Real Bout Fatal Fury Special is an enhanced remake with elements from Fatal Fury 2 and Fatal Fury Special. The threesome are back (Terry, Andy and Joe - can't be Fatal Fury w/out them), with the original babes of SNK (Mai'n'Mary). Choose your characters from a line up of nineteen standard choices, or the additional four special versions of Mary, Tung, Andy and Billy (a code in the arcade). In the gameboy version, you can use Iori, and I am not sure if Geese (the Man himself) can be chosen. Heil GameFaqs!

All the standard characters are listed here (row->column):

The control system is the standard eight - way pad with four buttons (not including start + select). You can vary the length of jumps ("tap for a hop") and use the buttons for different effects depending on the current movement, line position, or current sequence. The standard kick, punch, power attack and line-switch buttons are used here. The line button is useful for avoiding the unnecessarily powerful moves conjured up by the likes of Billy and Krauser, and can help you get the drop on that annoying Yamazaki.

A nice addition is the "grading" system, which tells you how well you fought the round. Based (probably) on the combos performed, the damage percentage and so forth, you will be assigned a rank, ranging from "SSS" to "E" (not sure of the lower limit; I'm not accustomed to seeing them much.. hehe). All in all, I get "AAA" and "SS" often; NEVER have I received a "SSS". These probably determine the final class you attain (along with your score, and the match statistics for all bouts) in the character ranks and whether you have nightmares later on.

The power bar has three different states of use, ranging from high power to super power and potential power (full super bar, and red life bar). Once the bar is full, you have to use it or lose it, as it drains at a constant rate until you perform the move specific to your character. If you end a round without filling the bar, the level is passed to the next fight. If you have super power or potential power, the bar will be preserved until the round starts, and then it goes. Secret moves can be performed with a red life bar, and are ususally quite deadly. Damage varies depending on some in-game variables; hell if I know.

The downsides of this game are not many, but they are rather large mountains. You sometimes do not get a warning that indicates that a powerful move is being performed until it is too late. For example, normal Billy spins a flaming cane, and when it hits, it is nowhere near spectacular. But there your life goes...

Krauser is another matter entirely. Although he is a slow beastie, suddenly he whips up some tornado and whacks you sixteen times. How can you avoid something which you can't see coming as it drags you in? Think of it as poor design. He is powerful, and so it should be; he is also unreasonable, and so it should not be.

Characters are not nicely balanced as I'd like them to be. A cool guy as Sokaku with monstrous moves has a hard time getting around, while Terry just beats 'em all with his winning smile. Mai doesn't have her bouncy ways as she used to (KOF before, and now), and the Jin people aren't portrayed well at all. Each stage has a nice intro (Korean flag for Kim, aeroplane in Hon Fu's busy street) which hides the overall waiting game which this fighter can be. There are very few options to stop a turtler, and this is very bad.

After all your hard work, you see a comic-like scene for your character ending. You can also fight Geese Howerd (a?) in a Nightmare match if you get your fair share of super/potential power finishes, ranking averages all above "C" and a 750K+ score before Krauser. Now THIS is the guy which saves the game and packs all the eye-candy. Too bad that you actually have to try to get him for this fight (bonus... yeah). Credits are played with various situations where the characters use their moves to create rather humorous effects, continuing the somewhat Fatal Fury trademark tech (remember Andy "taking the bull by the horns" in the original FFSpecial?).

All in all, the game can just be regarded as an addition to your Fatal Fury collection (the exclusive appearance of EX Blue Mary? I'm still not sure). If you stumble on this in the arcade, try a few pops for the feel, and don't be shocked if you are disappointed. A sequel exists, with good reason. Too bad SNK is holed up in Japan alone now.

Review done by LChrysler for EmulaZone exclusively. No part of this compilation may be duplicated in ANY form without permission from the Zone.