If you were to do a Mount Rushmore of fighting game bosses, you’d be a crazy person to ignore Geese. His presence in Fatal Fury has loomed large not just over his own franchise, but the entirety of the fighting game community as a whole. Once he ventured into Tekken as a guest character, his iconic villain status was further solidified, and now he is back to his own stomping grounds in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.
We recently had the opportunity to ask Director Hayato Konya-san from SNK some questions about Nightmare Geese, his visual design, his status as an iconic boss, and whether he would be a good fit as a guest character in other games.
*This interview was edited for clarity.
The Nerd Stash: Nightmare Geese was a challenging hidden boss in the base game. How tricky was it to balance him as a playable character? Was it tempting to keep him “boss-level” powerful, given his legendary status?
Konya-san: When making bosses playable, we have to be very deliberate about their move sets. To be honest, the modern image of Geese is heavily influenced by his appearances in The King of Fighters. Our specific challenge was shifting that perception back toward his Fatal Fury roots. While his move set remains familiar, we’ve tuned it to feel natural within this specific system. I encourage players to try him out and experience those nuances for themselves.
TNS: His visual design leans heavily into his original Fatal Fury look. Did you ever consider a more drastic redesign, or is that classic style too iconic to change?
Konya-san: For this title, we stuck with the Fatal Fury iteration as our core concept from the start, especially considering his connection to the story. While that design is symbolically “complete” in its own right, we aren’t closed off to change. Should the opportunity arise for Geese to appear again in the future, we would love to challenge ourselves with a brand-new design.
TNS: When bringing back a beloved villain like Geese, how much of that decision is based on fan demand versus the team’s own passion? Was it an easy “yes” because everyone loves him?
Konya-san: Geese has such a deep history that many different interpretations of him exist. As developers, our challenge was that this version had to be built strictly under the “Fatal Fury” canon—excluding settings from the manga or various spin-offs. In that sense, our internal development intent and the specific story we wanted to tell were actually the primary drivers for his inclusion.
TNS: Geese was a fantastic guest in Tekken 7. His menace and fighting style fit that universe perfectly. Are there any other fighting game universes where you think Geese would be a good fit?
Konya-san: Geese possesses a powerful, “wicked charm.” I believe the main requirement for him appearing in any other series is whether or not that specific brand of villainy can be effectively showcased. If the universe allows his charm to shine, he can fit in anywhere.
