review by Kaioh
released: 2010(update on 1989 arcade original)
platform: xbox live/ps3n
company: capcom
genre: beat-em-up



I'm sure anyone that stepped foot into an arcade back in the late 80's/early 90's remembers Capcom's arcade smash Final Fight. Well, get ready to relive those arcade moments because Capcom has released a port to download for your Xbox 360 and/or PS3.
A little history:

<img src="http://www.neoramen.com/gallery/ffimpact2.jpg".

Final Fight was Capcom's premiere arcade beat'em up released to arcades in 1989. It originally started as a sequel to their 1987 fighting game, Street Fighter. It was even being called "Street Fighter '89" during the development. Somewhere between then and the final release, Capcom decided to ditch the Street Fighter name and renamed it what we know it as today. Thus, beginning an entirely new game franchise. The arcade game features 3 characters to choose from at the start and you took on level after level of thugs to rescue Mayor Haggar's daughter, Jessica. Kicking, puching, piledriving!!! So much fun to be had! Having a 2nd player alongside you made the madness even more enjoyable!! Unfortunately when they ported it to the SNES, they removed Guy along with an entire level from the game. But the real kick in the pants was the exclusion of 2 player co-op! ACK! After much demand and chagrin of fans, Capcom re-released it with Guy included and Cody removed. However, still no 2 player mode. Final Fight only saw 1 arcade release (if you don't include Revenge) and was ported to a number of consoles, PCs, and a handheld. It was even included in Capcom's Classic Collection series. A few sequels were released to home consoles.

Final Fight 2 and Final Fight 3 were designed exclusively for the Super Nintendo. Mighty Final Fight, which was a re-envisioning of the original, was released for the NES. A "not so great" 3D fighter named Final Fight Revenge was released to arcades and on the Sega Saturn (JP only). Then, there was Final Fight: Streetwise. A 2006 bomb released on PS2 and Xbox, in which the bright 2D graphics and gameplay was trashed in favor for a gritty, dirty looking 3D brawler. "But, isn't this called "Double Impact"?", you're asking? Why yes! You are correct. You would think the subtitle "Double Impact" would elude to there being 2 Final Fight titles included. Unfortunately, since the sequels were not arcade releases, Capcom decided to give us a port of their 1990 arcade title, Magic Sword. Not sure how many people remember Magic Sword, but it was definitely one of my favorite arcade games in the 90's. I would play this game every chance I could.



Magic Sword is a 2D side-scrolling fantasy game in which the player(s) hack and slash their way through a 50-floor tower to kill an evil overlord. The game featured a "D&D"-esque look and feel with swords and sorcery. The game is played on a single-plane unlike Final Fight in which you can freely move up and down. Magic Sword featured hidden treasures, secret warps, and a unique idea. That unique idea was being able to choose your starting place from a selection of floors as soon as you pressed the start button. This was a welcome addition to an arcade game in which there was no save feature. Being able to come back at a later time/day and start back close to the floor or on a higher floor you were on anytime, made the game easy to come back to. A SNES port was released a couple of years later and the arcade version was also included on Capcom Classics Collection series.

Today: Capcom announced late last year that they would be porting the original arcade version with a few new "bells and whistles" to 360 and PS3 owners in Spring 2010. That day arrived this past Wed./Thur. Not only is online co-op included for both games, but a plethora of in-game unlockables that include comic strips, art, and even a whole episode of that "god-awful" Street Fighter cartoon from the 90's. The music has been remixed for both games as well. The remixes were composed by Simon Viklund who was also responsible for the music in the well-received Bionic Commando: Rearmed. In fact, you can download the entire remixed Double Impact album for free at http://finalfightgame.com/remix! I was really impressed with the Final Fight tracks, but felt the Magic Sword were missing something. So, I prefer to play with the classic music on when playing that.

There are also a number of screen options. One that I found fun was the "cabinet" view. It simulates the actual arcade cabinet with side art and a simulated "monitor". Amazing!



At 800 MSP/$10, it's a steal! You would be crazy not to download this title if you're a fan of beat'em ups or 2D gaming in general. So, fire up that Xbox 360 or PS3 and fork over some money or space bucks. You'll be glad you did.