Summary
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolvesis here at last, bringing the series back from a deep 26-year slumber,offering its technical systems and mechanics to the modern era,with a few twists and turns along the way. While it still feels like Fatal Fury, it also has a modern sheen, making other games viable if you want to expand your experience further.
Whether you love its strong defensive mechanics, excellent character expression, or fast-paced offense, there are many games that are a must-play if you’re hungry for more fighting games to play after you’ve finished your time with City of the Wolves!
In terms of system mechanics,Street Fighter 6is one of the closest games to Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, but with the offensive dial turned significantly higher and the defensive dial turned substantially lower, resulting in a more aggressive and offensive-focused experience.
However, the Drive system is reminiscent of the REV system found in City of the Wolves, allowing you to power up your Special Moves, execute Drive Impacts to blow up your opponent for being too predictable (similar to the SPG system), and much more. If you like the systems in play in CotW, give Street Fighter 6 a fair shake!
If the strong defensive play in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is more your speed, then look no further thanSamurai Shodownto get an experience that is like no other in this department. This series is all about playing innovative and strategic defense, which can be tremendously rewarding.
But, if you also love the fast-paced nature of City of the Wolves, it may take a bit to get your bearings in Samurai Shodown, as it is dramatically slower across the board. Still, the risk and reward of attacking and defending are intoxicating and exhilarating once you get the hang of it!
Fancy the character design and pacing of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves? What if that was turned up to 11 and pretty much the entire cast were rushdown fighters with the ability to unleash devastating and flashy combos? If that sounds sick to you, then giveGuilty Gear Strivea shot.
While Strive does have some decent defensive options, such as Faultless Defense, Yellow Roman Cancels, Bursts, and Deflect Shield, it is still somehow less potent than City of the Wolves', meaning it is still far more aggressive than it, but can still be enjoyable if you prioritize the characters and offense over all else!
An obvious but necessary entry is, of course,The King of Fighters XV, the most recent installment in the spinoff series that originated from Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting. You can expect to see most of the roster in City of the Wolves in this entry, which should allow you to settle in relatively quickly.
Unfortunately, that’s where the similarities essentially end, as the systems aren’t as complex, and it is a 3v3 fighter. It remains extremely technical, yet in very different ways. However, it still has that SNK charm, so it should be right up your alley if you’ve enjoyed the single-player or multiplayer content of City of the Wolves and want more!
Looking for another fast-paced game with tremendous defensive mechanics? Surprisingly, that game does exist, and it’s Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes. Yes, that’s its real title, and yes, it’s an anime fighter. However, it’s a dang good one that has phenomenal systems and mechanics, much like City of the Wolves.
Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes is a title for those who love the movement and character expression of City of the Wolves, but also love having a potent offense with sturdy and competent defensive mechanics to keep it in check. If you enjoy that aspect of CotW, you should definitely give this title a try!
Lastly, to no surprise, you should playGarou: Mark of the Wolvesif you had a blast playing any aspect of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. This is the prequel to that title and shares a lot of the systems, mechanics, and characters.
Garou: Mark of the Wolves may not have the fancy new systems CotW does, and may be a bit harder to play, but it’s still worth checking out if you may’t get enough of it and want to see what was before it… 26 years ago. Do yourself a favor and play some Mark of the Wolves!
