Final Fight One

"If you haven't played the Sega CD version then this is your game!"

Final Fight One is a port (although it's a port it contains many extras) of the first Final Fight game on the Gameboy Advance. Since this is my favorite of the final fight series (much better than the 2nd and 3rd ones) I decided to review it.

STORY: 9/10
The story is as good as a beat 'em up is going to get. The whole you got to save the damsel in distress story. Plus the addition of dialogue for characters adds a lot to it. It also helps fill in the gap story wise for those whom have only played the Street Fighter Alpha series and Final Fight One and wondered what happened to Cody. (You can find that out playing another Capcom game that never got popular...probably because it was for Saturn.)

CONTROLS: 10/10
Most games that have conversion have trouble in the controls department. Though Final Fight only requires three buttons so it was no problem.

GAMEPLAY: 7/10
The tried and true punch and kick until everyone falls down. Rinse and repeat and you can get through all the levels. Each character plays differently making it a slightly different experience depending on who you play as. They have also toned down the cheap factor of Hagger's piledriver. Before once you started the jump you couldn't be stopped. Now if you are punch before you are able to get into the air, you stop and drop the punk you were holding.

MUSIC: 3/10
This one really takes a hit, because I have played and own the Sega CD version. Of course that means all the music in the Sega CD version is CD quality will full jazz bands and vocals. All of the music in Final Fight One just sounds like worse versions of the Sega CD one.

REPLAY ABILITY: 7/10
With extras to be unlocked there are a few reasons to play back through. Though like any other beat 'em up, you really don't feel like playing through more than a couple of times.

OVERALL: 8/10
This is as good as a handheld version could get. It still confuses me why Poison is absent. All levels, bonus stages, and enemies (except Poison), and bosses are still present. With link play available the whole experience of the arcade comes back. Capcom took their time with this port. As stated before if you haven't played the Sega CD version, or even if you have and want to experience it again in a portable version this is the game for you. Now if Sega would just port Streets of Rage 2 and add some extras.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/12/02, Updated 02/12/02