| Garou: Mark of the Wolves | Stories | Move List | Gallery | Soundtrack | Achievements | Credits | Trivia |
| Series | Position in Series | Canonical? | Canonical Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal Fury | 8th | Yes | 6th |
- "Certainly, they existed... Those blinded by ambition. Those consumed with vengeance. But here, they do not exist. Only winners and losers here. For here, THE MIGHTY RULE!"
- —Intro
- "Legends don't die... They get better!"
- —Tagline
Garou: Mark of the Wolves (
In 2006, to celebrate the series' 15th anniversary, SNK released a retrospective movie set shortly after the game's events. It recaps the canonical Fatal Fury titles (Fatal Fury, Fatal Fury 2, Fatal Fury 3, and Real Bout Fatal Fury) and features characters like Geese Howard, Duck King, Richard Meyer, and Blue Mary. Illustrations were primarily by Eisuke Ogura, with some by TONKO.
In December 2016, the game launched on PS4, PS Vita, and Steam, following a Humble Bundle release in January 2016 and a GOG release in October 2017. The Nintendo Switch version arrived in May 2017 via ACA Neo Geo. In January 2020, Code Mystics upgraded the online mode with GGPO rollback netcode, enhancing multiplayer reliability, a feature also applied to other SNK titles like The King of Fighters '97 and Samurai Shodown V Special.
Story[]
Set ten years after the death of crime lord Geese Howard, the once-turbulent South Town enjoys peace. The action shifts to Second South Town, where a new tournament, "King of Fighters: Maximum Mayhem," draws fighters connected to the original King of Fighters era.
Prologue (Official Website)[]
- "However, just starving does not mean you are truly starving. It only becomes meaningful when you fight to not starve and continue to seek."
- —Kain R. Heinlein
A decade ago, fighters driven by revenge or ambition clashed, their fates decided by their fists. Now, a new invitation to the King of Fighters tournament stirs unrest. Terry Bogard, the former champion, and Rock Howard, a rising martial artist, are invited to compete in Second South Town. The tournament promises a grand prize and, for Rock, information about his mother. After deliberation, Rock resolves to join Terry, booking two one-way tickets to the event.
Back Story 1: Kain and Grant[]
Nineteen years ago, in the slums, young Kain R. Heinlein and his best friend Abel (later known as Grant) were inseparable orphans. Witnessing a brutal gang attack on a defenseless boy, they vowed to escape their grim fate. Kain sought power to seize control of his destiny, and Abel pledged his loyalty, forging a lifelong bond as they faced the future together.
Back Story 2: Rock and Geese[]
At seven, Rock Howard lived modestly with his mother, Marie Heinlein, in South Town. When Marie fell gravely ill, Rock sought out his father, Geese Howard, at Geese Tower, only to be coldly dismissed. Marie died that night, leaving Rock with deep resentment toward Geese. After Geese's death in a later King of Fighters tournament, Rock, now under Terry Bogard's care, grappled with mixed emotions. A street fight with Terry sparked a sense of purpose, setting Rock on a journey of self-discovery.
Development[]
Garou: Mark of the Wolves introduced a largely new cast to distinguish it from earlier titles. Rock Howard, created by Nobuyuki Kuroki in 1998, was designed as a "bishonen" protagonist to contrast the series' traditionally masculine characters, balancing the roster. Hotaru Futaba received a "moe" aesthetic for similar reasons. Terry Bogard was redesigned to appear "cool," updating his outdated look. Kengo Asai, previously involved with The Last Blade, contributed to development.
In 2020, director Nobuyuki Kuroki expressed interest in reviving the series, following a canceled sequel due to SNK's financial struggles and 2002 bankruptcy. A new sequel, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, was confirmed at EVO 2022, with a teaser trailer released at EVO 2023.
Gameplay[]
Rock vs. Freeman gameplay screenshot.
Garou: Mark of the Wolves adopts mechanics and art style akin to The King of Fighters, using a similar button layout (A for light punch, B for light kick, C for heavy punch, D for heavy kick). Attack chaining requires precise timing, and the feint mechanic (Forward + A/C or Down + A/C) allows smooth cancels, echoing older Fatal Fury titles. Stage gimmicks and plane-changing from previous games were removed.
T.O.P. System[]
The **Tactical Offensive Position (T.O.P.) System** lets players assign a T.O.P. meter to a segment of their life bar (start, middle, or end). When the life bar enters this segment, the character gains: - Increased damage output. - Slow health regeneration. - Access to T.O.P. attacks, which heavily reduce the opponent's guard meter if blocked.
These benefits end when the life bar leaves the T.O.P. range.
Just Defense System[]
The **Just Defense System** rewards precise blocking within a 7-frame window, applicable to any attack, including in midair. Benefits include: - Minor health and power gauge recovery. - Ability to Guard Cancel. - No guard durability loss. - Reduced blockstun (by 2 frames) and pushback. - Visual cue: a blue flash and unique guarding animation.
Successive Just Defends can heal a character back into T.O.P. range but risk overshooting it. The system resembles Street Fighter III’s parrying but focuses on defense, unlike the offense-oriented parry.
Characters[]
Garou: Mark of the Wolves features a mostly new roster, with Terry Bogard as the sole returning character. New fighters bring diverse motivations to the Maximum Mayhem tournament.
Official Roster[]
Returning Character[]
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New Characters[]
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Character Summaries[]
- Rock Howard: Geese Howard’s son and the game’s protagonist, raised by Terry Bogard. He resents Geese for abandoning his mother, Marie, and joins the tournament seeking answers about her.
- B. Jenet: Leader of the Lillien Knights pirates, she enters to steal valuables from Kain R. Heinlein’s mansion.
- Kim Dong Hwan: Kim Kaphwan’s elder son, a carefree fighter aiming to uphold his father’s legacy.
- Kim Jae Hoon: Kim Kaphwan’s younger son, a disciplined martial artist driven by justice.
- Hotaru Futaba: A martial artist searching for her missing brother, accompanied by her pet marten, Itokatsu.
- Gato: A vengeful martial artist and criminal hunting his mother’s killer (his father).
- Tizoc (The Griffon Mask): A beloved pro wrestler adored by children.
- Marco Rodrigues (Khushnood Butt): A Brazilian Kyokugenryu Karate practitioner and Ryo Sakazaki’s disciple, proving his martial art’s strength.
- Hokutomaru: Andy Bogard’s Shiranui-ryuu Ninjutsu apprentice, competing at his master’s request.
- Kevin Rian: A S.W.A.T. officer seeking revenge for his partner’s murder, accompanied by his partner’s son, Marky.
- Freeman: A serial killer targeting strong opponents, responsible for killing Kevin’s partner.
Bosses[]
Both bosses are playable in all game modes.
Sub-Boss[]
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- Grant: Kain’s bodyguard and childhood friend, formerly Abel Cameron, who protected Kain and Marie in the slums.
Final Boss[]
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- Kain R. Heinlein: Tournament host and Rock’s uncle, aiming to claim Geese Howard’s legacy as Second Southtown’s ruler.
Stages[]
Stages feature dynamic intros in Story Mode (except the sub-boss stage) and vary by round. Note: Some stages may cause epilepsy due to flashing visuals. Marky, Kevin’s companion, appears only in Story Mode.
Normal Stages[]
| Stage | Name | Character | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Live House Old Line | Rock | A nighttime parking lot near a music venue, featuring convertible cars, light posts, and a crowd. Includes a palm tree, buildings, and a poster with the game’s logo. Cars exit the lot during the fight. | Intro: Zooms into the stage, focusing on Rock. |
 
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The Freight Express | Terry | A freight train carrying logs, with a tow bag and "Running Wild" signage. Fights occur at sunrise (Round 1), at a station (Round 2), or near a bridge (later rounds). Similar to Terry’s Fatal Fury 2/Special stage. | Intro: Train travels along the tracks. Note: The station includes waiting crowds, another train, USA and game logo flags, buildings, and a bridge. |
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Blue Wave Harbor | Jenet | A pier wrecked by the Lillien Knights’ ship, with boats, flags, and sailors. Early rounds show a woman escaping; later rounds feature looted treasure. | Intro: Ship destroys the pier. |
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Oriental Casino Woo | Dong Hwan | Outside a casino, with neon signs ("PANDA GIRL: SLOT MACHINE," "TRIPLE ROSE"), panda girls, and a crowd. Includes shrubs and a "PANDA GIRL: BINGO" plaque. | Intro: Zooms through buildings to the stage. |
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Yok Chong Market | Jae Hoon | A festive Korean market with food stalls, Taekwondo students, and South Korean flags. Dong Hwan may appear to cheer or react to Jae Hoon’s performance. | Intro: Jae Hoon greets the player as students clap. Extended if Dong Hwan is the opponent, showing him picking his ear. |
 
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The Philanthropy Belfry | Hotaru | A bell tower terrace with giant bells, doves, and flags. Daytime (early rounds) features ringing bells; nighttime (later rounds) shows a full moon and bats. Taunts trigger bell movement. | Intro: Bells ring as doves fly. Note: Hotaru’s cape is removed by doves at the start; daylight bells use 3D-rendered sprites. |
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Barbaroi Falls | Gato | A waterfall with stones and shrubs. Rounds cycle through sunset, night, and morning. | Intro: Zooms into the stage, focusing on Gato. |
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Universal Arena | Tizoc | A wrestling ring with a cheering crowd, a screen displaying fighters, and the game’s logo on the floor. Billboards may show crowd reactions. | Intro: Zooms into the stage, focusing on Tizoc. |
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Sarah Forest | Marco | A forest with felled trees, a cabin, and Kyokugenryu symbols. Features animals (wolves, bears) and training equipment. A wrecking ball falls as rounds progress. | Intro: Marco and a bear practice karate and greet each other. |
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5th Avenue & 2nd Street Crossing | Hokutomaru | A traffic jam caused by Hokutomaru, with cars, taxis, and cameos (e.g., Andy and Mai). Includes SNK ads and Real Bout Fatal Fury covers. | Intro: Hokutomaru falls from a traffic light, causing chaos. Note: More vehicles and people appear each round. |
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S.S.P. Maneuver Field | Kevin | A desert military field with a truck, crates, and bases. A helicopter appears in early rounds, vanishing later. Cycles through sunset, dusk, and night. | Intro: A gate opens as helicopters fly. |
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Free Field, Second South’s Slums | Freeman | An abandoned area under a train line, with dilapidated buildings, a destroyed car, and a scavenger in the background. | Intro: A train passes by. |
Boss Stages[]
| Stage | Name | Character | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Training Grounds (Basement Palace) | Grant | A basement with pillars, fire pyres, Aztec stone faces, and a central skull. | N/A |
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The Dark Palace | Kain | A palace balcony with pillars, a chessboard floor, hawk statues, and a portrait of Marie Heinlein. Features a full moon and shooting stars. | Intro: Descends from the sky to the stage. |
Gallery[]
Trailers[]
Sequel[]
A sequel, tentatively titled Garou: Mark of the Wolves 2, was in development for the Neo Geo but canceled around 2002 due to SNK’s bankruptcy. Reports suggest it was 70% complete, with new characters like Kuan Konta, a grappler and Joe Higashi’s apprentice. Leaked assets revealed new moves and animations. The project was later reworked into Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, a 2.5D fighting game incorporating elements from the canceled sequel.
Critical Reception[]
Overview[]
In Japan, Game Machine named Garou: Mark of the Wolves the most successful arcade game of January 2000. GameSpot crowned it the best fighting game of 2001, though it was nominated but lost in categories like "Best Game No One Played" and "Best Dreamcast Game" to Victorious Boxers and Phantasy Star Online.
Aggregation Scores[]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 89% (Dreamcast) 77% (Xbox 360) |
| Metacritic | 86 (Dreamcast) 77 (Xbox 360) |
Review Scores[]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| EGM | 8/10 |
| GameSpot | 8.5/10 |
| IGN | 9/10 |
| TouchArcade | 5 Stars (iOS) |
Awards[]
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| GameSpot | Best Fighting Game (2001) |
External Links[]
- Archived SNK USA Official Site
- Archived SNK Official Site
- Staff Comment Section
- Xbox Live Arcade Page
- Steam Page
- GOG Store Page
- Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves at Sega Retro
References[]
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