Conceived as a sequel to the original Street Fighter, Capcom's Final Fight was an admitted take-off of Technos' Double Dragon side-scrolling beat 'em ups. Already a hit in the arcades and 16-bit consoles, Capcom took the next logical step with its new gang violence franchise: rebuilding it with super-deformed style anime graphics for the 8-bit and obsolete Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993.
Comically playing through the story of a city under siege by roving street gangs and the three dudes who fight it (including the burly bodybuilder mayor), Mighty Final Fight plays wonderfully with Radio 4's 2002 sophomore LP, Gotham!, a post-punk opus to a ravaged and dilapidated New York City. From the virulent guitar slashes of "Start A Fire" to the echoed fallout of "Pipe Bombs," the deafening pounds of "Dance to the Underground" to the screeching distortion of "New Disco," Gotham! crafts the tale of a post-disaster metropolis and the squalor of youth culture that fills its freshly exposed cracks. Produced by an as-yet unknown DFA (The Rapture, LCD Soundsystem, Hercules & Love Affair and many others), the album is considered one of the early building blocks of the NYC dance-punk scene.
In one of my favorite moments in 8-bit gaming, the first boss in Mighty Final Fight actually gives you the opportunity to acknowledge his rule. I've made a special call out of that in the video below. Please enjoy, and let us know what your alternate soundtracks are in the comments!
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