First trial of “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” at EVO Japan 2024! Experience report on the revival of SNK’s Fatal Fury!

SNK’s “Fatal Fury City of the Wolves(below,Garou Densetsu CotW)” I went to the trial booth.
Fatal Fury was a major IP that SNK was proud of, and it was a fighting game that represented the 1990s, but no new games have been released since 1999.
There is no doubt that it is a popular IP, with main character Terry Bogard appearing in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and characters from the Fatal Fury series appearing in KOF15.

We bring you a preview review of the latest game in the series, “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves,” which will be released for the first time in about 26 years!

The system inherited from the previous work

Fatal Fury City of the Wolves

The “evasion attacks,” “just defense,” “guard cancel,” and “braking” that were also present in Garou MOW are still available.
I personally never used Just Defense because I thought it was difficult, so I remember being very happy when I happened to become Just Defense.

Smart style that even beginners of fighting games can enjoy playing

Fatal Fury City of the Wolves

Speaking of fighting games, the barrier to entry is high for those who are not good at inputting commands, but in Fatal Fury CotW, you can choose between two modes, “Arcade Style” and “Smart Style”, and in “Smart Style” you can press buttons. You can easily create combos by hitting repeatedly, or perform super special moves with simple commands.

It may be similar to the rush of KOF in SNK titles, but clearly separating the styles has the advantage of making it difficult to make mistakes.
In recent years, there have been many fighting game titles that are designed to be enjoyed by beginners and players who don’t usually play fighting games, such as Koei Tecmo Games’ “Dead or Alive 6″‘s Fatal Rush, but since SNK has traditionally made players cry, Garou I feel relieved that it has been implemented even in legends.

1 line like the previous work, unique “REV system” in the new system

Fatal Fury City of the Wolves

Speaking of Garou Densetsu, it is famous as a multi-line fighting game, but in “Real Bout Garou Densetsu SPECIAL DOMINATED MIND” there is only one line (I had RB Special and RB2 on Neo Geo CD, but I bought it because I wanted to use Alfred, but White is not allowed) (No) There is one line in the previous work “Garou MOW” (hereinafter referred to as Garou MOW).
It was a popular title, but the characteristic multiple lines were discontinued, and SNK in particular releases a variety of fighting game titles, so a unique system that gives the game its individuality is required.

REV system that accelerates excitement

The highlight of “Fatal Fury CotW” is the “REV system”.
The REV system consumes the REV gauge and allows you to use various actions such as REV Blow, REV Arts, REV Accel, and REV Guard.
To put it simply, you can consume REV Guard to use REV Guard to strengthen your normal moves and special moves, create continuous moves that make it easier to connect to combos, and use powerful guards that negate the damage to your guard.
Gauge tactics are an important point in fighting game titles, but what I was personally interested in was “REV Guard”
If your stamina gauge is low at the end of the match, you may be able to finish it off with a sharpening, but you can overcome it by using REV Guard.
I feel like it’s okay to use the REV guard every time, but if you abuse it, the REV gauge will quickly decrease and you’ll end up overheating.
Overheat can be recovered not only by conventional attacks and hits, but also by the passage of time or by moving towards the opponent, so I think it is easier to store it than a normal power gauge.

TOP is SPG

The system equivalent to “TOP (Tactical Offensive Power)” in “Garou MOW” has been renamed to “SPG (Selective Portal Gear)”.
During SPG, if you hit “Hidden Gear”, the REV gauge will be fully restored and you can use a powerful special move, but the command is a secret.
I thought maybe Rock Howard’s “Hidden Gear is Deadly Rave!?” and wanted to try it, but the name of the technique was “Power Gazer typeR”…I couldn’t find it during the trial play.
Damn, I wanted to see Rock Power Gazer…
It’s already 2024, but you’re doing things like looking at a command table and looking for hidden commands in the 90s, SNK! (I’m praising you)

American comic style animation that will be popular overseas

Fatal Fury City of the Wolves

As you know from the video that was already announced, the graphics of this new game, such as the pre- and post-battle production and the effects of techniques, are American comic style, and I personally think it’s really cool.
There is no doubt that it will be a differentiated series that is different from SamSuppy and KOF.

Expect new characters as well as popular characters

Hotaru Futaba, the younger sister character

Currently, six characters have been announced. It’s natural that Rock and Terry will be announced at the same time as the title announcement, but SNK already knew that they would bring Hotaru Futaba to the first round announcement.
(Well, my brother and Jenny are also participating in KOF15.)

Precha

At EVO Japan 2024, the participation of “Marco Rodriguez” was also announced, and I think many characters from the previous game will appear, but new characters such as “Precha”, Joe Higashi’s best disciple, are also appearing, so We look forward to the announcement of new characters in the future.

By the way, today is the 26th birthday of Mainaka Iwami, who plays Hotaru Futaba (in Garou MOW)! congratulations!

＼Happy Birthday／

Today, April 30th, Manaka Iwami (who plays Hotaru Futaba in Garou Densetsu CotW) @_manaka_430 )’s birthday!
congratulations!#SNK #Garou Legend #CotW #Mainaka Iwami Mr. Miss.pic.twitter.com/BtLEoSO56I

— SNK Freak (formerly SNK Entertainment official) (@snk_enter) April 30, 2024

Bonus: 2 shots with Terry at the end

#CotW I tried it out!
2 shots with Terry to commemoratepic.twitter.com/H7zRJ2e9dG

— Saiga NAK (@saiganak) April 29, 2024

After the trial run, we took a commemorative photo with the life-sized Terry.
For those who couldn’t play on the day, the “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” play guide for EVO Japan 2024 has been released, so please check it out!
This is the first play report of “Fatal Fury City of the Wolves”!

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©EVO Japan 2024