It’s Terry Bogard’s World, We’re Just Along For the Ride
SNK is making a big comeback, and we are living for it. The King of Fighters XV finally being teased? Terry Bogard in Smash Bros? Geese Howard in Tekken 7? It all adds up to a delightfully nostalgic picture, so it makes perfect sense that SNK has decided to finally re-release a Fatal Fury Neo Geo Pocket Color title. If you’re not familiar with the Fatal Fury games, you’re in for a treat. Known as Garou Densetsu (“Legend of the Hungry Wolves”, natch) in Japan, this fighting game series is basically a wuxia drama with extra Engrish sprinkled on top. In terms of mechanics, it’s easier for beginners to get into than some titles thanks to its focus on single-lane fighting, and powerful comeback mechanics will let players unleash deadly special moves while at the brink of death. Also, it’s just a remarkably beautiful pixel fighter. Just look at those colors! The backgrounds are stunning!
For those of you who are new to the series, the Fatal Fury games follow protagonist Terry Bogard, his twin brother Andy, and their many friends and equally numerous foes as they confront Geese Howard, the crime lord who murdered their father and now rules by fear over Southtown. Okay, technically Geese is supposed to have died pretty early in the Fatal Fury timeline (he’s fine in the KOF timeline), but in practice, he’s a beloved fan favorite so SNK keeps putting him in new games anyway. Not that we’re complaining. There are other foes out there for Terry and company to battle in tournaments and dramatic rooftop sequences alike, including Geese’s purple-haired half-brother, Krauser, but none of those guys will cackle and yell “Predictable!” at us in heavy Japanese accents.
First released in 1999, Fatal Fury: First Contact is a timeless fighter that you can play in either the Switch’s Tabletop or Handheld Mode–both of which will support the game’s single-lane battle system beautifully. Plus, SNK Producer Yasuyuki Oda has a special message concerning the game and the new KOF XV trailer, which will be coming out sooner than you think.
Fatal Fury: First Contact is now available on the Nintendo eShop for $7.99.
What’s your favorite fighting game? Let us know down in the comments, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.