Getting all S ranks in Streets of Rage 4 was not easy. I found it especially frustrating going through Arcade mode and not knowing the score requirements for S rank on each difficulty. To help save you from trouble, I wanted to write a guide that covered the ranking system. Through this guide, I’ll show you the S rank requirements for the various modes.
This guide covers the following:
- How to S rank Arcade
- Time Bonuses
- How to S rank Stage Select & Story
- How to S rank Boss Rush
- Tips & Tricks for S ranks
- Combat Strategies
The tips provided will be extremely helpful in getting you to S rank. Be sure to read through those if you are feeling stuck.
Score Requirements for S Ranks on Arcade Mode
These are the requirements needed to S Rank each difficulty of Arcade mode:
- Easy: 243,200
- Normal: 304,000
- Hard: 304,000
- Hardest: 395,200
- Mania: 425,600
- Mania+ (Mania Plus): 425,600
The time bonus limit for Arcade mode is 2 hours, 16 minutes, 48 seconds.
One thing you may notice if you’re somewhat of a math wizard, the score requirements are all multipliers of Normal’s 304,000.
On Easy mode, it’s 0.8x, Normal and Hard are 1x, Hardest is 1.3x, Mania and Mania+ are 1.4x.
Arcade mode S rank score requirements are the sum of all Stage Select level score requirements for the given difficulty.
Likewise, the time bonus limit for Arcade mode is the total of all time bonus limits on Stage Select.
Time Bonuses
It’s important to note that every stage has a time bonus. This bonus will grant you many more points, and these points are gained only if you beat the level within a specific amount of time. I will list the time bonus requirement under each stage so you don’t have to scroll to a different section while looking over the details!
As for the specifics, you will earn 13.2 points for every extra second above the time bonus requirement. And more specifically, you’ll gain 0.22 points per frame above the requirement.
For extra point bonus information, you can look over the Tips & Tricks for S ranks.
S Rank Scores Needed in Stage Select and Story Mode
It’s important to note that the scores you get on Story mode and Stage Select are shared! This means if you get an S rank in The Streets in Story mode, it will show in Stage Select. Story mode itself doesn’t have its own separate ranking system.
Here are the score requirements for S ranking each stage:
The Streets (Stage 1)
- Easy: 20,800
- Normal: 26,000
- Hard: 26,000
- Hardest: 33,800
- Mania: 36,400
- Mania+: 36,400
The time bonus limit for The Streets is 13 minutes.
Police Precinct (Stage 2)
- Easy: 20,800
- Normal: 26,000
- Hard: 26,000
- Hardest: 33,800
- Mania: 36,400
- Mania+: 36,400
The time to beat for a bonus on Police Precinct is 10 minutes and 24 seconds.
Cargo Ship (Stage 3)
- Easy: 16,000
- Normal: 20,000
- Hard: 20,000
- Hardest: 26,000
- Mania: 28,000
- Mania+: 28,000
You’ll need to beat Cargo Ship in 9 minutes and 6 seconds to gain the time bonus points.
Old Pier (Stage 4)
- Easy: 20,800
- Normal: 26,000
- Hard: 26,000
- Hardest: 33,800
- Mania: 36,400
- Mania+: 36,400
The time bonus limit for Old Pier is also 9 minutes and 6 seconds.
Underground (Stage 5)
- Easy: 22,400
- Normal: 28,000
- Hard: 28,000
- Hardest: 36,400
- Mania: 39,200
- Mania+: 39,200
The time for a bonus on Underground is 11 minutes and 42 seconds.
Chinatown (Stage 6)
- Easy: 25,600
- Normal: 32,000
- Hard: 32,000
- Hardest: 41,600
- Mania: 44,800
- Mania+: 44,800
Chinatown’s time bonus limit is 14 minutes and 18 seconds.
Skytrain (Stage 7)
- Easy: 12,000
- Normal: 15,000
- Hard: 15,000
- Hardest: 19,500
- Mania: 21,000
- Mania+: 21,000
Beating Skytrain in 6 minutes and 30 seconds will grant you a time bonus.
Art Gallery (Stage 8)
- Easy: 19,200
- Normal: 24,000
- Hard: 24,000
- Hardest: 31,200
- Mania: 33,600
- Mania+: 33,600
Art Gallery has a time bonus limit of 12 minutes.
Y Tower (Stage 9)
- Easy: 18,400
- Normal: 23,000
- Hard: 23,000
- Hardest: 29,900
- Mania: 32,200
- Mania+: 32,200
The time limit to gain extra points on Y Tower is 10 minutes and 24 seconds.
To the Concert (Stage 10)
- Easy: 18,400
- Normal: 23,000
- Hard: 23,000
- Hardest: 29,900
- Mania: 32,200
- Mania+: 32,200
Beating To the Concert in 10 minutes and 24 seconds will grant you additional points.
Airplane (Stage 11)
- Easy: 20,800
- Normal: 26,000
- Hard: 26,000
- Hardest: 33,800
- Mania: 36,400
- Mania+: 36,400
11 minutes and 42 seconds is the time to beat for the Airplane time bonus.
Y Island (Stage 12)
- Easy: 28,000
- Normal: 35,000
- Hard: 35,000
- Hardest: 45,500
- Mania: 49,000
- Mania+: 49,000
The time bonus limit for Y Island is 18 minutes and 12 seconds.
A little shameless bragging. I put in the time and effort, and it was worth it because this game is so good! And if you love multiplayer games, you’ll for sure want to check out our list of the best cross platform and crossplay games.
How to Get S Rank for Boss Rush
To get an S rank in Boss Rush, you need to achieve at least 40,000 points.
The time bonus limit for Boss Rush is 30 minutes.
SoR4 Tips and Tricks for S ranks
Perfect
Getting a “Perfect” in a level will gain you 8000 points! That’s finishing a level without taking any damage (green health is okay, whether from poison, specials, or otherwise). This is admittedly very difficult to do! But if you can make use of iframes, chaining attacks, and defensive specials, just getting one will set you up for success.
Health Bonus
Yellow Health Bonus
You can gain up to 1000 points per stage, based on how much yellow health you have. A full, yellow health bar will grant 1000 points. If you have green health near the end, do your best to sneak in some non-special attacks to bring up your yellow bar.
Lives Bonus
You will gain an additional 1000 points per life on Easy, Normal, and Hard modes. On Hardest, Mania, and Mania+ you earn 2000 points per life. In Arcade mode, these are totaled at the end of the game, while Stage Select mode and Story mode total at the end of each level.
Your maximum number of lives to gain points for is 9. You cannot exceed 9 lives in Streets of Rage 4.
Time Bonus
Remember, every second under the time bonus requirement will grant you 13.2 extra points. That can add up to a lot of points very quickly!
Time bonus is added at the very end of Arcade mode, often resulting in above 30,000 points! So don’t give up hope if your score on the final level is lower than you were hoping. If you went quickly enough, you may be just fine.
Star Bonus
You gain an additional 500 points for every star unused by the end of the level. Only use stars if it will save a 100+ combo you have going that you are confident you can finish out without taking damage. Otherwise, hold on to all of your starts to maximize your star bonus.
Color Select
This might seem like a small detail, but switching to an orange outfit for my Shiva playthrough made a big difference for me. You can choose colors for your outfit that make your character stand out. This is especially useful on Mania+.
Joining the Community
Streets of Rage 4 has a dedicated website that includes links to their Discord and much more. It may help to ask for advice there if needed!
Combat Strategies
Struggling to Get an S Rank? Try Shiva
Using Shiva can really help improve your chances of getting an S rank, and here’s why. Shiva is fast, and that will lead to bigger time bonuses!
You’ll want to unlock Shiva’s alternative moves. For me, the easiest Shiva moveset is:
- Flying kick
- Hashinshou
- Spirit palm
- Air senretsuken
- Spirit Dance
This is because the “flying kick” works great to damage enemies, push them into groups, build back green health, and get out of the way if needed. When landing from the flying kick, a “hashinshou” can help prevent you from taking damage, allowing you to go right back into a “flying kick”. This combo is insane and can be used endlessly to make you an iframe machine against most enemies.
Iframes means you’ll be invincible!
You can use the “air senretsuken” to dash forward if you are in the air near any of the Donovan-type characters. This will often force them into an uppercut early, allowing you to land as their uppercuts are finishing. This will give you room to sneak in attacks at them. You can also use this air special to do a ground smash which helps provide some variety for long grind sessions.
“Spirit palm” is great for giving yourself distance from enemies or hitting far away enemies to continue combos.
And, of course, the “spirit dance” helps you clean up mobs when you’re in trouble.
Unlocking Secondary Moves in Streets of Rage 4
To unlock new moves in SoR4, play Survival mode. The character you play as in Survival will unlock new moves based on how many points you have earned.
Fighting Heavy Enemies
Big Ben
Big Bens are tough! Those fire-breathing Big Boy models can really roast you. But fear not, you can easily get enough iframes to avoid taking damage. Just learn the timing on when you can do your “flying kick” blitz, and you can jump right through the fire.
Heart
If you are okay with sacrificing some time bonus points, consider letting Hearts drain down their own health. They bump each other and sort of friendly fire. Otherwise, just be careful and time your attacks wisely. Also, remember that DVD logo that never hit the corner? That’s probably the safest place for you too.
Goro
If you’re using “hashinshou” as your defensive special, you can let Goros charge their punches. Once they are about to come at you, defensive. It’ll stun them and give you time to do a nice big combo! For extra damage, while they’re on the ground, you can do another defensive over them.
Fighting Light Enemies
Donovan Types
Yeah, these guys don’t like you being in the air. To fight them, try to stay grounded. Jab combos and “spirit palm” can be really useful against any of the Donovan-type enemies. Your defensive special will protect you if one sneaks up on you while you’re finishing out a jab combo. If you accidentally jump near one, be ready to use an air special as soon as possible.
Signals
Unlike Donovans, you will not want to use spirit palm much around the Signal type characters. Not without caution, at least. Stick to defensive specials and blitz moves to clear these guys out.
Enjoy Streets of Rage 4
For me, Sor4 is a 9/10 game, which is probably as high of a rating as I can give to a beat ’em up. IGN gave it a 7/10. But what do you think?
SoR4 has been a blast. But getting all of the S ranks is really challenging unless you know what you are doing and what your goals are. Be sure to not let it take over your life — as fun as it is. Also, don’t let it get you too tense. It is very difficult, but with some determination and knowledge, you can do it! I hope this guide helps you push through to get all S ranks in Streets of Rage 4.
If you found this guide helpful, pressing ctrl+D to bookmark the site or just sharing it with your friends would be super appreciated. Best of luck getting yourself some new high scores!
