Obscure fighting series knuckles up for comeback
It’s not even been a month since we reported that obscure ’00s fighter The Rumble Fish was preparing to make a comeback on modern gaming platforms, and already publisher 3goo is dropping the news that its equally obscure sequel, The Rumble Fish 2, is also in training for a long-awaited return to the ring.
Developed by Dimps and released to Japanese arcades in 2005, The Rumble Fish 2, like its predecessor is a 2D fighter built on the then-popular Atomiswave arcade hardware. Set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic city, devastated and rendered asunder by capitalistic greed, The Rumble Fish 2 welcomes back its cast of colorful characters, while adding six newcomers to the stylish roster. The sequel also introduced new fighting mechanics, but retained the original game’s trademark “S.M.A.” (Smooth Model Animation) visual style.
You can check out the trailer for the original game below.
“The Rumble Fish 2 has been a popular game in Japanese arcades for many years, and tournaments are still occasionally organized by the community,” writes 3goo president Nicolas Di Costanzo in a press statement. “Its longevity speaks to the great work that the developer Dimps’ has done with the game, thanks to their two decades of experience in fighting game design. We [hope] that fans of the franchise will be excited about a few more surprise announcements we will have before the release, so stay tuned!”
The rerelease, which will see the fighting sequel make its official western debut, will see optimized HD visuals presented in 16:9 widescreen format for the first time ever. Additionally, a slew of new features and modes are being added to the title, including Training and Gallery options. In addition, 3goo announced that Online Vs. will be powered by the increasing industry standard of rollback netcode, so long-time Rumble Fish players will be able to hone their skills against worldwide opposition.
The Rumble Fish and The Rumble Fish 2 will launch later this year on PlayStation, PC (via Steam), Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.
