This is the final part of the Alpha series, and isn't the best. Capcom added stacks and stacks of crap features, and then decided to make the cheap AI even cheaper with it cheating really badly all of the time. Oh well, at least the game still had some references to Final Fight....
Now for some explaining. Capcom added 4 "isms" to this game. (One is hidden and for boss use only) Here is a brief explanation on each one:
X-ISM
This ism gives you just one super combo to use, but it is very powerful if you do the super on someone. Characters play how they would in Street Fighter 2, so there's no taunts, air blocking, one super per fighter etc. You have one big meter to fill up to use a super combo. You can charge the meter up by doing normal and special moves. Combo hits do more damage on this ism.
A-ISM
This ism is the standard one to use. It has all the usual stuff (air blocking, multiple super combos for each fighter, taunts etc) This is the best ism to use as it is the easiest to understand plus you have multiple super combos and a 3 bar meter. You can charge the meter up by doing normal and special moves.
V-ISM
The hardest to use and in my opinion the worst. It is like the custom combos from Alpha 2, you activate this ism when it's full by pressing 2 buttons of the same strength together. You then get a purple image around your character, and you do lots of more hits, and can basically make your own powerful combos for a brief a amount of time. There is a catch-you can't block during this time. Hence why I don't like it.
Some moves are exclusive to each ism. For example, Charlie can't do his knee jab on X-ism, and sometimes move commands change completely depending on which ism you have, like Zangief's Banishing Flat. Thankfully this does not effect the Final Fight characters moves, so it's less work for me to do. Ha ha!
THE CHARACTERS
Here, once again, are the moves for all the Final Fight characters in the game, including Cody, the new Final Fight character for this game. (The super combos in red are the one the characters can use on X-ism)
GUY
After defeating his Master in a fight, Guy is now the newest Bushin master. However the presence of evil is still around, so Guy sets off to find the one called Bison. Guy also wants to find out what happened to Cody.
SPECIAL MOVES:
Bushin Sen Pu Kyaku (Hurricane Kick): D, DL, L then K
Bushin Izuna Drop: D, DR, R, P then P
Haygake (Dash) D, DR, R then K
Kage Sukui (Dash then slide) D, DR, R then MK then K
Kubikari (Dash then flying kick) D, DR, R then HK then K
SUPER COMBOS (At least level 1 super combo gauge required)
Bushin Hassoken: D, DR, R, D, DR then P
Bushin Goraikyaku: D, DR, R, D, DR then K
Bushin Musourenka: R, DR, D, DL, L, R, DR, D, DL, L then P
CAMEO MOVES FROM FINAL FIGHT:
Combo from Final Fight: Press LP, MP, HP, HP then HK
Off the wall jump: Go to wall of screen, jump to wall, then when hitting the wall, press opposite direction.
Knee Bashes: When close to opponent, press K, then L rapidly to do more hits.
Throw: When close to opponent, press L or R and P.
SODOM
Sodom is still trying to resurrect the Mad Gear Gang after it got destroyed. As well as his sais, Sodom has also bought along his swords. To have them instead of the sais, just pick him on X-Ism. His moves do not change apart from the fact that he can only do one super, but you already knew that. I hope.
SPECIAL MOVES
Jigku Scrape: R, D, DR then P
Butsumetsu Buster: 360 Degree turn then P
Daikyo Burning: 360 Degree turn the K
Shiraha Catch: R, D, DR then K
Yagura Reverse: L, D, DL then K
SUPER COMBOS (At least level 1 super combo gauge required)
Meido no Miyage: D, DR, R, D, DR, R then P
Techchusatsu: 360 Degree turn (twice) then P
ROLENTO
Rolento is trying to take over Bison's base and make it his own. He needs Shadowloo's technology and weapons to have a powerful army. He still has El Gado troops in his army.
SPECIAL MOVES
Patriot Circle: D, DR, R then P (Up to three times)
Stinger: R, D, DR then K then P or K
Mekong Delta Attack: PPP then P when landing
Mekong Delta Air-Raid: D, DL, L then P then P
Mekong Delta Escape: D, DL, L then K then P or K
SUPER COMBOS (At least level 1 super combo gauge required)
Take No Prisoners: D, DR, R, D, DR, R then P
Minesweeper: D, DL, L, D, DL, L then P
Steel Rain: D, DR, R, D, DR, R then K
CODY
Cody got himself arrested after being in one to many fights. However, he escaped, and is out on the streets to fight again. He also wants to find Guy. What he doesn't know is that Edi.E is after him! Cody looks Ok in his new style, but he looks nothing like himself in Final Fight. He has some decent moves and supers however.
SPECIAL MOVES
Criminal Uppercut: D, DL, L then P
Ruffian Kick: D, DR, R then K
Bad Stone: D, DR, R then P (You can charge this move by holding down P)
Knife Pickup: D and PPP. (Over the knife of course)
Knife Throw: P (With knife)
SUPER COMBOS
Final Destruction: D, DR, R, D, DR, R then P
Dead End Irony: D, DR, R, D, DR, R then K
NOTE
On X-ism, the Final Destruction super combo is completely different. It is like Cody on the first Final Fight game. If you go up to an opponent and press P four times, he does his combo from Final Fight on them. Any jump kick attack is like the one from Final Fight. He stays in this mode for a few seconds, so get lots of hits in.
THE STAGES
If you're looking for Final Fight cameos then your going to be disappointed, well compared to Alpha 2 anyway. Guy's stage has a few characters from Final Fight, these being Haggar, Axl, El Gado, Andore and Poison. The Andore is almost certainly Hugo from the Street Fighter 3 games. All of these back ground cameos look the same as they did in Alpha 2 apart from Haggar. There are also 2 signs in the background that may interest you, one saying Capcom and another saying Megaman.
Sodom's stage seem to be in a skyscraper, since you can see a city sky line out of the window. Inside are various Japanese things and a train set that actually works. Apart from that there isn't anything much else of interest, apart from two pictures of Sodom on the right of the stage. Instead of the moon on Sodom's helmet these pictures have a star on instead.
Rolento's stage seems to be set at some kind of military plant, where various hardware is being made and is riding on a conveyer belt. At the far left or right of a stage you can see a picture of Rolento.
Cody's stage is set at a prison where a jail break has just ensured. There isn't anything Final Fight related though apart from a bill board sign in the top right hand corner on the far right of the stage, which says "HUGO" with a picture of the Street Fighter 3 fighter.
Oh yes, the music. Alpha 3's music is well known for how bad it is, and the Final Fight character's music is no exception. There are no re-mixes or old tunes from the old Final Fight games, just brand new (and terrible) music. For some reason they gave Sodom two music tracks, one for when he's using X-Ism, the other when he's using either of the other two isms.
OTHER STUFF
With Cody you can do some fun things. Sometimes in one of Cody's win poses Edi.E will come on and chase Cody away. Sometimes Cody will then come back on screen and kick Edi.E away! Play against Guy in arcade mode and you get a funny little intro where both of them destroy the barrels from Final Fight, and Guy will pick up some gum after destroying some barrels with his hurricane kick!
Well there you go. Alpha 3 isn't that great, and I think it's the worst in the series. You can get some fun out of it but the amount of cheapness going on and all of the crappy new features ruin the game slightly. All in all, you should get Alpha 2 instead, you can't go wrong with that. If you must own this game, then I suggest that you get the Dreamcast version, since that is the best one. The Playstation version is apparently good for the hardware, and the Saturn version is said to be on par with the Dreamcast version but since it only ever came out in Japan and at the end of the Saturn's life, it's extremely rare, plus you need to make sure your Saturn can play import games. The Game Boy Advance version is heavily flawed and the controls are a big problem.
