Side-scrolling beat ‘em ups were huge in arcades in the 80s. However, home consoles of the 80s struggled to replicate the arcade versions, which were far superior. Although the NES and Master System produced some good quality beat ‘em ups, it wouldn’t be until the late 80s that “arcade quality” beat ‘em ups could be found on home consoles like the Sega Mega Drive, Turbografx-16 and PC Engine.

Mighty Final Fight is a side-scrolling beat ‘em up developed and published by Capcom in 1993 for the NES. It is a spin-off of the 1989 arcade classic Final Fight, and was later released on the Game Boy Advance (2006) and Wii Virtual Console (2014). I chose to review the NES version.

Plot

The Mad Gear Gang, the most notorious crime gang in Metro City, have kidnapped Jessica, the daughter of Haggar who is the city Mayor. Along with Cody, Jessica’s boyfriend, and Cody’s training partner, Guy, they attempt to rescue her from the gang.

Gameplay

You can choose to be either:

Haggar – City Mayor and former professional wrestler

Cody – A street fighter who has developed his own unique fighting style by fusing boxing and karate

Guy – A master of Ninjutsu

Each character has their own strengths and fighting styles. As the game progresses, you gain experience points which increase the strength of your character and unlock more fighting moves. Weapons can be found throughout the levels but they are dependant on the character you’re playing as (Cody – knife, Guy – shuriken, Haggar – oversized mallet).

How Does It Handle?

The gameplay is pretty good. The controls are responsive, and the hit detection is spot on. The introduction of new moves keeps the fighting interesting too.

Graphics

The game has been redesigned in the Chibi art style which gives the characters and overall game a more childlike look. The graphics and backgrounds are a great improvement on previous games such as Double Dragon and Renegade, even if Haggar does look like he has a huge double chin. However, by 1993, the SNES and Mega Drive were already producing far superior titles such as Streets of Rage (1991), Golden Axe (1989) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (1991). There is also a limited number of sprites allowed on the screen at any one time, and there is a fair bit of flicker when fighting. This game is clearly pushing the NES to its limits.

Replay Value

What really let’s this game down is that it is a single-player game and there is only one difficulty setting. This is a real shame, as side-scrolling fighters are always better in two-player mode. Without a two-player mode and the chance to increase the game’s difficulty, this game will never become a staple for late night gaming with buddies. However, it is slightly redeemed by having three distinct characters that does add a bit of replay value of the game.

Did I Complete The Game?

Yes, my go to character is Cody. My older brother’s choice was always Guy.

What The Critics Said:

At present, I have been unable to locate a contemporary review.

My Verdict:

“A fun little beat ‘em up which looks great, for a NES game, and plays very well. Good differentiation between the characters but a lack of two-player mode severely limits its replay value.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Mighty Final Fight? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @Nicklovestogame.