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Preview  Final Fight One
- By Travis Coats
Before the time of the home console, there was a unique and interesting place where video games were played. There were no couches in this magical area, nor any television sets. No hand-held controllers to speak of, and certainly no game cartridges or cd’s. What was there however is an experience that has yet to be rivaled. Nothing beat the feeling of walking into this place with a pocket full of quarters and an urge for adventure. I am of course speaking of the all mighty arcade.
Now, some may say these ancient relics of time passed still exist, but I refute that notion. In my opinion, the arcade perished when home consoles finally gained the ability to showcase the exact same games as their more bulky counterparts. Well that, and when arcade machines started requiring a dollar to play, but I digress.
From the time of the arcade, certain games have stuck in my memory. If you have ever been to a said arcade, perhaps you know what I mean. There were a few games that were so fun to play, so entertaining, that they just seem to stick in your mind forever. Examples of such would be, Pac-Man, Gauntlet, and even Street Fighter II. These were games that I sunk so much money into; that if I added it all up and somehow got it back, I would probably have more cash than a certain founder of Microsoft. With that said, another one of these amazing games was the original Final Fight.
Final Fight was a classic side-scrolling fighter that spawned a legion of clones. I’m sure it wasn’t the first, but I remember it as being the best. The story was simple. A big brawny mayor named Mike Haggar wants revenge against the evil Mad Gear gang because they kidnapped his daughter. You know the drill… Gang wants money, gang steals girl, mayor gets friends, mayor and friends beat up gang and rescue the girl. Ok, so it isn’t exactly Shakespeare, but it didn’t need to be. Final Fight’s appeal stemmed from the player’s ability to kick the living snot out of everyone and everything on the screen. I mean talk about a stress reliever. With a friend, about ten dollars, and one hour, the game could be completed and the story resolved. Ah, what wonderful memories. If only I could experience that game and the feeling that goes with it again. Wait a minute, I can… and so can you.
In what I consider one of the great marvels of the world, Final Fight is returning in handheld form. Instead of beating the Mad Gear gang senseless for five bucks a pop, I can do it anytime I want, anywhere I want, and as many times as I want for about forty. I have experienced this game for a very brief time during e3, and to say it is near perfect is an understatement. There is something very unique about playing a game you grew up with on a screen no bigger than the palm of your hand. It’s much the same feeling I experienced when I first played Super Mario Brothers on Game Boy Color. You just can’t fully understand until you do it for yourself.
Regardless, Final Fight is returning. With 3 separate fighters, hordes of bad guys and bosses, and no need to stick in a quarter every few minutes to continue, Nintendo has struck gold. As far as I am concerned, there is no other fighting-style game more deserving of my money than Final Fight One for Game Boy Advance. Well, perhaps Street Fighter, but that is another story altogether.
- 7.12.2001 |
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Blowing stuff up.
Goodnight...
Oh look, you have a fly on your hood. Here, let me get that for you.
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INFO |
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Number of Players: 2
Rumble Pak: No
Expansion Pak: No
Memory Pak: No
Transfer Pak: No
Release Date:
July 2001
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