After almost 30 years since it made its debut on the Neo Geo, SNK’s Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers is available on Steam. Under the Neo Geo Premium Selection label, players can dive into a classic fighter that boasts 23 fighters and some old school combat. SNK is a superb developer when it comes to fighting games. While Capcom and Street Fighter is the more popular, it’s hard to disagree that SNK is a king in its own right. We got to preview one of its coolest fighters before it debuts on PC.
Straight away, the combat still holds up. Fights aren’t frenetic and fast. Sure, learning movesets and building combos offers a higher advantage, yet the general pace feels easier to get on board with. It comes from an age when fighters focused less on endless combos and speed. It was all about hitting that move at the right time, making use of every skill in your arsenal, and being patient before landing that killer strike. I was never as familiar with Fatal Fury. Despite never playing this before, it feels amazing to play even now.
One of the key features of Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers is the two-lane system. Each fight plays out in the first lane, where players can bash out moves and combos. The second lane moves you out of the line of fire where you move into the background. From here, you can get a moment of respite. Not only that, you can dive back into the main lane and land a swift strike in the process. Getting used to this can play a huge advantage, as well as offering something different for how each approach to taking down your opponent is made.
It’s easy to switch between the two. At the press of a single button, drifting between the two lanes feels smooth. Often, jumping was always turned to to evade an attack. Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers prefers to keep combat constant and intense, and this mechanic is a neat way for this to happen. Like all fighters, the roster is filled with a range of fighters. Some are slow and powerful; others are good from range; and others are quick and fluid with their strikes. Familiarising yourself with movesets as well as the two-lane system adds for some great fights.
The Practice Mode definitely caters for newcomers, too. It’s easy to jump in as any of the 23 fighters and familiarise yourself with their moveset. Not only that, but you can view your button prompts as well as hitboxes to give you an idea of where each strike lands. After spending time trying out the roster, I quickly fell in love with Duck. From there, I was able to jump into the single player and fight through numerous opponents and get used to the nuances in the character.
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers looks gorgeous. It has that appeal of 90s fighters and is still colourful and full of detail. The various stages looks stunning, too. It holds up very well, giving players a chance to experience one of those fighters that was almost lost in time. For fans who are loyal to SNK, there’s a gallery featuring various artwork, even letting you select one to be your avatar when jumping into the online. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a match online, but the new rollback netcode should make online fighting easier with the full release.
I always love getting to play fighters I missed growing up. As an over 40-year old, I remember the heyday of fighters, and the 1990s gave us so many. Releasing on Steam, a whole new range of people will get to experience one of SNK’s awesome fighters for the first time. Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers is well worth checking out. The fighting is controlled yet intense, and the huge roster offers someone for everyone. It looks great, and I can’t wait to see people experience this for the first time.
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers is out now on PC via Steam.
