Streets of Rage 3 takes place in part three of the series, where Mr. X is back with a new plan to replace public officials with his robots. Only Axel, Blaze, Skate, and Dr. Zan can stop him from carrying out his evil plan. The game features all the beat 'em up action that fans of the series expect.
The gameplay in Streets of Rage 3 is fast-paced and action-packed, with a new special move power bar that adds a layer of strategy to the game. It only costs energy to perform a special move if the power bar isn't full. Each character has unique abilities with different weapons, such as Axel's special moves with the pipe or Skate's with the knife. Dr. Zan can pick up any weapon and turn it into energy balls that he can throw at enemies. The game also features secret characters and multiple endings, adding replay value to the game.