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Series
Position in the series
Is it canonical?
Canonical entry number
Fatal Fury
9th
Yes
7th

"Rev Up. Unleash Your Fury."
—Slogan
"Legends Never Die. They Get Better."
—Tagline

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, known in Japan as Garou Densetsu: City of the Wolves (餓狼がろう伝説でんせつ Cityシティ ofオブ the Wolvesウルブズ, lit. "Legend of the Hungry Wolf: City of the Wolves") and officially abbreviated as Fatal Fury: CotW, is an upcoming sequel to Garou: Mark of the Wolves. It will be the first new entry in the Fatal Fury series since 1999. It is the ninth game in the mainline series, but only the seventh canonically in terms of story.[1]

Hayato Konya, one of the directors of Samurai Shodown (2019), appears again as director in this title, along with Yasuyuki Oda.

Development[]

Director Yasuyuki Oda had been petitioning then-president of SNK, Eikichi Kawasaki, to allow him to produce a new Garou title ever since returning to the company in 2014.[2] Previous attempts for a sequel were made, mainly Garou: Mark of the Wolves 2, already reported to be 70% complete, but ultimately did not see the light of day due to time constraints and the company's precarious financial position at the time.

City of the Wolves became the proper sequel, first revealed at EVO 2022 on August 7, after the finals of The King of Fighters XV. A brief teaser trailer and poster illustrated by TONKO were shown, confirming that the sequel had been green-lit. The poster shows Rock Howard standing in an alleyway at night. Two silhouettes can be seen on either side of him, one resembling Kain R. Heinlein while the other appears to be Billy Kane.

Further information was revealed in Twinfinite’s interview with Yasuyuki Oda at Gamescom 2022, confirming that Terry Bogard would appear in the game and that there would be a higher emphasis on the single-player story mode than recent SNK titles. He also confirmed that development had begun before the reveal at EVO USA 2022.[2]

Some Garou sequel details were revealed in an interview with Oda; 10+ original devs will return for the sequel, and some parts of the leaked original Garou: Mark of the Wolves 2 might make it to the full game. The game would not be called "Garou 2" and the game will be presented in 3D with a new art style that is different from both Samurai Shodown (2019) and The King of Fighters XV. Oda also said that he is "cool" with Guest Fighters.[3]

At EVO Japan 2023, another brief teaser trailer and poster illustrated by TONKO were shown, this time showing Terry in his Garou design, standing in an alleyway during daytime. The poster also reveals Joe Higashi wearing a tracksuit and Andy Bogard wearing a button-up shirt. The teaser also ends with SNK stating that the game is "furiously" in development. During EVO 2023, the game's title was finally revealed, along with a teaser showing the cities and various locations of both South Town and Second South Town, as well as in-game footage of Rock Howard and Terry Bogard, as well as its art style.

In an interview with Oda, it was stated that Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is the 7th canonical chapter of Fatal Fury, and is intended to conclude the storyline that began in Mark of the Wolves. It is also mentioned that the game will probably offer some sort of easy control mechanic option, and that its visual style was inspired by American comic books like Marvel Comics.[4] It has also been stated that City of the Wolves will be the last SNK fighting game for a while, as the company wishes to revive their older IPs and take their existing fighting game IPs into new game genres. In another interview with Oda with 4Gamer, he reveals that many the newcomer characters found in the cancelled Garou 2 will not appear in the new Fatal Fury, due to how SNK creates characters differently from how did back in the 90s. Additionally, the game will not have a line system like in the early Fatal Fury games up to Real Bout 2, and will remain with the one line system from Garou. However, some of the mechanics from Garou, such as Breaking, will return, albeit in a more developed form. "Rollback Netcode" is also confirmed for the game.[5]

After the the Finals of SNK World Championship 2023, much more details of the game was revealed. The game would be under the all-new REV System, which is tied to four sub-mechanics; REV Guard, which acts as a special guard, REV Blow, which acts as an evolution to T.O.P. Attacks, REV Arts, which seems to act as the game's new EX Special Moves, and REV Accel, which has Special-to-Special Move Cancels, similarly to Hyperdrive Mode from The King of Fighters XIII. Combination Attacks, Just Defense, Breaking, Dodge Attacks, Feints, and the S.P.G. (Selective Potential Gear) are all set to return from Garou. Additionally, the game will feature two control schemes: Arcade Style, which features the classic control scheme found in many SNK games, and Smart Style, a simplified control scheme that focuses flashy single button combos and direction inputs for Special Moves rather than Motion Inputs. The game's visuals were also significantly improved, now boasting an even more impressive comic book shading and motion blur. Stages also have a burst of life to them, with many NPCs now added in the background.

Two returning characters, Hotaru Futaba and Tizoc, were revealed, and a brand new character, Preecha, will make her debut in this game. For the first time in more than 14 years, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves will feature a full English voice cast alongside the Japanese voice cast. Additionally, it was announced that the game will be released in early 2025. After the finals for KOF XV on EVO Japan 2024, Marco Rodrigues was revealed.

In SNK's profile on Twitter (X), it is confirmed that the game is confirmed to run on Unreal Engine 4, making this the third SNK game to use this engine, succeeding Samurai Shodown (2019) and The King of Fighters XV.[6] At Summer Game Fest 2024, it was confirmed that the game will be released for PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series and PC (Steam and Epic Games), along with the reveal of B. Jenet and the newcomer Vox Reaper.

On Gamescon 2024, it was confirmed that the game will be released on April 24, 2025, along with Mai Shiranui's reveal.

On September 21, 2024, on soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo's Instagram account, it was confirmed that there will be a collaboration with him in this game. However, more details will be announced in the near future.[7]

On TOKYO GAME SHOW 2024, it was revealed that Ken Masters and Chun-Li, two characters of Capcom's Street Fighter series, will be added to the game as guest DLC characters on Season 1, as part of exchange collaboration between City of the Wolves and Street Fighter 6, following Terry and Mai's inclusions in the latter game. Besides that, an advertising poster in collaboration with the energy drink brand Red Bull was released.

Critical Reception[]

This sections needs development...

Confirmed Characters[]

Overview[]

CotW focuses in the events 2 years after MotW. Therefore, most of the characters in this entry are from the second mentioned game. But, unlike the 1999 game, Terry isn't the only veteran fighter present in this entry (if considered the characters released during the FF/RBFF era). Some Japanese voice actors who appeared in some SNK entries after 2016 will reprise their roles in this game (Rock, Terry, Tizoc [if considered his heel persona King of Dinosaurs], Jenet, Billy and Mai). The most of the characters confirmed until the moment makes an appearance in The King of Fighters series.

Initial Roster[]

Returning Characters[]

Characters that are currently confirmed to appear in the game, between veterans and new ones.

Wolves Sub-series[]
Confirmed in Trailers[]
Ffcotwrockrender

Rock Howard (protagonist)

Ffcotwhotarurender

Hotaru Futaba

Ffcotwtizocgriffonrender

Tizoc (The Griffon Mask)

Ffcotwmarcorodriguesrender

Marco Rodrigues

Ffcotwjenetrender

B. Jenet

Ffcotwkevinrender

Kevin Rian

Ffcotwdonghwanrender

Kim Dong Hwan

Confirmed in Posters/Official Illustrations[]
???

Kain R. Heinlein

FF/RBFF sub-series[]
Confirmed in Trailers[]
Ffcotwterryrender

Terry Bogard

Ffcotwmairender

Mai Shiranui

FFcotwbillyrender

Billy Kane

Confirmed in Posters/Official Illustrations[]
???

Andy Bogard

???

Joe Higashi

New Characters (All Confirmed in Trailers)[]

Ffcotwpreecharender

Preecha

FFCOTW Vox Reaper Render

Vox Reaper

DLC Characters[]

Characters that be appear in the game as DLC (Downloadable Content).

Season 1[]

SNK Characters[]

TBA

TBA

TBA

Capcom Characters (Colaboration with the Street Fighter series)[]
TBA

Ken Masters

TBA

Chun-Li

Season 2[]

TBA

Season 3[]

TBA

Potential Characters[]

Additionally, voices of Hokutomaru and Gato can be heard during the Official Teaser Trailer (in the map of South Town), strongly implying a possible fighting appearance in the game. Kain, Andy and Joe were featured in official illustrations of the game, hinting that their appearances are all but confirmed.

Previously, Hotaru, Jenet, Tizoc, Marco, Kevin, Billy and Mai were featured in the aforementioned teaser before being eventually confirmed with their respective trailer videos.

Yuri Sakazaki, Grant, Freeman, Sokaku Mochizuki and Kim Kaphwan were also mentioned in both Marco, Vox, Kevin, Mai and Dong Hwan's official character bios, respectively, another implication of a possible appearance in the game. However, Grant is implied to have died by the time the game takes place.

Stage Cameos[]

Fatal Fury series[]

  • P-chan - in the South Town Railway stage
  • Raiden - in the Universal Arena stage
  • Bob Wilson - in the South Town Sound Beach stage

Art of Fighting series[]

Metal Slug series[]

  • Mars People - on a t-shirt of a man in South Town Zoo stage
  • Ostrich Slug - running in the South Town Zoo

Stages[]

Regular Stages[]

Stages confirmed for the game until the current moment.
Stage Stage's Name Character Associated Description Notes
Bar Street Stars Rock A night club bar, at a full house night. Features people cheering, tables, motorcycles, a hot dogs store, a big ladder with a small balcony, bottles, posters, plants, a workshop and arcade cabinets in the background, besides a neon sign with the phrase "WE LOVE SOUTH TOWN". Similar to the Live House Old Line (Rock Howard's stage) in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. Some references and cameo characters can be seen in this stage:
  • King is sitting in the left background of the stage, drinking a wine. Jack Turner and Lee Pai Long also can be seen in the stage. Besides that, Robert Garcia and Axel Hawk can be seen in some posters.
  • A man wears a t-shirt with the Japanese name of the series.
  • The model of the arcade cabinets seen in the stage is the Neo Geo MVS X, a home arcade console released in 2020 with all NEO GEO games.
  • The NEO GEO's logo can be seen in a red balcony.
  • A poster with the logo KOF and the phrase "AIM FOR THE TOP" can be seen in the stage, starting from the latest demo.
??? (A.K.A. South Town Railway) Terry The new version of Terry's classic stage from Fatal Fury 2/Special. Features another trains passing, a barrel with the inscription "DANGER", wooden boxes, vegetation, trees and a new version of Mount Rushmore. A version of the stage also can be seen in The King of Fighters XIV, as a DLC stage. The color of the train wagons vary in each trailer. Some references to the former Fatal Fury games, the Metal Slug series and the AOF series can be seen in the stage:
??? Hotaru A square at a sunny day, next to a cathedral and a bell tower. Features some flags, people cheering, some balconies, trees, ladders, light posts and two carts (balloons and crepes). Similiar to The Philanthoropy Belfry (Hotaru's stage) in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. The color of the flags seen in the stage is the same in the original stage.
??? (A.K.A. Universal Arena) Tizoc (Griffon) A decorated wrestling arena inside of a large stadium. Features the KOF tournament logo on the floor, lots of people on the grandstands watching the fight, neon signs with the phrase MAXIMUM MAYHEM and advertising screens. Similiar to the stage of the same name in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. Raiden appears on a suspended platform in the center of the stage, with a new appearance that resembles his babyface persona, Big Bear.
??? (A.K.A. South Town Spaceport) Preecha A lobby area inside of a space museum. Features various space-themed decorations, astronauts, a large spacecraft on the background, planets, some people watching the fight, ladders plants and robots. Also features a café called COSMIC OASIS.
Yuri's Fitness Club Marco A gym-dojo club. Features karate students cheering, some sport treadmills, bar-bells, gym machines, balls and grids, besides big taiko drums, seats, Japanese lamps, sales refrigerators, a climbing wall and trophies. Stage reminiscent of Art of Fighting 2 (Yuri's stage). Some references to the AOF series, the company and MOTW game can be seen in this stage:
  • The name of the stage and some silhouettes in the stage, referring Yuri Sakazaki;
  • The dragon and tiger's drawings in the taiko drums, referring Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia, respectively;
  • A Tengu mask, referring Takuma Sakazaki and his persona Mr. Karate;
  • Some stones in the climbing wall are reference to the NEO GEO console's logo and its joystick;
  • The boy with glasses seen cheering in the stage also can be seen as a cameo in some stages in other KOF games. Besides that, he also appears in Marco's ending in MOTW.
  • The bear that appears in the stage also appears fighting with Marco in his Story Mode intro.
  • The balls seen in the ground (next to the climbing wall) and in the nets in the top of the stage are references to the Brazilian flag (Marco's birth country).
  • A cameo character seen in the stage is very similar to the karateka Brazilian karateka Francisco Alves Filho (Marco's main inspiration).
??? Vox The ruins of a possible basement. The fight takes in a sunset. Features mytological inscriptions and statues, fire pyres, chains and a small lava pit in the right. Similiar to the Training Grounds (Grant's stage) in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. TBA
??? (A.K.A. South Town Bridge) Jenet A dock area below the city's bridge, with the Lilien Knights and their ship anchored in the place, along with lots of construction debris. Features a fence with a pirate flag, a truck, sailor clothes hanging on a makeshift clothesline, containers and buildings, as well as graffiti on the ship. Similar to the Blue Wave Harbour (Jenet's stage) in Garou: Mark of the Wolves.
  • The bridge that appears in the stage also can be seen in some of the recent entries in the KOF series.
  • The truck with a Flatbed on right side is carrying a sign "South Town Wave Club".
South Town Zoo Kevin The fight takes in the main floor of the zoo, next to the entrance, decorated with statues of wild animals and in a sunny day. Also features a truck, a bridge, small vegetation, ostriches, people cheering and plaques showing the zoo attractions.
  • A woman wears a t-shirt with the number "1999", reference to Garou: Mark of the Wolves' release year.
  • Two references to the Metal Slug series can be seen in this stage:
Center Street (A.K.A. Lee's Pharmacy) Billy A deserted crossroad below a large bridge during the night. Features few cars parked, all the stores closed down (a diner, Lee Pai Long's herbal pharmacy, a bar and some studios), some walls with grafittis, metal structures, fullgarbage dumps and a traffic light. Similiar to the Free Field, Second South's Slums (Freeman's stage) in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. Some references can be seen in this stage:
  • Lee Pai Long, watching the fight in one of the pharmacy's windows;
  • The black car in the middle of the stage is the same that Geese Howard and his subordinates uses in several games;
  • The plaque of the car contains the sequence DGSE125. The letters GSE is a possible reference to Geese, and the number 25, to the first Fatal Fury game's release day;
  • One of the graffiti shows an airplane very similiar to piloted by Alfred Airhawk.
  • A banner in the bottom right corner show the logo KRH Bank, a possible reference to Kain R. Heinlein.
Hippopo Marina (A.K.A. South Town Sound Beach) Mai One of the classic stages seen in the first Fatal Fury game in a new version. The fight takes in marina area of the beach in front of the Hippopo Village seafood restaurant. Features various people (between adults and children) watching the fight, the restaurant's decorations, a hippopotamus statue, beach balls, tables with sunshades, plants, palm trees and parked bicycles. Also features fishing boat docks in the pier during the fight and the forest with some houses in the background, beside a lighthouse and some yachts. Some references to the Fatal Fury series can be noticed:
  • Bob Wilson can be seen in the background of the stage, cheering.
  • The Hippopo seafood restaurant is seen for the first time in Real Bout Fatal Fury, next to the main ring.
  • Terry's classic cap appears suspended next to the main pier.
  • The yacht seen next which to the fight's place also can be seen in Real Bout Fatal Fury Special (USA stage), along with its owner (a fat man). In the first round, the yacht is anchored, in the second, the man appears sitting on the bow, and starting from the 3rd round, he cheers for the match.
Dream Amusement Park ??? The famous amusement park of South Town at its grand reopening. The fight takes at sunset. Features children and adults cheering, a churros cart, thematic buildings, balloons, a trash can, a viking boat, a carousel, a tent, some mountains and residencial buildings in the background. Stage reminiscent of the first Fatal Fury game and similar to the Amusement Park in The King of Fighters '99 Evolution.
??? TBA
??? TBA
??? TBA
??? TBA

Potential Stage[]

In the latest announcement trailer for the game, some takes shows the Geese Tower, one of the main stages in the series. It's not clear that the stage will appear as a playable stage.

Cosplay & Alternate Colors[]

Several alternate colors for the cast are homages to characters from other games or media. The list below charts costume outcomes from the alternate color options. All the cast from Garou: Mark of the Wolves uses the same costume colors in this game.

Normal Colors[]

Character Character(s) Referenced Normal Color Number
Terry Bogard Himself (Classic Costume and MOTW Costume) Color #4
Marco Rodrigues Sun Wukong/Son Gokū from the Dragon Ball series, Mr. Karate, Mr. Karate II Color #2, Color #3
Mai Shiranui Herself (Classic Costume) Color #2

Music Themes[]

Some themes played in the character trailers are references to the characters' old themes in SNK past games. Below, the list:

Character/Trailer Music Theme Game/Series' Source
Teaser Trailers, First Characters' Trailer and Terry's trailer Sunrise on the Train (CotW version) Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Terry's theme)
Billy Kane N.D.R. (CotW version) Real Bout Fatal Fury (Billy's theme)
Mai Shiranui Mai My Love (CotW Version) Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 (Mai's Theme)

Gallery[]

Official Illustrations[]

Sheets[]

Initial Roster[]

Concept arts of the characters already released.

DLC Roster[]

Season 1[]
SNK Characters[]
Capcom Characters[]
Season 2[]
Season 3[]

Advertising[]

Trailers[]

Teaser Trailers[]

Announcement Trailers[]

Collaboration Trailers[]

Official Trailer[]

Like KOF XV, this special trailer also is shown during the Gamescon.

Character Trailers[]

Special Trailer[]

Individual Trailers[]

Initial Roster[]

DLC Roster[]
Season 1[]

SNK Characters[]
Capcom Characters[]

Season 2[]
Season 3[]

BGM Trailers[]

External links[]

References[]

Fatal Fury series
Main Fatal Fury - King of Fighters Logo Sprite Fatal Fury 2 Logo Sprite Fatal Fury 3 - Road to the Final Victory Logo Sprite Real Bout Fatal Fury Logo Sprite Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 - The Newcomers Logo Sprite Garou - Mark of the Wolves Logo Sprite Fatal Fury - City of the Wolves Logo
Remakes Fatal Fury Special Logo Sprite Real Bout Fatal Fury Special Logo Sprite Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special Dominated Mind Logo
Offshoots Fatal Fury - First Contact Fatal Fury - Wild Ambition Logo
Mobile Garou Densetsu Southtown AdventureGarou fighters KOF x FF logo Garou Densetsu: Stray Dog, Stray Wolf
Pachinko Garou Densetsu: The Legend of Wild WolfSpecialSougeki Garou Premium logo
Compilations Fatal Fury - Battle Archives Volume 1 Fatal Fury - Battle Archives Volume 2
Film/Television Fatal Fury - Legend of the Hungry Wolf Logo Fatal Fury 2 - The New Battle Logo Fatal Fury - The Motion Picture LogoGarou Densetsu 15th Anniversary ~Memories of Stray Wolves~
Comics Bon Bon GarouGarou Densetsu: Aratanaru TatakaiThe Geese Howard StoryGeese in the DarkGarou Densetsu: Senritsu no MaohmachiGarou Densetsu StoryGarou Densetsu 3
Cancelled Garou: Mark of the Wolves 2
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