1994's Armored Warriors (known as Powered Gear in Japan) is the arcade precursor to Cyberbots, despite being a side-scroller and not a one-on-one fighter it uses the same kind of design for its robot characters and boasts gorgeous visuals and superb animation. Now we're onto the games which are making their domestic debut in this package. Thankfully, the game nails the fantasy look perfectly and has a superb Yoko Shimomura soundtrack.
In addition to Capcom's trademark health-sapping 'Megacrush' move there's only a single attack (and no combos), and you can't grapple or throw enemies. Add in a levelling system and the all-important three-player option and you've got a very interesting take on the belt scrolling concept it's just a shame that the combat mechanics are quite basic when compared to Final Fight and Captain Commando. Each character has special attributes which make them unique from a gameplay perspective the Cleric, for example, can heal his fellow players but is slow, while the Fighter is excellent in a scrap but lacks any magical abilities whatsoever. While it's still a side-scroller at heart, the game introduces many elements which would normally be found in RPG titles. Next up we have what would mark Capcom's brief dalliance with old-school fantasy: The King of Dragons. Slightly smaller sprites mean the game is less impressive visually, but it has a wider range of locations and the four playable characters are fantastic – Baby Commando, who rides in a massive mech, is our personal favourite. With two players, this is sheer brawling bliss, and only Streets of Rage 2 can seriously be considered a superior entry in the genre.Ĭaptain Commando takes much of what makes Final Fight so appealing and adds in a wacky sci-fi setting, a wider range of weapons (including projectile attacks), ride-on vehicles and a three-player option. The massive sprites, eye-catching visuals, instantly-compelling gameplay and fantastic soundtrack all combine to make this a quintessential arcade classic there's a purity to the combat system which was perhaps lost as Capcom sought to innovate with its later efforts. Surprisingly, perhaps the best game in the entire package is actually the oldest Final Fight may have been surpassed by Capcom's subsequent titles in terms of presentation and depth, but it has none of its ability to entertain, even in 2018. In fact, the seven games included here do a good job of showing how Capcom's belt scrollers – and the genre in general – evolved through the '80s and '90s.
Predator and either Dungeons & Dragons title really should have made the cut, but all are subject to licencing deals – this is a pretty comprehensive selection for anyone with even a passing interest in the genre. While there are notable omissions – Cadillacs & Dinosaurs, Aliens Vs. All of these titles have been ported to home hardware in the past, but they are joined by two games which are making their console debuts: Armored Warriors (1994) and Battle Circuit (1997). Included here are Final Fight (1989), Captain Commando (1991), The King of Dragons (1991), Knights of the Round (1991) and Warriors of Fate (1992).
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