SNK has produced many amazing fighting games over the years, and the peak of greatness for their classic era is indisputably Garou Mark of The Wolves. The game is the canonical entry in the Fatal Fury series and was often compared to Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike from Capcom. This may have just been part of the ongoing rivalry between the two companies, but there is a lot to compare. Both advanced their stories some time into the future, both replaced most of their cast, and both tried to bring a new protagonist to the series that fans took a liking to. Mark Of The Wolves brought many innovative ideas to the genre and was greatly acclaimed, but there is also a certain x factor that Garou has that other games cannot replicate.
Garou is one of the best designed fighting games ever made and a technical masterpiece. The game is one that anyone could learn but takes effort to master, and I would even say it is far more accessible that 3rd strike while remaining just as technical. New ideas such as the Just Defended, the T.O.P. System, and Breaking brought a lot of variety to the table and made the game stand out more. The technical aspects of the game hold up great and upon replaying the game, I spent a lot of time re-familiarizing myself with it and enjoying myself the entire time. The fun factor is still there. the game is designed to bring you in and give you the means to get better while having you do the work yourself. Garou doesn’t hold your hand but also doesn’t just throw you into the pool and leave you to survive on your own.
In addition, the game managed to introduce so many great new characters like Tizoc and Rock Howard who have become fan favouritse, and the stages were some of the best both in terms of presentation and in technical design. Some of these characters have been making appearances in games like King of Fighters but most have been held for a potential Garou 2 which has not happened yet, but SNK does want it to be a reality. SNK took everything they learned from the series up to this point, and the result was magic. The recent re releases have been amazing, and whether it is the arcade archives release on Switch & Xbox One, or SNK’s re-release of the game on PS4 and PC with online play, this is a game that more people simply need to play. I recommend checking it out, so you will see just why this is a great game.
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