Capcom | RVGFanatic

Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (SNES)

**Pub & Dev: Capcom | November 1991 | 8 MEGS**

One of the earliest titles to hit the SNES, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is also often referred to as one of the top classics of its era. Its difficulty is well documented; in fact, rumors swirled back in the early ’90s that even Chuck Norris had trouble finishing it twice. As Sir Arthur, you must clear eight savage lands ranging from dark haunted graveyards to an icy forest in order to save your main squeeze. Easier said than done, especially back to back!

IN THE BEGINNING…

Capcom's original horror franchise! Sorry, Resident Evil — Capcom’s *original* horror franchise! Sorry, *Resident Evil*

Ghosts ‘n Goblins originated in the arcades in 1985. It later received a couple home ports, most notably on the 8-bit Nintendo. I remember seeing this game for the first time at my friend’s house in the late ’80s. Being a lover of monsters big and small, the stunning cover art immediately grabbed me by the ghoulies. Just look at those vile creatures! Now there goes a law-abiding group of good Samaritans if I ever saw one. I watched my friend Tommy fumble through the first level. The zombies were relentless. Arthur not exactly being a ballerina didn’t help matters any, either. But there was something compelling about it. I loved the ghoulish atmosphere.

Capcom released a superb sequel, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, in the arcades at the tail end of 1988. A Sega Genesis version was pumped out in 1989 to much critical acclaim. Then in November 1991, Capcom treated brand new SNES owners with an exclusive sequel, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts. This franchise has certainly developed a loyal fanbase since the first game hit the scene in 1985. To this very day, fans still love playing through these classics and fans still clamor for a proper return. It’s a shame Sir Arthur’s future is up in the air. But hey, at least we’ll always have these great games to keep us warm.

RAINING GHOULS ‘N GHOSTS

Several months following my SNES rebirth in January of 2006, I decided to reinvest in another old childhood favorite… the Sega Genesis. Those were some fun and reckless days, I tells ya. I was scouring eBay nonstop, checking the forums for people unloading games and surfing Craigslist daily. It was on a crazy rainy Friday afternoon that I met ex-gamer Kevin outside a local grocery store to cut the deal. It was my $20 for his five Genesis games. Among them, of course, was Ghouls ‘n Ghosts. Kevin must have felt nostalgic that rainy late afternoon, because before he handed me the game, he looked me dead in the eye and he said, “This is one of the best video games I have ever played.”

I stood outside his red truck holding an umbrella as he sat inside all warm and toasty. A small cute looking beagle stood on the passenger seat, tilting its head as it stared at me. Kevin went on to tell me that these games were all purchased from him back in the day and that they had been resting unused in his attic for a good number of years now. But it was time to let them go to a new home that would play them rather than have them sit on a shelf collecting dust. He cut me a great deal, 20 for all five as I said, and I couldn’t have been a happier camper that rainy Friday afternoon. It was one of my most favorite experiences off Craigslist and a very fond game memory from that crazy year of 2006 — the year where I set out to reclaim bits and pieces of my childhood. As the gray afternoon skies continued raining Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, I drove home on that wet freeway with a grin plastered across my face as wide as the Mississippi River. What a bargain, sure, but it was the human element that made it such a memorable transaction.

I had briefly seen and played Ghouls ‘n Ghosts, coincidentally, once again at Tommy’s place in the late ’80s. It had amazing visuals for its time. Who could ever forget that first gigantic boss who rips his own freakin’ head off? Arthur wasn’t much more athletic here than his NES outing but at least now he could shoot up. And like the NES game before it, Ghouls ‘n Ghosts was damn tough. Let’s see how Sir Arthur fared in his next adventure, Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts…

THE STORY GOES…

“Look everyone! Our hero, Sir Arthur, is back! Hip hip hooray!”

"YEEEEAH, BOY! GO ON IN AND GET YOUR WOMAN!" — *“YEEEEAH, BOY! GO ON IN AND GET YOUR WOMAN!”*

"OH Arthur! Welcome back home!" — *“OH Arthur! Welcome back home!”*

“Thank you, Princess Guinevere. I’ve come back to check up on you. While journeying all over the world seeking more knowledge, I had a very strange premonition. So, how are things? Anything peculiar? Sick guards, dying crops, red demons, perhaps?”

*cue I always feel like somebody's watching me!* — *I always feel like somebody’s watchin’ me!*

“Oh Sir Arthur, I too have felt an uneasy premonition as of late. I feel that someone… or something… is watching me… waiting in the shadows…”

“Not to worry, Princess. I’m here now. I won’t let anything bad happen to you ever again.”

“Thank you, Arthur. Your words comfort me but still, I can’t shake that horrible feeling that we’re being watched as we speak…”

Meanwhile… somewhere in the distance just beyond the castle…

"AWWWW! We NEVER get to have any fun!" — *“AWWWW! We **NEVER** get to have any fun!”*

“I sense something wicked watching us now!”

“Relax, Princess! You’re safe with me.”

“Oh you mean just like the last time, huh?”

“Don’t start that with me, woman!”

“SHHH! You hear that?”

“Hear WHAT?!”

*FLAP FLAP FLAP*

"AW CRAP, not this shit again!" — *“AW CRAP, not this shit again!”*

ARM YOURSELF

A welcomed change: he's not so unathletic anymore! — *A welcomed change:* he’s not so unathletic anymore!

You start out with the steel armor. Next upgrade is the Bronze Armor (middle), then finally the Golden Armor (right). The Bronze Armor grants Arthur power to use the Weapons of Enchantment while the Golden Armor allows him to cast magical spells. The shields are also invaluable.

Torch is eh, but the crossbow is my favorite

These only become available with the Bronze Armor

Here’s the Flaming Lance in action. Not only does it leave a nice trail but it’s twice as effective as the normal Lance shot.

Whether you’re using the regular weapons or their powered-up versions, you can release a stronger shot at the peak of your double jump. A successful attempt is highlighted via a red-ish glow. It’s a neat technique that adds a bit more strategy to the game, particularly during those boss battles.

Here’s the Magic Dagger in action. Discover the rest for yourself!

WELCOME TO THE MAGIC SHOW

Magic is yours to use once the Golden Armor is worn

Check out the Thunder Magic — this is when you’re wielding the Flaming Lance and rocking the Golden Armor.

Have the Magic Dagger on ya while wearing the Golden Armor? Then you have the power to call forth some Fire Dragon Magic! The weapon you’re currently in possession of determines what kind of magic you can unleash. They range in terms of effectiveness so it’s fun to figure out which ones work best when and where. One magic power doesn’t harm enemies; rather, it searches for hidden treasure troves! Acquiring AND maintaining the Golden Armor is key to success.

MAPQUEST

Thanks bogleech.com for this map — Thanks *bogleech.com* for this map

Trek through eight deadly worlds to save the blasted Princess. Er, actually 16 but uh, let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet…

LEVEL 1: THE DEAD PLACE

The original Capcom zombie right there, folks!

Ah, such a classic first stage — take a ghoulish romp through a haunted graveyard! From this forgotten cemetery, zombies arise to attack the living. Only the bravest and strongest will survive a journey through this cursed land.

So cool how the landscape shifts and changes

Thank you for that one, Mr. Nick Adams. Rest In Peace — Thank you for that one, Nick Adams. Rest In Peace

"YOU STINKIN' RATS!" — **“YOU STINKIN’ RATS!”**

Love having choices: do you go above or through?

Danger lurks at every turn. Beware of savage wolves! — Danger lurks at every turn. Beware of savage wolves

Whew! That was a close one... TOO DAMN CLOSE — Whew! That was a damn close one…

"Who needs a lousy key?!" — *“Who needs a lousy key?!”*

Occasionally, treasure chests will pop up out of the ground. Inside lies a random item. Perhaps a different weapon choice or even precious armor…

... and other times the evil Conjurer! — … and other times the evil Conjurer!

Better kill him fast or else... — Better kill him fast or else he could…

Hell turn you into a baby! — … turn you into a baby!

Thank goodness it’s only temporary. You can also be turned into a little girl or even a bee. Capcom sure had fun making this one…

It's not very potent but I love its range and speed — It’s not very potent but I love its range and speed

Pillars provide safe harbor from the crashing waves, which will carry you ruthlessly away to an early, murky grave.

(Double) jump at random points — you never know when doing so may trigger a hidden treasure chest to reveal itself from its hiding place. It’s fun to find them and feels a bit like an Easter egg hunt at times. It’s all a bit weird and cool at the same time.

NOW were talking! — **NOW** we’re talking!

You just found the Bronze (even though it’s green) Armor! With this bad boy you can now employ the almighty Weapons of Enchantment. Unfortunately, one hit strips Arthur straight to his boxers rather than back down to his regular steel armor. That’s a bit of a bitch but it sums up the toughness of this game. Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts separates the men from the boys.

Kill the wretched bubbly masses before detonation

Now equipped with the Bronze Armor, the crossbow becomes a homing weapon of destruction! Too bad though you can only fire one triple shot at a time. Should one shot linger searching for a target, you are left defenseless and are forced to wait until that last shot dissipates. This, as you can imagine, can prove costly in the heat of battle.

Be sure to look back for a nifty surprise!

Too bad one hit reduces Arthur to his boxers — Too bad ***just one*** hit reduces Arthur to his boxers

Congrats, it’s the almighty Golden Armor. So now not only do you have the powerful Weapons of Enchantment at your disposal but also magic! Charge up Arthur to unleash these magic powers.

Have the Crossbow? It seeks out hidden treasures

"Ah I'm safe now... TOTALLY in the clear..." — *“Ah I’m safe now… **TOTALLY** in the clear…”*

Remember how I said make sure you look over your shoulder after leaping over these fiery skeleton carts? Here’s why…

The ground shifts, sending em your way — The ground shifts, sending ‘em your way

Double jump straight up in the air to be safe

This is amusing to you, isnt it, Capcom? — This is amusing to you, isn’t it, Capcom?

Plus the dramatic boss music hits. Gotta love it

"GIVE ME BACK MY PRINCESS, BITCH!" — *“GIVE ME BACK MY PRINCESS, BITCH!”*

"KEEP HER, KEEP HER, KEEP HER!!" — **“KEEP HER, KEEP HER, KEEP HER!!”**

Nothing hits me in the feels like big bosses that flash

[Get this fake 1998 Godzilla crap outta here! -Ed.] — *[Get this fake **1998** Godzilla bull crap outta here! -Ed.]*

"Hey pal, don't get any funny ideas now..." — *“Hey pal, don’t get any funny ideas now!”*

What an amazing visual the Cockatrice was. And still is! — What an *amazing* sight the Cockatrice was and still is!

The Cockatrice, like all the bosses in this game, is easy to beat. In addition to laying its eggs, it’ll stretch that horrible long neck out in hopes of pecking you to a bloody death. This is a great example of a simple but effective boss design. Large, menacing and all-around badass. Few did it better than Capcom back in the early ’90s.

LEVEL 2: THE ROTTING SEA

This level is quite atmospheric. For starters, Arthur leaves this decrepit dock. No sooner then does it crumble into the sea, and you have the makings of yet another memorable level to come.

You find yourself trapped on the Graveyard of Ships. Long ago, this thriving harbor was home to hundreds of sea-faring men. But now the entire port is laid to waste, and only the restless and wicked ghouls remain.

Hurry, ascend before the sea swallows you whole!

Prepare yourself for a bumpy ride... — Prepare yourself for a bumpy ride…

You'll encounter man-eating mutant fish — You’ll encounter man-eating mutant fish

As well as this horrible squid-plant hybrid

Like the Cockatrice, he's easy enough — Like the Cockatrice, he’s easy enough

Yeah, what's the Princess ever done for ya anyway? — Yeah, what’s the Princess *ever* done for you anyway?

Ah, I see the mandatory fire and ice worlds up ahead... — Ah, I see the mandatory fire and ice worlds up ahead

LEVEL 3: VERMILION HORROR

Brave adventurers must first make it through the Crucible of Flame. Deep within the earth, the flames of evil burns brightly. Its glow drips with despair and darkness to all who venture forth.

Double jump, if ya dare, to nab the money

Visually, this level is pretty stunning. I love all the fire pits and how they turn different shades of red and orange. Nice. And you know what those demon head fire-spewing statues remind me of?

These guys from Genesis Ghouls 'N Ghosts! — These guys from Genesis *Ghouls ‘n Ghosts*

Almost a shame to kill this guy. ALMOST — Someone could use a Tic-Tac

I just love this guy. He’s like the Andore of Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts. He’s bigger than most other normal bad guys and takes several shots before tapping out. I have a thing for regular enemies who are extra tough and a little bigger than the rest of the non-boss cast.

The green glow up top makes this part VERY cool — The green glow up top makes this part *VERY* cool

Capcom was so damn good at adding in these little details to make their levels even more interesting than they already were. Gotta appreciate the craftsmanship.

Evil eyes from the darkness track your every move... — Evil eyes from the darkness track your every move…

The pillars move up and down. Be patient but don’t take your sweet ass time, either! Used properly, the double jump comes in extra handy here. Sometimes you need to head back to the drawing board so save that precious second jump for any last second change. It could determine the difference between winning and losing, yes sir.

Safely past the Crucible of Flame, it’s on to the Towers of Molten Steel. The mere sight of the twin towers strikes terror into the hearts of men. Within these demented walls, the ghouls of the Phantom Zone practice their darkest and most unspeakable acts of evil.

Who needs fancy 3D graphics eh? ;) — Who needs fancy 3D graphics when you got this

Slightly reminiscent of Nebulus (Commodore 64), this is a rather impressive bit. The twisting and turning of the tower while those gargoyle statues slowly reveal themselves is splendid stuff, especially by 1991 standards.

Kirby's Adventure (NES) — *Kirby’s Adventure* (NES)

Foreboding skies greet you on the way to Tower #2

Nasty spear-wielding one-eyed demons give chase

I dont think hes friendly — I don’t think he’s friendly…

Talk about a monstrosity! He’s easier than he looks, though. I find it best to stay right there where Arthur is positioned in the pic and fire away.

LEVEL 4: THE GHOUL’S STOMACH

To enter the frozen lands of the Emperor of Evil, you must first pass through the foul Ghoul’s Stomach. It won’t be easy, and it sure as hell won’t smell pleasant, either. Those axe-wielding goblins are annoying bastards. Deal with them quickly — you don’t want a pack of them coming after you.

Hope you've mastered your double jumping... — Hope you’ve mastered your double jumping…

Every so often the landscape changes from bad to worse and players must hotfoot it to safety via these platforms, or else.

Witness the amazing rotating prowess of the SNES

Shades of Godzilla's nemesis, King Ghidorah — Shades of Godzilla’s nemesis, King Ghidorah

LEVEL 5: THE DEEP CHILL

BRRR! Good to have that armor... for now anyhow! — *BRRR!* Good to have that armor… for now anyhow

First up is the Ice Forest. The blizzards constantly blow in this frozen world of ice and snow. Many have tried to conquer this land over the years but none have yet to return. Hope you don’t run across their decayed remains…

Ah, my favorite guy's back, but in icy form this time — Ah, my favorite guy’s back, but in icy form this time

"Nice boy... nice boy..." — *“Nice boy… nice boy…”*

Beyond the Ice Forest lies the Ice Wall. A wall of sheer ice surrounds the palace. If the freezing cold doesn’t kill you, surely the savage wolves will.

Hang onto a ladder during avalanches to stay safe

I guess you haven't found your better half yet... — I guess you haven’t found your better half yet…

At the end of this icy prison you come face to face with this terrible ice demon — the one they call Freon. He looks quite tough but he’s really not. The design isn’t bad but I would prefer if he was whole and not broken before you could lay a finger on him. Would have been much more satisfying if you could damage him bit by bit until nothing remained but his frozen head. But perhaps that’s just my sadistic side speaking. Also, it would have been more dramatic if he came bursting out of those frozen prison bars, but now I’m just nit-picking!

Come on Arthur, you know NO girl is worth all this

LEVEL 6: THE CASTLE OF THE EMPEROR

"One day I'll star in my very own SNES game... you'll see!" — *“One day I’ll star in my own SNES game… you’ll see!”*

At the beginning of this level, you’re once again greeted by the double tough Red Arremer, Firebrand.

The castle possesses a strikingly sinister design

Thats... not disturbing at all... — That’s… not disturbing at all…

A version of the Cockatrice stuck within the castle walls?! What kind of foul play is this?! It’s all twisted and PLAIN WRONG like a nightmare come to life.

"Whadaya think, does this coat color suit my eyes?" — *“Whadaya think, does this coat color suit my eyes?”*

It’s the mighty demon, Astaroth! Love the design. He’s the right-hand monster to Sardius (AKA Demon Emperor Samael). Astaroth sports two faces so hideous not even a mother could love. The bottom one looks like an evil tree.

LEVEL 7: HALLWAY OF GHOULS

Looks oddly familiar... — Looks slightly familiar…

Red Falcon from Contra III — Red Falcon from *Contra III*

Once more you must duel with Astaroth. He spews fire from his bottom mouth and fires lasers up top. Be patient and don’t double jump unless absolutely necessary; otherwise, his laser beam might slice you in half.

Meet his ultimate form — This doesn’t look too promising

After defeating Astaroth, you face a superior demon in the form of one, Nebiroth. Watch out for his laser shot which cuts a huge swath. He’s a tough cookie but you should be fine if you play it smart.

LEVEL 8: THE THRONE ROOM

Welcome to the Throne Room, home to the one and only Sardius! Talk about a menacing and imposing final boss. Towering over Arthur with his golden armor, it sure looks like a tall task ahead. To set the mood proper, lightning strikes the dark night sky, sending waves of white blinding flashes across the throne room. It’s a modern day David and Goliath. On paper at least. But in reality Sardius is pretty easy. You can kill him without even getting hit.

Positioning yourself properly is the key

A set of laser beams fly out of his mouth. Position yourself roughly around here. His right or left leg works fine. Oddly enough, just for your convenience, Sardius also sends out two icy platforms. Double jump on to one of them but not when he sends the lasers late, which he does a time or two.

The platform takes you up to his head level. You’ll be able to land a couple shots in before the ice gives way.

Regrettably, he’s all bark and no bite. Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is a challenging game but that comes mostly in the levels themselves. The bosses are surprisingly easy to dispatch. It’s too bad too, because they’re wonderful designs and you expect them to put up more of a tough fight.

Speaking of challenging, you must beat this game TWICE but more on that later. For now, let us enjoy our victory and bask in the glow of a job well done.

"OH ARTHUR! Calm down will ya -- NOT RIGHT HERE!" — *“OH ARTHUR! Calm down will ya — NOT RIGHT HERE!”*

Somebodys getting SOME tonight — Somebody’s getting *SOME* tonight

Thanks Capcom for yet another classic gem — They lived happily ever after, right? Right…

All is right and peaceful... for now at least... — *[Sucker -Ed.]*

OH C’MON YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING!

"You know... I've JUST about had enough of you..." — *“You know… I’ve had **JUST** about enough of you…”*

You must beat the game twice and kill Sardius with the Bracelet to get the true ending. The Bracelet isn’t exactly the best weapon, either. The difficulty of the game also rises in the second round. To find the Bracelet, you must have the final power-up item, the Sun Shield. The next treasure chest you uncover will contain the weapon required to properly kill Sardius. Don’t lose the Bracelet either or you’re screwed. Talk about tough love.

SUPER CODES ‘N CHEATS

God bless this option to jump anywhere in the game

Continue off where you please... sweet — Continue off where you please… sweet

How nice of Capcom to even let you to pick the area in the stage you want to go to! With no save or password option, this cheat does well to increase the game’s longevity. Level select code is my favorite type of cheat, especially when the game is lacking a password or save option.

HOW FIREBRAND GOT HIS OWN GAME

Demon’s Crest, released in November of 1994, continued the high quality Capcom tradition on the SNES with gnarly visuals, amazing sound, addicting gameplay (Super Metroid fans will instantly eat it up), huge bosses and a totally badass protagonist. What’s not to love? It’s actually my favorite Capcom SNES game not named Street Fighter. Sorry, Mega Man X, but I give the slight edge to Demon’s Crest.

It's a lovely masterpiece — It’s a lovely masterpiece

Firebrand is so fun to control. Who knew back in the mid ’80s when we first faced the red demon that he’d get his line of awesome video games? Be sure to also check out Gargoyle’s Quest on Game Boy (1990) and the 8-bit NES sequel, Gargoyle’s Quest II (1992).

“Hey Arthur… remember that time long ago where I failed miserably to kill you by dropping you high from the sky?”

“Sure… kinda hard to forget stuff like that, you know?”

“Well I just want to thank you for making me see the light. I turned the other cheek and got my own Super Nintendo game, and it’s even better than yours.”

“WHOA! Slow your role, playa. Jeez, some things never change, I guess.”

They dance off to prove whos got the better game — They dance off to prove whose got the better game

Firebrand also appeared in SNES Brandish [Stop it -Ed.] — Firebrand also appeared in *Brandish*… *[Stop it -Ed.]*

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts was well received by critics and fans alike. It’s universally considered as a classic Super Nintendo game, and its inclusion in the upcoming SNES Classic Edition speaks to that. Super Play rated it 85% and EGM ranked it #22 in their Top 100 Games List in issuer #100 (November 1997). Below is an excerpt from RETRO GAMER Magazine.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is simply a classic. I’ve had a lot of fun playing through this one and discovering all the little nuances, from perfecting the double jump to finding out the secret locations of hidden treasure chests. This game kicked my ass, too. But never in a cheap way. Not because of faulty controls or anything like that. The level design is brutal, especially the first 20 times through. Some video games are frustrating in a cheap way but this isn’t one of them. It’s tough in a “Oooh, I’ll get you next time!” sort of manner, reeling you back in for another go and before you know it, an hour’s flown by. And if you’re good, maybe the level too. I never found myself blaming my losses on account of the game. It always came back to human error. And there’s something compelling and addictive about Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts that pushes me to say, “Alright Capcom, one more try…”

"Ever thought of getting a pedicure, mate?" — *“Ever thought of getting a pedicure, mate?”*

The game has a great atmosphere and truly lives up to the name of the title. Rotting zombies litter the Haunted Cemetery, the swirling mist in the Graveyard of Ships soon turns itself into ghastly apparitions, and what can you say about those vile monstrous bosses? Their incredible size and grand detail is awe-inspiring. From the sight of the very first boss, the abominable Cockatrice, you knew you were in for one hell of a ride. The monsters steal the show. Arthur is nothing special to look at, but his enemies sure are. The levels have a great deal of detail to them and though there are two areas per level, they’re actually fairly short. I was expecting the game to be a bit longer than what it is, but no matter, it’s a blast to work your way through them bit by bit. From undertaking tumultuous raft rides of death to scaling demon-infested towers, Arthur has plenty to do in his quest to save the day.

Not only are the visuals and sound right on the money and exactly what you’d expect from Capcom of that era, but the game is simply a sheer joy to play. From its varied locales to tricky predicaments, multiple tools of destruction and even magical spells, it’s got the lot, this one. Capcom was also nice enough to give us four difficulty options. On Beginner, it is actually very manageable. So is the default Normal difficulty in my humble opinion. Personally, I don’t think this game is as hard as many tend to say. With grit, patience and the right equipment, that is. But don’t get me wrong, it IS a very challenging game, especially on the second loop where it automatically gets more difficult. I don’t consider myself an expert player by any stretch of the imagination, but even I was able to get through the game on Beginner and Normal (the first loop, anyhow). As I said, the key is having a good deal of persistence and the having the right weapon in tow. It’s too bad you can only carry one weapon at a time (I hope you don’t get stuck accidentally with the torch) and it’s even worse that Arthur can only withstand two hits — regardless of whether you have the highest armor or lowest. But it’s a fun challenge. And that’s the big fundamental difference between games like this and games that are flat out impossible. The fun keeps you plugging away until at long last you break through, and it’s a great high when you finally do.

Super Ghouls 'NnGhosts: it's a scream! — *Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts*: it’s a scream!

The more I played Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts the more I came to appreciate it in all facets. Initially, I didn’t really like Arthur’s “stiffness” but it slowly grew on me. Mastering the double jump is crucial. Arthur can no longer shoot up but oddly, it somehow works for this game. This is thanks, of course, to the level design. Yeah, there is some slowdown during the more hectic parts, but does it adversely affect the gameplay? Not really. Bottom line, this game delivers in all the areas where it counts. There’s a reason why Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts is considered as one of the many “essential must-have” games on the Super Nintendo. No truly great SNES collection is complete without a copy of Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts.

Graphics: 9
Sound: 9
Gameplay: 9
Longevity: 7

Overall: 9.0
Gold Award

Is it really? Is it? You're a better man than I am, Arthur — Come on, you know it isn’t…

You're a DAMN good man, sir — This game is lit, fam *[Stop it -Ed.]*

Fighter’s History (SNES)

**Pub & Dev: Data East | August 1994 | 20 MEGS**

Today marks the first day of August. Can you believe we’re already more than halfway through 2017? Time seems to fly the older you get. Speaking of time, I remember a time when fighting games ruled the scene. Some like to refer to that period as “The Fighting Game Golden Age.” Capcom’s Street Fighter II took the nation by storm in 1991 and a slew of copycats came out of the woodwork in the next several years to come. Everyone was kung fu fighting and seemingly every company wanted a piece of the pie. Hell, even Konami had their own representatives (Martial Champion and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters). Data East joined the fray with their release of Fighter’s History in March of 1993. And it turned out to be one of the most infamous Street Fighter II clones of all time. Capcom even tried to sue Data East for copyright infringement. But more on that later. When I think of Fighter’s History, what I remember most was that very special time in my life. Being that today is the first of August, that means it’s been 23 years since Fighter’s History came home on the SNES. Damn, were the ’90s a special time…

A GOLDEN AGE

I caught the fighting game boom at just the right time, having been born in 1983. By the time the early ’90s rolled around and leading up to the mid ’90s, I was old enough to appreciate it yet still young enough to take it all in with a sense of wonder that only comes with being seven to 11 years old.

Remember when arcades were THE place to be? — Remember when arcades were **THE** place to be?

The arcade scene was on fire in 1993, the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis waged war for 16-bit supremacy, and I was just a carefree kid enjoying the tail end of my childhood. Duties included going to school everyday, getting good grades, watching Saturday morning cartoons, and of course, playing a crap load of video games.

Power Instinct (Atlus, 1993) — *Power Instinct* (Atlus, 1993)

In my book, 1993 (along with ’94) marked the peak of the 2D fighting game in terms of clones appearing left and right. It seemed as if a new fighting game popped up every other week in those days. From Atlus’ Power Instinct to Konami’s Martial Champion, every company and their brothers, or so it seemed, threw their name into the mix hoping to strike the next big thing. Of course, like any other genre, not all of these clones were great. And very few could even sniff the jock of Street Fighter II, much less its enhanced sequels. Still, some served as amusing diversions.

Martial Champion (Konami, 1993) — *Martial Champion* (Konami, 1993)

But not everyone was happy about it. Although a lot of people loved fighting games in those days, not everyone was a fan. To these folks it was hardly a golden age. The market became saturated seemingly overnight. From arcades to game stores to magazine covers — you name it — a fighting game was probably there. Luckily for me, it was my favorite genre. I greeted every new fighting game with arms wide open. And I’ll never forget that day I first came across Fighter’s History…

CYBERSTATION was my jam back in the early-mid '90s — **CYBERSTATION** was my jam back in the early-mid ’90s

If you were lucky like I was, then growing up you had a close-knit gaming group. I had my best friend Nelson and all, but then I had my boys — an out of town group of family friends whom I grew up playing games with. We had sleepovers every month back in the late ’80s to mid ’90s. One Saturday in early 1993, we made our usual trek to the local mall and headed straight for the arcade hall on the upstairs wing. I’ll never forget that place, CYBERSTATION.

The colorful cab hooked me from day one — The moment I saw this it was ***hook, line and sinker***

A brand new cab caught my eye with its colorful and cheesy art work proudly adorning all sides of the machine. It was love at first sight you could say. Like a moth to a flame, I dashed to the game, fumbled around in my pocket, fished out a quarter and plopped it in. The rest is (Fighter’s) history!

Wait, is that Karnov?! Yes, it is :) — Wait, is that Karnov?! Yes, it is

Looking up at the colorful marquee, I saw what resembled Guile on crack, Ken and He-Man’s love child, Zangief’s second cousin (neverminding the fact that Data East’s version is Italian) and wait, was that? Yes! The fat bald Russian himself, Karnov! My uncle bought Karnov for me on the NES back in the late ’80s and I loved it.

Karnov (Data East, 1988) — *Karnov* (Data East, 1988)

I was instantly sold. I selected discount Guile (Matlok) and never looked back. The ONLY thing I could think about the rest of that day was… not IF but WHEN would Fighter’s History come home to the Super Nintendo…

EGM MADNESS

EGM's annual April Fools joke (April '94, #57) — EGM’s annual April Fools edition (issue #57, April ’94)

Roughly a year later, my prayers were answered. In March 1994, EGM’s issue #57 arrived in the mail, featuring Fighter’s History on the cover. I was so excited as I knew that had to be referring to an impending SNES release. The moment I had been waiting an entire year for! I flipped through the magazine excitedly hoping for a blow-out two page preview or something. But all I got was a half page preview of the import version with a few grainy shots. But I didn’t care — I was too happy to finally receive confirmation of a home release.

Like seeing a big box under the Christmas tree!

EGM issue #58 came in the mail the very next month. Back in the day this was TRULY like seeing a gift with your name on it tucked under the Christmas tree. We had no internet back then so EGM (and other magazines like GameFan) were our major source for gaming news and upcoming releases. It was a magical time of seeing so many games that you knew you could never all play but wanted to anyway. Yup, there was nothing quite like seeing the latest EGM issue wrapped all pretty and ready to go sitting in your mailbox after a long day at school!

Another Fighter's History tease! Be still my heart... — Another *Fighter’s History* tease! Be still my heart…

I’ll never forget grabbing the issue like it were a drop of water in the Sahara Desert and making a beeline straight for my bedroom. Before tearing the wrapper, I took a moment to gawk at the front cover. The fighting game rage carried into 1994 without blinking an eye and EGM was there every step of the way. What a gorgeous cover! Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Mortal Kombat II… whoa wait a second. Fighter’s History?! YES! The month prior saw a half-page preview so I was expecting a BLOW-OUT special. It turned out to be an AMAZING two page mini-feature with a blurb that the SNES port would be coming out later that summer. I was so hyped that I admired and reread those two pages until my brother came home about 10 minutes later. I didn’t even bother to glance over the rest of the magazine! It was only a matter of three or four months now…

I was in Heaven studying this page for 10 minutes — I was in heaven studying this page for 10 minutes

Fighter's History held its own against the big boys! — *Fighter’s History* held its own against the **big boys!**

What a glorious day that Saturday in June of 1994

The North American version was set for an August 1994 release, but as Lady Luck would have it, my best friend Nelson and I came across the import Super Famicom version one fateful Saturday in June. I’ve told this story many times already so feel free to check out The Summer of Imports for more details. But yes, I would be remiss if I didn’t include a blurb about that awesome experience in this Fighter’s History review. Nelson rented Fighter’s History and I rented King of the Monsters 2. These games weren’t out in America yet and needless to say, it was one epic weekend for the ages.

Featured also in Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman — Featured also in *Memoirs of a Virtual Caveman*

THE STORY GOES…

Leaving the gym after a strenuous workout, you spot a towering and sharply dressed man stepping out of a nearby parked luxury Sedan. His stoic expression and formal attire conveys that he is all business. You brace yourself as he lurches up to you, handing you a small sealed envelope. His only words as you grasp the note, “For you.” Then the mysterious man left as quickly as he came. The tires screeched as he peeled out of town as fast as a bat in hell.

There’s a strange scent to the envelope — incense? Your name is scrawled on the outside. Inside, you discover an invitation…

Who is this mysterious K person? What are these so-called untold treasures? There’s only one way to find out for sure…

THE FIGHTERS

That's not Ken and Ryu... — That’s not Ken and Ryu…

Fighter’s History featured an odd nine characters. Back in ’93, most fighting games opened with eight fighters. I always found it cool how Data East “sneaked in” one extra fighter. The cast had its share of “serious” fighters and more wacky looking ones. The roster instantly appealed to me.

It was all the rage back in the day for home ports to include a boss code. Most arcade fighting games didn’t let you control the bosses back in the early-mid ’90s but many home ports did. It was one of the cool things that made these home ports so memorable.

OMG, 20 fighters! Not really... — OMG, 20 fighters! Not really…

The 2 Player mode displays 20 portraits. This always cracked me up as a kid. It was a fun visual, giving you a sense of what a fighting game would look like if you could pick from 20 characters back in 1994. It was just another one of many quirks that inhabited Fighter’s History.

Let's meet the wacky cast — Let’s meet the wacky cast

MIZOGUCHI
27 years old
6’2″ 209 lbs

A survivor on the streets of Tokyo for years, Mizoguchi learned the importance of self-defense after being beaten by the Yakuza as a youth. Ever since that life-changing day, he has been rigorously training to ensure that it never happens again. What started out as a means for mere survival slowly morphed into a thirst for painful vengeance. Finally, that vengeance evolved into honing his incredibly disciplined and unadulterated power. The Yakuza, having seen one too many Taken and John Wick movies, now stay the f*ck away from him.

Mizoguchi fine tunes his body, mind and spirit on this bridge of tranquility. A peaceful (yet raging) waterfall flows on both sides of the stage. Tassels flap as a cool breeze passes through. The sun is just breaking over the horizon as Mizoguchi continues his quest to be the very best.

Mizoguchi is the resident Ryu. Except he doesn’t have a traditional Dragon Punch. Instead, he charges with his elbow. His Hurricane Kick variant can connect multiple times, dishing out tremendous damage. Love the way you can break objects in the background! A nod to Street Fighter II, for sure. Mizoguchi channels the power of the tiger spirit to unleash his infamous Tiger Bazooka. Word on the street is… he wiped out five Yakuza members with a single Tiger Bazooka blow. Ever since then, the Yakuza have spoke only in hushed tones whenever talking about him. He’s become something of a “boogeyman” to them…

RAY
26 years old
6’1″ 198 lbs

Ray began studying martial arts as a young boy after being inspired by his childhood hero, the legendary Chuck Norris. When Ray was five, he witnessed his idol’s crushing on-screen defeat at the hands of the iconic Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon (1972). Ever since then, Ray has vowed to one day become the greatest martial artist the world has ever seen. He’s now considered as one of the best fighters at just 26 years old and spends his days traveling the globe in search of true competition. Ray entered this mysterious tournament after hearing the rumors about an unstoppable boogeyman that supposedly even the Yakuza fears…

Ever the patriotic lad, Ray McDougal likes to entertain the Commander in Chief by showing off his skills in front of the iconic White House in Washington, D.C.

Looks like Ken but plays like Terry Bogard. Ray’s Big Tornado is infamous for sounding more like “BAKED POTATO!” His Wheel Kick is a decent anti-air attack and his Dynamite Tackle makes good use out of Ray’s high school varsity football background.

Speaking of background, it’s fun breaking the trash can

Wrestling legend Jake “The Snake” Roberts would be proud. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Ray shows off his wrestling chops with this deadly mid-air DDT.

"Oh shit I think I killed him..." — *“Oh shit I think I killed him…”*

FEI-LIN
28 years old
5’7″ ??? lbs

Adored by her fans in Asia and renowned the world over for her fighting prowess, Fei-Lin is the top actress in a Beijing traveling show. It’s a wonder how she manages to juggle the two worlds so well. It’s one thing to be good at both simultaneously but it’s another thing to be GREAT. After winning the tournament, she plans to tape her very own reality show “I LOVE BEIJING” (Beijing being her stage name). After all, we all know what a success “I Love New York” turned out to be. Ahem. What a talent and what a classy (albeit dramatic) lady, that Fei-Lin.

Fei-Lin proudly shows off her heritage. Sitting in the back there is the kid star from Martin Scorsese’s KUNDUN. Fei-Lin attracts all the stars. Rumor has it Jack Nicholson and Spike Lee are both sitting just off camera.

Beware her Mantis Claw, which can also be executed in mid-air. What happens when you combine Ryu’s Dragon Punch with Guile’s Flash Kick? You get Fei-Lin’s Double Swan. I love the detail of the dragon statue being breakable. Fun fact: the dragon is known as a “Foo Dog” in Chinese mythology.

RYOKO
16 years old
5’2″ 123 lbs

The smallest and youngest competitor in the tournament, Ryoko is a Judo prodigy not to be taken lightly. She’s been known to throw men four times her size! A chippy firecracker, her grandfather (a Judo champion in his heyday) began teaching her the tricks of the trade since she was just three years old. As a result of his diligent teaching and her incredible propensity to soak up knowledge like a sponge, Ryoko has achieved master status of all things Judo. She joined the tournament to be an inspiration to little girls all over the globe and to show that the ladies can do it just as well as the boys, if not better.

This is where Ryoko trains 24/7. A young boy and an old woman can be seen sweeping and cleaning in the background. Occasionally, a mischievous cat scurries about.

Jumping against Ryoko is ill-advised…

Staying grounded doesn’t provide much safe harbor, either. Pick your poison! Ryoko is rather animated with her silly cute gestures and all.

Rolling attack into her big Mountain Storm slam is incredibly damaging. Breaking the statue only adds insult to injury.

JEAN
23 years old
6’0″ 209 lbs

A French gymnast, Jean possesses fantastic flexibility. For some unknown reason, he seems borderline obsessed with roses. In fact, he even moonlights as a proud florist during his down time. Because of his gymnastic background and penchant for roses, many haters have called him SISSY BOY. They laughed… until he broke their jaws. When it comes down to it, Jean knows how to get the job done and proves that you should never judge a book by its cover. By the way, if you’re thinking he looks like a French version of Guile, you’re not alone. That was exactly my first thought when I first saw Jean back in 1993. He’s nowhere as cool, though. But hey, who is?

The tables have been cleared, transforming this elegant dining hall into a vicious battle field.

Normally, a rose is a romantic symbol. It’s associated with love, peace and forgiveness. But for Jean, he uses the rose to inflict pain. His Needle Shower can pepper the opposition and he’s agile enough to move forward while executing the move.

Have you no shame, Data East?! — Have you NO shame, Data East?!

SAMCHAY
21 years old
6’3″ 168 lbs

There is only one thing Samchay loves more than the spirit of competition: his two younger brothers and little sister. Samchay’s parents are no longer in the picture so he’s been forced to take care of his three younger siblings. He’ll do anything to take care of them. A Muay Thai expert, he’s entered the tournament in hopes of not only proving that he’s the best, but also to win the “untold treasures” to ensure a future of endless possibilities for his siblings. What a guy. As for his parents, rumors swirl about where they could be or what happened to them. One thing is for sure, it must not be good. Samchay declines to comment and instead focuses only on what lies ahead.

There’s just something beautiful about the simplicity of this stage. It’s exactly what I imagine a fighting game background to look like. Samchay’s supporters cheer him on from a safe distance in this quaint Thailand village. It’s standing room only up on that bridge!

Samchay has one of the fastest fireballs as well as one of the best recovery times. His lunging knee can connect up to two times, and his Tiger Knee, I mean, Ti Kau Koon, works well as either an anti-air deterrent or a combo capper.

LEE
29 years old
5’9″ 165 lbs

Lee comes from a long family line of world renowned martial artists. He admired his father growing up and often compared himself to his dad. He put a lot of undue pressure on himself to live up to even half of his dad’s legacy. Unfortunately, Lee’s father was killed by a mysterious opponent. After hearing word that this killer is responsible for the tournament, Lee entered it in hopes of avenging his dad’s death at long last. But before Lee can make it to this mysterious organizer, he’s going to have to beat nine other skilled warriors. He believes he’s up to the task.

So peaceful and serene. This is one of my favorite stages of all time. A fisherman can be seen in the background dipping his line lazily in the water. The clouds high above float through the moss-covered hills in the distance. And those damn ducks — you can’t help but love them.

Along the lines of Ray’s “BAKED POTATO!”, Lee sounds like he’s screaming “SHE AIN’T GON DIE!” Ah, Fighter’s History, you’re such a silly game. Lee’s Silk Worm Kick knocks opponents out of the air and his Piercing Dagger sees him lunging with all of his chi focused on his fist.

Nothing like palm striking them through the sign!

MARSTORIUS
45 years old
6’8″ 331 lbs

Father Time is undefeated. It happens to all the greats. Willie Mays. Michael Jordan. Joe Montana. Every star athlete hits a point where their best days are behind them and they must call it a career. Marstorius isn’t quite ready for that moment just yet. A fading pro wrestling icon, Marstorius wants to bask in the spotlight one more time. There’s no better platform to showcase he’s still got it than in this great tournament. He is the strongest fighter in the competition but also the oldest and slowest. He’s got a tough road ahead but his dreaded Double German is the most powerful move in the entire tournament. He hopes it’ll be enough to take him to the top one last time…

Another favorite of mine, this stage is as serene as it is majestic. Striking statues dot the backdrop and a quaint water fountain flows peacefully as combatants duel to the death.

Based off the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy, I’ve always loved it when fighting games base some of their backgrounds off real life landmarks. Another example that comes to mind is Fei Long’s Tiger Balm Garden of Hong Kong fame in Super Street Fighter II.

Despite his larger size and older age, Marstorius still has enough spring in his step to deliver two quick striking attacks: the Mule Kick and the Tiger Punch. He can also deliver an impressive Moonsault Press. Not bad for a 45 year old, eh?

“DOUBLE GERMAN!” He hopes this devastating maneuver will punch his ticket to the Promise Land.

MATLOK
26 years old
5’8″ 132 lbs

The man, the myth, the legend. Matlok was the first character I chose on that fateful Saturday back in ’93 when I first encountered Fighter’s History. He reminded me of a cross between Guile (Street Fighter II) and Duck King (Fatal Fury). Sold! Based off the Sex Pistols’ bass guitarist, Glen Matlock, Matlok is an aspiring rock star. But in order for him to rock out, first he must simply knock out. His unorthodox offense and unusual body movements are done purposefully in an attempt to throw off his opponent. Matlok hopes to win it all because there is supposedly a legendary bass that will play any song in the world hidden in the treasure vault.

I love that Matlok fights in the streets. A police officer tries to stop the carnage by blowing his whistle. A punk cheers on the mayhem while a man quietly walks his dog for a mid-afternoon stroll. A mom and pop book shop can be seen in the background overlooking the fighters.

Matlok’s Spinning Wave to me is a classic projectile. I remember thinking how it was almost as cool as Guile’s famed Sonic Boom. His Overhead Kick is a weird looking version of Guile’s Flash Kick. Even weirder is his Hurricane Kick, which might be the world’s worst anti-air attack. You’re better off using his crouching Fierce. Trust me on that one.

CLOWN
32 years old
5’9″ 141 lbs

Clown is the sub boss you’ll fight before taking on the almighty Karnov. You can knock off his mask (it’s his weak point) but be forewarned… his face is the stuff nightmares are made of. Close your eyes and imagine for a moment the world’s ugliest looking dog. That’s what Clown looks like underneath his creepy mask. Clown, of course, believes he’s beautiful. Rumor has it he wears the suit and clown get-up 24/7. It’s a wonder how he’s not sitting in some nuthouse with four white walls yet! He’s also a narcissist and “ambiguously” homosexual. In the original Japanese version, it’s revealed that he prefers younger men. This was removed in North America.

Fighters are secretly transported to this bizarre dreamlike alternate universe that exists somewhere between Heaven and Hell. It’s all part of his strategy to psych you out before the battle even takes place.

Clown uses his acrobatic agility to pounce on unsuspecting opponents. You know how every Tarot deck of cards has that one “death” card? That’s the only kind Clown dishes out as he screams, “PICK A CARD!” His Spin Attack can go horizontal or vertical. Shades of Blanka, except Blanka is easier on the eyes!

Clowns juggle. It’s just what they do. Clown, however, prefers to juggle the human body. A real sick bastard, that Clown.

KARNOV
49 years old
5’6″ 216 lbs

The mysterious K himself… the mighty Karnov! Karnov appeared in several other Data East games before Fighter’s History. In fact, he had his very own arcade game that was later translated to the NES in early 1988. The fire-breathing, ass-kicking Russian has gained great power and many collectible items throughout his travels. Bored, he set up this tournament to seek the strongest of the strong, offering his prized treasures as a gift to the ultimate winner. However, it won’t be easy. Though he may be pushing 50, Karnov is a formidable fighter and will burn you before you can say “BAKED POTATO!”

They say a desert drives a man insane. If it doesn’t, then Karnov is sure to beat you senseless.

Karnov has never once skipped Leg Day, and it shows with his 100 Kick. A master of conjuring fire, he can burn you to a crisp three different ways. The fiery animation is decent and reminds me of Street Fighter II.

I got this instead, though. D'oh! — I got this instead, though. D’oh!

ENDINGS

Some of the endings were forgettable but others were so bizarre that I gotta share… (some of which may have been handled with “liberties” taken… ahem)

RAY

Why cant we be friends? — Why can’t we be friends?

MIZOGUCHI

MATLOK

SAMCHAY

It is I, your older brother! Ah, forget it... — *“It is I, your older brother! Ah, forget it…”*

RYOKO

Fighter’s History came out in the arcades March 1993. World Heroes 2 April 1993. Separated by only one month, it turned out both companies created a fighter based off Ryoko Tani. What a coincidence, huh?

FEI-LIN

Hit so many times she thought she was Chun-Li... — Hit so many times she thought she was Chun-Li…

LEE

Oi, what an embarrassing misunderstanding!

THAT HITS THE MARK

Each fighter has a different weak spot (either a garment or accessory). When hit multiple times, said article will fly off and induce a state of dizziness.

Clown: Mask
Jean: Leg strap
Lee: Knee pads
Karnov: Turban
Ryoko: Headband
Matlok: Sunglasses
Fei-Lin: Breast plate
Mizoguchi: Headband
Samchay: Arm tassels
Ray: Lightning symbol
Marstorius: Leg warmers

ANOTHER DISTINCTION?

You forgot me! [Yeah, I meant to... -Ed.] — You forgot me! *[Yeah, there’s a reason why I did.. -Ed.]*

BE YOUR OWN BOSS

COLOR ME BADD

Each character has four different colors

Nice home bonus, Data East :) — Nice home bonus, Data East

RANDOM SHOTS

Jean didnt know Marstorius was into flashing — Jean didn’t know Marstorius was into flashing

Why do I feel so weird? — Can’t help it…

Heres my personal invitation! — Here’s my personal invitation!

[YAKETY YAK! -Ed.] — **YAKETY YAK! DON’T TALK BACK**

HE WHO LAUGHS LAST…

ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVES

[Hey, this pic was made back in 2008, OK? -Ed.] — Hey, this pic was made back in 2008, ya dig?

ROLL CALL

Yeah, drawing is NOT one of my gifts... :P — Wow, I was a terrible artist as a kid

CAPCOM SUES DATA EAST

I barely see the resemblance.... O_o — I barely see the resemblance… *cough* O_o

There was a page long Letter of the Month updating the latest on the Capcom vs. Data East lawsuit featured in EGM issue #58 (May 1994). The best part of all this?

Well played. But Data East ended up winning the case — Well played. Indeed, Capcom ultimately lost the case

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Fighter’s History fared pretty well with the critics. EGM gave it ratings of 6, 6, 7 and 8. GameFan gave it scores of 80, 82 and 84%. Super Play rated it 85% and thought rather highly of the game. They were especially tough on fighting games so it impressed them well enough to earn such a good mark. Fighter’s History was complimented for its smooth control and exclusive home bonus features (four colors, an elimination mode, playable bosses and even a speed option). I personally think it’s one of the more faithful arcade to SNES translations ever made. It’s really underrated and never got the credit it deserved. Probably has a lot to do with it coming a month after Super Street Fighter II. Talk about piss poor timing. But yeah, you can’t fault Data East here. They did a tremendous job porting the arcade game into a 20 MEG Super Nintendo cart.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

This pic hits me right in the feels. The nostalgia... — This pic hits me right in the feels. The nostalgia…

As far as arcade to home ports go, Fighter’s History is one of the best the SNES has ever seen. I was amazed by the faithfulness of this translation back in 1994, and even still to this day I am impressed with how much Data East was able to mimic the arcade original. Features such as four colors, a speed option, playable bosses and a group battle mode show that this wasn’t just a half-baked effort. They really went all in. While they received some props for it, I don’t think sadly that they ever got all the credit they deserved for it. Super Street Fighter II came out a month earlier and as a result Fighter’s History got lost in the mix somewhat. Some of my best gaming memories came from that scorching summer of 1994. Playing the import version at my best friend’s house and seeing Lee’s bucolic background, with those damn ducks and moss-covered hills, seared itself into my memory bank. I still bust out Fighter’s History to play every once in a while, and whenever I do and I see Lee’s stage, I’m instantly transported back to Nelson’s living room. It’s a hot June Saturday afternoon in 1994. And I’m just taken back to a more carefree time in my life. Fighter’s History is so incredibly nostalgic for me. It’s just one of those games that scream “CHILDHOOD” beyond anything else.

But nostalgia only goes so far. Thankfully, it still holds up incredibly well. It’s nothing fancy. Being a fighting game from early 1993 meant it came out before Super Special moves became a thing and double digit hit combos were all the rage. Instead, each fighter has three special moves (maybe four) and some simple chains and combos. It’s very basic but also very pure. There’s something “magical” about that. Basically, if you enjoy simplistic fighting games from the early ’90s then you’ll probably like this. Combos and special moves are easy to perform and it’s very straight forward. But there’s a charm to it, at least for me, that reminds me of a time when fighting games ruled the scene. A more perhaps idyllic time in my life when fighting games were all the rage and playing video games with your best friend stood center stage. I have a lot of history, pardon the pun, with Fighter’s History. To me it’s a reminder of the good old days. And I’m thankful that Data East knocked it out of the park with this outstanding conversion. Not much else to say except… “BAKED POTATO!”

Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 7.5
Gameplay: 8
Longevity: 8

Overall: 8.0
Silver Award

Until... — Peep the Super Famicom spin-off

See you in the future for Fighter's History Dynamite — To be continued in *Karnov’s Revenge*…

Super Street Fighter II (SNES)

**Pub & Dev: Capcom | July 1994 | 32 MEGS**

Ah, the summer of 1994. It was bar none the single greatest summer of my life. I had just graduated from the 5th grade, the Super Nintendo was in its prime and my best friend Nelson and I were ready for one epic summer — the last of our innocence (see The Summer of Imports for more regarding that unforgettable summer). There were so many great SNES games released that summer, but none were any bigger than Super Street Fighter II. For years the Street Fighter II games dominated the market — it even became a way of life for many of us. However, the Street Fighter magic was starting to wane by the summer of ’94 but even then it remained one of the biggest games of my youth. It’s hard to believe it’s been 23 years now since that summer of 1994. Damn…

STREET FIGHTER FOREVER

First let’s take a trip back in time. The year was 1991. An arcade game by the name of Street Fighter II burst onto the scene, captivating arcade goers everywhere. With its 8 character choices, variety of special moves, breathtaking visuals and endless strategies, it was the perfect storm. I was 8 at the time but I remember it well. Everywhere you went it was Street Fighter mania. Whether you were at your local mom and pop rental store, a trading card store, Pizza Hut or even a 7-11, one of these bad boys was sure to be there. We spent countless quarters, devoted untold hours into perfecting our craft and it became as Americana to us as hot dogs and baseball games. One of my fondest memories was beating my brother’s cocky friend when he challenged me to a fight at a 7-11 in the summer of 1991. I used Dhalsim and ended up perfecting him two rounds in a row. I’ll never forget my brother and his friends laughing at him. He never heard the end of it. There was an innocence back then that a small part of me still yearns for. Street Fighter II launched the fighting game genre to new heights and a slew of clones soon followed thereafter, not to mention Street Fighter sequels up the wazoo. It was a special time that is hard to explain to folks who didn’t live through it. It was a great time to be a young kid, seeing all these fighting games pop up, seemingly by the week at times, all vying for your attention and affection. The thing that amazes me after all these years is that the Street Fighter series still rules the roost. Always did, always will.

Like a zombie from a horror film it refuses to die

What also amazes me is how we play Street Fighter, in one form or another, still to this day as adults now. And it’s as fun as it ever was. I break these games out to play on a frequent basis and they still put a smile on my face. It’s one of those series that I’ll be playing 50 years from now, God willing. My brother and I still play the occasional round or two together. I guess it brings us back to our childhoods… when life was simpler. When all we did was finish our homework, take out the trash, watch Saturday morning cartoons, TGIF, WWF, Power Rangers, read Goosebumps, run in the streets with our neighborhood friends and oh yeah, play a crapload of video games. And of all those childhood years, 1994 will always be the one I hold in the highest regard

SUMMER OF SNES

1994 was a golden year for me in many ways. Particularly that summer. I just finished the 5th grade — the best school year of my life due to three factors: 1). my best friend Nelson was in the same class 2). we had the best teacher ever and 3). the school’s two cutest girls were in our class. As awesome as 5th grade was, Nelson and I couldn’t wait for the final bell of the year to ring. It would officially signal our freedom. We would have 2½ months to stay up late, sleep in, hang out, watch scary movies and play video games ’til the cows came home. The summer of ’94 was a great time to be a Super Nintendo owner as two of the most anticipated home games were set to come out soon: Super Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat II. While the latter didn’t quite make it in time for the summer, oh we had plenty else to sink our teeth into. To this day I vividly remember the palpable buzz and excitement surrounding the much hyped release of Super Street Fighter II. Everyone was talking about those two titles everywhere you went. Silently, Nelson and I also kind of knew deep down that this was 16-bit’s last great summer. Things were set to change in 1995. The scene was bound to shift. You could feel it coming. There were 32-bit rumblings slowly building up. But 1994 was OUR YEAR. And man, what a way to go out ^_^

They were joined at the hip — These two were firmly joined at the hip

The previews and hype machine was off the charts

Summer of '94 was special thanks to games like this — Summer of ’94 was special thanks to games like this

THE NEW CHALLENGE

My childhood Hollywood Video, taken January 2006 — *The New Challengers* presented a new challenge…

Readers of Memories of Renting may recall that my brother shipped me at will back in the day. Too shy or embarrassed to go out and rent on his own accord, he sent me to task every Saturday afternoon, rain or shine. It wasn’t so bad, though. In fact, I secretly enjoyed all those trips and mini-adventures. It gave my dad and me some quality father-son time — there were many times where my brother’s choice title was rented out at the first two or three stores. In such cases my dad would then haul ass all over town taking me to five, even six different rental stores just to suss out my bro’s flavor of the week. Just a dad and his son out on the road together on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. They were like quasi-adventures to me, or missions. There’s a part of me that will always remember and cherish those memories.

Ah, the joy of renting — Those Saturday excursions live on forever in my soul

And after years of doing anything constantly, you begin to become a master of your given domain. Kevin once told me, and I never forgot this: “Steve, you sure do know how to rent the hell out of games.” It became a badge of honor that I wore proudly. Although there were so many times where I saw games that I wanted to rent, I almost always came home with the title my brother requested. I had a 98% kill rate. I know this may sound silly but it was something I took great pride in. And then came my greatest challenge: Super Street Fighter II on the SNES. It just came out, summer of ’94, and my dad took me to The Wherehouse. I raced to the SNES section madly thumbing through the thick glass display cases. There were a few other guys fumbling around when I got there and I knew they were after the same holy grail. In that moment instinct took over and I sprinted to the counter.

"Kid, it's your LUCKY day..." — *“Kid, it’s your LUCKY day…”*

A pimple-faced male employee, who looked like he was three weeks fresh out of his senior prom, glanced down at me. Panting like a rabid dog, I asked him if he had a copy of Super Street Fighter II safely tucked away somewhere. I figured it was so rare that maybe they kept it behind the counter in order to avoid the inevitable bloodshed that would occur otherwise. His expression immediately changed. Flashing me a clandestine smile, as if I had just shared the secret password he’d been waiting desperately all day to hear, he reached down behind the counter in dramatic fashion. “Kid, it’s your LUCKY day. This here is the last one we have.” He revealed from behind the counter a mint fresh copy of Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers on the Super Nintendo. The last copy no less! And right there, in that moment, my childhood was made.

I was speechless. Time felt like it stood still for a brief moment. It was my greatest haul ever. I caught the biggest fish. I found Bigfoot. I was going home with the prom queen! It was the longest five minute ride home of my life. My brother opened the door and you could tell he was expecting the worst. Even if I knew “how to rent the hell out of video games,” renting Super Street Fighter II successfully on launch day was right up there with building a rocketship in your own garage. Knowing that, I had to mess with him a little bit. I told him some BS story about how I was too late, etc. He nodded compliantly. “Well, you took your best shot,” he chirped. “YOU BET YOUR ASS I DID!” I eagerly revealed the prized trophy I had kept hidden behind my back. My brother’s jaw dropped and hit the floor. It was an instant classic memory!

Firing the game up, my bro and I sat back to watch the game’s intro in stunned silence. My brother and I simply stared at each other, dumbfounded, after Ryu unleashed his Hadoken fireball. Looking back, it’s just a silly little intro. But back then… IT WAS MAGIC. The kind of stuff that LEGENDS are made of.

Super Nintendo's very first 32-MEG monster... — Super Nintendo’s very first **32-MEG** monster…

And it was... 'til Street Fighter Alpha 2... *cough* — And it was… ’til *Street Fighter Alpha 2*… ***cough***

THE NEW CHALLENGERS

Four new fighters joined: Fei Long, T. Hawk, Cammy, DJ — Four newbies: Fei Long, T. Hawk, Cammy, Dee Jay

And we thought Capcom was milking it back in '94 — And we thought Capcom was milking it back in ’94!

NEW MOVES

NEW COLORS

Select from eight colors -- it was insane! — Select from eight colors — it was insane!

Blanka hands down wins for coolest color alterations

THE STREET FIGHTERS

A wandering warrior, Ryu is devoted only to the fight

Solitude. Serenity. Ryu’s dojo is just the right place for him to perfect his craft. Opponents who enter the dojo never leave quite the same. I’m happy to see the scrolling crescent moon back. We sure missed ya in Street Fighter II Turbo.

Finally, after many years of rigorous training, Ryu has unlocked a fiery version of his Hadoken. When that fails, his trusty old Hurricane Kick and Dragon Punch gives him all the backup he needs.

Ken's friendship and rivalry with Ryu is legendary — Ken’s friendship and rivalry with Ryu is legendary

Whereas Ryu is private, Ken enjoys showing off in front of a crowd. Talk about a showBOAT [*ba dum tish* -Ed.]

Flaming Dragon Punch fits Ken’s flamboyant flashy fighting style to a tee. All of his old tricks are back as well.

Bison killed her dad. An eye for an eye, then... — Bison killed her dad. An eye for an eye, then…

The quaint marketplace is drenched in burgundy hues signaling the coming of evening. A single mom looking to make ends meet washes dishes in the background as a worn out man begins to close shop. A lonely vendor (likely named Pee Wee Hung) chokes his chicken in public [… -Ed.] while Tung Fu Rue’s gentler and unassuming twin brother is out for an early evening pedal.

Tung Fu Rue from Fatal Fury — Tung Fu Rue from *Fatal Fury*

He's a bit of a hot head... — Such a classic childhood sight!

Putting her mighty legs to good use, Chun-Li’s classic leg based attacks return. The Kikoken, now encased in a bubble, burns out after ¾ the screen length.

Half man half beast, he's one of Capcom's best creations — Easily one of Capcom’s greatest character creations

Even though Blanka has revealed himself to the public for a few years now, clear photos of the “Brazilian Boogeyman” still yield a pretty penny on the black market. Photographers who brave the battlefield and risk becoming collateral damage may have a fortune on their hands to reap.

Adding to the variety of his rolling attacks, the Beast Leap (when timed properly) allows him to leap past a fireball and land right on his opponent’s grill. If all else fails, ZAP DAT ASS!

Hungry to show the world Sumo wrestlers are champs — Hungry for food, even hungrier to show he’s the best

If there’s one thing Honda enjoys more than eating and a hard-fought duel, it’s soaking in a nice hot bath.

Honda’s Hundred Hand Slap makes even Ric Flair jealous. The Sumo Smash and Sumo Headbutt shows off his deceptive agility.

No stretch (!) to say he was a bit of a trailblazer — No stretch *[… -Ed.]* to say he was a bit of a trailblazer

Elephants, the treasure of Indian culture, are proudly represented here. Four of them line the cobbled floor and they now make a racket during the fight, not just at the end of a round. A mural of an elephant god proudly hangs front and center.

Dhalsim was the first stretch fighter and many followed in his footsteps. Use this to your advantage right after you hit them with the Yoga Fire. Up close Dhalsim puts his thick skull to good use. His Yoga Teleport is good for tricking the competition. When all else fails, YOGA FLAME!

He stays in form by wrestling bears. 'Nuff said — He stays in form by wrestling bears. ‘Nuff said

The Russian crowd only loves one thing more than drinking, and that’s drinking WHILE Zangief wipes the floor with an idjit foolish enough to fight the big guy.

You could say the crowd’s in good spirits! Look at this guy — still drinking like a mad man after all these years. Respect.

Zangief’s Spinning Clothesline works effectively against fireball-happy opponents. The Spinning Piledriver became de rigueur for all big wrestler types in future fighting games to emulate.

Proving it possible to teach an old dog new tricks, meet the Siberian Suplex… a bone-crunching double hitter!

Another new trick: the Siberian Bear Crusher is absolutely devastating especially when parlayed at the end of a combo.

Seeks vengeance for the death of his pal, Charlie

The grim death of his best friend and former comrade, Charlie, has left Guile with a heavy heart. Above all else, anger. Guile has been out for M. Bison’s blood ever since. His stage is one of the true classics and that music still rings in many ears after all these years.

Having two of the coolest moves in fighting game history, it’s easy to overlook that Guile hasn’t learned many new moves over the years. The Sonic Boom and Flash Kick will never go out of style.

So vicious he was barred from the boxing world

The lavish Las Vegas night life makes for a hell of a background. Battling under the bright Vegas lights, the crowd roars with each hook and uppercut thrown.

Never one to shy away from showing his physique, Balrog now enjoys doing the dirty work. Some critics think he’s a boxing HAS BEEN, but his hard hitting assorted rushing punches say otherwise. His new Shoulder Butt is effective at knocking out would be jumpers.

Don't hit Prince Pretty's face or he'll jack you up — Don’t hit Prince Pretty’s face or he’ll jack you up

A bloodthirsty crowd has paid good money to see a grisly fight. A steel cage protects these premium spectators from the fighters. Vega has learned how to use the cage to his favor over the years. It’s a win-win for all… except for Vega’s latest victim.

Prince Pretty bounces off walls like nobody’s business. From there he has all manner of flying attacks. His claw is the great equalizer, and Vega is adept at flipping away to safety when things get too hot and heavy.

Fueled by ange, Sagat vows to finally put down Ryu — Fueled by anger, Sagat vows to finally put down Ryu

Of all the stages to get a makeover, Sagat’s is by far the best. The breathtaking sunset makes his background in previous Street Fighter games look plain by comparison. It’s also symbolic of how desperate he’s become to finally defeat Ryu. The sun will rest, but Sagat will not.

Everyone’s favorite 7 foot 4 inch tall Thailand bruiser is back and so are all his old tricks. Mix up the speed of his Tiger Fireballs and blast them out of the sky with the Tiger Uppercut or Tiger Knee.

A true psychopath, M. Bison shows no mercy

It’s so cool how Bison flings his cape right before the match begins. A small crowd is gathered to anxiously witness if the maniacal tyrant can finally be stopped. It never gets old sending Bison’s ass through his golden statues!

Bison’s Scissor Kick can connect twice as well as his somewhat tricky Head Stomp. His brand new Devil Reverse (AKA Flying Psycho Fist) is pretty tricky as well. Of course, you can never go wrong with his infamous Psycho Crusher.

Special Forces trained, this jeune fille kicks serious ass — Special Forces trained, this *jeune fille* kicks serious ass

Set under the beautiful Northern Lights, Cammy enjoys nothing more than defeating her foe and then kicking back to enjoy the majestic view. Remember the music for this stage? INSANELY EPIC.

Cammy’s Cannon Drill strikes quick while her Front Kick discourages flying assailants. Also, watch out for her two-hit Spinning Knuckle.

This kickboxer fights to the beat of his own drum

Everyone is swaying and grooving to the beat of live music. The jazz band playing under the gazebo provides for a festive atmosphere. It’s just another day in paradise… unless you happen to be the one fighting Dee Jay. “A-ROO-GAH! MAX OUT!”

Interesting to note that of the four new challengers Dee Jay is the only one with a fireball. Knock opponents silly into next Tuesday with the Hyper Fist. His Double Dread Kick is perfect to end combos with.

When it comes to martial arts, no one's better — When it comes to martial arts, no one’s better

Inspired by the Tiger Balm Garden of Hong Kong fame, this exotic palace is where the best battle for supremacy. The music here is awesome. And is it just me or did those roars at the end of a round sound exactly like Angilas?!

Good shit, Capcom. Such rich childhood memories there…

Striking fast and hard, the Rekka Ken can hit multiple times and even be used as a re-dizzy combo. Fei Long’s Rising Dragon Kick emits a blast of fire from his steel leg, scorching anyone caught in its warpath.

T. Hawk pleases the crowd with his amazing agility and earth shaking slams. Everyone has temporarily halted their business transactions to witness the latest T. Hawk pounding. He’s undoubtedly their favorite son!

Thunder Hawk rises like the phoenix. He also dives and swoops with the greatest of ease. His prized Storm Hammer is right up there with Zangief’s Spinning Piledriver for most damaging maneuver.

BONUS ROUNDS

Classic bonus stages are back.

Sadly, it wasn't meant to be — Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be

BONUS MODES

Beating the clock is as valuable as beating your foe

Group Battle lets you pick Match Play or Elimination

Eight players can decide the best in Tournament! — Tournament lets eight players decide who’s the best!

BONUS RANDOM PICTURES

Who didn't imagine this as a kid every single time? — Who didn’t imagine this as a kid every single time?

Looks like the sun exploded and killed both men!

Remember the rumors of knocking off his MASK? :P — Remember the rumors of knocking off his MASK?

Cry if I want to! You would too if it happened to you!

“SOMEONE SAY PARTY?!”

Everybody’s doing a brand new dance now!
C’mon baby do the Blanka-motion.
I know you’ll get to like it if you give it a chance now.
C’mon baby do the Blanka-motion.
My little baby sister can do it with ease.
It’s easier than learning your a-b-c’s.
So come on, come on!
Do the Blanka-motion with me!
[Not unless you’re Kylie Minogue in a bikini -Ed.]

I've always loved the "freaks" in my fighting games — I’ve always loved the “freaks” in my fighting games

But I was also a big Ryu guy. Orange Ryu all day

All good. You have seven other pairs to pick from! — All good, you still have seven other pairs to pick from

Damn his loss to Ryu really affected his manhood eh? — Damn, his loss to Ryu really affected his manhood…

Damn, Sagat. How the mighty have fallen — My oh my… how the mighty have fallen

GENESIS VS. SNES ROUND 3… FIGHT!!

Who takes home the winners trophy? — Who takes home the winner’s trophy?

I played both versions and prefer the SNES one. That’s not to say the Genesis port isn’t good because it’s great. Weighing in at a hefty 40 MEGS, it’s the biggest 16-bit title ever released in North America. I remember as a kid thinking how can a 16-bit game be 40 F’N MEGS? Fun times, though. It was a huge deal but I always preferred the SNES port. It looked, sounded and played better. Plus it’s hard to beat that classic SNES controller.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

No one envisioned EGM going anti-Street Fighter — No one envisioned EGM going anti-*Street Fighter*

Super Street Fighter II arrived on the SNES with some controversy. While most publications swooned over the conversion, long time Street Fighter loving advocate EGM was not nearly as impressed. This was shocking. Between 1991 to 1993 EGM might as well have called themselves Street Fighter Monthly thanks to their endless coverage and Street Fighter covers. It surprised us all when they doled out less than stellar ratings of 6, 7, 7 and 8. This became the talk of the town but more on that later. Other magazines sang a different tune. GameFan scored it 90, 94 and 96% while Super Play issued it the biggest mark in their history: 96%. The EGM controversy still fascinates me to this day. Let’s head back 23 years to the scorching summer of 1994, shall we?

EGM shocked us with a less than glowing review

No one ever saw EGM turning heel on Street Fighter — No one ever saw EGM turning heel on *Street Fighter*

EGM had long been the proud flag bearer for all things Street Fighter. So it shocked the gaming world when EGM gave the SNES port of Super Street Fighter II less than stellar scores. It was made even more shocking seeing as how EGM was hyping up the SNES port for months prior. We all figured that EGM would rate the game with 9’s and 10’s. Little did we know…

EGM responds to the critics of their review — EGM’s response to the critics of their review

Too low? Fun debating this back in 94 — Too low? Fun debating this back in ’94

Leave it to good ol GameFan to give a high score — Leave it up to good ol’ GameFan to give a high score

Super Play agreed with GameFan — The highest rated game in Super Play history!

WHAT YOU SAID, ER, VOTED

You can't go wrong with any SNES Street Fighter! — You can’t go wrong with any SNES *Street Fighter*

Over 10 years ago, February 2007 to be precise, I ran a survey asking readers to choose their favorite SNES Street Fighter game. Which SNES Street Fighter game is the consensus favorite? 10% voted for Street Fighter II. 39% voted Super Street Fighter II. Street Fighter II Turbo won the poll with a stirring 51% of the votes. I have to agree with the majority here. I love Super Street Fighter II but I do have to give Street Fighter II Turbo the slight edge. Although there’s more featured in the former, the latter simply plays a smidgen better.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

One of my favorite shots Ive taken. MONEY SHOT! — One of my favorite shots I’ve taken. **MONEY SHOT!**

Super Street Fighter II is one hell of a game. It’s easily one of the best arcade to SNES translations I’ve ever played. Four new fighters brings the roster to a whopping 16, three home bonus modes provide even more play options and the new colors, both in costume and stage backgrounds, are flat out awesome (Sagat’s stage is a mic drop). The combos are incredibly easy to pull off and the game controls like a dream. There’s really only one thing holding it back: those voices! It’s not the worst in the world by any stretch, but it IS a clear drop in quality from the previous two games. I’m happy Ken and Ryu now have different voices, but what happened to poor Guile? The sound effects, I’m sad to say, sound a little wimpy. Especially when you compare them to the satisfying WHACKS and THWACKS of the previous two SNES Street Fighter games. At the end of the day though, it’s easy to forgive this flaw since it plays so damn well. Thankfully, the music is still great as ever. But all in all, Super Street Fighter II falls just shy of being the complete package as a Street Fighter II Turbo.

Regardless, this remains one of my favorite SNES games. On a system that has literally hundreds of quality games to pick from, Super Street Fighter II sits firmly somewhere near the top. All of your old favorites are back along with four new warriors to master. While I’m not the biggest fan of the newbies, they do add credible value. The speed option is a nice home bonus; the fastest is not Turbo fast but is more than acceptable. It’s crazy to think it’s been over 20 years since I scored the last rental copy from The Wherehouse, and how my brother and I shitted our pants watching the arcade intro emanating LIVE from our very own living room. It truly brought home the arcade experience. Ah, those were some damn good times. Super Street Fighter II is one of the best fighting games on the SNES and it holds up incredibly well even more than 20 years later.

Graphics: 9.5
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 9.5
Longevity: 10

Overall: 9.5

Long live the memories. Long live Street Fighter! — Long live the memories. Long live *Street Fighter*!

Saturday Night Slam Masters (SNES)

**Pub & Dev: Capcom | June 1994 | 24 MEGS**

Capcom could almost do no wrong back in the early-mid ’90s. They were like King Midas; almost anything they touched turned to gold. Their Street Fighter II franchise caught lightning in a bottle. In 1993 Capcom released an arcade wrestling game by the name of Saturday Night Slam Masters. Can we pause here to acknowledge that Saturday Night Slam Masters has to be one of the greatest titles for a video game ever? Who doesn’t love Saturday nights, and who doesn’t want to take control of a Slam Master? The title completely captures the carny and zany nature of the professional wrestling underworld. I loved playing the arcade game back in the day and was psyched when a Super Nintendo port was announced. Boosting 10 crazy comic book-like grapplers, the best thing about Slam Masters was its frenetic 4 player tag team bedlam mode. Yup, Saturday nights at home with the SNES and three friends was never going to be the same again.

30 YEARS BEING A WRASSLIN’ FAN

On an innocent Saturday night in early October of 1987, my uncle introduced me and my brother to the wacky world of professional wrestling. That night we saw Saturday Night’s Main Event. In particular, I’ll never forget that moment when Intercontinental Champion Honky Tonk Man smashed Macho Man Randy Savage over the head with his guitar. Coincidentally, one of the men holding Savage hostage there, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, was recently featured here on RVGFanatic.

The Handshake Heard 'Round The World — The Handshake Heard ‘Round The World

Hulk Hogan made the save and the two joined forces to create The Mega Powers. And on that night I became cemented as a wrestling fan for life. My fandom has been going strong nearly 30 years now, and I’ll always be a sucker for a good wrestling product. Speaking of which…

I’ll never forget the summer of 1994. It was such an epic summer that I wrote all about it here: The Summer of Imports. Saturday Night Slam Masters played a big role in that memorable summer over 20 years ago.

Who didn't want to use Haggar in a wrestling game? — Who didn’t want to use Haggar in a wrestling game?

Known as Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion in Japan, Slam Masters isn’t the most technically proficient wrestling game around but what it lacks in proper technique it more than makes up for with tons of character, charm and chaos.

SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING

Accompanied by a rockin’ guitar riff, the intro is short and sweet. It also sets the mood perfectly for the pandemonium to come.

THE SLAM MASTERS

Jumbo and Scorp are considered “boss characters” and are only selectable in the tag team mode. Scorp is an absolute badass. I like all of them but as a kid I took an immediate liking to Titanic Tim. He was my man! My brother gravitated to El Stringray, the Rey Mysterio Jr. wannabe. Of course, you can’t go wrong with Haggar, either. But Titanic Tim was my favorite. As a kid I had two phrases I would always shout whenever I hit someone with Tim’s big boot or his running shoulder tackle. Hey, I was 10 . It went like such…

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" — ***“GET OUT OF THE WAY!”***

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

Weapons are occasionally strewn about outside the ring in the one on one mode. Nothing satisfies like cracking someone’s cranium with a sturdy table.

Gunloc is rumored to be the brother of Guile. One can definitely see the similarities…

Turnabout is fair play! Gunloc finishes off the remains of the table and quite possibly Biff as well.

Nothing gets a better laugh though than smashing someone over the head with a beer bottle!

Perhaps you want something more traditional, though. In that case grab a chair which takes two hits to completely destroy. Love the way Haggar sells!

SINGLES WARFARE

Modern day David vs. Goliath — not looking good for the little guy at the moment…

Titanic Tim LAUNCHES El Stingray high into the stratosphere. Love his reaction there. Reminds me of Randy Orton cringing when he threw Samir Singh too hard…

TAG TEAM WARFARE

Stingray’s Atomic Diver looks painful as hell, to BOTH guys.

Haggar is pissed off and delivers his classic spinning clothesline. Stingray’s Jalapeno Comet is probably the coolest looking special move in the game.

Alexander the Grater’s Tornado Toss is arguably the most gruesome and wince-inducing move. He tosses you high into the air, even going above the screen, before you come crashing down to the hard canvas with no give. OUCH!

HAGGAR’S REVENGE

Haggar is pissed off at Stingray for the lack of help and takes out the little guy.

STINGRAY’S REVENGE

Secret to beating a big bully? Recruit an even bigger one! Besides, Titanic Tim feels guilty for launching Stingray into the far reaches of outer space that one time, and is paying back the favor he owes to El Stingray. Not to mention, he’s kind of taken a liking to the little guy, if truth be told.

Capcom absolutely NAILED the entrances. It completely captures the over the top nature of the wrestling business.

Titanic Tim starts out by targeting Haggar, choking the life out of him. Later on, Jumbo uses his girth to put the big squeeze on the big man.

Massive suplex! Thing of beauty.

Haggar submits to Tim’s Torture Rack. At the end you get a classic Capcom Street Fighter-esque post fight quote. By the way, my favorite thing about the tag team bedlam mode is that it’s elimination style. Meaning you can enjoy a nice little 2-on-1 handicap match after defeating one of your opponents. It’s a total blast with 4 players!

Taking a page out of Bret Hart’s playbook, Tim delivers a picture perfect Reverse Russian Legsweep. I love catching them from behind while they’re dealing with my tag partner. These sneak attacks are the best. Also love the impact of the mat. It sounds painful as hell.

Getting a double 3-count pin in stereo is almost the coolest thing in this game. Check out how Grater there turns a shade of red after being defeated!

Speaking of coolest, nothing beats this. Seeing your tag partner thwart the opponent’s attempt to save their partner in the nick of time is a fist pumping moment for sure! Close saves (both ways) create the most compelling moments in this game by far.

Haggar is back for revenge and this time he has a new partner: Scorp. Judging by that second pic there, it’s a good call…

Haggar’s Spinning Piledriver is absolutely devastating.

Scorp’s Spiral Slam is just as lethal.

Destruction personified!

Defeat all comers and Capcom lets you do it again, Ghosts ‘N Goblins style.

Falling face first at the game over screen always made me chuckle.

Quotes from each wrestler appear pre and post match. It was a sign of the times.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Gorgeous artwork from AngusBurgers! — Gorgeous artwork from artist *AngusBurgers*

Saturday Night Slam Masters fared well with the critics as an arcade port. EGM gave it ratings of 7, 7, 7 and 8. Super Play rated it 78%. It’s obvious it’s best when played with 4. It takes a huge hit when playing solo, moreso than other 4 player games I feel. EGM said it best when one of their reviewers cited, “This is awesome for parties and gatherings, but not one I’d want to sit down and play all day.” I had a blast with this game back in the summer of 1994. My brother, our friends and I would all rotate having a go. It’s aged well but I’m reminded of how limited this game is, having played it recently. Yeah, it is an arcade port but you wish Capcom threw in some extra modes. It’s a straight port of an arcade game that didn’t have many bells and whistles. What you see is what you get. This worked fine with Street Fighter II, but Saturday Night Slam Masters is the CLASSIC arcade game. By that I mean it’s a lot of fun to play for a short go each time you see it in the arcade hall, but its flaws are exposed with longer sessions.

"A little help here?" — *“A little help here?”*

Super Play perhaps put it best:

“It’s totally atmospheric and, along with the over-the-top glitziness of each of the 10 fighters, it makes for an entertaining game to watch, if never totally satisfying to play. The problem is it’s very much an arcade experience. It’s fine to stick a couple of quid in for a laugh when you happen to come across it at the Trocadéro, for example, but it doesn’t have the gameplay or depth backing it. It’s just a matter of exchanging punches and kicks for a while, moving in for a spot of grappling, and hoping you get in there first. Sure, it may take a while to learn the special moves, and when to best apply them, but there aren’t many, and that’s as far as any strategy goes.”

CLOSING THOUGHTS

SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING — ***SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING***

Don’t get me wrong, for all the flaws that Saturday Night Slam Masters has, I still like the game a whole bloody lot. You can’t talk about the best 4 player SNES games without mentioning this one. And if you take it for what it strictly is, you should be satisfied. It’s a crazy arcade wrestling game that places more emphasis on an arcade style than it does a pure technical wrestling style. You may come away feeling a bit cheated if you’re looking for anything beyond that. Computer AI can be very cheap, pulling off miracle comebacks and knowing your next move before you even attempt it. But it all goes back to the true nature of this game: it’s meant to be experienced playing alongside 3 pals.

"I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD!" — *“I’M THE KING OF THE WORLD!”*

Yes, it’s a bit shallow but as far as straight arcade ports go Capcom did a great job. Extras would have been appreciated but the graphics and sound are on par with what you’d expect from Capcom in this era. In other words, they do a good job bringing home an arcade-like quality experience. It’s by no means a deep game, so I knocked it down a point or two. It’s just a matter of hanging in there and hoping for the best, as Super Play perfectly encapsulated a bit earlier.

Get 'im, T-Hawk! Er, Titanic Tim — Get him, T. Hawk! Er, Titanic Tim

Overall, it’s a great arcade translation but it was best played in spurts with friends in the arcade, and the same applies here.

Graphics: 8
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 7
Longevity: 7

Overall: 7.5
Bronze Award

Street Fighter II Turbo (SNES)

**Pub & Dev: Capcom | August 1993 | 20 MEGS**

Street Fighter II jumpstarted a revolution, no doubt. Likewise, there is no doubt that Street Fighter II Turbo refined said revolution. Many would even argue perfected it. Allowing you to use the four boss characters, in addition to adding new special moves for most of the fighters and the all-important speed factor, Street Fighter II Turbo has cemented its place in video gaming lore. The hype surrounding the release back in the summer of 1993 was palpable and surreal. I remember my brother buying this game on launch day and nobody in my gaming group was disappointed one iota. Looking back, it’s easy to see it’s not a perfect conversion of the 1992 arcade smash hit, but man, back in those olden days it sure felt pretty damn close to perfect. You have to remember that home consoles back then weren’t close to being as strong as arcade cabs. It’s amazing what Capcom was able to translate to the little ol’ 16-bit SNES. My friends and I wasted so many hours on this one. Good times.

MAKING A COMEBACK

With the recent news of Nintendo releasing the SNES Classic Edition, Street Fighter II Turbo is once again being brought back into the public consciousness. It’s the only fighting game featured in the package and if you could only pick one then Nintendo made the right call. Let the nostalgia commence.

THE STREET FIGHTER PHENOMENON

Seeing this back in the summer of ’93 was every kid’s dream come true. All 12 Street Fighters available at the tip of your fingers. Same character selects with no codes. Finally, no more excuses. Survival of the strongest. Many scores were settled and many bruises ensued. Even better, Capcom was cool enough to include both Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and Turbo in one package. Champion Edition allows you to control the four boss characters and select the same fighters. Turbo upped the ante by giving most of the original cast a new special move and added a speed setting. Many consider Turbo to be the definitive version of Street Fighter II.

Beat the bosses, BE the bosses. Brilliant, Capcom

Arguably Capcom's finest hour on the SNES... — Arguably Capcom’s finest hour on the SNES…

I still vividly remember to this day my brother rushing out to buy this game. I stayed at home counting down the minutes. Seeing my brother come back home with the Holy Grail firmly in his grasp was a moment of sheer euphoria. Experiencing the game in our living room, in all its 20 MEG glory, showing off the power of the SNES, it was crazy to see how far video gaming had come since the days of the 8-bit NES. Never was a system more aptly named than the SUPER Nintendo.

THE STREET FIGHTERS

The face of the franchise, this straight edge no nonsense warrior is all about the fight and nothing else. Some may call him a little vanilla, but Ryu is as solid and consistent as a rock. He’s the Leonardo of the crew, and I guess every franchise needs that one leading cat, eh?

Ryu’s stage is simply classic. Battle for supremacy on top of a private roof. A nearby dojo looms hauntingly in the background. Sadly, the moon is missing but back in 1993 none of us really cared. We were way too busy appreciating what we had.

Straight up two of the most iconic special moves in all of fighting game history.

Hurricane Kick can now be performed in mid-air.

Of course he was born on Valentine's Day — Of course he was born on Valentine’s Day

Every main protagonist needs a rival. Enter Ken, a flashier version of Ryu. Naturally, he’s a bit temperamental and one cocky son of a gun. Ken is perfect for those who want to control someone with Ryu’s moveset but has a little edge to their character.

There's nothing like seeing this on a Saturday morning — A sight that once dominated my Sunday mornings

Ken’s stage has always been one of my favorites. Being the complete opposite of Ryu in terms of personality, Ken wants a crowd to witness and worship his skills. Nothing gets him going more than humiliating his opponent in front of a packed house, or boat as it were. A pair of barrels propped to the right will shatter upon impact, adding insult to injury.

Similar moveset to Ryu but Ken’s Dragon Punch travels a bit farther.

Homie needs to cover up his junk better... — Homie needs to cover up his junk better…

The residential sumo grand champion, Edmund Honda is determined to show the world that a sumo champ can also be the world’s greatest fighter. I never much cared for Honda back in the day but over the years have come to appreciate him more.

Prepare for a blood bath [HAR HAR -Ed.] — Prepare for a blood bath *[HAR HAR -Ed.]*

E. Honda’s stage is awesome. I love the combination of colors used and that background mural is so bizarrely memorable. The best thing about this stage is when the fight is over, the mural lights up and the mural man flashes a sign at you. It’s bonkers.

Edmund uses his thick head to devastating results. “OOP OINK!” He also has the fastest hands around, unleashing hell in the form of a hundred hand BITCH SLAP. It’s been upgraded; Honda can perform it while inching toward his opponent.

Honda’s new move serves as a bit of an anti-air special, followed by a diving ass attack. Assack, perhaps.

Now with a fireball in tow -- the KIKOKEN! — Now with a fireball in tow — the KIKOKEN!

Many people think of Chun Li as being the first lady of fighting games. Other people have, AHEM, other thoughts about her but it would be inappropriate to cite said thoughts. You know her story. She’s out to avenge the death of her father who fell at the vile hands of M. Bison. She got arguably the best new move in Turbo as well. A fireball! Hey, it was a big deal back then.

Is that guy choking his chicken watching her? — He’s watching Chun Li while choking his chicken

He’s really got no shame, the git. Chun Li’s stage is another classic that is burned into my soul. Duke it out in front of a busy marketplace complete with cyclists passing through. Should you emerge victorious, you can then partake in buying some dinner or even get a haircut. All in a day’s hard work!

#NEVERSKIPPEDLEGDAY.

Remember what a big deal people made back in the early ’90s that Chun Li now has a fireball of her own? And on a side note, her annoying infamous head stomp returns as well.

"Quit blocking my barbershop post!" — *“Quit blocking my barbershop post, Chunners!”*

One of my favorite Capcom creations of all time

Ah, the tragic tale of Jimmy. The little boy who descended to the depths of a Brazilian jungle during a plane crash, only to be mutated and raised by the wild savages of the jungle. All that produced the beast you now see… BLANKA!

The music, the locals snapping photos to prove the existence of the beast, the savages cheering on from inside the hut packed in like a can of sardines, the giant clouds scrolling lazily by in the background, the giant anaconda wrapped around that decaying tree… this stage tells such a rich story and is perfection personified.

Blanka’s electric shock fits him so well. That x-ray animation is legendary. His rolling attack has been improved — Blanka no longer takes double damage if he’s hit during the attack.

Blanka’s new trick is a vertical rolling attack. It doubles as an anti-air move and it can also nail opponents on the way down.

Don't mess with a guy who wrestles with bears — Don’t mess with a guy who wrestles with bears

If Chun Li is the first lady of fighting games, then surely Zangief is the first muscle maniac of the genre. It takes a very skilled player to use Zangief effectively. I love how he wrestles bears for a hobby, and his scar-laced body is proof that he is certifiably a turnbuckle shy of a wrestling ring!

Held in the heartland of the USSR, factory workers take a break from the work grind to witness their beloved Zangief crush yet another poor victim.

Similar to Honda’s Hundred Hand Slap, the Spinning Clothesline can now move. It’s cool how a small change can actually make a big difference. His new move is a crushing German Suplex that would make ECW’s Taz proud!

Spinning Pile Driver still the most devastating move in the game!

Guile was always the "cool rebel" to us kids — Guile was always the “cool rebel” to us kids

There’s something cool about a good old American badass. Guile fits that role to a tee. He doesn’t have a lot of special moves but he makes each one count. Forget about Charlie, Guile is where it’s at!

Nothing like sending your foe through a crate — We called the guy in the middle there Cyclops…

Street Fighter II has some of the best stages in fighting game history. Guile’s is yet another example of such. The music of this stage is stuck in my head to this day, and it never gets old throwing your opponent through the crates.

Hadoken set the bench mark for all projectiles to follow, but I’d argue that the Sonic Boom is almost just as memorable. Remember how the jab version was so slow that it allowed you to bash your opponent’s head in with a well-timed back fist? You can’t do that with the Hadoken, that’s for damn sure!

Champion Edition tweaked the Flash Kick to hit two times. I was never a fan of this change. Thankfully, it’s back to the classic one hit in the Turbo edition. I’ve always been a huge fan of Guile’s Flash Kick. To me it’s just as iconic as the Dragon Punch and it looks way cooler.

[Very funny, NOT -Stretch Armstrong] — *[Very funny… NOT -Stretch Armstrong]*

Forever a perennial favorite of mine, Dhalsim was the first Street Fighter character I ever used. He was also the one I used when I perfected my brother’s annoying cocky friend at a 7-11 circa 1991. He had no answer for Dhalsim’s long limbs and his hubris was his ultimate downfall. Dhalsim and I have shared a lifelong connection ever since.

Seeing this brings back so many memories of 7-11

Yet another haunting stage. The elegant blue rug, the elephant god mural and of course, who could forget the elephants trumpeting at the end of each battle?

Dhalsim had the very unique ability of being able to stretch his limbs. This great gimmick was often copied in other fighting games from other companies. Hey, he was a trailblazer!

Teleportation is Dhalsim’s new special skill. Check out how he uses this new power to confuse, daze and nail his opponent!

Known for his signature fiery antics, he can spew a small fireball (Yoga Fire) or blow a larger one that is more short ranged but hits for more damage (Yoga Flame). The “on fire” animation is, no pun intended, seared into the memories of anyone who ever ventured through an arcade hall in the early ’90s.

In Japan he was originally called M. Bison

The first of the four boss characters, Balrog has always been the least interesting to me. He was a sign of the times; Capcom drew inspiration from “Iron” Mike Tyson.

Fighting under the bright lights of Las Vegas, combatants duke it out as strippers, pimps and tourists cheer the carnage on. Epic background.

Balrog’s two special moves consist of rushing punch variations. In fact, he is the only fighter in the game to never use his feet. It takes a skilled player to use him effectively.

The first time I ever saw Vega I remember thinking how cool he was. Vega to me seemed like a combination of Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers. It wasn’t long before I realized he was nothing more than a masked narcissist with a claw. Just a pretty boy, and nothing at all like those terrifying monsters of my youth. Needless to say, I didn’t like him as much then!

Remember the 1991 rumors of knocking off his mask? — You can knock his claw off, but not his mask

Dropped in the middle of an underground fighting world at an undisclosed location somewhere in Spain, the steel cage protects the spectators from the sheer chaos. But really, it serves as a tool for Vega to scale when things get too hot and heavy…

Vega’s rolling attack can connect several times and inflict a good deal of damage.

Nimble as a cat, Vega takes to the cage when all else fails. From here he can either pierce you with his razor sharp claw or catch you in an devastating overhead throw.

One of my favorite Capcom characters of all time — How many Asians you know are 7’4″?

In the first Street Fighter tournament, reigning champion Sagat was dethroned by a young warrior named Ryu. Ryu’s Dragon Punch left an enormous scar on his chest and ever since then the Thailand terror has been training 24/7, waiting for the perfect moment to exact his revenge.

Brings back memories of Jet Li's SHAOLIN TEMPLE — The chest scar, the eye patch… what a character

A giant Buddha statue oversees the battle as combatants wrestle to the death in this beautiful and serene stage. The temples in the backdrop remind me of the old 1982 Jet Li film, Shaolin Temple.

Sagat’s two Tiger Shots hits either high or low. Switch the velocity to keep your opponent on their toes.

Sagat’s Tiger Knee connects on the ground for up to two devastating hits, and doubles as an anti-air attack to boot.

Needing to counter Ryu’s lethal Dragon Punch, the deadly Tiger Uppercut came to life. His chest scar is a daily reminder of the pain and humiliation he suffered in the first tournament. Seeking vengeance, Sagat believes his Tiger Uppercut will be the difference maker.

Remember how much we hated M. Bison as kids when he was in Street Fighter II? And remember how much we wanted to control him just so we could pull off his Psycho Crusher? Street Fighter II Turbo made our dreams come true.

The sky paints such an ominous backdrop. Towering golden statues decorate each side of the stage which you can send your opponent crashing through. A massive bell that looks like it came straight out of a Bob Ross water painting rests center stage.

Scissor Kick can hit up to two times, one high and one low. Tricky and deadly!

Jumping high, Bison plants both feet into your skull and then flies backwards to smash your temple in with his tyrannical fist. OUCH!

You felt so badass screaming across the screen!

BONUS STAGES

Who could ever forget the first time seeing the car bonus stage? It’s an iconic gaming sight, and one that still resonates more than 25 years later.

Bricks don't hit back — Bricks don’t hit back

Bonus stages were a fighting game staple of the '90s — Bonus stages became a staple for the genre

THE MAN IN THE MOUNTAIN

When we were kids my brother and I believed that was none other than Dhalsim on the front cover showing off his new teleportation special move. Fast forward some odd 15 years to 2008, I posted my memories about this on a message board and everyone there told me “No, it’s just Honda and Sagat on the cover.” I wasn’t so quick to buy in, though, as I assumed everyone thought back in the day the same thing that my brother and I did. The debate somehow summoned the original artist of the SNES Street Fighter II Turbo cover into the fold. He claimed that the strange bald figure seen on the cover is NOT Dhalsim. I asked him who was it then, but he never got back to me. The mural man doesn’t look a damn thing like the bald guy we see on the cover. Strange. I guess we’ll never know for sure. But I still stand by my original statement… to me it was clever Capcom showing off Dhalsim’s brand new special skill. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! #childhoodconvictions

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

1993 -- what a time for a gamer to be alive — 1993 — what a time for a gamer to be alive

Street Fighter II Turbo was a smash hit with the critics. It earned Game of the Month accolades with EGM, posting scores of 9, 9, 10 and 10. GameFan gave it ratings of 98, 98, 99 and 100%. Super Play rated it a whopping 96% — the highest score they ever dished out. This port is widely considered as one of the BEST arcade to home translations on the SNES. In terms of top 100 lists, Nintendo Power ranked it #10, EGM had it at #5 and Super Play placed it at #2.

Street Fighter II Turbo ranked high on many lists — *Street Fighter II Turbo* ranked high on many lists

WHAT YOU, THE READERS, SAID

Which SNES Street Fighter game got the most votes? — Which SNES *Street Fighter* game got the most votes?

More than a decade ago, way back in February 2007, on my old original RVGFanatic website I ran a survey asking my readers to vote for their favorite SNES Street Fighter game. You voiced your opinion loudly. Now, more than 10 years later, the final results are in. Come on, you didn’t think I would lose those figures, right? Don’t answer that. While obviously not conclusive — this is one small sample after all — it’s interesting to see nevertheless. 10% prefer the very first one while 39% voted for Super Street Fighter II. It was no shock that Street Fighter II Turbo won the poll with a stirring 51% of the votes. I love all the SNES Street Fighter games (yes, even 1996’s Street Fighter Alpha 2) but Street Figher II Turbo to me will forever be the king.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Street Fighter II Turbo forever holds a special place in my heart. It gave me and my gaming crew so many fond memories over the years. For my money, it is without a shadow of a doubt the best fighting game on the Super Nintendo. At the time it blew all of us away. And while it’s true that it isn’t a perfect conversion of the arcade (nobody expected it to be), it still made for the perfect SNES fighting game. Even though there have been arcade-perfect ports of Street Fighter II Turbo released on other systems over the years, I still find myself coming back to the SNES version and having a blast. Maybe I’m a little blinded by nostalgia but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t still hold up well nearly 25 years later.

No, it definitely doesn’t.

Graphics: 10
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10
Longevity: 10

Overall: 10
PLATINUM AWARD

When you talk about Super Nintendo’s very finest, any discussion excluding Street Fighter II Turbo should automatically be null and void. It was a video gaming revolution — a special time we’re likely never to see again. I’m thankful I got to witness it first-hand.

Long live the memories — Long live the king

Knights of the Round (SNES)

***Pub & Dev: Capcom | April 1994 | 12 MEGS***

This past Friday (May 12, 2017), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword limped its way into theatres to mixed (but mostly poor) reviews. It grossed under 15 million in its opening weekend. Mind you, it was produced on a budget of 175 million, not counting advertising. It is a box office bomb in the ultimate sense. Damn, as if everybody didn’t see that coming. King Arthur has definitely seen better days, and I’d be damned if Knights of the Round doesn’t qualify as such. A conversion of the Capcom arcade beat ‘em up, it arrived pretty late into the SNES’ lifespan (November 1991 to April 1994) but hey, better late than never. As far as beat ‘em ups on the Super Nintendo go, this is easily one of the better ones.

A GOLDEN TIME

Timing is everything... — Timing is everything…

In January 2006 I was struck hard by an overwhelming desire to revisit my childhood in the form of one, the Super Nintendo. There were so many great games from my youth I wanted to play again and even more that I always wanted to play back in the ’90s but never did. Early 2006 was a special time. Most SNES games sold for a measly $5. There was a paucity of nostalgic collectors back then; the market had yet to explode. It was a classic case of right place, right time. I acquired most of my SNES games on the internet, but I also bought more than my fair share in real life. And there’s something special about that. It’s kind of like playing a video game with your buddies in the same room rather than online play. There’s a purity to the real life exchange that simply can’t be beat. I’ve had some great deals and met some interesting cats in those early days of 2006. One of my favorite memories was the day I ran into an old college acquaintance while out hunting.

March 25, 2006. 12:27 PM. Two months into my SNES resurrection, I left my house that Saturday afternoon full of hope and optimism. Burnt out on Saturn gaming, it was during a long University winter break that the urge to play my childhood favorites, and discover the gems that I missed back in the day, hit me like a ton of bricks. But I digress. Back to March 25. The night before I made my local rounds on Craigslist and found an ad of some guy liquidating all his old 16-bit games. I emailed him and he promptly replied, asking me to come visit his store (a good 45 minute drive both ways) on Saturday to browse his selection. He promised to give me a good deal.

And so the next morning I was off on yet another trek. I fondly recall those early hunting days. There was sort of a magic to it all… like the possibility that anything could happen and any game on my want list was laying out in the open. Having a want list of literally hundreds meant a good chance I was always going to find something. It was a peaceful spring Saturday morning. Listening to my blaring music, windows rolled down, driving all over town to reclaim bits and pieces of my childhood… there was something very ‘romantic’ about those early days.

Upon my arrival I met Aaron, the guy whom I had been in contact with. He looked oddly familiar… I couldn’t escape the feeling that I’d seen this fool somewhere before. As I browsed his SNES offerings it suddenly hit me. I had a college class with him back in the spring of 2002! In fact, we were groupmates for the final! How’s that for a weird little story? It had to be destiny.

He was looking at me sort of funny too. It had been four years since we seen each other. As we looked at each other my memory started flowing back to me. For our Final we had to share with the class something we were passionate about (it was a rec class). I talked about my love for playing basketball. At that time my love with the game was at its peak (thanks largely to Coach Butler and 9/11). Meanwhile, Aaron shared with the class his passion for video games, which included Nintendo, Sega and even the Atari Jaguar.

As I stood there recalling to myself exactly who this guy was, as if on cue, he came over to break my train of introspective thought.

“Finding everything good?”

I answered his question with a question of my own. “Hey man, didn’t we take a rec class together in college like four years back?”

“Man, I knew you looked familiar! … Steve, right? Yeah I totally remember that class… easiest A+ of my life! How the hell ya been?”

We chewed the fat for a while. So random and crazy! Turns out Aaron’s dream has always been to own his very own game store. And at just 22 years young, he was the manager of this little gaming store. I was happy for him. We were never best buddies in college but we were cool, and just seeing him randomly on this day and finding out that he achieved his dream at just 22 years old, that was sweet. It’s always nice to run into an old face and find them doing well in the game of life.

Found my shining knight... — Found my shining knight…

I eventually brought these four games to the counter. I was so excited to dig up Knights of the Round; it was my first time in two months spotting a copy in the wild. Such good childhood memories spent playing it and Super Baseball 2020 (which I also bought). Never got to play the SNES port of Power Instinct but I always wanted to. Aaron gave me a good deal. Knights of the Round was price at $8 but he sold it for $6. Power Instinct was $8 but he took $4. Super Baseball 2020 went for just a measly $1 (!) and Super Soccer Champ ran $2. What a wild trip, all courtesy of my checking Craigslist the night before. Little did I know I would run into an old face from my early college days, see that he was doing well and that life had been good to him, and get a nice little deal in the process. Driving home that Saturday afternoon, I rolled down the windows and blasted the music. There was such a feeling of excitement in the air. It was a fascinating time where I was getting ready to wrap up college and look to the future yet at the same time I was also looking to the past. I looked at the four games sitting on my passenger seat, smiling as old fond memories of playing them began surfacing. It was the perfect drive home. Those early hunting days… man, I’ll never forget those exuberant days. The feeling of excitement in the air… reclaiming my childhood… running into old faces… crossing want after want off the list. Good times indeed.

THE STORY GOES…

Legend says that whoever extracts Excalibur... — Legend says that whoever extracts Excalibur…

... would rule the land! — … would rule the land!

"Arthur, only the Legendary Grail can save the world!" — *“Arthur, only the Legendary Grail can save the world”*

"You three must find and use it to unify all of Britain" — *“You three must find and use it to unify all of Britain”*

"Now go forth, ye Knights of the Round!" — *“Now go forth, ye Knights of the Round!”*

Blocking enemy attacks is crucial to your success

KNIGHT CLUB

A strong all-around fighter and a true jack-of-all trades — A strong all-around fighter and a jack-of-all trades

King Arthur was quite the swinger in his day... — King Arthur was quite the swinger in his day…

Makes up for his lack of power with blazing speed

A lumbering brute blessed with the strength of 10 men — A lumbering brute blessed with the power of 10 men

He's the classic slow but strong fighter — He’s the classic slow but strong fighter

KINDERGARTEN KNIGHTS

They say everything you ever needed to learn, you learned in Kindergarten. If true then these knights pass with flying colors. One of the unique things about Knights of the Round is the ability to split up treasure into multiples. That way, when playing with a buddy, both players can reap the benefits. Nice!

I can't eat all this... — I can’t eat all this…

And not only can you split up the treasure but the food as well. I can’t think of another beat ‘em up that does this off the top of my head. It makes Knights of the Round unique as it really highlights the true co-op nature of this game.

ALL MINE, BWAHAHAHAHA... — ALL MINE, BWAHAHAHAHA…

WELCOME TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Not many beat 'em ups can claim this — Not many beat ‘em ups can claim this

Another cool feature is the leveling up system. Your character will level up after reaching a set amount of points. This results in increased strength and tiny cosmetic changes. It adds a slight RPG flavor. It also serves as a way to refuel your health bar even mid-way through a stage, which can turn the tide in your favor. My brother Kevin and I raved about this scoring system back in ’94 and I still appreciate it to this day. There’s nothing better than having a sliver of health only to level up. In the process your character receives a new piece of armor and your health bar resets to 100%. It’s these little moments that make this game such a joy to play. Love these gimmicks!

Leveling up when you're near death is the best — Leveling up when you’re near death never gets old

WHEN IN DARKEST KNIGHT

Perhaps the best item of all, this allows you to automatically level up whether you’re one point away or 30,000. Hopefully you’ll run across it soon after leveling up on your own, since that really maximizes the odds of winning.

Arguably the second best item in the game

Along the way you’ll find some key items, such as this red orb. This will destroy all enemies on screen. On the downside, this does eliminate the chance of scoring more points. It’s a small sacrifice…

KNIGHT-MARE

Wouldn't be right without some horses — Wouldn’t be King Arthur without some horses

This was so cool but sadly it’s a one time deal. The mare puts you in prime position to smash and bash their skulls in. Playing with a friend? You and your buddy will have to decide who gets to ride the beast. Yeah, my brother and I used to always to discuss this, ahem, “peacefully.” And by that I mean if I didn’t let him mount the mare he would smack me upside my head with a pillow. Nothing like brotherly love, is there? No worries bro, I’ll get you back with my best man speech (edit: I sure did…)

"I like long walks, riding horses and slaying..." — *“I like long walks and horses”*

OK, so you can ride a horse *twice* in the game, but only one time outside of the Braford boss fight. It’s still a shame to have it happen only two times in the entire game. Since you can’t pick up weapons, grab enemies, throw them or steal their weapons, things can get a bit repetitive. The horses manage to break up the action nicely, and thus it’s a shame they only crop up twice.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Look for the goodies hidden in various barrels — Look for the goodies hidden inside various barrels

It's a good thing then that Percival loves crashing parties — Good thing then that Percival loves crashing parties

Minus clapping and balancing the pike on his nose

I could never max out the leveling up, though... — I could never max out the leveling up, though…

Capcom was the master of the small details

Mask Men are quite agile and rather annoying

Get it before they turn you into a royal sandwich!

Hit detection here in particular was a bit off

Nothing like stealing another man's ride — Nothing like stealing another man’s ride

[Wow... that explains a lot. Now it makes sense -Ed.] — *[Wow… that explains a lot. Now it makes sense… -Ed.]*

I love the Andore-type enemies. LOVE 'EM! — I love Andore-type enemies. LOVE ‘EM!

I'm warning ya -- LAST CHANCE! — I’m warning ya — LAST CHANCE!

The tiger lands on the soldier's sword. OUCH — The tiger lands on the soldier’s sword. OUCH

Arlon the Silver King is the first tough boss you face

We're not even halfway through the game yet — We’re not even halfway through the game yet

Hand that flag over, OR ELSE — Hand that flag over, ***OR ELSE***

But thank God we didn't — But thank God we didn’t

Taking out some of your comrades in the process

You shouldn't have done that... — You shouldn’t have done that…

You could say it's "falcon" awesome [No -Ed.] — You could say it’s “falcon” awesome [No -Ed.]

Don't falcon touch my treasure! [No -Ed.] — Don’t falcon touch my treasure! *[No -Ed.]*

"Damn sure could use a cup of joe right about now" — *“Damn sure could use a cup of joe right about now”*

Fat Men: "Head straight and turn left at the escalator" — Fat Men: *“Head straight and turn left at the escalator”*

Obligatory one hit fodder leaping from each side bit — The stakes are a little higher here, though…

It's the Lovecraftian Samurai from 47 Ronin — It’s like the Lovecraftian Samurai from *47 Ronin*

Whoa, after a certain level Percival shaves his head! — Whoa — after a certain level Percival goes bald!

Lightning reveals a pair of dragon statues. Nice

Boo for palette swaps. Who are you, Arlon's brother? — Palette swaps suck. Who are you, Arlon’s brother?

Garibaldi is by far the toughest boss in the game

Indeed it is. Nothing beats a close call... — Indeed it is. Nothing beats a close call…

ALL HAIL KING ARTHUR... ER... PERCIVAL! — ALL HAIL KING ARTHUR… ER… PERCIVAL!

MEET THE MEDIEVAL GEAR GANG

Soldiers have the smallest energy bar I've ever seen — Soldiers have the smallest energy bar ever seen

No good medieval game is without some sorcery

Compensating for something hmm? — Compensating for something, hmm?

Sounds like a Broadway musical in another universe — Sounds like a Broadway musical in the making…

Every beat 'em up has to feature some fat guys, eh? — Every beat ‘em up must feature some fat guys, eh?

Let's throw in a samurai a brilliant Capcom intern said — You can never go wrong with samurais

Best chocolate ever [THAT'S GHIRARDELLI YA FOOL -Ed.] — Best chocolate ever *[IT’S GHIRARDELLI YA FOOL -Ed.]*

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Capcom and SNES go together like PB&J — Capcom and the SNES go together like PB & J

Knights of the Round had a pretty respectable reputation for the most part. EGM gave it scores of 9, 8, 7, 7 and 7. GameFan never reviewed it but spoke favorably of it in its preview. Super Play Magazine, who were notoriously hard graders, particularly of beat ‘em ups, rated it a paltry 51%. They didn’t like the genre a whole lot, so I pretty much disagree with the majority of their beat ‘em up scores. They were excessively hard on these games and found many to be too derivative. Fans of beat ‘em ups may view otherwise, yours truly included. Super Play aside, this is regarded as a solid conversion of the 1991 arcade brawler. This medieval mash ‘em up is yet another solid Capcom SNES effort.

Three player mode was axed,but it's still fun with two — 3-player mode was axed, but it’s still fun with two

The arcade featured a 3-player mode that didn’t make the SNES cut. No surprise there, as there is no 3-player simultaneous beat ‘em up on the SNES. It’s a damn shame, but something you accepted as a kid back in the ’90s. Some sound effects are missing as well, such as the stomping of Hammer Balbars. But all in all, Capcom captured the spirit of the arcade well and it’s a blast with two gladiators at the helm. Knights of the Round is the closest thing to Golden Axe on the SNES! Capcom delivers yet again, to no one’s surprise.

I love Super Play but they were tough on beat 'em ups — Super Play often graded beat ‘em ups very tough

EGM, as they did more often than not, nailed it

CLOSING THOUGHTS

"I tell ya, the fish was THIS big!" — *“I swear, the fish was **THIS** big I tell ya!”*

Knights of the Round is a solid beat ‘em up and one that SNES fans of two player games should have in their collection. It covers a lot of familiar ground that gives it an instant comfortability. This includes having three varying characters to select from, special desperation moves and a typical hierarchy of enemies including several nasty bosses. In addition, it also has some clever tricks up its sleeve that helps differentiate it from the crowd. Being able to split up the food and money is a neat gimmick — I’ve never seen that before in a beat ‘em up. Also, being able to block and gain a split second of invulnerability adds to the strategy of the game, elevating it from the rest of the pack. Last but not least, the ability to level up is brilliant and makes racking up points all the more crucial.

But of course, the game isn’t without some flaws. The graphics and music are both good, but the sound is a bit muted and doesn’t have the kind of convincing slicing and slashing one would expect coming from Capcom. There’s also a tiny bit of slowdown (though mainly when battling Iron Golem) to work through. And because the Arthurian bunch come armed with their weapons, there are none to pick up along the way. Picking up various weapons along the way is one of the genre’s classic simple joys — being able to pick up a Louisville slugger or a lead pipe is typically all part of the fun. Another staple of the genre missing from this game is the ability to grab, pound and throw. Therefore, Knights of the Round is more like a slash ‘em up. It offers less choices than your average beat ‘em up since there are no weapons to pick up and no way to throw your enemies. This can lead to the game growing a bit dull from time to time, but overall, it’s still a blast playing with a friend. Despite its imperfections, Knights of the Round is a solid beat ‘em up that features some unique ideas and deserves a spot in any Super Nintendo library.

Graphics: 7.5
Sound: 7
Gameplay: 7.5
Longevity: 6.5

Overall: 7.5
Bronze Award

... THIS IS FULMINATED MERCURY! — **… THIS IS FULMINATED MERCURY!**

Sorry Arthur. Heisenberg is the king of meth-eval times — Sorry, Arthur. All hail the king of *“meth-eval”* times…

"I AM THE ONE WHO BLOCKS!" — ***“I AM THE ONE WHO BLOCKS!”***

Coming soon... ish... maybe — Coming soon… ish… maybe

Street Fighter II (SNES)

**Pub and Dev: Capcom | July 1992 | 16 MEGS**

Released in early 1991, Street Fighter II would forever change the course of gaming history. Sweeping coast to coast like a blistering tornado, swooping up everyone ruthlessly in its path, Street Fighter II took the video game world by storm. Gamers cutting classes, thousands of quarters disposed and endless lines — it was all just another day at the office for Capcom’s epochal once in a generation masterpiece. It was more than just a game; it was a phenomenon. Street Fighter II became a way of life for many. Never before did a game offer the endless combinations that Street Fighter II presented. In every pizza parlor, arcade hall, 7-11 — anywhere you could imagine — there was bound to be a Street Fighter II arcade cab with a line of eager players not far behind. Capcom had truly created a monster.

Then came the murmurs. If you put your ear low to the ground, you could hear the rumblings. Capcom was porting their money maker over to the Super Nintendo. The thought of being able to play the game in the comfort of your living room with no lines, no sticky buttons and no quarters? It was every kid’s dream come true in early 1992. That summer we got our wish when Street Fighter II made its home debut with a splash. Capcom pulled out all the stops, making this the first 16 MEG monster on the SNES. It was a glorious summer, indeed.

You've made it when you're on the cover of snacks! — You’ve made it when you’re on the cover of snacks!

Eight warriors spanning the globe, each with their own special moves, six buttons of varying speed and strength, unique quarter motions requiring some degree of skill, combos… Capcom caught lightning in a bottle.

Anyone who was a gamer and involved in the arcade scene back in the early ’90s has a story about Street Fighter II. This is mine…

SUMMER 1991

Pride comes before the fall... — Pride comes before the fall…

My dad drove me, my brother Kevin and his friends to a 7-11 one hot summer day. We were going to pick up some chips and slurpees to enjoy on this scorching summer day. Inside was a Street Fighter II cab, naturally. One of my brother’s friends, Mike, challenged me to a duel right there in the store. Ahh, Mike was a classic dude. He was a burly 10 year old cocky punk who acted tougher than he really was. I selected Dhalsim because I was always drawn to underdogs and “freaks.” Mike was trash talking even before the match began. I wasn’t yet skilled enough to pull off a special move, hell, I didn’t even know how! But on that day it didn’t matter, for you see, Mike had no answer for Dhalsim’s long limbs. I ended up perfecting him two rounds in a row! It was the upset of the decade! My seven and a half year old self couldn’t believe it, and neither could Mike, who just stood there completely in shock.

My brother and Mike’s other friend were jumping around going “OHHHH!!!” I became the man of the hour, and Mike was never going to live this moment down, ever. I knew then and there Street Fighter II was no ordinary game. It’s a memory that’s never left me. The moment cemented me as a Dhalsim and Street Fighter II fan for life. And to this day, whenever I happen to step inside a 7-11 to pick up a cold drink on a hot summer day, I can’t help but think back to that moment in time.

1991 was a good year. Damn, it's been 25 years... — 1991 was a good year. Damn, it’s been 25 years…

My bro, his friends and I used to frequent a local card shop, TRIPLE PLAY, on a biweekly basis. My bro would get 2 bucks to spend, and I’d get a dollar from my dad. I always spent that dollar on a Marvel 1991 trading card pack. My brother would as well, and then he’d use his last remaining dollar on the Street Fighter II cab. Kevin would occasionally spare me a quarter (what a great older brother, eh?) but most of the times I just stood by, happily checking out my new Marvel cards while keeping an eye on the older kids trading fireballs and fists.

Once in a while a game transcends gaming itself

And as the 8-bit Nintendo was making its final push in the US, word broke out about a SUPER Nintendo. A machine that promised to break all boundaries of modern technology and bring home the next wave of console gaming. Later that year the SNES launched and quality software like Super Mario World, Contra III: The Alien Wars and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past ensured that the SNES hype was real.

Released November 21, 1990 — *Street Fighter II* and SNES — a match made in Heaven

However, as great as those titles were and as much as they contributed to the ascension of the Super Nintendo, to me it was Street Fighter II that truly etched the system’s greatness in granite.

On a hot summer night in 1992, my brother and mom left to Sears Funtronics with one simple mission in mind: secure and bring home the hottest 16-bit video game. I stayed back and time seemed to slow down to a crawl. The seconds felt like minutes. The minutes felt like hours. Fight fever had officially taken over. When my bro finally made it back with Street Fighter II in hand, I’m pretty sure all my neighbors could hear our cries of joy. It was yet another moment in time of being nine years old, growing up in suburbia and experiencing the best era of video gaming.

Right off the bat we noticed the little intro was missing, but honestly, we didn’t really care. It still felt like we had the arcade in our living room! Or at the very least, a strong slice of the arcade. And at that time, July 1992, that was more than enough to leave a lasting imprint on all of us.

sfcontinue — No more quarters needed ^_^

THE WORLD WARRIORS

RYU
DOB: 7.21.64
5’10” 150 lbs

The main character of the franchise, Ryu became the face of fighting games. A master of the Shotokan martial art, Ryu lives for the fight and only the fight. While some may consider him to be a little bland, there’s no denying he’s an iconic character who holds claim to some of the most legendary special moves in all of fighting game history.

Duke it out on the dojo rooftop. Only the privileged few have ever step foot here. And you were lucky to leave the dojo on your own two feet!

Ah, the Hadoken fireball. Arguably the most iconic move in fighting game history, you just can’t beat a good old Hadoken.

The classic Hurricane Kick.

The double axe kick is a good way to polish off combos. It does a fair amount of damage. Your victim even vomits, which was always a fun sight gag.

SHO-RYU-KEN! The Dragon Punch, much like Ryu himself, has often been imitated but so rarely duplicated.

KEN
DOB: 2.14.65
5’10” 169 lbs

Friend and foe of Ryu’s, Ken is the more flamboyant of the two. He knows every move that Ryu knows. But unlike Ryu, Ken believes there is more to life than just the fight. In battle he is often times reckless and has a higher propensity to show off. Will arrogance be Ken’s ultimate undoing?

Ken loves having an audience, and this boat provides him with just that. Storage barrels line the battle field and break if hit violently.

Ken’s Hurricane Kick packs a wallop when administered in succession.

“ARE YOU KEN!?” Wait, no, I’M Ken…

Ken and Ryu are virtually identical in Street Fighter II, except Ken’s kick throw sees him tumbling his victim through the air like a circus act. Yup, Ken was always the showoff.

E. HONDA
DOB: 11.3.60
6’2″ 304 lbs

Edmond Honda entered the World Warrior tournament to prove the legitimacy of sumo wrestling to an unbelieving world. A winner of the “Yokozuna” title, E. Honda also holds claim to having the fastest hands known to mankind. He’s more agile than he looks, reminding one to never judge a book by its cover.

A well-polished ring is kept ready for combat whether sumo or street fighting. He forbids spectators as Honda isn’t about spectacle but rather the pure uninterrupted spirit of true competition. Honda likes cooling off in his hot tub between battles.

His double knee inflicts a good amount of damage. It’s like being whacked by a tree limb!

Ken may never have kids... — Ken may never have kids…

Nutcracker city y'all — Nutcracker city y’all

BLANKA
DOB: 2.12.66
6’5″ 218 lbs

For years natives have reported seeing something strange roaming deep within the rain forest. Although the stories vary, a few things remain consistent. This half man, half beast is incredibly fast, savage and as green as the rain forest itself. The creature became something of a “Brazilian Boogeyman.” The local government refused to acknowledge it and even ordered a media black out. That didn’t stop certain vigilantes however from setting up camp and trying to snap a shot of the wild beast. After years of murmurs and rumors, the creature known as Blanka emerged out of the shadows to win the great Street Fighter II tournament.

After hiding in seclusion for years in the Brazilian rain forest, Blanka is now ready to take on the world. The natives are shocked to see the beast in the light of day and snap photos to prove that their eyes aren’t deceiving them. Imagine if this game were made in 2010. Those old cameras would be replaced with iPhones recording the action!

A savage attack befitting of a wild beast — A savage attack befitting a wild beast

He's got an electric personality... — He’s got an electric personality…

We get a hint of blood with Blanka’s face bite. Nintendo of America was very sensitive with blood back in those early days, so mad respect to Capcom for being able to sneak in as much as they did.

Double Knee Smasher!

Momma always said use your noggin.

GUILE
DOB: 12.23.60
6’1″ 191 lbs

During a special mission in Thailand, Guile and his best pal Charlie were captured by a tyrant named M. Bison. Charlie was murdered at the hands of M. Bison, and ever since then Guile has been out for blood. Using a unique blend of Special Forces training and street fighting skills, Guile is one of the most beloved characters of all time. Although Ryu and Ken were the faces of the game, Guile was always that cool alternative protagonist. He had the looks, the moves and who could ever forget his epic stage music?

His comrades cheer him on to victory. Wooden boxes shatter like a Spanish announcer table at a WWE event.

Guile’s Sonic Boom is nearly just as iconic as the Hadoken itself. In some ways, I even prefer it to the Hadoken. Remember the jab version being so slow that in some cases you could follow it up with a well timed backfist? Super satisfying.

If at first you don’t succeed…

CHUN LI
DOB: 3.1.68
5’8″ Never ask a lady her weight!

The so-called “Strongest Woman in the World” entered the tournament in hopes of avenging her father’s death, whose death she believes is on the head of a mysterious crime lord known only as M. Bison. Her obsession with vengeance fuels her every move, but will her burning passion for blood lust be her downfall? It’s a razor thin line; I wouldn’t want to get in her way! And between Guile and Chun Li, M. Bison better have eyes in the back of his head…

In a quaint Chinese village there lies a small but bustling marketplace. As a customary form of travel, many folks leisurely pass by on bicycles. Meanwhile, a man in the background is busy preparing a chicken to be sold to customers. It’s just another hard day’s work to make ends meet.

ZANGIEF
DOB: 6.1.56
7’0″ 256 lbs

The strongest man in the tournament, this Russian wrestler fights bears for fun. And that’s really all you need to know. Zangief is not very user friendly — only the most advanced Street Fighter II players will be able to use him effectively. Man of a thousand holds, he owns the most devastating move in the game: the Spinning Piledriver! Pretty much every fighting game that came after this had a strong man with a similar big move. In that regard, like him or not, Zangief was something of a trailblazer.

Zangief works long hours six days a week at this industrial factory in Mother Russia. During his break, as a way to entertain himself, he takes on all comers. His comrades cheer on from the sidelines.

The Spinning Piledriver is the hardest move to execute, but it also dishes out the most damage.

Avoid fireballs with the Spinning Clothesline

Zangief learned a thing or two from Haggar! — Haggar taught Zangief well

DHALSIM
DOB: 11.22.52
5’10” (varies) 107 lbs (varies)

Ahhh, the first fighter I ever picked. Dhalsim and I bonded from day one. He’s incredibly flexible and has the ability to stretch his limbs to attack opponents from a distance. This makes him a formidable foe not to be taken lightly, despite his lack of speed. Over the course of his long life Dhalsim has sought to unify his mind, body and soul through the discipline of Yoga. Through his meditation he’s able to spew fire from deep within. He makes for quite the hit at summer BBQs!

Dhalsim loves to meditate inside this indoor temple and stretch [Really? -Ed.] to gear up for battle. He’s proud of the rich wall tapestry and finely crafted architecture that represents his heritage.

I don't think he washes his feet... — I don’t think he washes his feet…

Stretch fighters became a staple of the genre

The Yoga Noogie is an alternative option to Dhalsim’s regular throw. Instead of forward + fierce you press toward + medium. I liked how the game gave you two options for Dhalsim (and a few others, such as Honda and Guile). Besides, what’s better than pounding on someone’s skull so hard that they’re forced to do squats?

Up close Dhalsim is not the best striker, but this double headbutt is a notable hit. It’s similar to Blanka’s double headbutt, but it’s much stronger and I love the sound effect it makes. You can really feel the power of Dhalsim’s cranium.

The Yoga Fire was always one of my favorite fireballs in all of fighting games. Because it’s literally just that. A fireball! Plus it looks so simple and it actually sets your opponent on fire if they fail to block it. It made Dhalsim extra cool in my book that he was the only fighter who could produce this animation.

Yoga Flame for closer distance and more damage — Yoga Flame inflicts even more damage

THE BOSSES

Originally M. Bison in Japan — M. Bison in Japan

Battle Balrog under the Las Vegas lights!

Ryu, you're supposed to run before he counts — Ryu, you’re supposed to run before he counts

The masked ninja will climb the fence in a pinch

Ryu's eternal nemesis — Ryu’s eternal nemesis

Chest scar courtesy of Ryu from the first Street Fighter — *Chest scar* courtesy of Ryu from the first *Street Fighter*

Bison tossing off his cape right before the battle begins was so badass.

Can you withstand his twisted Psycho powers?

BONUS ROUNDS

The thing about bricks... — The thing about bricks is this…

STREET FIGHTER II: THE SILLY WARRIOR

*[Yeah, I blocked this memory out. THANKS -Ed.]*

Creepy witches... — Creepy witches abound…

Meditate and maybe you'll be this forgiving, too! — Meditate and maybe you’ll be this forgiving, too…

DIZZY RAMA

While strikes and special moves are nice, they don’t mean nearly as much as when they’re linked together. Two-in-ones and combos are the heartbeat of true master champions.

An uppercut, deadly in its own right... — Deadly in its own right…

But when chained... — But when chained into another attack…

COMBO TIPS AND STRATEGIES

Every kid bought this guide back in the day

My brother and I even bought the GamePro Street Fighter II Strategy Guide back in 1992. It was the first guide we ever bought, and to this day it remains my favorite guide of all time. I wasn’t a huge fan of GamePro Magazine, but this guide was awesome. Over 2,000 full color screenshots and combos galore.

RYU

Jumping fierce

Standing fierce

Dragon Punch

47% damage

KEN

Quickly cancel into Hadoken — Quickly cancel into a Hadoken

Opponent still reeling... — Opponent still reeling…

A thing of beauty it is — A thing of beauty

E. HONDA

Jumping fierce

Standing strong

Ducking fierce

44% damage

Jumping fierce

Standing roundhouse (double hit)

42% damage

CHUN LI

Jumping fierce

Standing strong

Ducking roundhouse

39% damage

Jumping jab

Standing jab

Standing strong

Standing fierce

42% damage

BLANKA

Jumping roundhouse

Standing strong

Ducking roundhouse

41% damage

Jumping fierce

Ducking forward

Rolling Attack

44% damage

GUILE

Jumping fierce

Ducking strong

Standing strong

FLASH KICK

60% damage!

Jumping jab

Standing jab

Sonic Boom

Standing jab

Ducking short

47% damage

ZANGIEF

Jumping short

Ducking jab

Ducking short

SPINNING PILEDRIVER

63% (!!!) damage

Jumping fierce

Ducking strong

Ducking roundhouse

41% damage

DHALSIM

You slide under and take 'em out — You slide under and take ‘em out

Dhalsim is so skinny... — Dhalsim is so skinny…

... that he can even fit under a Hadoken! — … that he can even fit under a Hadoken!

It's effective against a fireball happy foe — It’s effective against a fireball happy foe

Here’s the classic roundhouse fireball “trap.”

Throw a fireball of any speed. When they jump, knock them out of the sky with a roundhouse kick!

You can harass opponents by throwing a jab fireball and then quickly executing a ducking fierce for an easy, almost unavoidable hit!

ENDINGS

Finish the game on levels 0-2 and you’ll be asked to challenge a harder level.

Levels 3-5 earns you your character’s ending.

Level 6 or 7 will display the credits. You also get to watch your favorite world warriors mix it up in a demo mode.

If beaten without ever changing characters

And should you not lose one round on level 7, then you can press start to make Chun Li say “Yatta!” (Japanese for I did it).

Let’s take a look at some of the endings.

RYU

BLANKA

GUILE

Please edit that out... — Please edit that out…

KEN

Damn all these beautiful girls... — Damn all these beautiful girls…

"See? She was with me first..." — *“See? She was with me…”*

"Who else have you been with?" — *“Who else have you been with?”*

Things got rather graphic... — Things get rather graphic…

“Oh, you’re getting married? Then prepare to be like me. You’ll be choking the chicken night and day, sir…”

Wait, what just happened? Uh, let’s just move on…

FIGHT FEVER

Everywhere you looked, Street Fighter II dominated — Everywhere you looked, *Street Fighter II* dominated

The pages (and covers) of EGM were dominated by Capcom’s 2D juggernaut. Every month there was page after page of coverage. Overkill? Quite possibly, but as EGM once wrote in an editorial, you go with what sells. And did Street Fighter II on the SNES sell or what! Sales for the first week set new records. Nearly everyone and their brother were drunk with Street Fighter II fever.

Soon thereafter came the clones. Many other companies started putting out their own fighting games in hopes of capturing lightning in a bottle and get their own slice of the pie. The years 1992-1994 were absolutely inundated by fighting games, and it was considered the “fighting game golden age.” I remember fondly a time where each time you visited the arcades, it felt like there was a new fighting game that popped up overnight like a pimple on prom night. It was an exciting and wild time if you loved fighting games as much as I did. But of course, very few came close to even sniffing the jock strap of Street Fighter II.

Here’s an excerpt from EGM’s September 1992 Insert Coin that captures that time frame in a nutshell quite well.

THE STREET FIGHTER II PHENOMENON

Could Street Fighter fever last forever? Yes, it could... — Could *Street Fighter* fever last forever? Yes, it could…

OK, by now virtually everybody in the country has the mega-hot Street Fighter II. Judging by the hundreds of letters we have already received, player satisfaction with this prime cart is at an all-time high. The impact of this game goes beyond just the software sales. Based on the letters we have received, literally thousands have bought Super Nintendos just to play this. SNK has just brought out a huge 87 meg fighting game called World Heroes, and we see no end in sight. How long will Street Fighter II stay popular? Most likely through the holidays. Or maybe forever. All in all, a big tip of the hat has to go to Capcom for all of the work they did in creating this phenomenon. This could be the Game of the Year!

EGM CREATES AN INTERNATIONAL MONSTER

When an innocent prank becomes legendary

EGM ran a joke in their April 1992 issue about how to fight a mysterious character named Sheng Long. Many thought this to be real including Hong Kong publication JADEMAN COMICS, who ended up printing the fake code. It later made its way to England’s GAME ZONE, who not only printed the code but updated it to supposedly work on the SNES port! Talk about lack of research…

The infamous Sheng Long April Fools joke became something of a legend and even infiltrated its way into Street Fighter II lore. EGM would go on to conduct annual April Fools jokes as a reader contest, but they never could quite recapture the magic like they had with the Sheng Long gag.

Check out this blurb from Super Play:

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

EGM: 10, 10, 9, 9 (won EGM’s 1992 Game of the Year)

GameFan: 100, 99, 97, 95, 88%

Super Play: 94%

CLOSING THOUGHTS

One of the most iconic and influential games ever

Street Fighter II was a happening. When it hit arcade scenes in early 1991 it changed the way we viewed video games. Sure, fighting games had existed before but it wasn’t until Street Fighter II that fighting games became a staple of the video gaming fabric. It spawned numerous clones, some of which were forgettable but a few became heavy fan favorites, and it was thanks to Street Fighter II for largely paving the way. The Super Nintendo port, while far from perfect, sure felt close to perfect back in the summer of ’92 when it originally came out. It was the first game that made me feel like we could finally play arcade games at home. Final Fight did a decent job of that, but there were too many blatant sacrifices. With Street Fighter II, however, it was a glimpse into the future that home systems were now JUST powerful enough to faithfully capture the spirit and essence of an arcade game. Moreover, I just remember the summer and fall of 1992 being dominated by SNES Street Fighter II, blistered thumbs and bruised egos. My friends and I played it to death — it was truly THE game to have back in those days.

Sure, there are far superior ports of Street Fighter II available today, and many do view the Super Nintendo port as obsolete and nothing but a nostalgic remembrance. Call me crazy but I still occasionally play this game and I’ll be damned if I don’t still love it. Even to this day, I find myself impressed by the port, knowing what they were able to squeeze into a Super Nintendo cartridge. Yeah it has the slow speed of the arcade original, and yeah it’s technically imperfect, but as a Super Nintendo game released in July of 1992, it was nothing short of a beast.

Keep on keeping on, Street Fighter — Keep on keeping on, *Street Fighter*

I feel very lucky that when the Street Fighter craze went down I was young enough to be awestruck yet just old enough to appreciate the magnitude of the event. Capcom hit lightning in a bottle, sparking a cross-cultural phenomenon. For every Hadoken shot around the world, every Dragon Punch, and for every Flash Kick, the Street Fighter legacy rocks on.

Graphics: 10
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10
Longevity: 9

Overall: 10

Hats off to you, Capcom. We’ll never forget the memories of that special time in video gaming when fighting games were all the rage. A time when going to the arcades was the highlight of your week and everyone, truly, was kung fu fighting. No matter how old we shall grow, we’ll always remember those halcyon times and cherish those good old days forever.

Final Fight (SNES)

**Pub and Dev: Capcom | September 1991 | 8 MEGS**

Are you a sadistic and bloodthirsty game player? Do you enjoy partaking in the odd boisterous barbaric brutality? If you answered yes, then you sir probably enjoy the classic beat ‘em up genre. The SNES is loaded with them. Take control of the Lee brothers, the Battletoads, ninjas, knights, hell, even Batman! Final Fight was the very first to hit the SNES and helped pave the way for others to come. It’s hard to believe it’s now been over 25 years since it came out. It’s amazing how so many of our childhood favorites have been celebrating 20, 25 and even 30 year anniversaries in the past year or so. These games keep getting older, but our memories remain!

By the way, talk about a funky box art. I imagine their dialogue like this:

“Are those skull earrings?”
“Why yes, Mommy got me them.”
“Cool, I have a pair just like that at home.”
“Yeah ain’t they great. They accentuate my scar!”

THE FIGHT BEGINS

Final Fight originated as an arcade in Japan (December 1989) and shortly made its way to the US at the turn of the 1990s. No, it wasn’t the first beat ‘em up ever, but it was one of the earliest and the first to hit the Super Nintendo. It will forever hold that distinction as #1… but is it truly number one, as in the best?

Let us take a closer look then…

FINAL FRIGHT: A HAUNTING TO REMEMBER

Not only was Final Fight the first beat ‘em up to hit the Super Nintendo, it also happened to be the second SNES game I had ever played. Way back in December 1991 on a cold and dreary morning while vacationing in beautiful Lake Tahoe. As documented in F-Zero, the first SNES game I ever played, I found myself home alone on a Sunday morning in a huge cabin that my family rented out. My family and friends left for breakfast while I was still asleep. My mom didn’t want to wake me up after a long night of hanging out with the guys so she decided to let me sleep in. The moment I woke up, I felt a chill and knew something wasn’t right. The cabin was right out of a horror movie, with demonic looking hallways and weird noises hissing everywhere as though it were a real breathing entity. The cabin was freezing too! I crept downstairs and found a note from my mom explaining why she let me sleep in, and telling me to make some Honey Nut Cheerios. But food was the last thing on my mind!

Ever feel a presence in the room with you? That someone, or something, is watching you? That’s how I felt on that cold, dreary December morning of 1991. But being 8 years old and resourceful, I believed spirits would not mess with me if I had the radio or TV turned on — any kind of noise. I believed they only attacked those who were alone. So I turned on the TV and watched a WWF show for a while. Then I spotted Tommy’s Super Nintendo lying on the floor. It suddenly dawned on me that this was my chance! With all the “cool” older kids gone, little ole me could finally have a turn. I started with F-Zero and then played Final Fight until my family and friends came back. Sure, part of me was ecstatic to see them again — I was no longer the lone prisoner trapped inside this cabin from hell — but something funny happened during my inaugural playthrough with the SNES. It made me forget about evil spirits and instead transported me to the future of video gaming, where you could snap a guy’s neck in two and soar 200 feet across a race track suspended high above a futuristic city — all in stunning graphics and sound. And it was nothing short of magic.

Damn, can’t believe it’s now been 25 years since that fateful December morning. For more details, check out My Super Nintendo Genesis.

THE STORY GOES…

"Forget GUY, it's just you and me, old-timer!" — *“Forget GUY, it’s just you and me, old-timer!”*

Shhh! How dare you accuse Capcom of milking a series! — How dare you accuse Capcom of milking a series!

OK you might have have a point there... — OK you might have a point there…

Yes, there is an option mode but you had to do this code to activate it first. With Extra Joy on, your special move is just “A” instead of “Y” + “B” — hey, every little bit of help counts, right?

Nope, but damn can they fight... observe! — Nope, but damn can they fight… observe!

MIKE HAGGAR

Haggar has perfected his German Suplex to a tee, ramming his victim head first into the canvas. That’ll give them something to remember you by! Er, that is, if they are still conscious…

Pick their sorry carcass up, give them a few headbutts and send them packing with a smooth piledriver. Simple but effective combo.

Sometimes you just need a little space. In such instances, employ the devastating spinning clothesline. It’ll teach the bastards a thing or two about personal space!

Did you know you can punch twice then immediately throw them? Just hold up or down on the control pad while you’re delivering your punches. I never knew about this back in the day! It completely makes the game a much easier (and more enjoyable) experience. It turns you into a lethal, efficient killing machine.

CODY

Cody’s knuckle sandwich combo. Want fries with that?

For major damage and a sick looking combo, jump in with a downward strike, punch them three times and polish it off with a shoulder throw. +10 for style, +100 if you knock out some other baddies on the opposite side too!

Cody's Spiral Kick makes the Lee brothers proud — Cody’s Spiral Kick makes the Lee brothers proud

MAP QUEST

Starting out in the classic slum, march your way through crime-ridden Metro City in five different war zones. Yes, the arcade had six. But more on that a bit later…

PUTS THE “FINAL” IN FINAL FIGHT…

Who could ever forget Final Fight‘s perilous continue screen?

It's OK... you certainly weren't alone... *evil grin* — It’s OK… you certainly weren’t alone… *evil grin*

Ah quit yer bitching, I like to cut it close "BUDDY" — Ah quit yer bitching. I like to cut it close, *“BUDDY”*

STAGE ONE — THE SLUM

So, what's one to do? — So, what’s one to do?

Maybe Haggar’s got some candy there, or money. You know, the homeless epidemic has really hit Metro City hard as of late…

[Or maybe Haggar is offering him a black eye -Ed.]

There’s that, too…

"That's the last time I buy deodorant at Dollar Tree..." — *“That’s the last time I buy deodorant at Dollar Tree…”*

What's inside is enTIREly a mystery. Sorry — What’s inside is enTIREly a mystery

Sorry, that was pretty bad. Knock over tires or drum cans to reveal items for extra points, weapons or food to replenish your health. I wonder who puts it there? I guess every major crime lord has a little bit of heart in them after all…

Whoa, that's harsh. Come on, it's almost 2017! — Whoa, that’s harsh. Come on, it’s almost 2017!

"If you want some, come get some!" — *“YOU WANT SOME? COME GET SOME!”*

"I'm warning you -- step back, bitches!" — *“I’m warning you — step back, bitches!”*

OH CRAP! Surrounded by a group of petty thugs, what’s a guy to do in this ruthless day and age?!

Connecting on your special move takes away a small portion of your health, but it’s the right call when surrounded. Otherwise, you’ll most likely be on the receiving end of a gang attack and lose significantly more energy than you would had you used your special move at the first sign of trouble.

Haggar can only toss the knife while Cody can actually hang onto it for a bit and go MICHAEL MYERS up in this mutha! Cool little touch to further differentiate the two. If you’re playing as Cody and wish to launch the knife, then simply hold down. Sweet.

"Here, fatty fatty..." — *“Here, fatty fatty…”*

Much love and respect to baseball pitchers. It’s such an unnatural throwing position and why so many pitchers have jacked up shoulders. By the way, it’s a little known fact that Mike Haggar was the MVP of the Metro City Maniacs* — a softball recreational league that plays ball every other summer. *Complete and utter BS.

Talk about the wrong side of town... — Talk about the wrong side of town…

*whistles* "Damn you look fine today, Mike!" — *whistles* “Damn you look fine today, Mike!”

Say hello to the first boss, Damnd! Er I mean, Trasher. Damn that censorship, pun intended.

At any rate, Damnd is a bit of a puss who prefers calling on his lame lackeys to do the fighting for him. His trademark sit and whistle makes the seamless leap over to the SNES port. At opportune times, Damnd will try to blindside you, the gutless git!

"Come at me, bro!" — *“Come at me, bro!”*

“UGH!”

“That’s right! Shouldn’t have messed with me, pal!”

Hey, he minored in acting — Hey, he did minor in acting

“How could I lose to a guy in the middle of a mid-life crisis!?”

“HEY! SHHHH! Keep that on the down low, will ya!”

“Damnd bastard! Throwing shade at me huh? This serves you right!”

"Trump woulda killed me anyway" — *“Trump woulda killed me anyway!”*

“Jeez would you go on and die already!?”

STAGE TWO — THE SUBWAY / PARK

Nice rumbling sound effect; this IS the SUPER Nintendo — I’ve always loved the rumbling sound effect here

El Gado with the ol’ reliable KIDNEY PUNCH.

… and Hags with the even more reliable sword slash!

Check out how deceptively deep this game is. Yup, when timed right, you can deflect the enemy’s projectiles. Sure, you could just sidestep it, but we all know one universal truth: REAL MEN DROPKICK!

Cue that audience "ooooh" soundtrack — Cue that audience *“ooooh”* soundtrack

Public transportation makes the world a better place — *Public transportation: making the world a better place*

I guess he never knew up in a big family... — I guess he never grew up in a big family…

Sodom, er, Katana is a very lethal and agile boss

Andore in the front row. I'll deal with him later... — Andore in the front row. I’ll deal with him later…

BONUS ROUND

WHOAAA OHHHHH!

We’re not gonna take it! No! We ain’t gonna take it! We’re not gonna take it anymooooooore!

NO WAY!

"WE'RE FREE, WE'LL FIGHT, YOU'LL SEEEE!!" — *“WE’RE FREE, WE’LL FIGHT, YOU’LL SEEEEE!!”*

Ah, you gotta love Twisted Sister. Their cult song “We’re Not Gonna Take It” became something of a rebellious cry for teenagers and young adults in the mid ’80s with its never-say-die, take-no-BS mantra. In some circles it became the anthem of a generation more than 30 years ago.

STAGE THREE — WESTSIDE

Haggar, you don't like very many things do you? — Haggar, you don’t like very many things do you?

Forgot to RSVP? As long as you didn’t forget how to pull off a dropkick, you’re good to go.

Gado isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer *rimshot* — Gado isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer *rimshot*

Cody pops in for a special cameo like only he can

They told him don't you ever come around here — *They told him don’t you ever come around here*

SO BEAT IT! No one wants to be defeated... — **SO BEAT IT! But you want to be bad…**

These two Andores are the sub-bosses of Westside

Speaking of Andore, the big beefy goons in beat ‘em ups were always my favorite kind of enemies to fight. Abobo was an actual boss while Andore is a top-tier regular enemy. I have a soft spot for bad guys who aren’t quite boss-worthy, but are much tougher than all the other regular bad guys. Whenever I think “beat ‘em up baddies,” Andore and Abobo are the first two I always think of.

J moonlights as a Streets of Rage baddie... it's true — J moonlights as a *Streets of Rage* baddie… it’s true

There you go Haggar! Now you got the rhythm down! — There ya go Haggar! Now you got the rhythm down!

Meet Metro City's corrupt police force! — Meet Metro City’s corrupt police force!

Beware his Billy Club... — Beware his Billy Club…

STAGE FOUR — BAY AREA

“WOOF!”

“Cute dog.”

“Hey Haggar!”

“What? Have I taken one too many blows to the head? Doggie, YOU TALKIN’ TO ME?”

“You’re lucky! Capcom took out a WHOLE stage to make life easier for ya, and for them as well! You know, less programming on their part.”

"Sorry pal, I don't swing that way..." — *“Don’t let the mustache fool you. I don’t play that…”*

Nobody did bathroom scenes better than Capcom. Remember Birdie’s stage from Street Fighter Alpha 2? It’s always a riot to beat up bad guys against a grimy and dodgy looking backdrop! This is FINAL FIGHT after all, not friggin’ ballet!

Capcom certainly knew how to work their restrooms

Yeah let's not piss off the angry maniac, no? — Yeah let’s not piss off the angry maniac, no?

BONUS ROUND

Smash several glass windows in succession. It’s a lot tougher than breaking the car. Who knew glass could be harder to demolish than a car? Oh those silly Capcom hipsters.

STAGE FIVE — UPTOWN

"Curse my bloody mid-life crisis!" — *“Curse my bloody mid-life crisis!”*

Neither of them are too smart... — Neither of them are too smart…

They don't really hide in the hedges. Just a flunky glitch — They don’t really hide in the hedges. Just a glitch

Shouldn't have dropped out of Metro City High... — Shouldn’t have dropped out of Metro City High…

*[Gee, thanks for the helpful tip, Einstein! -Ed.]*

Watch out for the shattered glass. See what happens? OH CRAP, HAGGAR’S LEGS! It proves that broken glass isn’t safe at all. [Maybe you shouldn’t have dropped out of Metro City Community College -Ed.]

As they say, this ain't his first barbeque! Quite literally — This ain’t his first barbeque — quite literally

Or even better, you get to pick your own path! Not — Or even better, if you could pick your own path

Say hello to the final boss, Belger. He must be real happy to see Haggar, because he’s got a second arrow gun hiding in his pocket there…

Jessica has no eyes. Damn, Haggar with them freaky genes. Belger is a handful, but you can actually grab and throw him consecutively if timed and positioned correctly.

A neat touch. Belger really only cares about himself

[Hmm, where have I heard and seen this before? -Ed.] — *[Hmmm, where have I heard and seen this before? -Ed.]*

'TIL THEN I WAAALK ALONE — ***‘TIL THEN I WAAALK ALONE***

It doesn't take much for a lady to be, ahem, persuasive — It doesn’t take much for a lady to be… persuasive

ARCADE VS. SNES COMPARISON

Fans of Guy were bummed out to find he was nowhere to be found in the SNES port. Capcom then released Final Fight Guy on the SNES in July 1994. This version allowed you to play as Guy but Cody was taken out and there’s still no simultaneous 2 player mode. What the hell, Capcom? Shame on you.

We hardly knew ya, two player mode *sniff*

More disappointing than losing Guy was losing the 2 player mode. Early beat ‘em ups like Rival Turf proved it was possible. Even with one player, Final Fight occasionally slows down to a crawl at certain points. Capcom didn’t quite yet master the ins and outs of the SNES in 1991, but as we all know, they soon would in the years to come.

Elevators were modified. You don’t actually see your character ride through the elevator in the SNES port.

Metro City ought to look decayed and decrepit

Obviously the SNES could only replicate so much of the arcade. Of all the little details I personally missed the rundown jagged wooden set piece there. Baddies remain the same for the most part though, sans one major change. But more on that later.

"Excuse me sir, do you by chance have any Mentos?" — *“Excuse me sir, do you by chance have any Mentos?”*

SNES couldn’t have the word “SEXY” sprawled across their bathroom doors, could they? Instead, they have the word “kiss.” Come on, Capcom! At least change it up completely. How about something like “Mad Gear rules!” Sure, it’s super generic, but it’s still a lot better than just “kiss.”

The SNES port sees a maximum of three baddies onscreen at any one time. The arcade had as many as eight! Obviously, you can’t expect much on this end. There were many 16-bit beat ‘em ups that maxed out at three bad guys.

Here’s the missing fourth stage: the Industrial Zone. It’s very tough and I’m fine without it, but it does lose points for pure authenticity. Oh, see the scantily clad broad there?

"Ch-ch-ch-changes!" — *“Ch-ch-ch-changes!”*

Roxy and Poison were way too controversial for Nintendo of America, so Capcom altered it to be this lame looking bloke instead. Sid and Billy, sorry to say this but y’all just weren’t the same.

Rolento did show up in Final Fight 2, though — Rolento did show up in *Final Fight 2*, though

Rolento, being the boss of the scrapped Industrial Zone, is also MIA.

Belger returned as a zombie in Final Fight Revenge

Belger didn’t change much in the SNES port. Though in the arcade he actually had a wheelchair while in the SNES port it looked more like a mobile love seat, which would suit Jessica just fine I’m sure [OH LORD! The images… AHHH! -Ed.]

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Being one of the earliest SNES releases, some critics were kind enough to overlook its deficiencies. Many fans, however, were not as forgiving.

EGM: 8, 7, 7, 7

Super Play: 86%

"Yeah, don't be so damnd hard!" — *“Yeah, don’t be so Damnd harsh!”*

CLOSING THOUGHTS

"UMM... any one of you happen to be BIGDICK69?" — *“UHH… any one of you boys happen to be BIGDICK69?”*

The Super Nintendo port of Final Fight is undoubtedly flawed. No 2 player mode, no Guy, an entire missing stage and only up to three enemies on the screen at any one time. It sounds like a lot is missing but when you actually play it, it still comes off a quality beat ‘em up. The gameplay is still there and when you consider this was one of the earliest SNES releases, the whole thing somehow manages to come off as impressive. Those visuals were mind blowing back in 1991. You had to see it 25 years ago to truly appreciate it. I mean, the characters were HUGE for the time, and I remember thinking to myself, “Where the hell is the coin slot?” As kids obviously we didn’t know any better. Nowadays it’s easy to see what the shortcomings are, but for an early launch game Final Fight impressed. The sound effects had a nice crunch to them and it did bring a lovely arcade feel home to our living rooms.

For all of its shortcomings, Final Fight still plays remarkably well. Compared to other SNES beat ‘em ups that came out later, Final Fight plays as well if not better than a good handful of them. It’s one of those weird games that you kind of have to grade on a bit of a curve. Viewed strictly in a bubble of its release date — September 1991 — this was a quality product, despite the missing elements. It’s not the first SNES beat ‘em up I reach for when I’m in the mood to kick some 16-bit ass, but I have to admit I do enjoy playing it still to this day because the gameplay has held up 25 years later. If it had a 2 player mode it would earn an even better score but as is, it’s still pretty good. Hardcore anal fans need not apply, however. This one ain’t for you. For the rest of us, you could play far worse beat ‘em ups on the Super Nintendo than Final Fight.

Graphics: 9
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 7.5
Longevity: 6

Overall: 7.5
Bronze Award

Mega Man & Bass (SNES)

Capcom released this Super Famicom game on April 24, 1998 — Capcom’s Super Nintendo swan song (April 24, 1998)

Even to this day, a part of me can’t believe this game ever actually happened. Known as Rockman & Forte, Capcom released it on April 24, 1998, well after the SNES was essentially dead. I guess there was a big enough Japanese market still for them to do this. Whatever the case may be, I’m damn glad they did. Because it’s one hell of a Mega Man entry, and a nice bow on the original series.

The original Japanese version is perfectly playable, but there is a bit of Japanese dialogue. Especially for the item shop and the character bios, it sure helps to be able to read it. Crazed and dedicated fans felt the same way as they worked on an English translation. As a result of that, we have been graced by Mega Man & Bass.

Bass and Treble made their series debut in Mega Man 7. Treble is a wolf and is basically to Bass as Rush is to Mega Man. But for those who don’t want to backtrack to the Mega Man 7 review, here is a quick summary…

Prophetic words indeed from the Blue Bomber. The duo did get their own game and surprisingly it was on the Super Famicom (April 1998). After releasing Mega Man 8 for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn in December of 1996, Capcom wanted to create a new Mega Man game specifically for loyal SNES fans who hadn’t yet made the jump to 32-bit. Further proof that Capcom was the best back in the ’90s.

Capcom felt bad this wasn't on SNES? — *Mega Man 8* is GORGEOUS

MEET THE GOOD GUYS

SAY HELLO TO THE BAD GUY(S)

rofobad5 — Look familiar? They were bosses in *Mega Man 8*

MEGA MAN OR BASS?

Players get the choice to play as either the good old Blue Bomber or the relative newcomer, Bass. Similar to Zero from Mega Man X³, this adds greater longevity to the game as both characters play vastly different. It’s also a blast trying to beat the game with both Mega Man and Bass.

Differences range from small to big. Cosmetically, it’s cool to see the health refills and what not are in the character’s respective color. It’s a nice little touch that I appreciate, even if it’s completely minor.

However, Mega Man as you know has his classic shot. He can only shoot straight ahead. Bass, on the other hand, can shoot in all directions except for straight down. If you’ve ever played a Mega Man game and thought to yourself, “Man, I wish he could shoot up or diagonally…” then you will appreciate Mega Man & Bass. Or at least, Bass anyhow. To compensate for Bass’ shooting ability, he can’t move while he’s shooting (bummer) and his shot isn’t very strong.

Another difference: their personality and disposition. Mega Man is more compassionate and an all-around goody two shoes.

Meanwhile, Bass is a bit more “robotic” [har har -Ed.] and edgy. Hey, he is technically a bad guy. He’s only teaming up on the “good side” temporarily to knock off King.

Checking in with Bass later — for now let’s use good ol’ Megs.

There’s something strange happening at the Robot Museum. Mega Man sets off to figure out what’s going on. I like how the READY sign is big and blue — it reminds me of Mega Man 8.

Museum serves as the standard Mega Man introductory first level you must beat before getting to select from the robot masters. Right away you can see while it’s no Mega Man 8 in terms of visuals (duh), it’s damn impressive for a 16-bit console.

WHEW!! With the whipping rain and wind pushing against you, you manage to barely clear the jump. Make sure you jump at the very edge there.

Proto Man attempts to slay KING — the game’s big bad — but to no avail. OUCH!

Remember the Green Devil from Mega Man 8? He’s back. It’s a different version of the Yellow Devil which appeared in the very first Mega Man title back in 1987.

Reminds me of the bubble boss from Gradius III in that you have to blast away until you expose its core.

Simple, satisfying introductory boss battle that will wet your appetite for the main game coming up. By the way, isn’t it the best feeling in the world to beat a boss with only a health bar or two remaining? Always provides a nice little rush!

WHOA, IT SAVES?!? Yes, it does. It’s the first and only Super Nintendo Mega Man game that uses a save system over passwords.

Purists were a little disappointed when they found out in Mega Man 7 you could only select from four robot masters first instead of all eight. You only get a paltry three here. Once you beat those three, the other five open up. Let’s pay Cold Man a visit first.

Gotta love the animation of Mega Man as he’s zapped magically to the beginning of a stage. It somehow reminds me a bit of Astro Boy. See that CD over there? Throughout the game you’ll find CD’s lying around. Collecting them gives you a character bio card. It’s fun to collect and read (at least if you’re playing a fan translation or if you can read Japanese). Right now you can’t collect that CD since that ice block is, er, blocking your path. But maybe if you beat Burner Man a bit later on and use his Web Burner… hmmm…

Other CD’s are more instantly accessible. They’re not necessary to collect but of course it’s fun to try and collect all 100.

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas [TOYS IN EVERY STORE -Ed.]. No, I mean it’s almost December. That and this gigantic snowman mid boss [Oh, ahem, I knew that… -Ed.]

Slightly tricky bit where you have to time your jump correctly to catch a ride.

Cakewalk city with Cold Man. Jump over his Ice Wall and blast him with your Mega Buster.

Beware of his Sub Zero-esque ice puddle attack, however. He also sends forth an annoying cloud that can really bog you down and leave you ripe for the taking. Best to shoot it down early to avoid that possibility altogether.

Ahhh, what’s better than getting the last shot in and seeing the boss explode with that sweet visual and sound effect? It never gets old, I tells ya!

Speaking of never getting old, I also like seeing how Mega Man earns the boss’ weapon. Just sit back and enjoy.

Alright, we got Ice Wall! But, um, what does it do, exactly?

WHOA!! This game actually gives you a demo preview of each new weapon you steal! Why Capcom didn’t think of this a long time ago remains a mystery.

Ground Man, huh? To Capcom’s defense, after NINE titles you would be running out of ideas too [Oh yeah watch this! Er, um, Cup Man! Hmm, OK, I’ll cut Capcom some slack -Ed.]

There’s a ton of sand everywhere here. You’ll be wondering if there’s an instant death pit or a helpful item hiding in the sand. Find out for yourself…

Creepy robotic worms fall from a pod located up top. Meanwhile, don’t stand still for too long as you’ll sink to your death.

You’ll quickly discover you can’t kill it. So hold onto that ladder there and wait for it to pass by. The ladder doesn’t take you to a new screen. It’s just there for you to safely wait it out. Well isn’t that thoughtful of Ground Man? Helping out the good guys. Just don’t let King know about this…

Better high tail it as the nasty critter quickly reappears. Whew, just barely slid home safe here, eh?

MAJOR FAIL on the first pic there. You can’t run back to a previous screen so get ready to eat some damage. Second pic, the race is on! Who will get to the ladder first? Oh the tension…

Although not the same creature (it would be cool if it was), it’s definitely related. Tough mid boss. Its pattern is somewhat erratic so it’s a bit of a pain to deal with. Close call there, Mega Man!

OUCH. I bet that stings like a you know what. Look at the attention to detail. When your health is low, Mega Man is visibly injured. Nice, Capcom. Nice.

Watch out for its little babies. You can only kill them with the Mega Buster since they’re so small. Gotta love the classic flashing.

SAFE!! Silky smooth, that Mega Man.

Shots sail harmlessly off Sniper Joe’s shield. I’ve always liked the detail of the shots flying backwards. Sniper Joe likes to launch grenades. Give him a taste of your Mega Buster to put him down for the count.

Puzzle time! Each pillar destroyed causes the spikes to fall one more notch. It starts out simple but…

Doesn’t take long before it gets a tad trickier. Sorry about that, Mega Man.

ProTip: Not all treasure chests are helpful. A little RPG-esque here, eh? By the way, see that match there? See what happens when you revisit this level later on with the Web Burner in tow…

Speaking of boss weapons, here’s Mega Man riding the Ice Wall to victory. Sick.

Astro Man, no relation to Astro Guy from King of the Monsters, is next. If he looks familiar to you it’s because he was a boss from Mega Man 8.

Cursory glance and I might believe you if you told me this were a PlayStation or Saturn Mega Man title. It speaks volumes about how gorgeous this game looks and how silky smooth it is.

Meggers giving it the old college try.

Bonjour, Joe. That CD taunts you but after you get your hands on Burner Man’s Web Burner, you’ll be the one who gets the last laugh.

Strange birds and creatures fly out of that inter-dimensional portal screen. Part of me almost expects to see Shredder and Krang!

Interesting bit: study the light pattern and repeat it. If done so correctly, the door magically opens. If not, well, you can figure out what those guns might do…

Tricky bit with the elevating platforms. Keep moving along, Megs!

D’OH!! OK, let’s switch over to Bass now.

Firing off rapid plasma shots for a little “purple rain” action.

Double jump like a ninja. Bass can’t slide, but this is decent compensation.

Shooting diagonally in a Mega Man game? I’m so there.

Reminiscent of Mega Man X, Bass can also dash. It’s fun playing this on a cold rainy December night.

Green Devil is definitely an easier boss when using Mega Man. C’mon Bass!

“THIS IS SPARTA!” Bass battles Green Devil to the very bitter end.

SHOP ‘TIL YA DROP

Remember Auto from Mega Man 7? He’s back. He’s sometimes known as Rightot. Whatever you want to call him, call him helpful. He runs this shop where he creates useful items in exchange of bolts (the game’s currency). Throughout the levels you will find small and big bolts. Collect them to buy power-ups. There are lots of items; they range from extra lives to auto charge (!) on the Mega Buster shot. Selecting the right power-up for the right stage is all part of the strategy.

GOTTA COLLECT THEM ALL!

Throughout the game there are a total of 100 CD’s strewn about the stages waiting to be collected. These open up character bios. This is where playing an English translation pays off. I mean, it’s nothing fancy but it’s certainly fun to be able to read the silly little text. It’s a nice piece of Mega Man history, you know?

Character bios span the entire previous Mega Man universe. Knight Man from Mega Man 6, Freeze Man from Mega Man 7, Frost Man from Mega Man 8, and yes even Saturn from Game Boy Mega Man V! Impressive. True diehards will definitely make it a point to collect all 100. By the way, Saturn hates video games? BOO!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Mega Man & Bass, er, Rockman & Forte, rocks — *Mega Man & Bass*, er, *Rockman & Forte*, rocks

I remember when I first found out about Rockman & Forte being a real thing. It was during the mid 2000s and I was thinking, “Seriously? Capcom released this great looking Mega Man game on the Super Famicom in 19-freaking-98?!” That they did. Whatever the reasons were, I’m damn glad they did. It’s easily the Super Nintendo’s second best Mega Man game, only trailing the epochal Mega Man X. Being able to use Bass, with his double jumping and diagonal shooting, brings a whole new dimension to the table. The items present a bevy of strategies one could take and the game presents a fairly decent challenge. The 100 CD’s are fun to collect and read — it’s basically a little Mega Man compendium. Oh and perhaps best of all, you can now save. What a fantastic swan song for the Super Nintendo from the fine folks at Capcom. If it weren’t for 1999’s Sutte Hakkun, I’d say this is easily the last great Super Nintendo game ever crafted.

Stunning visuals, classic Capcom audio and vintage Mega Man gameplay cements Rockman & Forte (or Mega Man & Bass) as one of the best Super Famicom games to never appear in North America. Thank you Capcom for giving us loyal SNES fans one last bang. Capcom’s SNES swan song turns out to be one of the Blue Bomber’s finest 16-bit outings.

Graphics: 9.5
Sound: 9
Gameplay: 9
Longevity: 7

Overall: 9.0
Gold Award

Quit monkeying around and play this! — Quit monkeying around. Play it!

Mega Man 7 (SNES)

**Pub and Dev: Capcom | September 1995 | 16 MEGS**

After gifting SNES owners with two high quality Mega Man X games, Capcom shocked the world when it released Mega Man 7 in the fall of 1995. By then the SNES was starting to wane as 32-bit war machines and 3D polygons became all the rage. The PlayStation was unleashed that same month to much hype, and it was clear the SNES had seen better days. But can Mega Man 7 prove there’s life yet in the Super Nintendo and the Blue Bomber? Let us take a trip back in time. The original Blue Bomber is back, but is it a happy homecoming?

DEATH, HOMEWORK AND MEGA MAN

mmnes6 — Like a horror movie franchise, they kept coming

Growing up in the late ’80s to mid ’90s I was blessed enough to witness the rise of the classic 8-bit NES as well as the SNES. Along with that, my friends and I got to play a crapload of Mega Man games. There were a whopping six of them on the NES. The second one remains one of my favorites to this day; it still holds up remarkably well even 25+ years later and was a defining game for many of us. The rest of the sequels all had their good points. It was nearly a certainty back then that with each passing year there would be a new Mega Man title to play, and eight more robot masters to conquer. It was death, homework and Mega Man for many kids. While the series peaked for me at number two, I can vividly remember playing parts three through six in one fashion or another. There wasn’t a single bad Mega Man title among them. They might not have been as epic as Mega Man 2, but with these games I could always be guaranteed a certain amount of polish. Like a comfy old pair of sneakers, Capcom rarely let me down.

They just keep coming and coming... — Mega Man and Michael Myers have more in common than you think…

In many ways I consider Mega Man as the horror movie franchise of video gaming. Like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, it seemed like every year a new sequel was made. Just like Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees, you couldn’t kill Mega Man or his nemesis, Dr. Wily. And just like the horror film franchises I cited, there was usually one stand out in the group, with the following sequels never quite living up to the standards set by the best entry in the series. Still, the sequels nevertheless held a certain charm for the diehard fan. For the Halloween series, it was the original. For Mega Man, it was part 2. In the early ’90s I was clamoring for a Halloween sequel as well as a 16-bit Mega Man. Finally, in September 1995 HALLOWEEN 6: The Curse of Michael Myers came out. And that same month Capcom gave us MEGA MAN 7, bringing the original Blue Bomber for the first time to the Super Nintendo. My wish had come true and I was psyched! [Be careful what you wish for… -Ed.]

HE'S BAAAACK... — HE’S BAAAACK… *heavy breathing*

It was a homecoming for both Michael Myers and Mega Man in the fall of ’95. The Boogeyman returned to the silver screen after a six year long absence while the Blue Bomber made his classic series debut on the Super Nintendo. Yet again the town of Haddonfield is steeped in danger and cold blood as a masked maniac roamed the streets. The film followed the sordid exploits of the Shape stalking his unsuspecting victims both day and night. And in his penultimate role, the legendary Donald Pleasence returned one last time to reprise Sam Loomis — Michael Myers’ former doctor turned boogeyman hunter. The theatrical version was universally panned. Rightfully so, as it was a mess. However, hardcore Halloween fans know there is a producer’s cut featuring 43 minutes of alternate footage (including a different ending). It tied up some of the loose ends of the shoddy and heavily edited version shown in theatres. It’s one of my favorites but the theatrical version, not so much. Michael Myers had a rough homecoming. How did Mega Man fare?

Sadly, not that much better (with the critics anyhow)

Mega Man 7 couldn’t have arrived at a worse time. It came out the same month as the PlayStation. While the SNES was very much still alive in the US, it was clear that its best days, commercially, were over. Next gen became all the rage, and in the midst of all this, Capcom decided to resurrect the original NES series. Had it came out two years prior, it would have been hailed as one of the great comebacks of the 16-bit generation. Instead, it got lost in the shuffle and was largely deemed as redundant, outdated and ultimately forgettable. It was seen as a Capcom cheap cash cow attempt to milk a classic franchise for a few bucks from loyal 16-bit owners before moving to 32-bits. Mega Man 7 did garner some solid reviews but no one really noticed as it quietly went as quickly as it came. But one of the great things about this hobby is the ability to explore any game in-depth, even if it flew under the radar back in the day. With that said, let’s take a look at the 16-bit debut of the original Blue Bomber.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING IN LIFE AND GAMING

mm7-2 — It’s all about being at the right place, right time

Isn’t it amazing how big a role timing plays in life? Today complete copies of Mega Man 7 can reach as much as $700. Back in 2006 I got it complete for a measly $25. How times change. I took this pic on a Saturday morning of April 1st, 2006. I’m thankful I got back into the SNES scene when I did. I was lucky the nostalgia bug bit me a few years earlier than it did for many others, as the retro market began to rise just 2-3 years later. Speaking of timing, it’s a well known fact that Mega Man 7 was rushed; it had a developmental time window of just three months. While the programmers look back on the tight-knitted experience fondly, with designer Yoshihisa Tsuda referring to it as being fun like a sports team camp, they all admitted they had different regrets. Ideas they wish they could have fleshed out more with an extra month of time. It’s easy to see where their sentiments stem from. Mega Man 7 is flawed but plenty of fun with a few twists along the way, in addition to its familiar traits. Plus it had cameos galore from Mega Man’s 8-bit gaming past.

He can now duck! Er, maybe if they had more time

THE STORY GOES…

One by one, these top secret robot masters awoke from their six month long slumber…

With the city lying in ruin and countless casualties, the world needed a hero to step up…

After killing Mad Grinder, you meet Bass and Treble

Sad but true: his Mega Buster has been toned down. Normally, the charge shot counts as 3 regular shots, but here it’s been reduced to 2. It pissed off quite a few diehard fans.

Wait, where's my eight? — Wait, where’s my eight?

Speaking of pissing off, Mega Man 7 also had another big change in the classic formula that was not very well received by some pundits. Rather than giving you all eight bosses to pick from right off the bat, now you begin with four. Some complained that this killed the strategy component of the original concept. On the other hand, it allowed the four back end levels to be harder… based on the fact that the programmers knew you had to have gained certain skills prior! It’s a give and take. After a while I honestly didn’t mind it one bit.

Yellow, you're mellow. Be near RED, you're DEAD — Yellow, you’re mellow. Be near RED, you’re DEAD

Sliding effectively is the difference between the agony of defeat or the thrill of victory.

I hate to burst your bubble -- [HAR HAR -Ed.] — I hate to burst your bubble — *[HAR HAR -Ed.]*

Things get international with VISHNU MAN (or not) — Things get international with Vishnu Man (or not)

Everything's bigger in Mega Man 7... even the ladders — Everything’s bigger in *Mega Man 7*, even the ladders

Those annoying Mets are back in a beat 'em up bit — Those annoying Mets are back in a beat ‘em up bit

And you thought your room was messy... — And you thought your room was messy…

Freeze Man has one seriously, pardon the pun, cool ass boss entrance.

When he said FREEZE, I didn’t think he meant it literally!

Can't hold it back anymore! The cold never [SNIP -Ed.] — Can’t hold it back anymore! The cold never *[SNIP -Ed.]*

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE LAB…

Doc, open your eyes. Stop listening to your heart... — Doc, open your eyes. Stop listening to your heart…

THE ROBOT MUSEUM HALL OF FAME

Home to some old “friends,” the Robot Museum is an awesome bit of fan service.

You’re too late. Guts Man is going back to the lab to be reinvented. Wily exits and in his place comes forth the corpulent Clown Robot.

A funny sight gag, it turns into Skull Clown Robot

Forget shooting it anywhere on its body other than its shrunken head. The Clown Robot can be an annoying mid boss due to its massive size yet small hit box. Once you knock its head off, shoot like crazy as the head will soon reattach and the whole process repeats itself.

Now that you have beaten the first four, the final four is unveiled. These last four levels are a bit harder than the first four since the programmers knew you’d be coming in with certain boss weapons equipped. I kind of dug this format.

Sonic the Hedgehog defined the summer of '91 — *Sonic the Hedgehog* defined the summer of 1991

Get too high and die [See, games are educational -Ed.] — Get too high and die *[See, games are educational -Ed.]*

[I hear some call him PRICK MAN... -Ed.] — *[I hear some call him PRICK MAN… -Ed.]*

You can’t help but miss the awesome Ride Armors from the previous two Super Nintendo entries, Mega Man X and Mega Man X². Perhaps as a result of knowing that, they gave us this. Er, okay. There is no comparison between this friendly robotic dino ally and that of the magnificent Ride Armors, but at least it helps to break up some of the action.

It’s also thanks in part to how it rumbles after you as you desperately flee to the far right. Until it finally corners you into a duel to the death. Attacking with its flame breath and fireballs, it’s easily the best and most memorable mid boss fight in the game. Fusing the best of Mega Man and Jurassic Park, it’s simply awesome.

The weapon-level interaction doesn't get enough love — The weapon-level interaction is highly underrated

Mega Man meets Strider. It is with the Slash Claw! — *Mega Man* meets Strider. Nice!

It completely changes the way you approach controlling Mega Man as he goes from gunslinger to a badass killing samurai! There’s something about getting up close and personal to slice robots apart that can’t be beat. One of the best weapons to ever come out of the series due to it fulfilling a childhood dream… what if you crossed Mega Man and Strider? You get the Slash Claw. Pure total destruction at its finest!

"RODNEY KING, RODNEY KING!" — ***“RODNEY KING, RODNEY KING!”***

Whew, a close call there! This is a neat little section that kind of brings me back to 8-bit gaming. In a lot of ways there is a bit of a vintage feel to Mega Man 7.

Thankfully if hit it's not an instant kill — Thankfully if hit it’s not an instant kill

Shade Man’s level starts out in the pitch black of night as Mega Man looks out… only for the darkness to slowly peel away, revealing a full moon in the distance. Brilliant stuff. It’s made even better if you did the Ghouls ‘N Ghosts code to get the Ghouls ‘N Ghosts theme going! ^_^

... ARE CLOSING IN TO SEAL YOUR DOOM!! — ***… ARE CLOSING IN TO SEAL YOUR DOOM!!***

It's a bit shy and doesn't like coming out of its shell — It’s a bit shy and doesn’t like coming out of its shell

Not quite the sinister Pumpkinhead demon from horror movie fame, but nonetheless makes for a solid mid boss battle.

A little liquid courage gets it to open up... — A little “liquid courage” gets it to open up…

Damnit, your shot still bounces off it harmlessly. Guess if you’re gonna go all the way then you’ll need to wine and dine its ass first…

Finally it opens up. But not for very long, so make each time count with a well placed shot. It’s all a matter of patience and being on point.

mm7-98 — *[Stupid idiot! YOU JUST MADE THE LIST!! -Chris Jericho]*

ALL YOUR BASS ARE BELONG TO US

"Damnit. I thought everyone knew Bass was pronounced as Base" — *“Doc, everyone knows Bass is pronounced Base!”*

"Crap. Something really big is right behind me, right?" — *“Crap. Something really big is right behind me, huh?”*

Guts Man is trying to turn Mega Man into Rock Man

BOSS WEAPONS: POWERS AND ABILITIES

It never gets old stealing weapons off the bosses

Like all Mega Man games, the formula remains the same. Beat a boss and gain its powers. One of the unique things about 7 is that the weapons not only serve as offensive tools, but they can also aid you through various levels and situations, too.

You can even fight Proto Man and win his shield!

What will this to lead to? It pays to experiment!

The Noise Crush bounces off walls and can be caught, giving you a mega blast.

mm7-116 — Come on feel the noise crush! Girls rock your boys!

But don't use Freeze Cracker on Freeze Man. Trust me. — You’re going to the junkyard, Turbo Man

Try out the various weapons! Each boss has a weakness but there are also some weapons that will cause different status changes. For example, see what happens when you fire the Thunder Bolt at Turbo Man. But whatever you do, don’t use the Freeze Cracker on Freeze Man. Trust me…

"GET TO DA CHOPPA!" — *“GET TO DA CHOPPA!”*

MORE ABILITIES

Call on the Super Adaptor for a major boost. “IT’S MORPHIN’ TIME!”

The only downside: no sliding in this form — The only downside? No sliding

Call upon Rush to fuse with you into a super power known as Super Adaptor. This is a combination of powers from Mega Man VI (NES) and Mega Man V (Game Boy). It’s just another example of how Mega Man 7 pays homage to its previous entries.

It helps ease the pain of no dashing or wall climbing — It helps ease the pain of no dashing or wall scaling

The Super Adaptor is a game changer. You can jump and then hover, which allows you to leap distances far away from a ladder and in one smooth motion grab a hold. It turns the Blue Bomber into an efficient killing machine!

When not charged, he fires his Mega Buster as usual — This replaces the Super Mega Buster

Instead of shooting the Super Mega Buster when charged, Mega Man launches his Rocket Punch.

When you activate the Rush Search, Rush appears on the scene to sniff out any nearby goodies. When there’s nothing of use, he’ll dig up a bone. Thanks for the help, bud. But he can also find dolls, dead fish, dentures, robot toys and a Game Boy. Real funny, Capcom.

Rush Jet, on the other hand, is very helpful

SHOP SO YOU DON’T DROP

Introducing Eddie's Shop — Introducing Eddie’s Shop

Purists may find the bolt shop "rebolting" [... -Ed.] — Purists may find the bolt shop “rebolting” *[… -Ed.]*

Even better than buying a 1-UP was killing an enemy only to find a 1-UP left in its place. It rarely happens too, which only adds to the great feeling of when it does happen.

Show of guilty hands here… how many of us have “farmed” at some point while playing a Mega Man title over the years? Yep, guilty as charged here. I try to avoid it for the most part, but there are a few times where I slip back into it.

Beat saves your butt if you have a Beat Whistle on ya — Beat saves your butt if you have a Beat Whistle

HIDDEN “STREET FIGHTER II” MODE

After this, hold L + R while pressing start

Indeed. Remember how I mentioned that the programmers expressed regret that they were rushed to roll out Mega Man 7? They only had three months to create it. This mode would have been more fleshed out if only they had an extra month of programming time… it’s too bad, eh?

TAXICAB CONFESSIONS

Stuck on Sigma's last form. One of these days... — Stuck on Sigma’s last form. One of these days…

Some claim 7 to be one of THE hardest in the series — Some see 7 as one of the hardest in the series

It is ironic, eh? Mega Man X is considered to be easy while Mega Man 7 is viewed by many as one of the hardest entries in the entire franchise. Somehow I was able to beat 7 but not X (yet). Strange but true.

The ending reveals a fed-up and darker Mega Man — The ending reveals an angrier, darker Mega Man

For those who don’t wish to be spoiled, skip this block of text. In the end, Wily apologizes for the trouble and grief he’s caused. He also promises to go quietly. Unlike previous adventures, Mega Man knows better this time. He charges his Mega Buster and tells Wily he’s going to do what he should have done a long time ago. It was shockingly violent (and satisfying). Wily counters by reminding Mega Man robots can’t hurt humans. Then, in total action hero movie mode, Mega Man utters the hauntingly brilliant one-liner: “I’M MORE THAN A ROBOT… DIE, WILY!” I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read that. Blew my mind to know the Blue Bomber was about to kill Dr. Wily by blasting him square in the face. But of course, before he can, Bass and Treble come to the rescue. They whisk Wily away, and the whole place starts to blow. In the closing sequence we see Dr. Wily’s Fortress exploding in flames. Mega Man is seen walking away, never once glancing back, like an action movie star. Nice ending.

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

It didn't quite make the splash it was hoping for — It didn’t quite make the splash it was hoping for

Mega Man 7 received solid, if unremarkable, feedback. EGM gave it scores of 8.5, 7, 7 and 7. GameFan hyped it up big time in previews but never reviewed it. Super Play rated it 79%. While the numbers were certainly respectable enough, the consensus seemed to be along the lines of “Good game but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.” This was made evident by such remarks as EGM reviewer Danyon Carpenter saying, “Get ready for more of the same.” Al Manuel added, “With all the good things going for it, this game really needs a revamp. The engine is getting old and tired.” On the flip side, Sushi-X defended it. “I can understand some people getting burnt out on the concept, but I love the action and challenge of this classic game with an excellent feel.” It’s hard to deny that by late ’95, the Blue Bomber was looking a bit conceptually outdated…

When the first Mega Man title burst onto the scene way back in December of 1987, it was a revelation. The sequel refined the process and dazzled the gaming world with its visuals, amazing music and non-linear gameplay. But of course, like with the original Halloween or Nightmare on Elm Street films, many years and many sequels later, the once fresh concept has now grown more than a bit stale. Mega Man X managed to reinvent the series by taking it in a different and radical, more mature direction. By the time Mega Man 7 came out in late 1995, for many fans it felt like a step back. People were now used to X’s athleticism, yet here comes the original Blue Bomber without the dashing or wall climbing abilities. It’s easy to see why Mega Man 7 sort of became the black sheep of the SNES Mega Man legacy. When I first played through it in 2007, I, for one, really liked it. Then I went online seeking other people’s opinions of the game and I was mortified to see all the venom people were spewing at the game. The hatred was so thick that it felt like Mega Man was being stoned to death by these vociferous gamers. I can understand the criticism, but it doesn’t change the fact that I still really like Mega Man 7 a lot.

Didn't mind the odd lull -- I like to admire the scenery — Didn’t mind the odd lull. I like to admire the scenery

Someone's been eating donuts and burgers... — Someone’s been eating cheeseburgers

The most common complaint is that Mega Man is too big compared to earlier models, specifically X. 7 is much bigger and less agile than X. If you love X’s faster and more mobile capabilities, naturally, there might be a disappointment with 7. 7 is more of a plodding, methodical adventure. It goes back to understanding each game for what it intended to be. The X series was all about refreshing changes and new gameplay mechanics to go along with a much darker storyline and tone. And the X games do a splendid job of that. But 7 was meant to go back to the original roots of the series — a more cartoon-ish, light-hearted affair. The sprite is full of character; it’s totally Inafune. Sure he’s a bit clunky, but I actually enjoy the way he looks. His size didn’t bother me, and I still had a blast with the game. That’s all that really matters to me. Credit Boxed Pixels for this comparison shot.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Mega Man 7 is a solid game worth sinking your teeth into — This is a solid game worth sinking your teeth into

Mega Man 2 was one of my earliest video gaming memories and a defining game of my youth. I liked Mario growing up but was always more of a Mega Man guy. There was an entire generation of 8-bit gamers who couldn’t wait to see the Blue Bomber make his SNES debut. It proved to be worth the wait when he finally did as Mega Man X is considered one of the finest games in the franchise. Capcom’s decision to continue the original NES series on the Super Nintendo in late ’95 was a bit of a shock. But I love how we can look back on the history of the SNES and say there was at least one classic original Mega Man game made for it. In a lot of ways, it’s close to how I imagined the series would look and feel in 16-bit. Mega Man 7 may have its fair share of critics, but it’ll always have a special place in my gaming heart.

Not the best homecoming but good to see him back — Not the best of homecomings, but it still rocks

Though many view it as a step backwards, I found it to be a refreshing return to its roots. Sure, 7 has its flaws. A chunkier sprite means the action is more methodical than fast paced. The charge shot is nerfed. On the bright side: Bass and Treble are great additions to the franchise. It’s cool to see Rush back, and the Super Adaptor is a killing machine. The ability to use weapons in multiple ways was brilliant. Various nods to the past are made giving the game a good bit of fan service. And what’s a Mega Man game without menacing monstrosities? The ones featured here are among the most memorable in Mega Man lore, ranging from a towering T-Rex to a roaring evil big rig. The bolt system and shop added a new wrinkle to the classic formula. It proves handy as you progress throughout the game especially for the final battle, which is hailed by most as one of the hardest Wily fights ever. Despite falling short of its potential, Mega Man 7 is a quality action game. It’s no Mega Man X, but I don’t think it was ever meant to be, and perhaps that’s where the charm lies. Sometimes you want refreshing. Other times you’re in the mood to return to your roots. Mega Man 7 manages to do a bit of both all at once. I’m not saying it’s perfect. But it hits sort of a sweet spot for me. While it isn’t his greatest outing ever, there are a lot of underrated aspects it brings to the table. Approach it with an open mind and you might appreciate it, too.

Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8
Gameplay: 8.5
Longevity: 7

Overall: 8.5

*[Fooled folks all these years except me. Prick Man! -Ed.]*

Not the best of homecomings but it still rocks — Good to have the original Blue Bomber on SNES!