Just think 'Double Dragon' (as in the side scrolling beat ‘em up, not the Neo Geo one on one fighter) or 'Final Fight' and you will know what to expect from Burning Fight. SNK may be masters of the one on one 2D beat 'em up, but they have never excelled at side scrollers unfortunately. Released in August 1991, Burning Fight certainly didn't do much to buck the trend.
Gameplay:
Burning Fight is a very plain and boring side scrolling fighting game with nothing remarkable whatsoever in it. You walk from left to right, hit people with your fists or a variety of objects that you can pick up (bottles, knives etc.) and that's about it. You do get some small bonus sections halfway through some levels, where you have to break a few objects on screen to gain points and a power up, but they only last for about 10 seconds.
Graphics & Sound:
The graphics are competent but totally bland. You get to kick seven shades of crap out of some rather stereotypical and generic bad guys who all look (mostly) the same, set against the backdrop of some uninspiring backgrounds. There are a few nice touches, like being able to kick over the barrels and watch them roll away, taking out all the bad guys in the way, but not much else to write home about. Oh, the second level boss also reminds me of Hulk Hogan. What is it with Hulk Hogan homages in Neo Geo games? See World Heroes 'Muscle Power' character...
As for the music and sound effects, before I even played the game I knew what it would be like. There's the usual effect for your attacks, and some decent, but not brilliant, music to go along with it. Like the game play, it's just standard stuff. It isn't bad for 1991 though; this was one of the very early Neo Geo titles afterall.
Overall:
Burning Fight is not terrible; it's just old and very dated. It is the type of thing I would have spent lots of money on in the early 1990's, but these days it just doesn't cut it. Come to think of it, this one wouldn't have stood out even back in 1991, so overall it's just a horribly dated game that isn't worth spending the money on, unless you really enjoy playing bland beat 'em ups.
Graphics: 6/10
Sound: 5/10
Game play: 5/10
Replay Value: 3/10
Totally dissagree with this review.... This game is f***en awesome in my opinion, and i just cant put it down. I bought it new back in 1992 when i bought my AES, and havent lost interest in it yet, even 20 years later.
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