Street Smart is a somewhat unusual game, a one-on-one fighter like Street Fighter II with the control style of a beat 'em up like Final Fight. Unlike most 2D fighting games, you are not limited to moving left and right. You can move in any direction and are not stuck on the same plane as your opponent. This makes avoiding your opponent somewhat easier, though the reverse is also true. What I mean is that you must be perfectly aligned with your opponent in order for your punches to connect, which makes for a lot of button mashing and moving the D-pad a little up or down as you try to line yourself up with him. Attacks are extremely limited. You can punch, kick, or jump (one button for each), and that's it. There are no special moves or combos. Regardless of what direction you move the D-pad in, your punch is always a straight punch and your kick a straight kick. You can jump kick, but that's about all the variety you'll get in this game.

Fights have no rounds like in other fighting games. You fight one-on-one until one guy falls, and that's it -- no second chance for either of you, unless you still have a "continue" credit remaining. After winning a fight you are allotted a few bonus points that you can distribute among three attributes: life points, attack power, and defense. After that, you'll find yourself at a betting screen where you can stake your prize money on either yourself or your opponent before the next fight. Yes, you can bet against yourself! A lot of good it will do if you win that wager though, as you'll be dead, though frankly dying and getting a "Game Over" screen is the best thing that can happen to you in this game.

A dumb, boring button-masher with no redeeming qualities, Street Smart is best left alone.