Fatal Fury Special hits different when it boots instantly in your browser. Released in 1993 on the Super Nintendo, this retro classic from its publisher is ready the second you press start — no downloads, no setup.
In addition, it featured Ryo Sakazaki as a secret boss character at the end of the single-player mode; the inclusion of Ryo inspired SNK to create The King of Fighters series. The third installment of the Fatal Fury series, it is an updated version of Fatal Fury 2 (1992), adding four CPU-only bosses as playable characters, featuring three characters from its predecessor, and introducing combos while further balancing the gameplay.
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| Action | Keyboard | Controller |
|---|---|---|
| D-Pad Up | ↑ | D-Pad up |
| D-Pad Down | ↓ | D-Pad down |
| D-Pad Left | ← | D-Pad left |
| D-Pad Right | → | D-Pad right |
| B (bottom) | X | Bottom face |
| A (right) | Z | Right face |
| Y (left) | S | Left face |
| X (top) | A | Top face |
| L | Q | Left shoulder |
| R | E | Right shoulder |
| Start | Enter | Start |
| Select | V | Select |
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The Story Behind Fatal Fury Special
Fatal Fury Special for the Neo Geo was later released on the Wii Virtual Console in 2010. Fatal Fury Special, known as in Japan, is a 1993 fighting game developed and published by SNK and originally released for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. The Super NES version was re-released on the Nintendo Classics service on October 9, 2025.
In addition to the home versions of the Neo Geo and Neo Geo CD, conversions of Fatal Fury Special were made for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (with Playmates Interactive Entertainment handling distribution in North America), Sega CD and Game Gear, as well as the PC Engine game console (in CD-ROM² format), and the X68000 and FM Towns computer platforms in Japan between 1994 and 1996. It was later ported to Nintendo Switch in July 2017 by Japanese game publisher Hamster Corporation. The character roster of Fatal Fury 2 returns.
How Fatal Fury Special Plays
Fatal Fury Special for the Neo Geo was later released on the Wii Virtual Console in 2010. It was later ported to Nintendo Switch in July 2017 by Japanese game publisher Hamster Corporation. The Super NES version was re-released on the Nintendo Classics service on October 9, 2025.
In addition to the home versions of the Neo Geo and Neo Geo CD, conversions of Fatal Fury Special were made for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (with Playmates Interactive Entertainment handling distribution in North America), Sega CD and Game Gear, as well as the PC Engine game console (in CD-ROM² format), and the X68000 and FM Towns computer platforms in Japan between 1994 and 1996. An emulation of the Neo Geo arcade game was also released for the Xbox Live Arcade in 2007. Fatal Fury Special, known as in Japan, is a 1993 fighting game developed and published by SNK and originally released for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms.
Why Players Still Load It Up
In North America, RePlay reported that Fatal Fury Special was the seventh most-popular arcade game in December 1993. It went on to be Japan's third highest-grossing arcade game of 1994, just below Super Street Fighter II X and Virtua Fighter. The magazine particularly applauded the presence of a combo system and the numerous special moves.
GamePro gave the Game Gear version a rave review, stating though it has fewer characters and vastly inferior graphics and sounds compared to the Neo Geo version, it "is arguably the best handheld fighting game ever released" due to the responsive action and the inclusion of "extra elements you never thought you'd see in a handheld fighter". In a 1996 retrospective review, Maximum commented that Fatal Fury Special "tweaked the gameplay of Fatal Fury 2 overly very superficially, and the main selling point lay with the number of combatants". In Japan, Game Machine listed Fatal Fury Special on their October 15, 1993 issue as being the most-successful table arcade unit of the month.
Fatal Fury Special — Frequently Asked Questions
Who developed Fatal Fury Special?
Development was handled by SNK, with its publisher publishing the release.
Where can I buy the original Fatal Fury Special?
See the "Other Places You Can Get This Game" section below the article for legitimate places to buy real-world versions.
What console was Fatal Fury Special released on?
its publisher shipped Fatal Fury Special for the Super Nintendo back in 1993, and this page runs that release.
Can I save my progress in Fatal Fury Special?
Yes. Create a free account and the player unlocks save states — snapshot your progress at any moment and resume later on any device.