Cristiano Ronaldo is rubbish, but you can’t enjoy Fatal Fury with a clean conscience anyway

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Known globally as one of the top soccer players, Cristiano Ronaldo, has transformed into a character within the realm of fighting games. Although some speculated this announcement to be an untimely April Fool’s prank, it is indeed true that he features in the starting roster for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. This revelation has left the fighting game community more divided than ever before.

Let’s start with this: How on earth did we end up here? It might seem odd to find Ronaldo trapped within a fighting game, but it’s even more puzzling that this one is Fatal Fury. City of the Wolves is actually the follow-up to Garou: Mark of the Wolves from 1999, and SNK’s golden age is now over two decades in the past. However, in 2022, the Saudi Arabian Misk Foundation took control of 96% of SNK, giving them a significant stake in the company. This explains why City of the Wolves has received ample funding and promotion, even being showcased at Wrestlemania in Las Vegas recently.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but feel connected to Cristiano Ronaldo’s professional journey. Back in January 2023, the soccer legend joined Riyadh’s Al-Nassr FC, where he now proudly serves as Captain. With an astounding reported yearly salary of €200 million, he holds the title of the highest-paid soccer player ever.

Given this massive deal, it’s no surprise that when Fatal Fury sought a powerful cross-promotion opportunity, Ronaldo was hard to resist. And with rumors swirling about an extension in his contract, I can only imagine how excited he must be for what the future holds!

In English-speaking countries, SNK’s games such as Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters may not be widely recognized, but that doesn’t change the fact that they have achieved global popularity. For instance, in South and Central America, characters from Fatal Fury like Terry Bogard are admired just as much as Goku and Lionel Messi. It’s common knowledge among gaming enthusiasts in these regions about both Fatal Fury and soccer stars like Ronaldo too.

However, this partnership presents an unusual situation. Although celebrity scandals are common in sports, video game enthusiasts aren’t accustomed to real-life celebrities starring in games as themselves. Sports fans can often overlook scandals if the games are high-quality, but the diverse fighting game community remains vocal about Ronaldo’s controversies. The presence of Ronaldo introduces his questionable past, serving as a stark reminder that the show is being run by a country with documented human rights issues, as reported by Amnesty International.

Instead of enhancing the excitement, having Ronaldo in Fatal Fury seems to detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite overlooking other debatable aspects, Ronaldo is unplayable in both the City of the Wolves’ Arcade mode and the Episodes of South Town story mode. In-game, his move set is rather limited, consisting mainly of kicks, slaps, and tackles, lacking the excitement and flair that one would expect. Playing as Ronaldo feels more like playing a less engaging version of the game.

In the same game, it’s clear that something can be executed effectively, as demonstrated by the character Salvatore Ganacci. This character is based on a real-life Swedish Bosnian DJ, and is heavily showcased in promotional content for the game. He has even produced tracks specifically for the game. Despite his over-the-top, goofy attack animations, he’s delightful to watch, oozing with the same charisma that Salvatore Ganacci brings to his DJ persona through music videos and live performances. Almost every action he takes is a nod to a past performance or a legendary funky fighter from gaming history.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo lightly kicks the ball towards opponents and performs a brief limp, a common move among soccer players before a powerful kick. Unfortunately, he’s been unfairly treated in the game’s animated introduction, which plays to a song by Ganacci. Unlike other characters, Ronaldo isn’t fully animated; instead, a static image of him is displayed as the artwork scrolls across the screen. This lack of effort leaves an underwhelming impression, and his character model doesn’t resemble Ronaldo at all, appearing more like a legal counterpart (or that peculiar bronze statue from a few years back).

In essence, it appears that Ronaldo’s role within Fatal Fury was fulfilled prior, as hinted by the released trailers and his presence in the game. Conversely, Ganacci is captivating players with his charm and evident passion for the game. However, Ronaldo’s addition to Fatal Fury has stirred dissatisfaction among dedicated fighting game enthusiasts and bewilderment among soccer fans who aren’t accustomed to playing somewhat obscure Japanese fighting games. To put it in a simpler way, Ronaldo seems out of place in the Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, and there seems to be a question as to why he’s included.

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2025-04-28 14:46