start of the next stage, quotes are introduced to entertain the player (such as "Never trouble trouble until trouble troubles you"). The player fights a variety of enemies, such as gorillas and old ladies who throw pocketbooks at the player (resembling weightlifter dwarves who throw dumbbells at the player).
Moves include the "bull ram" attack and "trip" move.
Reception
The NES version of the game has come under criticism by a number of people for its questionable design. Perhaps partially due to the limits of the NES controller or Power Glove, the protagonist can only use a few different moves in every stage, most used for specific tasks in that stage (the "trip" move, for example, can be used to give dogs belly-rubs), making Bad Street Brawler somewhat monotonous to watch and play. Electronic Gaming Monthly columnist Seanbaby named it both one of the worst NES games of all time.