There are also seven different background stages where fighting takes place, each one representing one of the character's innate domains: the Cliff (Blizzard), the Hollows (Armadon), the Strip (Talon), the Cove (Sauron), the Ruins (Chaos), the Tomb (Vertigo) and the Inferno (Diablo).

Prior to the final battle, a minigame commences in which the player is given the chance to eat as many worshippers as possible to increase health for the endurance round.

Later revisions of the arcade game added the ability to perform special moves in the more traditional way, with motion followed by button presses, but kept the original method as well.

Seven fearsome creatures with supernatural abilities emerge from their slumber deep within the Urth's crust, and become worshiped as gods by the humans, who form segregated clans beneath the ones they follow.

Animator Jason Leong recounted: "Every year [Time Warner Interactive] throws a brain-storming session where everybody brings up new game ideas.

[8] Production coordinator Stephen Riesenberger says the game was designed to be accessible to novices, with its four-button controls being less daunting than the standard six-button layout, and unusual special move inputs making it easier to perform the attacks by button mashing.

[11][12][13] To promote the home versions, Time Warner Interactive hosted a "National Primal Rage Video Game Tournament" at Six Flags Over Texas in October 1995.

[16] Primal Rage was ported to the Game Boy by Probe Software and released in North America and Europe on August 25, 1995.

[5] This port has smaller sprites, less vibrant colors, and a cheat code that replaces Diablo's followers with Fergus McGovern, former CEO and founder of Probe Software.

[5] Primal Rage was ported to the 3DO and published by LG Electronics in North America and Europe on November 14, 1995,[12][13] featuring a pre-rendered introduction full-motion video sequence and smaller sprites compared to previous releases.

[5] The Jaguar CD port is similar to the 3DO release, although it lacks the full-motion video introduction[5] and has shorter loading times.

[24] The Saturn port was released in North America in June 1996, in Europe in August 1996,[2] and in Japan by GameBank on March 26, 1998,[25] featuring more colors, larger sprites, and pre-rendered full motion video sequences for each character in single-player mode.

It features Blizzard, Chaos, Talon, Sauron, Vertigo, and Diablo as playable characters, and Armadon serves as the final boss.

[64] Next Generation reviewed the original arcade version, stating that "All in all, an excellent show of graphics and sound design tarnished by unbalanced gameplay.

[42] Sega Pro's Steve Hardy praised the visuals but criticized the complex controls due to the Game Gear's limited number of buttons.

[43] Sega Power's Dean Mortlock praised the visuals and replay value, regarding the Genesis version as "Another excellent conversion from Probe.

[54] Mean Machines Sega gave the Genesis version a rave review, stating that the game is a "great beat 'em up which may have been beaten to its niche".

[47] Sega Pro's Mat Yeo commended Probe's work on the Genesis version but noted several missing features compared to the arcade original, stating that it fell short of capturing the "frantic fighting action of the coin-op".

[55] GameFan praised the visual presentation of the 32X version, though the reviewers criticized the sound and lack of additional gore effects from the arcade original.

[21] Sega Power's James Ashton regarded the 32X version to be as good as the previous Genesis release but noted that the game "doesn't add much to the monster mash formula.

[39] Última Generación's Gonzalo Herrero commended the Jaguar CD version, praising the visuals, sound design, and controls.

They criticized the smaller sprites but said the game otherwise did an exemplary job of recreating the graphics and sound of the arcade version, and that the control with the Jaguar ProController is excellent.

[76] In contrast, AllGame's Colin Williamson commended the controls but criticized the downgraded visuals compared to the arcade original and loading times, stating that "It's sad that the Jaguar CD suffered such a horrible fate—but with games like this one, it's no big surprise.

[53] GameFan, as with the PlayStation version, commended the Saturn release for being a near-arcade perfect port but criticized the full-motion video sequences.

[2] AllGame's Joe Ottoson criticized the Saturn version's visuals and sound design but commended its replay value, stating that "If you can bear the loading times and the unusual system for executing super moves, there's some interesting things to unearth.

"[29] In 1996, Ellie Rovella of Gilbert, Arizona launched a grassroots campaign against the game after her 11-year-old son bought and played the Genesis version of Primal Rage and executed Chaos's urination fatality.

[81] In the United Kingdom, the game's advertisement parodied the controversy by placing gentle scenes over the violent parts and having Simon Bates mock his VSC video warnings.

[2][82] After an unveiling at the 1996 American International Toy Fair, five inch action figures of the seven Primal Rage characters (each bundled with accessories like lava rocks, armor, and tiny humans) were released in stores.

Necrosan, a boss in the form of a skeletal dragon, once rumored by video game magazine GamePro to be added in an updated release of the original Primal Rage, was to become the main antagonist.

The book also focuses on fleshing out the world of Primal Rage, and does so by bringing "the Avatars" to the forefront of the story, they being the humans chosen by their respective gods to be their shamans or other titles of nobility.