Burning Fight (Neo Geo)

So far, my videogame reviews are all about shooting in tank, shooting men, machine, & bit of aliens, and shooting dinos & hunters. People (maybe even you) start to think that i'm crazed gunman shooter-type gamer. Although i fond with those 3 games, my ultimate-favorite games are those in Fighting-Action genre. That genre's name is my personal term. The most common term for it: Side-Scrolling beat 'em up. Here's the example of it: SNK's Burning Fight (1991)

I have finished this game several time. So, i know that Burning Fight doesn't feature player's capability to set enemies on fire. That's quite disappointing for someone who is a pyro on the bottom of his/her soul (including me). So, the burning means how intense the fight gonna be. So it's not entirely misleading, probably. There's no backstory or exposition to explain what's going on in The "Burning" Fight. According to the flyer: There is this huge crime syndicate name Casterora Family that terrorize New York for years. Then 2 detective, Duke Edwards and Billy King try to bring justice upon the Al Capone mafia Casterora syndicate. When the detectives almost got them, The Casterora and some of his men escape to Japan. Later they join force with Yakuza group in Osaka, making them sort of overpowered gangster ever. But Duke and Billy cooperate with Japanese Detective, Ryu Saeba to bust them for good. That should even the balance in good side, right?! So there is no Damsel in distress here. Unless you think they fight to free Lady Justice from this particular-criminal's bound.  

Here's the detectives that will destroy those no-gooders. Usually, i choose the Strength type character in every Side-Scrolling beat 'em up game. In this case will be Billy, because he looks buff up and the only one with sleeve attire. But i choose Duke this time because of iseng. Don't worry! Everyone will get the share of criminal beating. This character select kind of remind me with the one in Final Fight. Let's compare them!    

Well, the similarity is approx. 46%. Especially, because The Strength character is in right slot. Ryu's cloth has quite same colour with guy's, thus i assume that he is The Agility character. That means, Duke is the balanced character or rather i say he is The Dexterity character. Moreover both Duke and Cody are American with jeans and kickass attitude. Unlike the patriot, Final Fight, Burning Fight has digitized voice of the character that you select albeit no height and weight data. In Duke case, he says "Nice choice". That's serious 4th-wall-breaking stuff, man! While Billy says "Ex-prison has pride". So he is embodiment of hope for those ex-criminal to redeem their past evil deed and beat those who are still bad guy. If you choose Ryu he says something in Japanese but fortunately there is subtitle for it. It says "It's my turn now". That's okay.

 

First stage is main streets. Also your first opponents are these sergeant dynamite who can do nothing but throw time-detonated dynamite and bit of jaywalking. If you have played Side-Scrolling beat 'em up game before, you got the gist of how this game will work. Press attack button consecutively to do attack combo toward enemy. Press jump button to jump. Press attack while jumping for jumping attack. Press both attack and jump to perform special move with bit health cost. That kind of basic. But Burning Fight has bit surprise for you. It has Heavy attack or game said it middle-attack button to execute a heavy attack (usually high kick) to inflict hefty damage, knockaway enemies with high chance, finish your combo earlier. It goes without saying that heavy attack has quite long delay before you can do it again. It's nice feature.

Then i punch Nomidaore Doll until it breaks instead of beating these mean-looking triplets. "What it's crime?" you say? It hides frankfurter that can replenish my health also is really delicious. Such a petty crime. Yes, i know. By the way, the doll is based on Kuidaore Taro in Dōtonbori area in Osaka, Japan.

There is a room with 'In' sign. What interesting thing in there?     

Inside, i found one of the mafia and a Yakuza thug. Also breakable furniture. It's 'breaking object' bonus stage. Not only you will get satisfaction of breaking criminal's property, but also score-up item and sometime health restoration item. Make sure you get in every bonus stage especially for health refill. But remember that you will be in strict time limit within the bonus stage!

 

Violent action continues in front of this (presumably) brothel. The lying one who wears pink vest is attendant of said brothel. He is harmless. But if you ignore him, he will cling to you tightly that you can't move at all, hoping you will "taste" at least one of the ladies there. His begging act makes you a living punching & shooting bag for enemies. So he deserve to get a dose of being beaten up.

 

After i encounter some bike gang, i engage this stage sub-boss, the mini truck with molotov-throwing passenger. The molotov doesn't have shadow so you can't predict where it lands. My best guess to avoid it: with "Thunder doesn't strike twice at the same place" principle. Or you can focus on jabbing the truck. That works too. By the way, if you get hit by the molotov, you won't get burned only get knockawayed cleanly. I suspect SNK are too lazy to put/make burned sprite for this game. =_=

 

After i beat the truck with the driver still in it (unfortunately the passenger seems run away). This thick gentleman gladly clear the truck out of this street. How kind of you, sir!

 

Oh, right! He is this stage's boss. The wrecked truck is nuisance to him so he push it away. Okay, then. Let's rumble!

 

See billboard that within red circle? That's Glico man sign, the symbol of Glico candy also famous Osaka's icon. But the man's arms is supposed to be rising not on his hips. So this is alternative-dimension of Dōtonbori area where The Glico man looks smug and arrogant rather than looks like a glorious athlete. Yes, i know. I'm bit slacking here. To be honest, the boss fight is pretty boring. His attack is side-chops. He can block attacks and roll/ukemi for evasion or repositioning. Sometime, a minion comes to help him. Your attack's result will be either blocked/evaded or damaging his big health bar. Just attack him diligently until his health bar is gone! Luckily it won't take too long time.

 

Oh, seriously! None of us is on fire. You're as dense as your fats. Now, that's burn that happen here. Needless to say that he speaks in Japanese. As i don't understand it, i just blindly trust the subtitle like this. 

Next stage is shopping center, so lots of fashion shops here. The thug on rightside is just peacefully windowshopping, thinking whether that blue skirt is suitable for his girlfriend or not. But he is about get surprise from me in form of that pushed wheel-clothhangers. Yes, i'm douchēbag.

 

Oh my goodness! There is a topless mermaid statue in this public place. That's not good. Someone should do something about it!

 

Why, thank you, sir! I appreciate your nice vandalism there, sir. It's for public's moral, afterall

Then this Hulk Hoogan-impersonator start running to clothesline me. Also a thug assist him as well. Oh, shoot!

 

It's time for Guy Ryu to beat the hell of criminals. Here you can see Ryu perform morote throw on the fake Hulk Hoogan that is not designed well, visually. I mean the wrestler is way too high from Ryu's back. That ain't good. Like most of you know that you can auto-grab an enemy when you're really close then you can throw him by pressing a direction button and attack button. But unlike other games with same genre, here you can't grabbed attack enemy just toss him away. Which is simple yet less satisfying.

 

After i defeat that wrestler, i'm in a travelator/moving walkway. In case you don't know travelator/moving walkway, basically it's straight/unelevated escalator that you can find in Mall, Airport, etc. It's pretty peaceful until sgt. dynamite start throw dynamite on my travelator. Also chainguys jump on my side. Great.  

And then i meet shank-loving geisha. All she do is: stab you, charge at you with knife forward or sliding kick. Honestly, i think the fake wrestlemania-icon guy is way more interesting opponent than this staby bad lady, don't you think?!

Ryu hitch a ride on train's car not inside! Such a rebellious act for law enforcer. It may looks badblood to ride (and fight) on train's car, but it's also outrageous and stupid. Doing that is like some foolish train's passenger in India or Indonesia. Don't do that, reader! By the way the fat guy there is the most irritating enemy to me so i throw knife at him. But the sunglasses thug valiantly shields him. That's is admirable act from a villain! By the way, train doesn't count as shopping centre area anymore, right?!

I switch to  my favorite: Billy this time. Sometime there is a shooter (that aboard a helicopter) try to shoot you here. But he has remarkably stupid marksmanship that you can easily avoid his shooting like in this screenshoot. Everytime you're away from his shooting, You can shout "Where are you shooting, idiot?" at him. I know you want to do that.    

 

Meet Marshall, Billy's taller & evil cousin. He can block attack so that means he's the boss of this stage. But he has new level of attack blocking: if you hit him at least twice while he's blocking he will turn red and then unleash energy from your blocked attack like in this screenshoot. No special visual FX from the energy, though. It reminds me of 'Royal Guard' style of Dante in Devil May Cry 3 or Devil May Cry 4. The solution to avoid it, is simple. When his skin color start to change, you move a side like me here. Then you can beat him again, and hope he won't block very often.  

Also he likes to perform this cool flying kick. By the way, Billy's health-cost special move is charging forward like you can see here. It has longer distance than other detectives have. Pretty much the reason why Billy is my favourite. Luckily, Burning Fight adapts the special move system from its predecessor, Final Fight or other Capcom's Side-Scrolling beat 'em up which is: if it misses any enemy, it won't cost your health. Also the special moves is unblockable. So spamming special moves during boss fight is advisable. After, Marshall get beaten up really bad, he backwalk away from screen signifying that he will be back another moment. You can imagine he said "I'll be back" in Scwarzenegger's voice while he moonwalk.

Next stage is downtown. I mention before about bike gang in stage 1. Can you make them fallover with jumping attack? Of course you can, as seen in this screenshoot. But our heroes have very brief jumping attack animation. Plus, the rider can duck under your attack sometime. So it's kind of difficult to do that succesfully.

 

Then i meet the thugs with personal mini-forklift. I wish i can ride them after defeating their driver like bizzarians in Golden Axe. But no. Another disappointment, then.

 

I hope you're not bored with Billy 's Flying cross forearms. I feel smug that i can screenshoot it at the exact moment thrice. Do you remember about the brothel's attendant in stage 1? Well, this beggar acts the same as him. So don't hesitate to break his teeth. It's makes me remember when i play Elder Scroll IV: Oblivion and not hesitate to murder a homeless because i think he is just no-one but halted by admirable-responsive guard. GJ, officer!  

 

There's another wrestler guy again. But this time, he resemble Mr. T but moustache-less. Don't worry! I have the anti-wrestler: Ryu Saeba. We are not going into construction site there, are we?!

 

Silly me. The construction site has lift/elevator that will stop for incoming enemies. I will be honest. Burning Fight is hard and unfair especially in later stages unlike say Final fight that is tedious but quite fair. It will burn your credit as fast as melting a medium-size ice cube using microwave. Because everytime you got knocked down, he will get up a bit & shake his head before he can stand ready again. It's nice artistic feature and it feels realistic when character you control is just a human not superman. But during this animation, you are vulnerable. So enemy can and will beat you senseless again freely then get knocked again and so on. Especially, the chubby guy who most likely will running slaps or butt smash you everytime you're in this dazed state. That's the reason i really hate him and his kin.  

So you're the boss here? Come over here, then!

Whoa! You look ugly up-close, men.

Needless to say that he can block attacks and sometime goon come to assist him occasionally. Also you can tell that his attacks cover long distance and are very damaging thanks to his dual-wielding katana style. When he's on his last health bar, he will do Rolento-like action in which he jump into lift's fence and being invincible while at it then he swoop at you. My advice: keep attack him and evade his attack if you can. Nothing extraordinary.

"Fabulous Shouryu-Ken!" Usually Duke hiding his mouth. But behold! He open it widely now. You can guess that this uppercut is his health-cost special move. He hold his fist for awhile before he execute the uppercut. But it moves forward a bit so it's quite worth it. By the way, Mercedes-Benz car over there must be belong to the detectives. And this stage called South Bay Area.

I can take down 2 biker with jumping kick. What a glorious moment! n_n

"Cannonball!" I really hate you, fatties. -_-#

Do you still remember about Marshall? Well he's back as this stage boss and he's not different than the last time. This spinning kick is Ryu's special. Shockingly, it's resemble Cody's spinning kick than Guy's ones. Also it's the most conservative yet uninteresting special move among the detectives have.

This time he's really outdone. Or is it?

Next stage takes place on a ship. I like to call it SS Boss & Sub Boss Rush. Because beside goons that you have fought before, you have to re-defeat Boss and Sub-boss from previous stages. By the way, i really like the punched expression of that Geisha. Not feels so beautiful anymore, huh?!

At least, the hulk hoogan clone here is color-swap from the first ones. That's still count as repeated aspect of boss-rush by the way.

Everytime i play this game until finish. I still don't understand about this section after beating the grey wrestler. It's just a room with single mafia to be beaten. He is probably just chilling in this fine bedroom. Why bother with this particular mafia? I really don't have idea. 

Then i grab his revolver and shoot him to his demise. Nice work, Ryu!

So you're back (again), Marshall?! Here's greeting kick for you. But you blocked it, huh?! Darn!

Finally, here's Casterora himself. He looks pretty relaxed for a cornered boss criminal. No, he doesn't have cunning back-up plan or anything like that. He's just really confident to fight the detective. That charisma is what makes him the boss syndicate, people. By the way, i assume he is also the one who mind the steer of this ship. That's reasonable. Because he can't trust anyone but himself to control his expensive yacht, afterall.

"I kill you" he said. He's not kidding about that. His cane is not only for whacking and blocking but also rifle in disguise to shoot someone to death. He's not pushover for a final boss, reader.

Just beat him relentlessly like other boss fight but with addition avoid his bullet shoot! Eventually, he is down. Before he collapse, he has chance to point at the detective for unknown reason. My guess he about to say: "You win this time. Happy, now?". Then credits roll. No afterstory whether he is put in custody or he is dead.

After that, there this "Thank You For Playing" along with detectives picture. They look both smug and fierce. Nicely done, SNK.

Burning Fight has the basics right and pretty fine, and with nice feature such as: heavy attacks, pushable cloth-hangers, wrecking stuff bonus stages, bottle weapon (like the ones in 'Street of Rage'/Bare Knuckle), various health-cost special attack, and sub-bosses. But as i told you before: Burning fight is really hard and unfair especially with how fierce the lesser enemies attacking you moreover with every character's shaking his head first before completely get up which makes you vulnerable big time. Also the boss fights are basically just keep jabbing though every boss can block attack. But it's still worthy enough for my Beat 'em Up collection. Burning Fight consist of 5 stages but stage 2, stage 3, and stage 4 are pointlessly long. My suggestion: you can try to finish this game once or second. More than that is inadvisable. Before i finish this article, i like to write about the character distinctive feature also analyze their stats. FYI, i have iseng hobby: to analyze any character stat if i can that is. By the way, my analysis isn't really reliable. It is just for my fun. So don't take it seriously.

Here's Duke's stats. Star means this stats is his main ones. So needless to say that Duke's stats is Dexterity. I state this according to how balance his attack power and his move speed. In my experience, he is only one who has quite proper finishing combo move: start with 1 or 2 gut punch then a uppercut. He has 2 heavy attack: side high kick and high roundhouse kick that has slightly longer reach than the former. His intelligence is 3/5 because he say something that breaks the 4th wall everytime he got picked as player. I think he is the best choice for beginner.

Here's Ryu's stats. To be honest, his movement just slightly faster than Duke's. So his agility is 3/5 but he is still faster than other detectives. His light attacks are not only punches but also kicks unlike other detectives who rely their hands as light attack instrument. Like Duke, Ryu has 2 heavy attack: hopping kick that  has short reach as light attacks and spinning high kick. By the way, he looks Bruce Lee a bit. So pick him if you're Bruce Lee's Fans.

Finally, here's Billy stats. His attack power is quite more significant than the others. So his Strength is 3.5/5. Unlike other character, Billy only has 1 heavy attack: side high kick which has quite delay between when  player press the button and he execute it. But his charging-forward special attack makes him invulnerable in quite long distance and inflict pretty big damage. So, abusing his special attack is working really well against mobs and bosses. Anyone who doesn't mind play slow character but capable of making big damage (like me), should choose him.

You can see from all character's agility that not different much than other. That's because 3 of them can execute light attacks at fast rate. None of them has intelligence lower than 2. They are detective afterall, not just random mindless person. By the way of you're wondering where do i get chibi version of the detectives. "They are on continue screen" is the answer.