Welcome to Level 1. Every week we look at a random game's very first level. It doesn't matter what kind of game it is or what system it's for -- we're here to dissect the game's first level and see what it tells us about the rest of the game. I promise you an eye-opening experience in each episode! This we're taking a look at Mighty Final Fight, one of the few must-own brawlers on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Will Cody, Guy and Haggar save Jessica from the evil Mad Gear gang? Probably, but that's not going to happen in Level 1!
Final Fight is best known as a Super NES launch title and a popular Capcom arcade game, but did you know that it also hit the Nintendo Entertainment System? Released late in the NES life cycle, this 8-bit brawler is more than just a port. It has brand new enemies, levels and more. Despite being well received, Mighty Final Fight never had any sequels and is often ignored. But that's not going to happen today, because we're going to push the start button and see what happens in level 1!

Level 1 - Metro City Slums: It only took Cody beating up one Mad Gear thug to trigger that unmistakable sensation of deja vu. He stood there stunned as his friends -- Mayor Mike Haggar and Guy -- beat a gang member to a bloody pulp. He had seen this all before. This whole scenario seemed familiar. How could this be?

He tries to piece everything together in his head. It has only been a few hours since Cody learned that his girlfriend had been kidnapped by Metro City's toughest street gang. Her father, who also happens to be a former pro wrestler and current politician, was inconsolable. The two hatched a plan to save Jessica, but it involved walking up and down the city streets beating up every thug that got in their way. It was going to be glorious.

Somewhere along the way Cody's buddy, Guy, decided to take part in the rumble. The three of them drank a shot of raw egg, punched a television and high-fived. Haggar recited the William Wallace's famous speech from Braveheart as the two men wept. The three of them knew that there was no going back. These three men may not see eye-to-eye on every subject, but right now they all knew that Jessica needed their help.

Cody watched Guy wipe the blood off of his knuckles. "I should have brought gloves," he remarked. All three of these men knew that this was a tough neighborhood. Haggar remembers reading a report naming the Slums the most dangerous part of Metro City. But that doesn't concern him. The smile on his face suggests he's looking forward to cleaning up this cesspool of filth and garbage.

"This used to be the kind of place you could raise a family," Cody states matter-of-factly. "I remember my dad bringing me here to see the parade pass by. Now it's all druggies and gang violence. There used to be a Radio Shack down the street, now it's just liquor stores and sex shops. You can still buy electronics, but it's in the back alley at Shaq's Stolen Radios. What have we become?"

Guy hears clapping. It's a group of thugs looking for a fight. "That's a beautiful speech, but I don't buy it." A spikey-haired fighter walks out of the shadows and addresses our trio of heroes. "The violence has always been just under the surface. We didn't start the fire; we just made it the grand spectacle it deserves to be. I'm going to look forward to beating up the Mayor of Metro City and his two boyfriends."

And with that, the three men pounce on this shadowy figure. Cody notices the thug's backup. Guy lunges at a man that looks like a general from a third world country. It doesn't take long for the hat to come off, which leads right into a knockdown, drag-out fight unlike anything Haggar had seen before. The three exchange blows, rip clothing and leave marks that will never go away. They use baseball bats and other items conveniently lying around. They yell nasty names at each other. But when everything is said and done, our three fighters are still standing.

Guy looks around. All he can see are people running away, too afraid to take on this triumphant trio. Haggar looks satisfied, but Cody knows there's still work to be done. His girlfriend is still missing. But Haggar has other plans. He's not going to let a single thug get away. He sees a bunch of bad guys racing to the top of a building, so the three men rush after them in hot pursuit. Jessica will have to wait.

It's a trap! Not only do all of the thugs on the roof have weapons, but there's a big guy rolling oil barrels towards our heroes. Guy immediately gets knocked back, unable to get up. Haggar punches through the barrels, forcefully making his way towards the thug's leader. You can see it in his eyes; nothing is going to stand between the Metro City mayor and cleaning up the streets. Ironically, not even the sticky oil dripping out of his foe's weapon of choice.

Boss - Thrasher: Out walks a man named Thrasher, who quickly identifies himself as the "ruler of Metro City." This guy is enormous, even when standing toe-to-toe with Haggar. Cody stays back, assessing the situation before getting himself hurt. He knows that Jessica is still in trouble and that there's no reason to get injured so early in the adventure. He lets Haggar have a crack on this guy.

At first the fight looks impossible to win. Every time Haggar advances, this large brawler knocks him down. He is able to block every attack and there are no weapons around. Things are looking bleak for our hero. But Haggar has a plan. Thrasher's long, blonde hair keeps getting in the way, giving the mayor just enough time to take him by surprise. Haggar lunges at just the right moment, taking Thrasher down to the ground. The two square-off on the ground, but this is where Haggar has the upper hand. A decade of professional wrestling is perfect training for a fight like this.

Guy staggers into the picture just as Haggar is administering the final blow. The three men know this is their first big victory. Unfortunately, they also know that they have a long road ahead of them if they are going to save Jessica.

What Have We Learned Today: Today we learned that Haggar isn't a very good father. Oh sure, he's willing to fight his way through hundreds of goons in order to save his daughter, but that's okay because he wants to. He could have just as easily jumped in the car and driven to the location Mad Gear is holding Jessica. Forget about the peon thugs in the slummy parts of town, you can deal with them after your daughter is safe. Trust me, those guys aren't going anywhere. Your priority should be marching right to that large tower and demanding they release all innocent hostages. Send the cops (or better yet, Guy) to deal with the other parts of the city.

What Did We Miss: After dealing with Metro City's slums, the three heroes make their way to Riverside. From there it's off to Old Town, an old factory and Mad Gear's hideout in the Bay Area of town. These places may look different, but the results are the same. Haggar, Cody and Guy walk from left to right punching and kicking the stuffing out of anybody that gets close. I'm sure they'll eventually get to saving Jessica ... one of these days.

What Jessica Said: "Daddy? What are you doing here? Why did you bring Cody and Guy? WHAT IS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND? You always overreact about everything. I wasn't kidnapped; I'm here because I want to be. I ran away and Mr. Big gave me a job. Don't you get it? This is like that time you beat up my car after I got fired from Dairy Queen. Get out of here, all of you, and let me live my life. You're all psycho. I never want to talk to any of you again!"