Launched in 1989, Final Fight blew people away. Launched before the Mega Drive and SNES, this looked better than anything else at the time. It was based on Double Dragon 2, and this meant it was a scrolling beat 'em up game. It was made by Capcom, who are famous for Street Fighter.
The story starts in 1987, in a town called Metro City, also known as "Crime Capital of the World" One day Mayor Mike Haggar decides to change all this. He promises the civilians of Metro City that he will clean up the streets of the major crime group, the "Mad Gear". The Mad Gear are a massive crime group leaded by a man called Belger. However, Mike's plan takes a U-turn when the Mad Gear kidnaps his daughter, Jessica. The Mad Gear say he can only have Jessica back if he lets Mad Gear do what they want. They'll even give Mike money.
Mike isn't having any of this. He calls on the help of his gym mates Guy and Cody to help him clear the streets of Mad Gear once and for all.
Final Fight is a scrolling beat 'em up game for 1 or 2 players. It has you choosing a fighter then taking on Mad Gear thugs over 6 levels and 2 bonus stages. Here is a guide to the moves of the 3 fighters available.
COMMAND:
J= JUMP
A= ATTACK
D= DOWN
L= LEFT
R= RIGHT
U= UP
HAGGAR:
Height: 202cm
Weight: 140kg
Birthplace: America
Fighting Style: Wrestling
Mike Haggar is trying to clear the city of Mad Gear, and is also going to save his daughter .He used to be a wrestler, and entered the first 2 Slam Master tournaments . Now, he is the mayor of Metro City. His moves are wrestling style, and he also has a mean pile driver. He goes to the same gym as Guy and Cody, and enlists them for help.
Haggar's strengths:
* Haggar is the strongest fighter in the game. His pile driver is excellent for clearing enemies in groups by slamming into them.
* His combo is also powerful.
* He can knock people down with his jump down move.
Haggar's Weaknesses
* Haggar is very slow, and takes time to move around.
* His special move has a limited range and is the worst one in the game.
* His combo is slow to do.
MOVES:
COMBO: Press the A button 3 times on a bad guy to knock them down.
SPECIAL:
SPINNING CLOTHES LINE
This knocks enemies close down, but damages yourself if it connects. Press both buttons together for this.
JUMP ATTACKS:
DROP KICK: Press J then A for this. It will knock people down instantly.
TRAVELLING DROP KICK: Press A, then R or L with A for this. It will knock people down.
STUN ATTACK: Press J then D and A. This will knock bad guys down, unlike Guy and Cody's Stun Attacks. This can also travel.
GRAB ATTACKS: (Move close to a thug to grab them.)
HEAD BASH: Press A up to 3 times for this. Does big damage if you get all 3 hits in.
GERMAN SUPLEX: Press left then A for this. Slams bad guy to floor, medium to high damage.
PILE DRIVER: One of the best moves in the game, Press J then R or L and A for this. Can also travel. Does big damage.
CODY:
Height: 185cm
Weight: 80kg
Birthplace: America
Fighting style: Street Fighting
Cody was Jessica's boyfriend. Learning that she was captured, Cody sets off with Haggar and Guy to save her and clean the town up of thugs. Cody really likes fighting and getting into fights. He is ready to beat the crap out of some Mad Gear scum.
Cody's Strengths:
* Cody is good for beginners, as he has good moves all round.
* His special is also good, as it has a good range.
* His combo has quite a few hits.
Cody's Weaknesses:
* His moves are not as strong as Haggar's, but they are still good.
* His special isn't brilliant.
MOVES:
COMBO: 2 jabs. then a straight, then a uppercut. Knocks down bad guys. Press A 4 times.
SPECIAL:
CYCLONE KICK: Knocks down close Mad Gears, but hurts you when it connects. Press A and J together.
JUMP ATTACKS:
HIGH KICK: Press J then A for this. Knocks down any bad guys it connects to.
FLYING KICK: Press J, then R and A for this. Knocks down any bad guys it connects to.
STUN ATTACK: J then D and A. This is a knee drop that does tiny damage but stuns Mad Gears.
GRAB ATTACKS (Move close to thug to grab them.)
KNEE JABS: Press A up to 3 times for this. Does big damage if you get all 3 hits.
THROW: Press L or R and A for this. Throws bad guys, and knocks other guys down if they get hit.
GUY:
Height: 179cm
Weight: 72kg
Birthplace: America
Fighting Style: Bushin Ninjitsu
Guy is Cody's friend, and when Cody and Haggar go off to defeat Mad Gear, so does Guy. He is best for beginners. Guy is very fast and has the best special move. He can also jump off walls and attack. Guy wants to save Jessica to,, and with his Bushin moves he reckons he has a good chance.
GUY'S STRENGTHS
* He is the fastest is the game.
* He also has the best special.
* His off the wall jump kick attack is very powerful.
GUY'S WEAKNESSES
* Weak.
* His combo isn't exactly powerful.
MOVES:
COMBO: 2 jabs, a straight, a elbow and then a kick. Press A 5 times for this. Knocks bad guys down.
SPECIAL:
BUSHIN SEN PU KYAKU: Has a big range, knocks down Mad Gears and is powerful. You do lose health if it connects.
JUMP ATTACKS:
HIGH KICK: Press J then A for this. Weak but knocks people down.
FLYING KICK: Press J then R or L and A for this. This knocks the bad guys down.
STUN ATTACK: J then D and A. This is a knee drop that does little damage but stuns Mad Gears.
OFF THE WALL LEAP ATTACK: Go up to a wall, press J and L or R to hit it, then press J again the A. This does good damage and knocks bad guys down.
GRAB ATTACKS: (Move close to thug to grab them.)
KNEE JABS: Press A 3 times. This does good damage if you get all three hits.
THROW: Press L or R then A to throw a thug. Does good damage and knocks other thugs down.
WELCOME TO METRO CITY
Metro City is split up into 6 rounds. Here is a guide to each of the rounds and tips on how to defeat each of the bosses:
ROUND 1: SLUM
You start out at the most run down area in Metro City. Damnd has Jessica so you try to go after him, but many punks get in your way. Most of them are weak and fall after a few hits. You will move underground for a short section where enemies like Bill Bull make their first appearance. After this it's back outside to face Damnd and a lot of other Mad Gears, including new enemies like Roxy.
BOSS: DAMND
Damnd isn't that hard to beat. He'll smash down a door to surprise you. As soon as he appears, get some its in, preferably some kind of throw. After a while he will retreat and jump on a wall where you cannot hit him, and then whistle some Mad Gears to get you. You can attack them if you want, bt at some point Damnd will jump spin kick at you from the wall. When he does this move out of the way or do a special move. Then start hitting Damnd again. Damnd will do the same thing one more time, so repeat the process until he is knocked out.
ROUND 2:SUBWAY/PARK
After taking the stairs, you will end up in the Subway. In the first area you will face all of the Mad Gears from before and a new one, Adore Jr. After they have all been defeated you will get on a train, and have to move through it until you get to the controls of the train. Of course, the Mad Gears members intend on stopping you. After this there is a short section at a dead end, with more punks to beat. When they are all beaten your character will flying kick the gate down so you can get to Sodom.
BOSS: SODOM
Sodom's main attacks are his sword swipes and dash attack. As soon as you enter the arena, keep walking right then move up to grab Sodom. Don't stand around in front of him or he will slice you. Do a throw on him, and he will drop his swords. Pick one of them up, and use it against Sodom. Every time he gets close slash him. However, sometime when Sodom gets up he will look down and you cannot hurt him. This is when he will dash at you, so when he does this do a special move.
ROUND 3:WEST SIDE
This level is set at a bar/night club. After beating up Mad Gears in this ending you will be taken to an arena by Andore Jr. so you can fight two of his older and stronger relatives! As soon as you are in this area, go left and throw the Andore into the other one. Then pick up a knife and throw it at and Andore. Then pick the sword up and use it at long range to beat them. Remember that you can use Guy's off the wall kick a lot here. When you have beaten them both it's back to the bar exit and onto the street, where you will end up fighting more Mad Gears and the boss.
BOSS: EDI.E
This guy is a cop who is secretly working for Mad Gear. He has a gun and baton, but will only use the gun when he is weak. He will even shoot other Mad Gears, keep this in mind when fighting him. If he gets close he will grab you and smash you over the head with his baton, which is highly damaging. When he weak he will also move around a lot to get away from you, but just keep moving into him and throwing him. Don't waste your time with the other Mad Gears. If you are running low on health, pick up the gum Edi.E drops at the start of the fight.
ROUND 4: INDUSTRIAL AREA
The start of this round is highly annoying. Try your best to avoid the flames as they shoot out of the ground, and get the Mad Gears to walk into them. After the grid section is done, you'll move onto normal ground so you don't have to worry about the fire any more. However you do need to worry about all of the Mad Gears who show up. They are more powerful and are higher in numbers. Keep throwing the weaker ones into the stronger ones or into groups to knock them all over. The next section is set on a lift, where Mad Gears will drop down to attack you, including the likes of Andore, El Gado and Poison. What's worse is that Rolento will keep dropping grenades off to try and get you, but you can often get the Mad Gears to walk into them. Beat them all up as fast as you can because if they are still on screen when Rolento shows up, the boss battle is more difficult.
BOSS: ROLENTO
Rolento is a military master mind. At the start of the fight he will either stab you with his cane, throw a few grenades or use a homing jump kick like Guy's to try and knock some energy off you. He also has a very powerful throw. Rolento is a bit weak though, and a few throws and combos will see him very low on health. However, this is when Rolento decides to change tactics. Now he'll leap up onto the frame and throw grenades everywhere, then jump back down. Avoid the grenades and just keep doing special moves to get Rolento because he is also much faster when he is weaker. Alternatively, try using the sword or pipe, if they are still available, because these have excellent reach and can normally hit Rolento as he dashes around. Also, this arena is excellent for Guy, because you can do the off the wall kick a lot. When you beat Rolento, he'll blow himself up with grenades, but he'll be back...
ROUND 5: BAY AREA
This level is very long and is one big area, instead of a few smaller ones. It's also probably the most annoying one in the game. The same enemies will attack you but they are stronger, but there are many more helpful items to get. Watch out for barrels, as at certain points they will roll along and will hurt you if you get hit by them. Use a special move in the middle of the screen to destroy them all and then pick up whatever items they may drop. There are a few annoying points about this level. The first is the barrels. The second is the part where Bill Bull and his clones start attacking you, they just keep coming and doing that stupid head butt dash. Try throwing them into each other for the best results. Another annoying part is when you just get past the toilets, where many Holly Woods come on screen. Grab one and hold them, then when the others have thrown there molotov cocktails, throw the one you are holding. The next annoying part is when lots of El Gados and Holly Woods come on screen. There are many of these and they just keep coming. Throw them into each other, but remember about their jumping attacks and slides. Keep moving on, because there are only a few more Mad Gears to beat up before you get to the worst boss of the game.
BOSS: ABIGAIL
This is like a super Andore, and is very, very powerful. Why is he so annoying? Because he has a very stupid looking throw. He will grab you, fling you up, and then nothing. The thing is this throw costs half you health roughly, and he can do it way to easily. Don't ever try jumping attacks against him, because he can do it then, strangely. As well as this he has a punch with incredible reach, and one other attack where he goes red and charges at you, and then will do a punch. The latter attack is very easy to stop him, just do a flying jump kick. A pretty easy way to beat him is to throw him, then move up close to him so if you move up when he gets up he would be in grabbing range. Do this and you will grab him, even though you would think he would do a throw on you Now do something powerful, like a few knee jabs then a throw or in Haggar's case pile drive away.
ROUND 6: UP TOWN
The Mad Gears really don't want you getting anywhere near to their boss, and have set up barrel blockades in front of the entrance to the Mad Gear HQ. To try and kill you they will kick the barrels as you approach, so special move in the middle to destroy them all, then pick the items up. You will have to fight the usual Mad Gears as you make your way to the lift. When you use the lift you'll be taken to the top floor, where there are many annoying Mad Gears to beat like Bill Bulls and Holly Woods. Use the same tactics as mentioned in previous levels. Then you are back inside to face more Mad Gears and more rolling barrels. Then it's on to the next section, where there are more Mad Gears, who are the strongest ones yet. Keep moving and eventually you will get to the boss and the final fight, ho ho.
BOSS: BELGER
Belger arrives on a wheel chair with Jessica. Grab him and they'll fall off the chair. Jessica will go to the top left corner, but Belger wants to fight. When you grab him quickly throw him because this guy is very hard to grab. He also has a crossbow, which is very damaging. Other Mad Gear members will come on screen, but just concentrate on Belger. You can often get Belger to shoot all the other enemies anyway. Belger moves and jumps around very quickly, so just use a combination of jump attacks and special moves to win the day. Belger will fall to his death out of the window, and then the ending will start. Oh happy days...
THE BONUS GAMES:
After round 2 you go to the CAR SMASH bonus game. Here you must hit the break points to smash a Mad Gear member's car. There are 3 break points, hit them a lot to clear the stage. Use the pipe to smash the car even quicker. The GLASS SMASH is after round 4. Smash all the panels of glass to win, but if they start spinning, back off. You have to hit them dead in the center to break them.
Final Fight was converted to many systems. The most known are the Super NES and Game Boy Advance ones, but the best one has to be the Mega/SEGA CD version, which was released in 1993. Other conversions were made for the Atari, Amiga, X68000, Commodore 64 and the Sinclair Spectrum.
After Final Fight various sequels were made. There were some proper scrollers on the Super NES, but some of the Final Fight characters were put into the Street Fighter Alpha games. There was also a 3D one on one fighting game called Final Fight Revenge. There were other games too, so check out the rest of the site to learn about them.
FINAL FIGHT CHEATS
CHEAT FOR THE ARCADE VERSION
SKIP PART OF LEVEL 2
At the front of the train of level 2, stand on the barrel and let the clock get to about 45. You will skip the section without defeating the Mad Gear guys.
CHEAT FOR THE GAME BOY ADVANCE VERSION
UNLOCK EVERYTHING
Get over 2000 points (the number of Mad Gear members you defeated) to unlock Extra lives, level select, Alpha Guy and Cody, Costume Colours and Rapid Punch.
CHEAT FOR THE SNES VERSION
EXTRA OPTIONS MENU
Where it says "Press Start" press L, R and Start. The menu has extra lives, sound test, difficulty etc. This also works on Final Fight Guy.
CHEAT FOR THE MEGA/SEGA CD VERSION
RAPID PUNCH
Haven't got one of those fancy auto fire pads? Then go onto the options menu and highlight exit. Now, hold right, A and B and press start. Start playing the game and you'll notice that rapid punch is on.
ANY VERSION
DEFEAT MAD GEAR EASIER
Start a combo on a thug, do about 3 hits in a combo, then turn round, then quickly turn back and start the combo again. The thug won't have had time to move. They will be defeated much quicker. If you unlock the "rapid punch" cheat on the GBA version this works much easier.
HIDDEN ITEMS
On the last part of round 6, where all the pillars are that are in front of the screen, there are often hidden items such as point items and food. Just go behind a pillar and keep pressing attack until you collect the item.
GET UP FASTER
If you have been floored by an opponent, press both buttons and move the direction left or right rapidly to get up faster. This can be very useful, especially when Andore decides to slam drop you.
