Top 7 Beginner-Friendly Characters in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

Summary

Mai Shiranui is strong at midrange, with fast footwork and combo potential but requires follow-ups for special moves.
B. Jenet is beginner-friendly with high-pressure strikes but requires space control for optimal execution of specials.
Marco Rodrigues offers a familiar shoto moveset, focused on juggling foes, making him an adaptable choice for beginners.

At long last, Fatal Fury: City of Wolves has arrived! Picking up where Garou: Mark of the Wolves ended 26 years ago, this game reintroduces beloved characters from the franchise such as Billy Kane and Mai Shiranui. The gameplay is enhanced with its innovative REV mechanics that allow for amplified special moves, push blocks, and more – but only if the player possesses enough meter to activate them.

For players accustomed to the Modern mode of Street Fighter 6, Final Fantasy: Crystal of the Warrior (FF: CotW) offers a comparable feature named Smart Style. This allows even the most complex moves to be executed using simpler commands, making it easier for newcomers to explore various modes such as Episodes of South Town and online play. However, those who prefer to gradually immerse themselves in the game can start with characters that are less challenging to grasp, easing them into the fiery pool, so to speak.

7. Mai Shiranui

Not Too Easy But Not Too Hard Either

Poking attacks are great for stopping opponents and trapping them in combos.
Fast on her feet, with strong midair attacks.
Her specials can be slow and leave her unsafe, making them better as follow-ups to her normal strikes.

The Popular Character, Mai Shiranui, is included in the list primarily due to her long-standing role within the series. Players who have encountered her may recognize her from two installments of the “Dead or Alive” series, as well as “Street Fighter 6” and all but one game in the “King of Fighters” series. Those with some experience in these games will already have an idea of what Mai offers. For novice players new to fighting games, Mai’s jabbing attacks can be beneficial for blocking their opponent’s strikes from afar and creating opportunities for a sequence of combos.

If players unexpectedly deploy Mai’s unique moves, they might find themselves vulnerable to retaliation since these moves usually leave her exposed. These moves work best as follow-ups to her jabs. Players can opt to keep attacking or utilize Mai’s swift jumps to surprise their opponents when they rise. It may be overwhelming for beginners, but choosing Mai demonstrates the power of a character’s regular attacks effectively.

6. B. Jenet

As Welcoming as She Looks

Good high-pressure strikes, and fast on the attack.
Good at rushdown attacks, making her better for players who prefer to go on the offensive.
Her specials can leave her open, and their space-controlling follow-ups require practice.

The charismatic powerhouse, B. Jenet, employs a no-nonsense arsenal of moves. Her rapid attacks are geared towards taking her opponents off guard, so the smart strategy for beginners would be to keep pressing forward and repeatedly engage her attack buttons, wouldn’t it?

In essence, she’ll manage AI opponents across various difficulty levels and possibly hold her own against initial players online. However, it’s crucial to note that some of Jenet’s special moves could leave her vulnerable if they miss, so mastering spatial control is key to maximize her potential. For novice players, handling B. Jenet feels relatively straightforward compared to characters like Kain or Tizoc.

5. Marco Rodrigues

A Shoto Whose Moves are Familiar Yet Different

His shoto skills will be familiar to players familiar with 2D fighting games.
Plenty of moves to help him close in on opponents and pummel them up-close.
Uppercuts and spin kicks are better for juggling foes than a pure rushdown approach.

Marco Rodrigues, a pupil of Ryo Sakazaki in the Art of Fighting, exhibits the characteristic style of a shoto fighter. He’s adept at traditional shoto techniques such as his fiery Kououken, the leaping Kouhou uppercut, and the spinning lunging Hien Shippu Kyaku kicks. Newcomers can swiftly progress to expert level by mastering these three moves.

While it may not be completely accurate, Marco indeed shines at approaching opponents closely, especially with his latest impressive Harai Uke counter-attack. However, he doesn’t resemble rushdown-friendly shotos like Street Fighter’s Ken. Instead, he excels at lifting his adversaries into the air and following up with aerial combos, much like Tekken characters. So, if fans can’t hold out for Ken’s Final Fantasy debut in the summer, Marco provides a unique brand of karate to experiment with instead.

4. Rock Howard

Not Quite as Blunt as His Namesake

Probably the first player beginners will experience, as the tutorial character.
Versatile, offering good zoning attacks and up-close offense.
Has some tricky moves that require some practice to master.

Since Rock Howard is now the primary character in the Fatal Fury series, it makes sense for him to be designed to help new players get a feel for the game, given that he serves as the main tutorial character. However, just because he’s more beginner-friendly doesn’t mean he’s the simplest character to play. In fact, compared to many of his opponents, Rock Howard is more intuitive in terms of gameplay mechanics.

I embody a unique blend of my gaming dads, Geese Howard and Terry Bogard. I inherit their signature moves; I can pepper opponents with relentless Reppukens and Shippukens like Geese, swiftly close gaps with the Hard Edge, or unleash devastating Shining Knuckles to deplete a significant portion of their health bar. However, I’m not just a one-trick pony. My Rage Run setups and command throw maneuvers require dedicated training sessions to master.

3. Preecha

As Direct as a Punch to the Face

One of the simplest new characters for players to use.
Simple, strong target combos that can chain off her specials.
Can counter projectiles and close distance fast via moves like Hyperbolic Kick.

Preecha, a disciple of Muay Thai expert Joe Higashi from FF’s school, could be considered the most straightforward among the game’s new characters. Compared to her master, who is known for his boisterousness, Preecha’s attacks like projectiles and sweeping kicks are easier for beginners since they involve a simpler quarter-circle motion, or just a button press in Smart Style, rather than Joe’s more complex half-circle swings from previous game appearances.

Regardless of choosing Arcade Style, Preecha’s unique moves can quickly bring her closer to opponents and create openings for her powerful combo sequences. Some of these moves even have additional follow-ups, making it simple for players to inflict extra damage with just a few more punches or kicks. Consequently, novice players can expect quick, impressive results when they play as Preecha.

2. Terry Bogard

Offers a Sturdy Set of Knuckles for Newbies to Use

Familiar, adaptable moveset that can fit multiple approaches.
Moves offer decent damage and combo potential.
Strikes are largely safe on block or whiff, as they don’t telegraph his approach as much.

As a gaming enthusiast myself, I’d say that while some may recognize Mai’s moves, it’s Terry Bogard who truly leaves an impact. He’s been a staple in numerous fighting games, including the Smash Bros series, Street Fighter 6, every King of Fighters game since its debut, and countless others.

Terry’s fighting setup is similar to Marco’s, but he demonstrates a greater range of adaptability. He can either employ his Power Wave and aerial attacks for keep-away tactics, or close in using Burning Knuckle or Crack Shoot, which can pave the way for further damage through his combos. His moves are generally secure, so beginners won’t take excessive damage even if they mess up a combo or spam against the AI. However, human opponents will require more strategic planning to overcome.

1. Hotaru Futaba

Fewer Risks and More Rewards

Quick and easy combo strikes.
Reflect projectiles with Kobi Kyaku.
A good pick for learning how to feint and brake moves for longer combos.

Right now, Hotaru Futaba stands out as a dominant character due to her immense power that shines regardless of who is using her. While her individual attacks may not inflict heavy damage, they can accumulate pain when used in succession, similar to her multi-hit move Soushou Shin or its super version, Soushou Tenrenge, which escalate the impact over time.

Performing them randomly at any time or place won’t be beneficial for players; instead, they serve effectively as final moves in combos. They blend seamlessly whenever the character manages to escape launching attacks such as Kobi Kyaku, which can also deflect opponent’s projectiles if timed correctly. However, her main disadvantage lies in her poor resistance to damage. Yet, with her array of strengths, novice players will discover numerous advantages when playing as this character, eventually reaping significant rewards.

2025-05-01 17:07