GAME CLEAR No. 186 -- Final Fight

Final Fight (1989, Multiplatform)

Compilation: Capcom Arcade Stadium (2021, Multiplatform)
Compilation Developer: Capcom
Compilation Publisher: Capcom
Original Developer: Capcom
Original Publisher: Capcom
Clear Version: Arcade
Clear Platform: PS5
Clear Date: 8/3/24

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Why should I care?
You get to clean up the streets of Metro City as a pro-wrestler-turned-mayor in this influential beat ’em up. I reckon that oughta be enough.

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SmackDown! vs. Law

To put it simply, Final Fight is one of the all-time classic, ultra-influential titles that helped define the beat ’em up genre. As important as Double Dragon was as the genre’s first major hit, it can be a bit awkward to play today, but Final Fight remains a blast. It looks great, sounds great, and nearly every beat ’em up to follow borrows something from it.

In fact, as someone who played Streets of Rage as a teen, I couldn’t believe how many elements of its design were lifted directly from Final Fight. The yellow/red health bars, the named enemies, the health-consuming special moves, the approach-to-grab mechanic, the throwable knives, etc. All of it is straight out of Final Fight. It makes sense — Streets of Rage was made as a direct response to and the Genesis answer for the SNES port of Final Fight — but it’s remarkable how much of the design of my favorite series was lifted straight from the source. It’s tempting to call Streets a shameless knockoff in light of that, but given how nearly every beat ’em up continues to use some of these elements of design to some extent suggests that instead Capcom simply nailed some of these concepts. Impressive stuff.

At least part of the reason I overlooked this initial Final Fight entry for so long was because I only had the SNES version. It was critically flawed in two ways. First, it had finite continues, which is among the most frustrating design elements of those days, but also true of my beloved Streets of Rage. More egregiously, it only supported one player. Although there are good examples of 1P beat ’em ups (and 1P character-action games I love like Devil May Cry have lots in common with the genre), it certainly makes it tougher to stomach those GAME OVER screens without a buddy to keep you going.

Consequently, I never spent much time with this game, but then awhile back Capcom generously offered Final Fight for free on PSN to entice people to download their compilation Capcom Arcade Stadium, which offers other Capcom classics à la carte. With infinite quarters, superior graphics and sound, and the ability to play with a friend, I resolved to finally play this seminal title.

That day finally came this past Saturday when a friend was over and we were looking for something to play. We fired it up, I picked Haggar, and he picked Guy, and we were on our way.

I alluded to it in the “Why should I care?” block, but it bears repeating that this is a game about a mayor who takes crime fighting into his own hands. Under his administration, crime in Metro City (totally not New York) has fallen drastically, and the Mad Gear Gang is none too happy about it. They had the previous mayors in their pocket, but haven’t been able to win over Mike Haggar. Having exhausted all other options, they kidnap his daughter Jessica and hold her for the ransom of his promised future co-operation. It’s implied that his handling of the city’s crime prior to this has been through traditional mayoral means, but as a former “Street Fighter” (capitalized as such in the opening sequence), he’s not afraid of some two-bit crime syndicate. He rips his shirt off, enlists his daughter’s partner Cody and the latter’s martial arts buddy Guy and sets off to rescue Jessica by beating the shit out of anyone who gets in his way.

And boy do plenty of people do just that. The rogues gallery of Final Fight is substantial, ranging from the typical street toughs to Andre the Giant lookalikes to later Street Fighter characters like Rolento, Abigail, Sodom, and Poison. They’re thoughtfully designed and beautifully drawn, making their constant reappearances not just tolerable but enjoyable.

Dispatching them is simple enough: mash that punch button. Each character has their own multi-hit combo and unique throws. Befitting his massive frame and wrestling background, Haggar prefers hefty blows and suplexes, while Cody and Guy are a bit quicker on their feet but not quite as overwhelmingly powerful. They each also have screen-clearing supers — like Haggar’s spinning lariat — that come in handy when the bad guys become overwhelming. They take a bit of health, though, disincentivizing their overuse. And that’s about it. Compared to later genre examples that would feature fighting-game style combos and button inputs, it’s a bit rudimentary, but honestly it still works. With the right punch-feel and satisfying throws, a beat ’em up can work without all that much in terms of attack options. Would I love a Streets of Rage 4 treatment for Final Fight one day with a super sophisticated fighting engine? Sure! But the basics still make for a game that’s great fun.

Knock the shit out of baddies for six stages, and you’ll reach the final boss in his top-floor office at Mad Gear HQ. Eliminate his several health bars, and you’ll be treated to a final cutscene including a coup de grâce (that I won’t spoil) befitting an asshole like him before Cody and Jessica share a kiss.

Congrats! You saved the girl and played through a landmark brawler. Undiminished by age, it’s still an exemplar that’s well worth playing for any fan of the genre. No gritting your teeth through dated mechanics necessary; grab the arcade version of Final Fight, and I guarantee you’ll enjoy a fun-filled hour of fighting crime with a buddy.