Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
For this anniversary video for Primal Rage, I decided to do a playthrough of the very first version of Primal Rage I ever played. The Sega Genesis/Mega Drive version. This version was the first time I ever heard of and even saw Primal Rage, never really played it in the arcades back then (Actually, I never saw it in any arcade back then, but I only remember going to some arcades around 2001/2002). So this version kind of holds a special place in my heart, even if it isn't that great of a version.
In this I play as Vertigo, although she wasn't always my favorite back then. Originally I loved playing as Talon, but then again back then I only had a 3 Button controller and didn't understand how the moves worked so I never really was able to appreciate the game back then at all. It wasn't until I played as Vertigo and Talon in MUGEN of all places that made me want to jump back into Primal Rage and play as these characters in their original game with a better understanding of how the special moves worked and the combo system as well thanks to a bunch of videos and FAQs I found online. If I remember this was around 2010 when I decided to go back to Primal Rage and give it another try and I have not really looked back since with Primal Rage being one of my favorite fighting games of all time next to Killer Instinct (1994), the game that got me into fighting games in the first place.
This version seems to have a lot of problems. First the combo damage system seems off, some combos seem to do more percent then even Version 1.7, which is weird since this version is mainly based on that. Version 2.3 added more sever damage reduction during combos so it can't be from that. Also this version is strange, it's mainly based on Version 1.7 but has some Version 2.3 sprinkled in, so this version can be seen as it's own weird amalgamation of both PR Arcade releases. Main Version 2.3 additions are:
1. Extra Colors and ability to choose what color you want
2. Chaos Flying Butt Smack is based on Version 2.3 and is blockable
3. Talon's Brain Bash is based on Version 2.3 and is blockable
4. Version 2.3 finisher timer, no finisher, and finisher performed music is here (Although the finisher performed music plays after a finisher rather then when you perform it)
5. Chaos plays like he does in Version 2.3 (I honestly don't see this one but some are saying so)
To accommodate for the hardware the changes were also made to the game:
1. No VS Screen, VS screen music plays after characters have been selected
2. Some sound effects are replaced with FM Synth noises
3. Sauron, Diablo, Blizzard, and Chaos are all the same height
4. The intro doesn't have the slab crash into the screen or the Primal blood scratch animation
5. Diablo's Fireball finisher has been replaced due to no scaling hardware on the Genesis, I always called this version of the finisher the Trailblazer
Of course the problems in this port are quite bad too, here are some of them:
1. Controls sometimes don't respond how you expect them to, leading to the game missing inputs
2. If dizzied in the middle of a combo, a hit within the combo will undizzy the opponent when it shouldn't. This makes dizzying during combos pointless
3. The game slows down a lot, especially when a lot of worshipers are on screen
4. The AI is worse then Version 1.7, especially Blizzard, Talon, Armadon, and Sauron who all don't fight like they do in Version 1.7 or 2.3 at all
5. Talon is too short, projectiles literally go over his head
6. Diablo's Inferno Flash spawns him too close to the opponent, roasting them instantly and can be repeated. if repeated you can kill your opponent quickly or even trap them in the corner (Worse when macros are enabled for Inferno Flash making it become a one button special)
All in all, not a great version of the game although being an amalgamation of both Version of Primal Rage, this version is still incredibly unique as no other version really behaves like this one (Except the 32x version and maybe the Amiga, not sure on the Amiga though) so if you want to play a familiar, yet different version of Primal Rage definitely give the Genesis version a shot
For this anniversary video for Primal Rage, I decided to do a playthrough of the very first version of Primal Rage I ever played. The Sega Genesis/Mega Drive version. This version was the first time I ever heard of and even saw Primal Rage, never really played it in the arcades back then (Actually, I never saw it in any arcade back then, but I only remember going to some arcades around 2001/2002). So this version kind of holds a special place in my heart, even if it isn't that great of a version.
In this I play as Vertigo, although she wasn't always my favorite back then. Originally I loved playing as Talon, but then again back then I only had a 3 Button controller and didn't understand how the moves worked so I never really was able to appreciate the game back then at all. It wasn't until I played as Vertigo and Talon in MUGEN of all places that made me want to jump back into Primal Rage and play as these characters in their original game with a better understanding of how the special moves worked and the combo system as well thanks to a bunch of videos and FAQs I found online. If I remember this was around 2010 when I decided to go back to Primal Rage and give it another try and I have not really looked back since with Primal Rage being one of my favorite fighting games of all time next to Killer Instinct (1994), the game that got me into fighting games in the first place.
This version seems to have a lot of problems. First the combo damage system seems off, some combos seem to do more percent then even Version 1.7, which is weird since this version is mainly based on that. Version 2.3 added more sever damage reduction during combos so it can't be from that. Also this version is strange, it's mainly based on Version 1.7 but has some Version 2.3 sprinkled in, so this version can be seen as it's own weird amalgamation of both PR Arcade releases. Main Version 2.3 additions are:
1. Extra Colors and ability to choose what color you want
2. Chaos Flying Butt Smack is based on Version 2.3 and is blockable
3. Talon's Brain Bash is based on Version 2.3 and is blockable
4. Version 2.3 finisher timer, no finisher, and finisher performed music is here (Although the finisher performed music plays after a finisher rather then when you perform it)
5. Chaos plays like he does in Version 2.3 (I honestly don't see this one but some are saying so)
To accommodate for the hardware the changes were also made to the game:
1. No VS Screen, VS screen music plays after characters have been selected
2. Some sound effects are replaced with FM Synth noises
3. Sauron, Diablo, Blizzard, and Chaos are all the same height
4. The intro doesn't have the slab crash into the screen or the Primal blood scratch animation
5. Diablo's Fireball finisher has been replaced due to no scaling hardware on the Genesis, I always called this version of the finisher the Trailblazer
Of course the problems in this port are quite bad too, here are some of them:
1. Controls sometimes don't respond how you expect them to, leading to the game missing inputs
2. If dizzied in the middle of a combo, a hit within the combo will undizzy the opponent when it shouldn't. This makes dizzying during combos pointless
3. The game slows down a lot, especially when a lot of worshipers are on screen
4. The AI is worse then Version 1.7, especially Blizzard, Talon, Armadon, and Sauron who all don't fight like they do in Version 1.7 or 2.3 at all
5. Talon is too short, projectiles literally go over his head
6. Diablo's Inferno Flash spawns him too close to the opponent, roasting them instantly and can be repeated. if repeated you can kill your opponent quickly or even trap them in the corner (Worse when macros are enabled for Inferno Flash making it become a one button special)
All in all, not a great version of the game although being an amalgamation of both Version of Primal Rage, this version is still incredibly unique as no other version really behaves like this one (Except the 32x version and maybe the Amiga, not sure on the Amiga though) so if you want to play a familiar, yet different version of Primal Rage definitely give the Genesis version a shot
