A couple of months after releasing the somewhat disappointing Art of Fighting Anthology, SNK Playmore returns with its respectable Fatal Fury: Battle Archives Vol. 1 for PlayStation 2. Nostalgic gamers or those interested in getting back to 2-D brawling should have no trouble executing enough power waves and rising tackles to knock out several city blocks.

Four games exist in this collection: Fatal Fury, Fatal Fury 2, Fatal Fury 3 and Fatal Fury Special. The third game happens to be the newest in this compilation, yet it ends up the weakest. The character selection, particularly the squeaky Blue Mary, leaves a lot to be desired. However, each of the games include excellent fighting controls. You'll pull moves off with ease using either the analog stick or d-pad, a real surprise considering that most 2-D brawlers play like crap without a dedicated fighting stick. The button configurations feel great, so players should feel right at home setting up combos and special moves. One thing to note, though -- the artificial intelligence is exceptionally hard, particularly in Fatal Fury Special.

The graphics and sound don't offer anything worthwhile, but they stay true to the original Neo-Geo arcade code, right down to the "100 Mega Shock!" logo that appears at the beginning of the game. The animation appears broken at times, but these characters still have plenty of charm and personality. Whether playing as fiery sexpot Mai Shiranui or using an old man with a tendency to "hulk out" into a wrestler-like freak, they each bring something unique to the fighting table. The two-plane fighting system still works well, as players can jump from the foreground and background while destroying objects that get in the way and avoiding incoming projectiles.

It would've been nice to see some extras, such as a historical piece talking about the Fatal Fury franchise or the Neo-Geo in general. More unlockable costumes and fighters would've also been a plus, or maybe even a "hidden" game or two from the Neo-Geo's heyday. Furthermore, a Fatal Fury compilation doesn't feel complete without the brilliant Garou: Mark of the Wolves, the best game in the series to date.

No worries, though. $19.99 gets you get a quality fighting compilation with hours of crazy beat-em-up action and responsive, fluid controls. So step into the arena and break someone's face.