Review: Final Fight (Amiga)
I remember waiting one year for Christmas to come round. I was so excited because I’d asked my father for the Amiga version of Final Fight. I played this one at the arcades and loved it even though I was rubbish at it but maybe the Amiga would simplify things. It’s hard to believe the original arcade game is more than twenty years old. Where does time go? Anyway, to fuel my regular need for nostalgia I thought I’d go back and check the game out.
Set in Metro City, a former wrestler Mike Haggar has become Mayor of the city and vows to reduce crime. He doesn’t count on Mad Gear though, a ruthless crime gang that control large parts of the city. When Haggar’s daughter, Jessica, is kidnapped by Mad Gear that expect him to play ball and allow them to influence his every policy. However, Haggar sets out to rescue his daughter with the aid of Jessica’s boyfriend, Cody, and Cody’s sparring partner, Guy.
Final Fight plays as single player or two player co-op and you can pick and choose from the three protagonists. I usually favoured Cody or Haggar, Guy just seemed a bit useless or that might have just been my appalling gaming skills. Moving on, Final Fight is a side scrolling beat ‘em up where you traverse six levels including slums, an industrial area and finally a confrontation with the head of Mad Gear himself. At the end of each level you may have a boss fight including Damnd who taunts Haggar in the opening segment and a burly police officer who is presumably corrupt.
I always enjoyed Final Fight on the Amiga and looking back it is still fun but quite straightforward to negotiate. There’s maybe an hour’s worth of play which seems little given the game would have been £20-£25 at that time. Compared to the arcade the game is lacking in some qualities including no background animation and the Mad Gear crew were more varied in the original as well. The game is still fun but the Amiga’s limitations hinder the experience when it is compared to the arcade.
Verdict: 3/5
About the Author:
I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.
David M. Brown – who has written 835 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.