N64: Fist of the Flying Dragon Review

[retro junkie]

This review is taken from a series of reviews I did a couple of years ago concerning the fighters available for the N64.

This is a real treat. I grabbed this up during this series of reviews. Rarely do you see this game up on ebay. It is called SD飛龍の拳伝説, translated literally as "SD Legend of the Fist of the Flying Dragon." And it is the second in the series of what was called "Flying Dragon" on the N64 in the US. In my opinion, this should have been the game that was released in the US. Maybe Flying Dragon was just a bone they threw us and we did not bite. We suffered and did not know it. This game is so good. I literally cannot stop playing this game, fun, fun, fun.



The first thing that you will notice is that this cart is Super Deform mode only. The Virtual mode is gone. All of the enhancements, improvements, and extra features are all focused on the SD game. The gameplay is really 2D, whether you are in single or two player mode, the evading gives a little feel of a 3D arena. There are more characters, some hidden and more treasures, or items, to win, collect. The control seems tighter and responsive. Gameplay feels fast and fluid. Gameplay moves are the same as the first game. Fighter moves are easy to get into and become comfortable with.



After playing the first game I was very familiar with the moves and control. So it was very easy for me to jump in and begin enjoying the fight. The hindrance, was not knowing the Japanese language. I can compare menus with the first game and can guess my way through some things. But things that deviate from the other game takes away from the experience. Under the circumstances, that can be expected. What is missed is some of the RPG elements, but as a fighter it shines, in single or two player mode. If you own the first game, menus seem similar, so with a little work and some writing, diagrams, drawings, hard thinking, you can make a lot of it work. Don't own the first game? English friendly? I think you can hit and miss guessing your way through the menus and be fighting in no time at all.



I, at first, felt that I was unqualified to judge whether this game was a very easy pick up and play. Since I am familiar with the gameplay of the first game. Then I had someone, which has not played the game before, challenge me in the two player mode. No problem, no worry, success! This is easy for a novice to pick up, casual gamers, and even someone who is seasoned. If you don't know Japanese, as a one player it is limited, you are left with unlocking new fighters and collecting stuff. Don't get me wrong, it is still fun in the single player mode. The fighting is fun. As a two player vs mode, this is were it really shines, rocks, and makes itself a great stand alone fighter. VS is good. It is so easy to pick up the moves of the fighters and you'll be doing combos in no time. Did I say this game is fun? Too bad it is not in English. The RPG elements would give the gaming experience such depth in gameplay.

If you have an N64 and love the genre, I highly recommend this game. And I will have to rate it as "awesome game."