Final Fight MD: An Arcade Masterpiece on Genesis, Complete with 3-Player Co-op, Achievements, and ‘Best Version Ever’ Polish
The fan-made project Final Fight MD for the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis is rapidly approaching completion, with the developer, Mauro Xavier, also known as MXRetroDev, recently rolling out the feature-rich version 0.90b. Praised by fans and reviewers, including one (me) who called it their “new favourite way of playing this,” Final Fight MD is set to deliver an unprecedented port of the arcade classic, featuring co-op support for up to three players, extensive graphical and technical optimisations, and a wealth of new content.
The project is slated for a final, FREE release at the end of the year. You can get early access to latest builds via the developers Patreon.
Redefining the Classic with Mega Mode and New Content
The port is divided into two distinct modes: Arcade Style and the ambitious Mega Mode. Mega Mode is packed with features that elevate the experience far beyond a simple conversion:
- 3-Player Co-op: The game now supports up to three simultaneous players using the SEGA Team Player or EA 4-Way adapters, marking a significant first for a Final Fight port on the console. To manage the added complexity, certain objects are removed or repositioned in 3-player mode to free up VRAM.
- The Additional Fighter: The Mega Mode roster includes Maki Genryusai, a character who appeared in later Final Fight titles, adding a new dimension to the gameplay.
- Deep Customization and Progression:
- 60 Unique Achievements: These accomplishments unlock additional options within Mega Mode and can be tracked via an in-game menu. A sound effect now plays when an achievement is earned, though a real-time visual notification is not yet implemented.
- Save System: Mauro implemented a full save game system with three save slots and auto-saving after each stage segment. This feature requires the mandatory use of at least 8 KB SRAM.
- 1P+ Mode: This optional setting prevents a second player from joining but allows for up to seven enemies on screen and screen progression closer to the arcade version, without needing to defeat all enemies first. This mode is selectable by pressing left/right in the 1-player entry screen.
- Quality-of-Life: Players can now choose three color types per character in Mega Mode, and the game includes support for recording the top 3 high scores with player initials (3 letters).
Pushing the Genesis Hardware to its Limit
A major focus of the v0.90b update was to squeeze every ounce of performance out of the Mega Drive hardware.
VRAM and Sprite Optimizations
Mauro Xavier employed several clever techniques to manage VRAM and allow for more on-screen enemies:
- VRAM Efficiency: In Rounds 5-1 and 6-5, priority adjustments were made to use the native background instead of sprite masks (e.g., in the restroom area and around the pillars), significantly freeing up VRAM for more enemies.
- Sprite Reduction: Barrels and crates now use fewer sprites when they are broken.
- 3-Player Management: Objects are prevented from spawning on the bridge stage (Time Attack and Survivor modes) when three players are active to avoid addressing errors caused by low VRAM. Similarly, in 3-player mode, certain objects (crates, barrels, moon) were removed or repositioned for VRAM management.
The Revolutionary AUTO FPS Mode
A dedicated “Performance Mode,” now known as AUTO FPS, dramatically improves the game’s fluidity and response. This new system replaces the old rigid 30 FPS mode by dynamically adjusting the framerate:
| Old 30 FPS Mode | New AUTO FPS Mode |
| Game was locked at 30 FPS, causing it to feel slower during busy moments. | The game maintains 60 FPS for as long as possible. |
| Cycles processed everything (music, sprites, screen) and then only the DMA queue, holding the game rigidly at 30 FPS. | Only drops to 30 FPS if necessary to avoid performance drops, using the screen-free cycle to process higher demand. |
| Significantly improves performance and gameplay perception by allowing for an intermediate framerate. |
In testing, this new mode showed no slowdown in 1P+ and 2-player modes, making it an excellent optional feature for those bothered by slowdowns in certain areas. The only known caveat is a potential issue with controller reading inconsistency when using controllers with a turbo button in this mode.
Music and Audio
The update also brought audio enhancements, including the addition of the theme “For Metro City” from Final Fight 3 for bosses in Rounds 2, 4, and 6 of Mega Mode, and a rewritten intro music for Round 1.
Extensive Polish and Bug Fixes
The v0.90b patch includes a massive changelog of fixes and behavior adjustments, signaling the final push for polish.
Key bug fixes addressed issues like:
- Collision failures in bonus rounds.
- The infinite-hit attack on enemies that caused the player to freeze.
- Belger’s “flying” chair bug and the chair disappearing due to VRAM issues (now the enemy may be removed to free VRAM).
- Fixed addressing errors and HUD corruption when entering the player select screen mid-game due to insufficient VRAM.
- Fixed the position of glass and wood particles in certain breakable items and corrected character colors in the game’s ending scenes.
- Fixed Abigail’s grab-and-throw move.
While the project is very close to completion, a few items remain on the to-do list before the final release, including: Highscore recording with names, activating extra options based on achievements, and fixing glitches in grappling moves within 3-player mode.
The final version of Final Fight MD will be released for FREE at the end of the year.
This one looks really nice! Definitely one that has my attention and I’m looking forward to play this!