Art of Fighting Anthology

"The classic SNK fighting franchise finally goes retro. Should you care?"

Just admit it -- Art of Fighting isn't exactly the most revered franchise in the epic library of NeoGeo 2D fighting games. In fact, most purists would probably just as soon forget about the series altogether, opting instead for perennial SNK favorites such as Samurai Shodown and The King of Fighters. And if you're one of the select few who sees the Art of Fighting series through rose-colored glasses and believes that these games are fighting perfection, well, this article probably isn't for you. Because in all honesty, AoF is not a perfect series, far from it.

Yet despite it shortcomings, Art of Fighting Anthology represents something of a breakthrough for fighting game releases in North America. Finally, fans in the region are getting a taste of what fans in Japan have had for years now, which is the first in a series of classic NeoGeo fighting game collections for the PS2. And as you'll soon see, purchasing AoF Anthology may end up being of the more important gaming decisions you'll make this year.

First, let's get the negatives out of the way. One major problem with the Art of Fighting series has always been that the game mechanics -- especially in the first two games -- are fairly stiff and slow, even by early fighting game standards. The controls lack the fluidity and responsiveness of even the first Street Fighter II game, while certain hitboxes are so awkwardly placed that it's possible to whiff attacks at point blank range. Also, some special moves have such a delay in startup time that's entirely possible for an opponent to dash in from half a screen away and poke you out of it.

Frustrating? You bet. But after playing these games in chronological order, there is no doubt that there is a progressive improvement in terms of quality. The first game feels almost like a work in progress (and was undoubtedly rushed to cash on in the SF2 craze), while the second game features noticeable improvements in several key areas, and the third game in the series is much more refined, with infinitely smoother animation and gameplay. Whether AoF3 is actually a better fighting game than AoF2 is strictly a matter of opinion and taste, I personally feel that it is.

Another issue -- and this is only a fault depending on your point of view -- is AoF's notoriously brutal difficulty. This especially applies to AoF2, one of the more merciless fighting games in the genre's history. It's one thing to lose a few CPU matches in a row, but to be punished over and over again with little hope of success? Well, let's just say it can get a bit discouraging unless you happen to have nerves of steel. Sure there are exploitable patterns to be found, but whether or not the average gamer is going to tolerate the game long enough to discover them is another matter entirely.

One last gripe -- and this is really nitpicky -- is that the characters themselves are decidedly uninspired and colorless in comparison to other SNK fighting game franchises. One might argue that this is purely intentional given the game's gritty environment, which wreaks of Hong Kong action cinema. Lee is an interesting guy to be sure, but Jack Turner? Lenny Creston? Rody Birts?!? Did SNK draw these names out of a hat? And don't even get me started on the John Crawley/Guile and Micky Rogers/Balrog comparisons, the lack of inspiration is plainly obvious and patently absurd.

Yes, it's hard to deny that the AoF series has its share of faults, but does any of this mean you should ignore Art of Fighting Anthology? Absolutely not, and here's why.

First off, the Art of Fighting series represents a major link between the classic 2D fighting games of yesteryear and the games currently being produced today. Ever wonder where conventions like the Super Move came from? How about dashing and attack recovery? If you answered "Street Fighter II" to either of these questions, sorry, but no cigar. Indeed, it was Art of Fighting that introduced these soon-to-be staples to the fighting game genre, as well as several graphic innovations (namely sprite scaling and facial damage) that made the game quite an impressive sight in its day. In other words, you have to know your roots, and it hardly gets anymore "roots" than Art of Fighting.

Secondly, as far as retro games go, these games do actually provide a great deal of fun. In other words, you may not want to dissect AoF inside and out like you would, say, Super Turbo, but compared to other arcade games of their time (not just fighting games), these titles do manage to hold their own. As with many other arcade compilation discs, Art of Fighting Anthology is a great game to pick up and waste a few hours on, then go back to whenever you get the urge. Impulse gaming at its finest, you might say.

Finally, (and this is where I get on my soapbox), anyone who loved these games back in the day and wants to see more of them needs to support SNK and fighting games in general by making a purchase. There are a whole slew of PS2 NeoGeo fighting game compilations in Japan, Art of Fighting is only the tip of the iceberg. If this game is a success, hopefully the Fatal Furys and the Samurai Shodowns will come rolling out in short order (there is a Fatal Fury compilation slated for North American release as of this writing). Think of it this way: fifteen bucks for three games that would have cost $750 back in the day, a small investment for the past, present and future of fighting games.

As of this writing, IGN hasn't bothered to review Art of Fighting Anthology. Nor has Gamespot. In fact, none of the major online gaming news outlets have bothered to give it much mention at all. A dated game for a dated system, it's no wonder. Gaming news sites may not sell games, but they do provide exposure. And since this compilation seemingly isn't getting any, I'm doing my part to get the word out by writing this review.

Speaking of, back to it. To me, Art of Fighting Anthology is an honest 7 out of 10: 4 for AoF, 6 for AoF2, 7 for AoF3, and plus 1 for a reviewer's slant. But to hell with my scores and opinions, go out and buy this game to relive the glory years of the almighty fighting game. Go out and buy it to ensure we see more NeoGeo collections on our shores. Go out and buy it simply to get your ass kicked in AoF2.

Go out and... I think you get the point.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 05/25/07