Fatal Fury: First Contact lacks the breadth of unlockables that many NEO GEO Pocket classics have, but its smooth gameplay and charming art are still worthwhile.
Fatal Fury: First Contact
Developer: SNK
Price: $8
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
MonsterVine was provided with a Switch code for review
There’s a wide variety of different fighting games available for the NEO GEO Pocket Color, and throughout this past year, I’ve had the opportunity to review a good number of them. While Fatal Fury: First Contact falls on the lower end of these titles, it’s a lot of fun for NEO GEO enthusiasts nonetheless.
Based on Real Bout: Fatal Fury 2, Fatal Fury: First Contact features quite a few characters and stages. There’s only really one mode to run through, which is called 1P Mode. In it, like in most Arcade modes, you run through a gauntlet of enemy fighters as your chosen character. Upon winning the final fight, you get a unique picture of your character enjoying themselves as a reward. It’s enough to keep you occupied for a few hours, but there’s not much to the game outside of this mode. Gameplay is fun though, as First Contact feels like a full-fledged little fighting game rather than a more limited portable port. There are lots of characters, and they all play differently, so Arcade mode is at least varied when played with the entire roster.
“The sprites for each character are full of unique personality, and the chibi style works quite well with the character designs of Fatal Fury.“
Outside of Arcade and a local 2P mode (which is a fun way to fight friends), there’s really not much to First Contact. Unlike games like Gal Fighters and The Last Blade, there aren’t many unlockables or secrets. Most characters are already unlocked, there are no minigames, and there’s no Gallery mode that’s filled with art, music, or secrets. This type of content is often one of the best parts for these classics, so having none of it in a title as big as Fatal Fury is a bit of a disappointment.
Even without these unlockables, there’s still plenty of charm to First Contact. The sprites for each character are full of unique personality, and the chibi style works quite well with the character designs of Fatal Fury. The stages are similarly pleasant, as is the catchy music that accompanies each stage. The customization options are as good as ever, as is the ability to rewind fights for newer players who may find the game to be too difficult.
The Final Word
Fatal Fury: First Contact isn’t quite as robust as previous NEO GEO Pocket Classics. It’s a fun game with great visuals and music, and it plays rather well, there’s just not as much content to keep you entertained as there is in other portable SNK titles. If you’re a big fan of the NEO GEO or SNK, you’ll still have some good fun, but otherwise, you may prefer one of the previously mentioned Switch ports instead.
MonsterVine Rating: 3.5 out of 5 – Fair
