Duck King has returned to South Town in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. This time, he is back in action as a playable fighter instead of being yet another Fatal Fury character relegated to appearing in cutscenes. While he has appeared in other games, including The King of Fighters XI, it is good to see Duck King return to the series where it all started for him.
Once a boss character whom Terry and the gang had to fight in the original Fatal Fury, the breakdancer now holds a one-sided rivalry with everyone’s favorite SNK crossover hero. Surprisingly, Duck King still wants to settle that score, hence his Revenge Edition appearance. There will be no hanging out with Salvatore for him just yet. SNK was kind enough to give us a taste of what Duck King can do in a preview build.
Duck King has a Hype state that appears to give him more options for his command normals and special moves, including additional low attacks. Hype activates once his REV Gauge reaches the Revving Up state, which could spell trouble for Mr. Karate players who like to provoke their opponents while building REV. The mechanic carries some risk because Duck King must manage his REV while maintaining pressure, but learning the bread-and-butter combos that incorporate his Hype options should make the state much easier to use effectively.
Break Storm is an anti-air attack that reaches surprisingly high due to its arc. Beat Rush Breakin’ has at least four different follow-up paths, giving Duck King several ways to continue his offense. Strangely, the Cross Leg follow-up, which can switch sides as an actual throw, does not work reliably with the light-punch version of Beat Rush Breakin’. It can also whiff if Beat Rush Breakin’ connects while the opponent is in the corner.
Duck King brings plenty of dancing into his movement and attacks. His classic backward walk returns, and he has a quick back kick that can interrupt opponents trying to close the distance. He also gains a sliding attack that can cross over to the opponent’s other side, allowing it to function as both a fake-out and a way to avoid projectiles.
Duck King’s Beat Spiral DM remains a throw, so players will need to be within the proper range to land it. Beat Rush Fever can be extended by pressing buttons with the correct timing, although I only managed to trigger Fever twice and mostly received bad ratings. Even the CPU seemed to have trouble with it. Completing the full sequence can deal at least 374 damage, so it might be worth practicing your Dance Dance Revolution timing first. Learning the correct input sequence should help players secure the full damage instead of ending the attack early with a front kick and a low rating. Beat Spiral also transforms into something different when used as Duck King’s Hidden Gear super.
Duck King already feels like a blast to play within the current meta ahead of the next balance patch. His new idle stance might be his best yet, and his chicks are still around to accompany him. Duck King’s shorter and quicker normals could give him an advantage against members of the newer roster, especially when combined with his deceptive movement and Hype options. A good trickster character with plenty of groove is never a bad addition, although it is a shame that we might not be getting a new stage for him.
Duck King will become available on August 27 as the current DLC season continues. Kim Kaphwan, Laocorn, and two unannounced characters will follow him over the next several months. Once again, I am still hoping for Gao.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is currently available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
