239: Final Fight

Number 239
(4.2 points)
Final Fight
1992: 80

The Amiga Power lists have been relatively light on arcade ports, but here comes Capcom's popular scrolling beat-em-up.

Take control of Guy, Cody or Haggar as you roam the streets, dishing out punishment to hoodlums from the Mad Gear gang. The arcade featured two buttons for jump and attack, so the one-button Amiga gives you the option of a punch, a flying kick, or a special move. Unlike the arcade original, there is no option to grab or throw enemies.

I'm stunned that this scored so highly in Amiga Power, and it was even well reviewed on budget. The graphics look extremely arcade accurate, but that's where the good points end. The simplistic control system means there is no grabbing or throwing, removing any nuance to the action. Worse, the enemy AI consists of running straight at you and endlessly punching, in many cases leaving you unable to fight back. The game begins with you surrounded by several enemies, giving you little chance of you making a good start. Really, this should not be in the list at all. It rates above Golden Axe, and while that port has its flaws, it's still significantly better, and closer to the source, than this effort. Even the ZX Spectrum has better beat 'em ups, so I find the kind contemporary reviews astonishing. I actually had the ST version of this when it was new, and its slower speed surprisingly makes it more playable, as the enemy AI isn't so much of a problem. I still didn't play it for long, though, and was much happier when I got a SNES.

Recommended TOSEC disk(s):
Final Fight (1991)(U.S. Gold)(Disk 1 of 2)[cr CSL]
Final Fight (1991)(U.S. Gold)(Disk 2 of 2)[cr CSL]