Final Fight Bruises its Way onto the Sega Genesis

"What's so great about this?," you might say. "Final Fight is available on like, a million formats!" Yes, but this is the Sega Genesis. It's exciting to watch this 16-bit console designed for tight budgets handle Final Fight, the mammoth arcade hit with graphics that put Double Dragon and Kung Fu Master to shame. Between its huge sprites and intricately detailed city backdrops (starting in the slums and eventually advancing to a high rise apartment in the wealthy side of town), no other game came close to rivaling the visual awe of Final Fight in 1989.

Yet here it is, the apex of 1980s beat 'em up evolution, running on a barebones Genesis without peripherals or added RAM or DSP chips. It's a testament to this system's power, along with the skill and tireless dedication of the Brazilian homebrew developers making this conversion. It's only half finished, with heavy slowdown in busier areas and game logic that's not always faithful to the arcade game, but Final Fight MD has a hell of a lot of promise in its current state.

The designer even intends to add content, like the survival mode from Final Fight CD and characters from Final Fight 2 and Captain Commando. If you're still one of the Sega Genesis faithful from way back in the day, this is one game you should be watching like a hawk.