Art of Fighting - Ryuuko no Ken Gaiden ~ The Path of the Warrior - Art of Fighting 3 (Japan)
Neo Geo CD
🇬🇧🇪🇸🇯🇵🇵🇹
Reviewed in 1996
78
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✪ Reviewed on August 9, 2023
70
Series turning point with a prequel story around Ryo and Robert in Glasshill. Huge sprites, polished animation and a refreshingly original Trial system. An endearing entry worth discovering.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting2 players12+
Description
Robert Garcia heads to Mexico to find Freia Lawrence and faces an array of fighters in this third Art of Fighting. Published by SNK, released in Japan in April 1996. One-on-one combat with rechargeable Chi gauge, eight fighters with distinct styles, high-resolution Neo Geo sprites. Japanese edition.
Art of Fighting - Ryuuko no Ken Gaiden ~ The Path of the Warrior - Art of Fighting 3 review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gigantic sprites and dynamic camera zoom: SNK imposes a spectacular staging, revolutionary for 2D fighting. The faces marked by blows and the backdrops of South Town overflow with character. This graphic virtuosity, snappy and polished, illustrates all of the studio's pixel-art know-how.
In Mexico, SNK's sticky funk and jazzy pads give the duel an irresistible South American sultriness. Magnified by the format's CD audio, the music embraces the fluid animation and the nervy tempo of the fights. This stylish sonic atmosphere, a world away from the usual fanfares, delights connoisseurs.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾0,45 GB📅19/04/1996
Published by SNK
Art of Fighting - Ryuuko no Ken Gaiden ~ The Path of the Warrior - Art of Fighting 3 (Neo Geo CD) price, value & rarity
The third Art of Fighting where Robert Garcia heads to Mexico, praised for its rotoscoped animation, revolutionary for SNK. On the Neo Geo CD it offered at an affordable price a game whose AES cartridge cost a fortune, with a soundtrack making the most of the disc. Its desirability rests on that accessible-version status of a 2D animation peak and the series' value, sought by fans of the SNK house.
Is Art of Fighting - Ryuuko no Ken Gaiden ~ The Path of the Warrior - Art of Fighting 3 still worth playing in 2026?
Art of Fighting 3 - The Path of the Warrior concludes SNK's fighting trilogy following Robert Garcia in Mexico, with rotoscoped animation of remarkable fluidity for the time. The spirit gauge system and the expressive character design bring real identity, and the CD version benefits from quality sound. The at-times confusing readability and a small roster temper the enthusiasm. For fans of retro SNK versus fighting and polished animation, it is a singular entry that deserves rediscovery.
