The Japanese rebalance of Final Fight adding Guy, more complete than the western version. The best SNES take of the original.
Your verdict
Category
Beat-'Em-Up2 players12+
Co-op
Description
Version of Final Fight featuring Guy replacing Cody from the original Super Nintendo release. Published by Capcom, released in North America in 1992. Mike Haggar and Guy liberating Metro City from the Mad Gear gang, Guy's fast karate-based combat style and identical levels. North American NTSC release.
Final Fight Guy review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
This reissue replaces Cody with Guy, and the change shows in every frame: low stances, chained kicks, a ninja's run that has nothing to do with the street boxer's gait. The rest of Metro City is identical, which makes the care spent on a single character's animation set all the more visible.
The soundtrack is the one from the original conversion, reused untouched, and this reissue mainly offers a chance to hear it attentively again: bouncing bass, soft drums, synthetic brass carrying melodies more worked than the genre average. The subway theme remains the piece you identify within three notes.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
This variant swaps Cody for the ninja Guy, whose speed and quick strikes reshape the approach to street fighting. More agile and more aerial, he offers a different rhythm to fans of the first game. The weight of the blows and the urban mood stay intact, for a direct, tasty blow-off. A snappy rereading, ideal to rediscover the classic from a new angle.
In the US, Final Fight Guy had an unusual launch: first a Blockbuster rental exclusive, then a later retail run. That commercial double life makes early editions and their packaging sought-after, with Guy's playable variant adding to the draw. The NTSC version of this Cody swap, it appeals to collectors of the SNES Final Fight trilogy. A clean US complete copy, cardboard box and manual included, is its most desirable form.
Is Final Fight Guy still worth playing in 2026?
A Japanese reissue of the first Final Fight, Final Fight Guy swaps Cody for Guy and his fast karate, while keeping the levels and pace of the original. This version is more complete and better balanced than the trimmed Western release, making it the best SNES take on the first game. Today it remains a pleasant, readable and snappy beat-'em-up, ideal for discovering the start of Capcom's saga in its most accomplished form on the machine, preferably with a friend.
