How to play Streets of Rage Remake v5.1 on Linux

Published: May 02, 2026

Updated: May 17, 2026

Getting Started

This guide provides full instructions on how to get up and running with Streets of Rage Remake v5.1, which is arguably superior to the newer v5.2 release. However, we have written a guide detailing how to play Streets of Rage Remake v5.2 on Linux if that’s more your speed.

But let’s press on with the SoRR v5.1 install instructions.

Download the SoRR v5.1 zip archive from one the following sources:

Extract the zip, and you will have access to the main folder which contains all the necessary game files.

Optional: Moving the main folder to a memorable, permanent location like /home/your_name/Games/ or similar would be a good idea. This is how I have the game situated on my computer:

/home/mason/Games/SORRv5.1/

Update Your System

Launch your preferred terminal app and update your distro using the relevant terminal command. I’m using CachyOS which is based on Arch, so the command I and other Arch users should run is:

sudo pacman -Syu

Fedora users would use:

sudo dnf upgrade

If you’re using Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS or other similar distros, you would use:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Confirm the update, give it time, then close the terminal when the update has concluded. A reboot may be necessary.

Install Heroic Games Launcher

Depending on your distro, you’ll probably want to either install Heroic Games Launcher using either the terminal or your distro’s native app manager. There’s also the AppImage or Flatpak versions as a backup, but I haven’t tested these.

Once installed, launch Heroic Games Launcher, and select the Wine Manager option from the sidebar. The GE-Proton option should be selected by default, but if it isn’t, select that. You’ll know that you’re looking at the correct tab if you see a notice which reads, ‘GE-Proton is a Proton variant created by Glorious Eggroll […]’

In the Wine Version column, follow the entries down until you find the GE-Proton9-27 option. Once you’ve found it, click the install button in the Action column. This will auto-download and install the compatibility layer we’ll be needing.

Next, select the Library option from the sidebar.

Click the Add Game button, and use the following settings:

Game/App Title: Streets of Rage Remake v5.1

App Image: Leave blank or you can manually attach an image of your choosing. If left blank, Heroic Games Launcher will automatically assign a Streets of Rage Remake-themed image.

Select Platform Version to Install: Windows.

Show Wine Settings: View the drop-down options.

WinePrefix: Leave as-is.

Wine version: Proton – GE-Proton9-27

Select Executable: Navigate to your recently extracted SORRv5.1 folder, and select the SorR.exe file inside. The location of this file for me is:

/home/mason/Games/SORRv5.1/SorR.exe

Ignore the Run Installer First option, and click Finish.

You’re now able to launch the game and enjoy.

Note: Special thanks to user bareknuckleroo for providing very helpful explanations for the various settings.

This part covers the in-game settings, separate from Heroic Games Launcher. There’s a lot of gameplay options available, but with no descriptions available, you’d be forgiven for wondering exactly what they all entail. This section includes our recommendations for best/optional settings.

Load up the game and visit the following Options screens:

Options > Game Options

Level

Options: Easy / Normal (default) / Hard / Very Hard / Mania
Recommended: Normal
Pretty self-explanatory. Normal will suit most people just fine.

Lives

Options: 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 (default) / 4 / 5
Recommended: 5
Also self-explanatory. I like to start the game with the max five-life allowanace.

Damage Between Players

Options: Yes (default) / No
Recommended: Yes
Setting this to Yes does mean that you and your buddy could potentially hurt each other with mistimed attacks, but when enabled, you’re able to make use of team attacks such as throws. Disabling this means you won’t be able to interact with your partner at all. Streets of Rage 1-3 included friendly fire, and that’s what I’m used to, so I keep this enabled.

Star Moves

Options: B Button (default) / X Button
Recommended: X Button
X Button gives you maximum flexibility – use your 0-star Blitz with the Attack button or your current star-level Blitz with the Special Combo button at any time. This is especially valuable for characters like Max and Rudra who have great crowd-control 0-star blitzes but slower 3-star blitzes.

Weapon Type

Options: SoR3 / SoR2 (default) / SoR1
Recommended: SoR3

  • SoR3: Weapons have health bars that deplete with use, but you can grab enemies while holding weapons. You can also attack with your current weapon while standing over another one.
  • SoR2: No weapon breakage, but you drop weapons when grabbing enemies.
  • SoR1: No weapon breakage, but you cannot drop or throw weapons at all.

Meter Type

Options: Both (default) / Gauge / Timer
Recommended: Both
This setting affects both special move costs and level timers:

  • Gauge: Uses the SoR3 special meter system where specials are free when the bar is full and cost significant health when empty. No time limit in stages.
  • Timer: Uses SoR2 style where defensive specials always cost some health, and includes a stage time limit that kills you when it reaches zero.
  • Both: Combines the gauge for specials with a time limit, allowing free specials when full while still maintaining time pressure.

Gauge is recommended for a more relaxed experience, though ‘Both’ offers additional challenge and the opportunity to earn bonus ‘Time Remaining’ points at level completion.

Combo Type

Options: SoR3 (default) / SoR2
Recommended: SoR3
SoR3 significantly reduces recovery time after attacks, allowing for much quicker movement afterward. It also executes full attack combos even when not hitting enemies. SoR2 adds considerable delay before you can move again, which can be punishing especially at higher difficulties.

Jump Type

Options: SoR3 (default) / SoR2 / SoR1
Recommended: SoR2

  • SoR3: Provides precise control during jumps while maintaining your facing direction, ideal for jump kicks.
  • SoR2: Offers arguably the most realistic jumping physics, albeit jumping does feel stiffer with less control.
  • SoR1: Allows mid-air direction changes but with slightly less precision in targeting.

Death Type

Options: SoR (default) / Remake
Recommended: SoR

  • SoR: Classic recovery where you drop from the top of the screen as all enemies are knocked down, giving breathing space. Special meter resets to empty.
  • Remake: You stand back up where you died and retain your special meter, allowing for an immediate special move if needed.

Use Guns

Options: Yes (default) / No / Ammo
Recommended: Yes
When enabled, allows you to pick up and use handguns, uzis, and rocket launchers.

Options > Video Options

  • Game speed: 60 FPS
  • Graphic mode: 2x Normal
  • Display: Full screen
  • Vsync: No
  • Frameskip: Auto
  • Visual effects: Remake (uses fancier visuals for certain elements such as hit flashes, and includes new visual effects like shockwave effects on throws and slams)
  • Shadows: Reflected
  • Blood: No (personal preference)
  • Display FPS: No
  • Transparencies: 50%

Options > Audio Options

  • Ambient sound: Yes
  • Last breath: SoR1 (Selecting SoR1 will have enemies let out a death cry when their HP hits zero, whereas selecting SoR2 will have enemies let out a death cry when they are lying dead on the ground)
  • Voice type: BK3 (The BK3 type voices typically sound cooler, especially with Shiva)
  • SE type: Combined (Determines the sound effects that play during attacks; selecting Combined means more variety in sound effects, and also that the sound effects are more inline with the character’s original attack sounds from their respective Mega Drive/Genesis games)

Options > Controls

SoRR v5.2 has a very handy feature where you can choose a controller preset such as ‘Xbox’, ‘PS4’, and a few others. Selecting a preset will automatically remap the controls to suit your connected controller. SoRR v5.1 does not have this feature, and the default controller mappings aren’t perfect for all controllers. If you’re intending to play using an Xbox 360/One/Series X controller, like me, then I recommend updating the following buttons:

  • Remap ‘Special’ to the X button
  • Remap ‘Attack’ to the A button
  • Remap ‘Start’ to the Start button

Options > Miscellaneous

Stage Opening

Options: Fast Fade (default) / SoR / Scanlines / Theatre
Recommended: SoR

Choose SoR if you’d like to use a stage opening animation that is the most faithful to the Mega Drive/Genesis games.

Camera Type

Options: SoR2 (default) / SoR3
Recommended: SoR3
Controls camera positioning:

  • SoR2: Allows you to run right up to the edge of the screen. This can be risky as enemies can surprise attack you from outside the screen window.
  • SoR3: Keeps your character centred in the frame, reducing the chance of off-screen enemies landing cheap hits.

SoR3 Exceptions

Options: No (default) / Yes
Recommended: No

  • No: Allows diagonal dash movement, which improves mobility and just plain feels great.
  • Yes: Restricts diagonal dashing and changes grab mechanics (enemies are released if another enemy is hit while grabbing).

Collision Type

Options: SoR2 (default) / SoR3
Recommended: SoR3
When you hit an enemy, a flash-type effect appears – and where this effect appears is based on which setting you choose.

  • Selecting SoR2 will make the effect always usually appear at the end of the attack takes place (such as at the end of Blaze’s outstretched hands when she does her projectile attack); one weakness of this is that characters who have a far-reaching attack can have the hit effect appear quite distant from the enemy.
  • Selecting SoR3 will make the effect appear in a central position of the enemy’s hitbox.

Enable Police

Options: Yes (default) / No
Recommended: Yes
Allows you to use the signature Streets of Rage 1 special ability to summon police support attacks.

Enable Run and Roll

Options: SoR3 (default) / BK3 / No
Recommended: SoR3
Controls vertical roll mechanics:

  • SoR3: Rolls travel furthest in your chosen direction, providing maximum mobility.
  • BK3: Rolls cover a shorter distance.
  • No: Disables vertical rolling completely.

SoR3 offers the best manoeuvrability for avoiding attacks.

Pause Delay

Options: Combined (default) / SoR2 / SoR3 / Remake
Recommended: SoR3
Controls recovery time after attacks:

  • Combined: Uses each character’s original game recovery timing.
  • SoR2: Longer recovery time for all actions.
  • SoR3: Shortest recovery time, allowing for quicker follow-up hits or moves.
  • Remake: Falls somewhere in between SoR2 and SoR3 in terms of attack speed.

Optional: ‘Everything Unlocked’ Save File

If you want to download a save file with pretty much everything unlocked, there’s one available in this thread on the official Streets of Rage Remake Community Forum.

Move the file to your /savegame/ folder to activate in-game.

Optional: Installing Mods

SoRR v5.1 has a larger amount of mods available compared to v5.2, and mod authors generally seem to favour this older version overall. If you’re interested in adding some user-made story modes to your game, it might be worth checking out the SoRR modding forum and seeing what’s popular.

Installing story mode mods is as simple as dropping them into your /mod/games/ folder. Here’s where I would add the mods to on my system:

/home/mason/Games/SORRv5.1/mod/games/

Extra: Differences Between v5.1 and v5.2

v5.2 exclusives:

  • Widescreen (16:9) support
  • 15 new music tracks, plus a choice between the remixed or original retro OST
  • New intro sequence and updated graphics for menus, endings, and the shop
  • New cutscenes and stages (e.g. Water Fountain Wastelands, Jetski Ride)
  • Trophies system with 14 bronze-tier, 8 silver-tier and 4 gold-tier trophies (26 in total) for completing certain feats such as completing the game on Mania difficulty, unlocking the SoR1 ‘bad ending’, rescuing Roo the kangaroo, etc.
  • Overhauled menu with submenus and more options
  • AI Editor available to purchase in-shop with a ‘Compatible Modes’ option
  • Enemies can now trigger Bamboo garden traps
  • Dropped weapons disappear after 4 falls instead of persisting indefinitely
  • Roll now has 20 invincibility frames (up from just 3)
  • ~300 total bugfixes and tweaks

v5.2 controversies (things fans dislike compared to v5.1):

  • Enemy AI is significantly more aggressive – some enemies like Y.Signal can’t be hit during their attack frames
  • Bosses like Abadeede are harder to read and counter
  • Several characters were nerfed (notably Elle and Max)
  • Reported performance issues even with V-Sync off
  • Introduced new bugs not present in v5.1
  • Worse mod compatibility – most modders stuck with v5.1

Choosing the best version for you:

  • Choose v5.2 if you want:
    • Widescreen mode
    • Better soundtrack options
    • More options and customisations
    • Harder challenge across the board
    • Awesome intro cutscene and improved menus
    • The ability to tune the AI to be more like SoRR v5.1, but you have to persevere in finishing the game at least once (more likely twice) to buy the AI Editor from the Shop
  • Choose v5.1 if you want:
    • Classic difficulty and balancing
    • More mods to choose from