PC Engine Review: Garon Densetsu 2 (Fatal Fury 2)
Publisher: Hudson Soft
Genre: Fighting
Game Type: PCE Arcade CD

Ok..everyone knows what Fatal Fury is, and nearly everyone has played one version or another of it. But I was still surprised by this game.

Fatal Fury 2 for PC Engine is one of the better fighting games I've played on the system. Not only are the graphics excellent and crisp, but the controls are good as well. Not a surprise for a port from an SNK fighting game. After playing other fighting titles for this system, Fatal Fury 2 was a refreshing change.

There are eight playable characters in the game, as well as a Bonus Stage and a versus mode. These are standard for SNK's fighting games. The game is also compatible with the NEC Avenue 6 controller, which would have been great if I had one to play it with. Frankly, the Turbo Duo controllers are less sophisticated than Fatal Fury 2, and as a result, it's hard to pull off moves with a standard controller.

What DID catch me off guard about this game was the construction of the fighting arenas. Most tiles of this era (such as Street Fighter 2) are single plane fighters. That means that your fight only takes place horizontally, and you fight back and forth. Fatal Fury 2 is actually multiplanar though! You can move into a second plane to keep fighting, moving behind objects like posts and boxes. This is very similar to games such as Double Dragon and Streets of Rage, but with less flexibility. In Fatal Fury 2, you can only jump to another plane, not walk back and forth in between them. This is done so as not to make players have to line up their shots before attacking, making the fighting easier. I thought it was a great way to set up a 2D fighting arena.

The graphics are very well done for the platform. The added power of the Arcade card surely has a bit to do with that. I found Fatal Fury 2 fast paced, well drawn, and very smooth to play. It wasn't very pixely, and I enjoyed the backgrounds.

Overall, the game is an excellent fighter. It does require the Arcade Card Duo or the Arcade Card Pro to play (as shown on the scan of the back cover), and I'd also recommend an NEC Avenue 6 Controller, but if you're into fighting games, this one's a keeper!

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