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Fatal Fury

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Fatal Fury (餓狼伝説 or Garou Densetsu in Japan) is a fighting game series developed by SNK for the Neo-Geo system. It is SNK's second oldest fighting game (the oldest is Street Smart which released in 1989), and was once a rival to Capcom's Street Fighter series.

Contents

Gameplay

The main fighting game feature that the original Fatal Fury was known for was the two-plane system. Characters would fight from two different planes, and by stepping between the planes, attacks could be dodged with ease. Later games drop the two-plane system, replacing it with a complex system of dodging. Characters often had moves that could attack across the two planes, attack both planes at once, or otherwise attack characters attempting to dodge.

Later Fatal Fury games experimented with various other gimmicks, such as "ring-outs", where a character loses the round if the character is thrown into the edges of the fighting backdrop, and single-plane backdrops, where the element of dodging is eliminated altogether, and moves that sent opponents to the opposite plane instead did collateral damage. The most successful of these gimmicks were the Deadly Rave, a super combo used by several characters that, after execution, a player must press a preset series of buttons with exact timing for the entire combo to execute, and the Just Defend, a type of protected block in which players regain lost life.

Story

The Fatal Fury series chronicles the rise of the "Hungry Wolf" Terry Bogard (hence the Japanese title, which translates to Legend of the Hungry Wolf), and the simultaneous fall of the criminal empire of Geese Howard. Like many other SNK titles of the time, the first installment takes place in a fictitious American city called Southtown. Brimming with violence and corruption, Southtown forms the ideal backdrop for the annual King of Fighters fighting tournament, organized by the notorious crimelord Geese. No fighter has ever managed to beat his right-hand man and appointed champion, Billy Kane, until Terry arrives on the scene.

The second installment of the series features Geese's half-brother, Wolfgang Krauser, who internationalizes the formerly Southtown-only tournament in a bid to take on the world's strongest combatants. The King of Fighters tournament is no longer a part of the storyline by the third game, having been spun off into its own series. Instead, the third installment centers around Terry Bogard's attempts to stop Geese from obtaining an ancient scroll that would give him the powers of a lost and dangerous martial art form.

After the third game, the series is renamed to Real Bout Fatal Fury. In the first installment of this "new" series we see the final and decisive battle between Terry and Geese. Note that King of Fighters tournament also held in this game. The second installment, which is named Real Bout Fatal Fury Special, features the return of Wolfgang.

Finally, Garou: Mark of the Wolves takes place a generation later. It focuses on Rock Howard, Terry's protégé and son of Geese, who makes a shocking discovery about his past when he enters the King of Fighters: Maximum Mayhem tournament.

The Interconnecting Plots

Fatal Fury and its two sister series, Art of Fighting and The King of Fighters, often influenced each other in different ways. The storylines between each series share many similarities, but have many differences (one of the main differences between the storylines of Fatal Fury and KOF is whether Geese Howard remained alive). For some time, it was believed that, as new KOF games were being created each year, and games in the other two series were appearing with less frequency (or, in the case of Art of Fighting, not at all), that KOF was a continuation or a retcon of previously established storylines. However, it is currently believed that Fatal Fury, along with Art of Fighting and The Last Blade, is part of a universe separated from the KOF storyline. However, this is only speculation at this point.

Games

It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a [Disambiguationdisambiguation page]. ()

Canonical games

These are the games that are considered part of the Fatal Fury story:

also known as Garou Densetsu: Shukumei no Tatakai - Japan
The first game of the Fatal Fury series allowed players to select one of three characters, Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, and Joe Higashi, as they battled a gauntlet of computer-controlled opponents ending with Billy Kane and Geese Howard. When two players were playing, players had the option of either playing cooperatively against a computer opponent or competitively against each other. This game was later ported to Genesis and SNES by Takara.
  • Fatal Fury 2 (Neo-Geo, SNK 1992)
    • also known as Garou Densetsu 2: Arata-Naru Tatakai - Japan
    Capitalizing on the popularity of Street Fighter II, this game had the characters fight each other in locales around the world. Like Street Fighter II, there were eight selectable characters and four computer-controlled bosses, each of which had similarities with a corresponding Street Fighter II character. Also this game was later ported to the Genesis and SNES by Takara. Fatal Fury 2 was the first fighting game to include super moves. When the player had low vitality, they could execute a Desperation Attack.
  • Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory (Neo-Geo, SNK 1995)
    • also known as Garou Densetsu 3: Haruka-Naru Tatakai - Japan
    With the King of Fighters tournament spun off into its own series, this game focuses on the main characters as they try to stop the mysterious Ryuji Yamazaki and the Jin Twins: Jin Chonshu and Jin Chonrei. Basically Fatal Fury 3 is the story of the 3 Hidensho (secret scrolls) just prior to Geese obtaining all 3 of them. Various new characters are introduced, including fan-favorite Blue Mary.
  • Real Bout Fatal Fury (Neo-Geo, SNK 1995)
    • also known as Real Bout Garou Densetsu - Japan
    Continuing the story of Fatal Fury 3, the cast of the previous game returns along with three returning characters (Kim Kaphwan, Duck King and Billy Kane), as they try to stop Geese Howard from claiming the mysterious Jin scrolls for himself, culminating with the ultimate demise of Geese. Basically this game is the story of the final battle against Geese (who now possesses all 3 secret scrolls. Ported to Japanese Sega Saturn and PlayStation by SNK and PAL PlayStation by SCEE.
  • Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special: Dominated Mind (PlayStation, SNK 1997)
    • A port of Real Bout Special which adds Alfred (the hidden boss in Real Bout 2) as a playable character, and includes an all new boss character named White, based upon Alexander de Large, a character from the 1971 Stanley Kubrick movie A Clockwork Orange. The story of this game is the story of White's brainwashing of Billy Kane and attempted takeover of Southtown's underworld in the power vacuum left by the death of Geese in Real Bout Fatal Fury 1. An interested thing to note is that Geese Howard sports a halo over his head in this game, a reference to his passing in Real Bout 1. Dominated Mind also featured new moves, hidden unlockable super moves, super cancelling (known in the game as "Final Impacts"), and removed the line-sway system from the game.
    also known as Real Bout Garou Densetsu 2: The Newcomers - Japan
    Real Bout 2 did not add much to the storylines, but introduced two new characters, Li Xiangfei and Rick Strowd, the former of which would later appear in The King of Fighters series. The game also featured a new hidden boss named Alfred. Here's the summary of the story of this games from "All About SNK": "With a body built as a casino show-boxer, Rick Strowd has finally become the world champ. However, knowing that these fights do not quench his heart's thirst, naturally, he resolves to set out in search of fights. Hungry wolves are waiting, in the city of madness...."
  • Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition (Hyper Neo-Geo 64, SNK 1999)
    • also known as Garou Densetsu: Wild Ambition - Japan
    A 3D fighting game that retells the story of Fatal Fury, but with many of its established characters. The story of this game does not replace Fatal Fury 1 because they both represent the same story and series of events. It's just that not all the events/characters of FF are depicted in FFWA, and vice-versa.
  • Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Neo-Geo, SNK 1999)
    • In what was considered to be the Fatal Fury equivalent to Street Fighter III, this game takes place a full generation later, and like SF3, discards many of the recurring characters in favor of new ones. Like SF3, the game was known for its graphical brilliance, being able to push the capabilities of the Neo-Geo to its limits, as well as for its highly technical gameplay. Some had considered Mark of the Wolves to be the "last great SNK game" as the production quality of SNK's later games began to take a nosedive as the company's financial woes increased.

    Non-canonical games

    also known as Garou Densetsu Special - Japan
    An update of Fatal Fury 2 that adds three characters from the original Fatal Fury (as well as Ryo Sakazaki from Art of Fighting) into the mix, in addition to making the bosses into playable characters. This game is one of the most popular games in Japan in 1993. It has been said that, as a result of the popularity that ensued from Ryo being a hidden character in this game, The King of Fighters as a series was born. This game was later ported to THE Game Gear and SNES by Takara, to the Sega CD by Victor Interactive Studios/JVC Digital Studios, and to PC Engine CD by Hudson Soft.
  • Real Bout Fatal Fury Special (Neo-Geo, SNK 1996)
    • also known as Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special - Japan
    Like Fatal Fury Special before it, Real Bout Special reintroduced many of the characters from previous games, most notably Wolfgang Krauser. Ported to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation by SNK in Japan.
  • Fatal Fury: First Contact (Neo Geo Pocket, SNK 1999)
    • also known as Garou Densetsu: First Contact - Japan
    An adaptation of Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers. Featured exclusive character Lao, playable only in vs. mode.

    Related games

    These games are not part of the Fatal Fury series, but involve characters from Fatal Fury:
    also known as Ryuuko no Ken 2 - Japan
  • Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 (NAOMI, Capcom 2000)
  • Capcom vs. SNK Pro (PlayStation, Capcom 2002)
  • Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 (NAOMI, Capcom 2001)
  • Fatal Fury 2 (Game Boy, Takara 1994)
    • also known as Nettou Garou Densetsu 2 - Japan
  • King of Fighters: Maximum Impact (PlayStation 2, SNK Playmore 2004)
  • Neo-Geo Battle Coliseum (coin-op, SNK 2005)
  • Quiz King of Fighters (Neo-Geo, Saurus 1995)
  • Real Bout Fatal Fury Special (Game Boy, Takara 1998)
    • also known as Nettou Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special - Japan
  • SNK Gals' Fighters (Neo Geo Pocket Color, SNK 2000)
  • SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash (Neo Geo Pocket Color, SNK 1999)
    • also known as SNK vs. Capcom: Gekitotsu Card Fighters - Japan
  • SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters 2: Expand Edition (Neo Geo Pocket Color, SNK 2001)
  • SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium (Neo Geo Pocket Color, SNK 1999)
  • SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos (Neo-Geo, SNK Playmore 2003)
  • The King of Fighters '94 (Neo-Geo, SNK 1994)
  • The King of Fighters '95 (Neo-Geo, SNK 1995)
  • The King of Fighters '95 (Game Boy, Takara 1996)
    • also known as Nettou The King of Fighters '95 - Japan
  • The King of Fighters '96 (Neo-Geo, SNK 1996)
  • The King of Fighters '96 (Game Boy, Takara 1997)
    • also known as Nettou The King of Fighters '96 - Japan
  • The King of Fighters '97 (Neo-Geo, SNK 1997)
  • The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest (Neo-Geo, SNK 1998)
    • also known as The King of Fighters '98: Dream Match Never Ends - Japan
  • The King of Fighters '99: Millennium Battle (Neo-Geo, SNK 1999)
  • The King of Fighters 2000 (Neo-Geo, SNK 2000)
  • The King of Fighters 2001 (Neo-Geo, Eolith 2001)
  • The King of Fighters 2002: Challenge to the Ultimate Battle (Neo-Geo, Eolith 2002)
  • The King of Fighters 2003 (Neo-Geo, SNK Playmore 2003)
  • The King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood (Game Boy Advance, Marvelous 2002)
  • The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood (Game Boy Advance, Marvelous 2003)
  • The King of Fighters R-1 (Neo Geo Pocket Color, SNK 1999)
  • The King of Fighters R-2 (Neo Geo Pocket Color, SNK 1999)
  • The King of Fighters: Battle De Paradise (Neo Geo Pocket Color, SNK 2000)
  • The King of Fighters: Kyo (PlayStation, SNK 1998)

    • Characters

    Fatal Fury contained many characters, some appearing in other series as well. These are the characters who appeared in a fighting capacity at some point in the series, listed in alphabetical order:

    Characters from Art of Fighting

    Characters with appearances outside this series

    These include characters that have appeared in The King of Fighters series, as well as the SNK vs. series and Neo Geo Battle Coliseum.
    also known as Big Bear (ビッグ・ベア)
  • Rock Howard (ロック・ハワード)
  • Ryuji Yamazaki (山崎 竜二)
  • Terry Bogard (テリー・ボガード)
  • Tizoc
    • also known as The Griffon (グリフォンマスク, Griffon Mask) - Japan
  • Tung Fu Rue (タン・フー・ルー)
  • Wolfgang Krauser (ヴォルフガング・クラウザー)

    • Other characters

    also known as Marco Rodriguez (マルコ・ロドリゲス)
  • Kim Dong Hwan (キム・ドンファン)
  • Kim Jae Hoon (キム・ジェイフン)
  • Laurence Blood (ローレンス・ブラッド)
  • Michael Max (マイケル・マックス)
  • Richard Meyer (リチャード・マイヤ)
  • Rick Strowd (リック・ストラウド)
  • Sokaku Mochizuki (望月双角)
  • Touji Sakata (坂田冬次)
  • Tsugumi Sendo (千堂鶫)
  • White (ホワイト)

    • Abbreviation confusion

    Like Capcom's game trilogy, Final Fight and Tecmo's survival horror series, Fatal Frame, the Fatal Fury series may be confused with Square Enix's popular Final Fantasy series if abbreviated FF. To prevent abbreviation confusion in general gaming circles and in role-playing game circles, the game series title would sometimes be abbreviated FFu or GD instead, and the name of Final Fight would be abbreviated FFi, and Fatal Frame wouold be abbreviated FFr. Usually, the name of Fatal Fury or its Japanese name Garou Densetsu are spelled out in the role-playing video game circles. One exception is that Fatal Fury Special is normally abbreviated FFS, and that Real Bout Fatal Fury is abbreviated RB1. Fatal Fury Special is abbreviated FFuS in the SPC audio archives. Fighting game specific Internet forums use FFa as the abbreviation for Final Fantasy.

    Movies

    The Fatal Fury franchise also prompted the release of three movies. In North America they were released by Viz Video. It should be noted that the first two were released on a single DVD titled Fatal Fury: Double Impact, which features a scene Viz originally removed from Fatal Fury 2: The New Battle on VHS due to be considered "too violent" at the time.

    The movies are as follows:

    External links

     Fatal Fury
    Characters
    Andy Bogard - Axel Hawk - Billy Kane - Blue Mary - Bonne Jenet - Duck King - Franco Bash - Gato - Geese Howard - Hotaru Futaba - Hwa Jai - Jin Chonrei - Jin Chonshu - Joe Higashi - Kain R. Heinlein - Marco Rodriguez - Kim Dong Hwan - Kim Jae Hoon - Kim Kaphwan - Li Xiangfei - Mai Shiranui - Michael Max - Raiden (Fatal Fury)>Raiden - Richard Meyer - Rock Howard - Ryo Sakazaki - Ryuji Yamazaki - Terry Bogard - Tizoc - Tung Fu Rue - Wolfgang Krauser

     

    From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
    All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

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