Awhile back in my last post, I mentioned that I was heading off on a trip to Minneapolis. I did not, in fact, get arrested and shipped out to El Salvador or something–in fact, the trip went better than I would’ve ever expected. I saw one protest, and no actual ICE presence; it actually ended up being a pretty nice trip. No, the reason I haven’t posted in so long is because it’s winter in upper Michigan, and I have become a machine that moves snow and produces back aches.

I think we’re up to Snowmageddon Part VII for the year, which in most franchises means we’re long past going to space, and we might be Back to Da Hood, or possibly ready to Take Manhattan by my calculations. While it’s true the last couple years have spoiled us, this is still the worst winter I’ve seen in a very long time. The snow banks by my house are taller than I am. Side streets are frequently mired in enough snow that it’s like driving through the world’s worst milkshake, and sidewalks are largely non-existent. And in a roundabout way, this brings us to today’s word.

flurry, noun – a sudden burst of activity

Learned from: Streets of Rage 2 (Sega Genesis, arcade, Game Gear, Nintendo 3DS, Sega Master System)

Developed by Sega

Published by Sega (1992)

Up until playing this game, I’d only known a flurry as a light snowfall. You know, something gentle, peaceful, and almost calming to look at through the window when you’re nice and warm inside. I’d never known it could apply to a rapid succession of punches, kicks, and headbutts, until I read through the manual for Streets of Rage 2.

The series as a whole is a fantastic example of what the beat ’em up genre should be, but the second installment is largely regarded as the best in the franchise. More levels, more enemies, more characters, and a much, much larger move set that actually had differences between each protagonist. They all had similar inputs, but whereas one character’s flurry of blows might be a series of kicks, another might focus more on punches, or incorporate elbow strikes. And these different executions really did make the characters feel more distinct than the first game’s simple “speed, strength, jumping ability” distinctions. It’s still a fantastic game to this day, and well worth breaking out on an evening when a different kind of flurry has long since given way to blizzard conditions.