Hot on the heels of the release of big boss Krauser, we now have another legend coming to the game that many might remember from some classic titles, and we’re talking about Mr. Karate, who finally debuts on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. As many other fighters from the game’s second season, Mr. Karate is just as enjoyable to play as, but with a kit that might feel a bit more limited in some ways, yet extremely destructive in others.
Waiting for the Right Moment
It is now official: Mr. Karate has landed on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, and he continues the tradition of bringing former boss fighters to the playable roster, such as Mr. Big or Krauser. Now, while I’ve loved all the characters of the second season so far, I must say that Mr. Karate took longer to stick the landing for me, and maybe it was due to how his gameplay feels more passive than active in some ways. Let me explain.
Previously, we’ve seen fighters who are all about going on the offensive, whether through kicks, projectiles, or whatever otherworldly skills Krauser has. Out of the newcomers, I’d say Blue Mary and Mr. Karate feel more like the kind of “wait for the opponent to come to you” fighters, and that’s perfectly fine.
Mr. Karate has a versatile kit that caters to close and long-range playstyles, which is great to poke enemies, but also for keeping them at bay. Yet, he excels a bit more at the latter, as once you get close to him, it is truly hard to escape. Some of his moves involve a flashy combo of kicks, followed by a knockdown move, or another heavy hit—he is truly destructive. While I didn’t see many anti-air moves, I believe he won’t need them much, as his strength lies in the speedy combos that leave little to no room for the opponent to do anything.
In terms of his supers, they are as flashy as anyone else’s, and I even think they are a bit simpler to perform than those of Blue Mary, for instance, which I appreciate. Again, while I prefer a gameplay that feels more in line with Mai’s or my new main, Chun-Li, I do think Mr. Karate will be an excellent addition, and yet another superb fighter that caters to different styles in the game.
The End Approaches
While I’m glad about Mr. Karate’s arrival as part of the second season of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, it also feels somewhat bittersweet, as this season is coming to a close. But, if history has taught us anything, it is that SNK might already be working on the next, or so I hope. In any case, all current fighters who own the Season 2 Pass should give Mr. Karate a try, and if not, you can purchase the Legend edition for $49.99, which includes the passes for both seasons. And if you only have the standard edition, you can now buy the Season 1 Pass separately for $14.99, meaning that it is a great time to jump into South Town and take all these fighters out for a spin.
