X
- E10+
- SNK Corporation
- E10+
- SNK Corporation
- E10+
- SNK Corporation
- E10+
- SNK Corporation
Fatal Fury: First Contact
Released On: Dec 23, 2020
62
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
tbd
All Platforms
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 12 Critic Reviews
62
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100% Mixed
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 12 Critic Reviews
62
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100% Mixed
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
While Fatal Fury: First Contact's nostalgia factor and smart fighting mechanics mean that its appearance is welcome on the Switch, it sadly doesn't offer enough content to justify spending ages of time with. Still, it's perfect for a quick bout and shines in its presentation, meaning that there's still something to appreciate and admire here - even if not for overly long.
On Switch, Fatal Fury: First Contact is forced to fend off worthy alternatives on two fronts as anyone interested in this title has probably already bought one of the more fully-featured Neo Geo Pocket fighters available on the eShop, and Hamster has provided a painstakingly accurate portable version of the game its based on as part of its Arcade Archives series, but that still leaves us with a fast-paced and fluid scuffle-'em-up that's easy to enjoy in short, commitment-free bursts, making it perfect for a quick round of lunch break gaming.
Fatal Fury: First Contact isn’t a bad game by any stretch. However, when you compare it to SNK’s more recent NGPC ports to the Switch, its lack of content is hard to ignore. It really shows its age with its slower pace (and frequent slowdown). And with only one single-player mode to experience and a pair of characters to unlock, you’ll likely find yourself burning through everything it has to offer in a single afternoon. Of course, the ability to play against a friend adds a bit of replay value to the package. But given that you can buy the superior Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 for the same price on the eShop, it makes this entry a little tough to recommend to all but the most ardent SNK fans. At the end of the day, Fatal Fury: First Contact isn’t wildly ambitious. But if you’re looking for a quick and dirty 8-bit fighter to add to your Switch library, it gets the job done.
Fatal Fury: First Contact is still a joy to play and - I really can't say this enough - it remains impressive that the developers were able to create such pristine fighting games on such modest hardware. With that being said, the five games Neo Geo Pocket Color games that have now been released really should have been compiled together into one collection, and I would really like to see some of the other, non-fighting games that appeared on the console given the same emulation and restoration process now. I don't begrudge SNK going to the effort with the five fighting game classics that it has, but enough's enough with this genre. It's time for something different, please.
Fatal Fury: First Contact brings back an SNK fighting game to the
Nintendo Switch and what's on offer is pretty much consistent with the
original work. This is not an ambitious endeavour, and the dearth of
game modes make the experience rather limited. Still, the characters
available and their moves are fun to explore. On the other hand, it
would be nice to have some extras, and there are performance issues that
should have been corrected.
While I remain tickled that these NGPC ports even exist, though, I am beginning to long for different things, especially since these fighters all look more or less like the same game.
Fatal Fury: First Contact is a fine enough curio, and something that Fatal Fury fans might want to pick up to have a go. Outside of that, though, it's hard to see who this will appeal to, given its relatively niche place in the mark. Nonetheless, it's nice to see a game that might otherwise be forgotten made available for those who want it.
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Summary The popular Fatal Fury series in its NEOGEO POCKET debut! The legendary lone wolves are spitting sparks in their latest adventure! Can you survive this explosive battle?!
Rated E +10
for Everyone +10
Platforms:
- Nintendo Switch
Initial Release Date: Dec 23, 2020
Developer:
- Code Mystics Inc.
Publisher: SNK Corporation
Genres:
