Michael Jackson reference in Streets of Rage 2?

As far as I am aware, such a thing has never been pointed out. But is it just me, or does it seem Barbon's bar is a reference to the bar featured in Michael Jackson's Moonwalker music video of Smooth Criminal? Sega isn't exactly innocent of MJ references, all the way down to having the license to his name and getting him to both work on music in one of their games, and even an entire game based on the man himself, with his actual input involved. But it seems there may even be one in SoR2 that we have (understandably)overlooked. Although the design isn't 100% exact, that is not to say it needs to be identical to reference it heavily.

I will post Smooth Criminal Full and Smooth Criminal Single version for viewer's reference, namely because one shows more, and one has better picture quality. And Barbon's Bar cut out of a larger image found online showing the entire stage.

Looking at it, i notice the following similarities.

1. The wall design behind the desk is pretty much identical save for a few small details (Barbon's bar lacks the mirror in the middle)
2. It is a pretty big sized bar with an upstairs, not to mention the upstairs seems to have some level of visibility (although they chose to shadow the upstairs out in SoR2) considering the railing.
3. The brick has kind of an arch design with a smaller room behind it containing pool tables and the stairs to the upper floor. I can't quite tell if they are on a slightly higher plain than the main floor. I used to assume it was just the lighting.
4. The tables and chairs use the same design as each other.
5. There seems to be two different notable light sources coming from the ceiling. In SC, there are softer lamp lights, and there are harsher spot lights casting visible rays onto the ground. Barbon's bar has the same thing going for it.
6. The flooring in the video is made up of wooden planks, though it appears to be more so in the back, the full video gives a view of the main room showing it uses the same flooring as well.

Now there are liberties taken, obviously, and I am well aware that it may just be a coincidence. To be fair, this is kind of a for fun topic, but it is interesting how close some aspects are, with the wall behind the desk being the first similarity to grab me. But the smooth criminal that struck me personally is actually outside of the bar. The flyers on the wall before going into the bar. I used to think they were some kind of 1920s Dick Tracy type of deal, but after noticing the possible MJ reference, and also taking into account the cream white and lavender color scheme, maybe that's supposed to be another nod to MJ? considering he has that type of hat on, and it is possible that is a suit jacket he has on, and not a trench coat like I used to think it was for so many years?

Again, I am willing to accept I am crazy or looking too hard into things, but hey, it's fun to pick out, at least for me. LOL

@Cosmo: You are right, some references to Smooth Criminal are more than obvious
I just want to show you a preview of Moonwalker for SOR:



I hope you like this character

It's certainly plausible, even if not officially confirmed. I think the diagonal parts of the stages were inspired by Moonwalker Arcade.

Kimono wrote:

Might you have been inspired by my remix upload at 0:12?

Nice looking project btw. Keep us posted.

FIRST OFF, MUST NOTE I SEEM TO HAVE ACCIDENTALLY POSTED THE WRONG LINK FOR SMOOTH CRIMINAL FULL, BUT THE LINK HAS NOW BEEN FIXED.

Iceferno wrote:It's certainly plausible, even if not officially confirmed. I think the diagonal parts of the stages were inspired by Moonwalker Arcade.

Funny you mention that, because I watched playthrough of it recently and noticed it has similarities.

Also, the building in the alleyway seem to have referenced moonwalker as well.


Again, not exact, but it certainly looks like a deliberate reference. Also helped me realize this whole time that this alleyway isn't closed in and you can walk past the building you emerge from, though i get the feeling everyone else has noticed this already, but not me. LOL

Oh yeah, they had that chainlink fence at the far right of the Barbon section. But it looks so weak that any of the characters could just smash through it. It was also kind of funny how long that section was stretched in the 8 bit versions.

Cosmo wrote:FIRST OFF, MUST NOTE I SEEM TO HAVE ACCIDENTALLY POSTED THE WRONG LINK FOR SMOOTH CRIMINAL FULL, BUT THE LINK HAS NOW BEEN FIXED.

Iceferno wrote:It's certainly plausible, even if not officially confirmed. I think the diagonal parts of the stages were inspired by Moonwalker Arcade.

Funny you mention that, because I watched playthrough of it recently and noticed it has similarities.

Also, the building in the alleyway seem to have referenced moonwalker as well.


Again, not exact, but it certainly looks like a deliberate reference. Also helped me realize this whole time that this alleyway isn't closed in and you can walk past the building you emerge from, though i get the feeling everyone else has noticed this already, but not me. LOL

i knowed that area was familiar!

and the SOR2 ending music had some semelhance in the MJ music "Man in the mirror!

I'm glad that you like this Moonwalker character. Here's a new update for this char:
- Moonwalker can vault and use all weapons
Next to come:
- Better select intro and rage attack

Download link for testing:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Lj72UPbvkb5v3GzTgZ9xQWkRl2AiNTXy
Enjoy

Ooh, interesting. Is that OpenBOR? I remember playing Bare Knuckle VI and it had an identical HUD, and the lag seems familiar too (I'm guessing that's just part of the engine).

It's funny this topic is being replied to today. I heard a girl listening to The Way You Make Me Feel through her earbuds at work.

@Iceferno: I've edited the link, corrected some frames and hitboxes.
Yes, it's made with Openbor, I think that I will create a small Moonwalker game into a 1920's universe with an SOR engine.
There is no lag ingame, it's my recording that is bad, here's an example of some combos:

Reviving this thread since basically just noticed it last night while discussing about some remix stages we're planning to add in a future mod (not to mention somehow I overlooked this thread, glad someone else noticed it).
So, as Cosmo pointed it out, here's some direct references:

Bar layout:



Tables/chairs design:



Pool area with same arch design




So, indeed, Barbon's is an almost full recreation of Club 30's, even more accurate than the Club 30's in the Moonwalker games for both arcade and Genesis.
Oh, and considering this huge reference, stay tuned for a surprise (not a surprise if you came to my stream last night, hehe).

Hmmm,I wonder what that future SOR Mod will be?