Which version should I play?
The largest active community is currently on Fightcade 2. Among the official releases, Steam and PS4 versions are the most popular due to the powerful rollback netcode by Code Mystics.
How do I find other players?
- FightCade 2: https://www.fightcade.com An online platform for arcade emulators with rollback netcode. People gather in lobbies to challenge other players. The compatibility with LUA scripts allows training tools created by the community. Despite the occasional visual and sound glitches, it provides state-of-the-art peer to peer connectivity for online matches.
- Discord Garou Group : https://discord.gg/EmKGA4U A discord group for people to share information about the game and help each other improve. It is also a place where you can look for game partners, stream your games, and use general text and voice chat functions.
- X-Zone : http://bbs.gotvg.com/forum.php Yet another GGPO-based platform for arcade (and others) gaming. Uses the same ROM set as RedGGPO. This platform is mostly used by mainland Chinese, but if you have a Chinese phone number (or can find someone on discord who has a Chinese phone number) you can play it anywhere. Generally better connections than FC, and still has Developer support. The interface is in Chinese.
How do I pick Kain and Grant in the arcade version?
Here are the codes to pick Grant and Kain in the arcade MVS version of Garou MOTW, you can do them fast or slow but there is a timer:
- Play as Grant: Move the selection to Dong Hwan, hold start, tap
x2, 
x2, , while holding start. Grant should appear if you did the code correctly, then just press 
, 
, 
or 
to pick his color.
- Play as Kain: Move the selection to Jae Hoon, hold down start, tap x2, x2, , while holding start. Kain should appear if you did the code correctly, then just press , , or to pick his color.
How Do I Use Training Mode On Fightcade?
There are two kinds of training environments for MOTW:
- The built-in practice mode playable on the AES (home) version of the game or any ports. This mode has a damage display and a pause menu with limited game settings.
- Playing VS Mode with peon2's FBNEO lua script included with Fightcade. It offers most of the advantages the AES mode has and more, including record/replay functionality and hitbox display.
Using AES Mode
To train in AES Mode from Fightcade, launch the game with the "TEST GAME" button and in the Input > Set Dipswitches menu, set the BIOS to AES Japan or AES Asia, then restart the game with F3 by default. Once done, select the practice mode, save a savestate and change the BIOS back to default settings. PLAYING ONLINE WITHOUT CHANGING BIOS BACK TO DEFAULT WILL RESULT IN DESYNCS, DO NOT LEAVE IT SET TO AES. This savestate can be loaded in the future to access AES training without needing to change the BIOS.
Once in the practice mode, there are a number of things that require explanation:
- On the character select screen, the secret characters Kain and Grant are selectable off-screen instead of requiring codes to select. Kain is to the right of Terry and Grant is to the left of Rock.
- At the top of screen will be two counters, "BASIC DAMAGE" and "CORRECT DAMAGE". CORRECT DAMAGE is the accurate damage indicator, while BASIC DAMAGE ignores combo scaling, character defense values, T.O.P. damage boosts, evaluating each move just by its base damage value.
- The dummy cannot be controlled directly by Player 2.
- Taunting will make the dummy walk forward.
- Pressing the select button will pause the game and open the "OPTION SET" menu, with the following settings:
- COM-ACTION1 controls the dummy's stance. It can be set to STAND, CROUCH, or JUMP.
- COM-ACTION2 controls the dummy's behavior. It can be set to NO-GUARD, GUARD1 (blocks all attacks), GUARD2 (begins blocking after getting hit), GUARD3 (only blocks high), or ATTACK (presses a random button on an interval indicated by the dummy's super bar, or as soon as possible if they are set to jump)
- T.O.P. enables or disables T.O.P. for the player. It can be set OFF or to the strengths x1.25, x1.5, or x1.75. x1.25 reflects the default T.O.P. strength used in the arcade version and all competitive play.
- COUNTER enables or disables counterhit. This function is poorly implemented and is not at all accurate to how counterhits behave in-game, so it's of limited utility. When enabled, any move will counterhit the dummy, even moves that cannot counterhit such as normals, and counterhit can trigger multiple times in one combo, even though only the first hit of a combo can counterhit normally.
- JUST DEFENDED makes the dummy JD all attacks when enabled, though COM-ACTION2 must be set to a GUARD function in tandem with this setting.
- CHARACTER CHANGE returns to the character select screen.
- RETURN CENTER restarts the training session in the center of the stage. Loading a state is much faster than using this.
Using The Training Script
The training script requires no setup, other than binding controls for the second player. Pressing the "TRAINING" button in the Fightcade lobby will automatically load a savestate at the character select screen with the script running. This script can be used with the AES practice mode, but not all of its functions will be available.
Things to note:
- Holding the coin button (or pressing coin 4 times) will open the menu to change training settings.
- Pressing coin twice will begin a recording (of P2 by default) and 1 coin press will replay that recording. Record/Replay settings can be altered in the Recording Menu. This function cannot be used in AES mode, as P2 cannot be controlled.
- Pressing coin 3 times will swap controls for P1 and P2.
- To test blocking scenarios, use the "Set the direction P2 is holding" option or replay a recording. Even P1's inputs can be recorded.
- Toggling T.O.P. can be done by changing a character's health in the Player Settings menu.
- Changing character requires loading a savestate or closing the window and launching "TRAINING" again.
Enable Hitboxes in Training
The hitbox display script garou-hitboxes.lua (located in the fbneo-training-mode/hitboxes folder) comes included with Fightcade and works for all Fatal Fury games, but the training mode script fbneo-training-mode.lua isn't set up to use it by default.
To enable hitboxes in training mode, modify line 70 (or any line concerning a Fatal Fury game) of fbneo-training-mode.lua to include hitboxes = "garou-hitboxes", as demonstrated below
garou = {"garou", hitboxes = "garou-hitboxes", iconfile = "icons-neogeo-32.png"},
Then, in garou-hitboxes.lua, add the following to the end of the file
function hitboxesReg()
if hitboxes.enabled then
render_hitboxes()
end
end
function hitboxesRegAfter()
update_hitboxes()
end
On FBNEO with Runahead set to 0, the hitboxes shown will be 1 frame ahead of the sprites. This can be fixed by changing the extra_frame value to 1, which can be done for all Fatal Fury games by changing line 731 of garou-hitboxes.lua to the following
g.extra_frame = g.extra_frame or 1
Doing this will cause the opposite problem when playing with Runahead 1 or on FBA-RR, which work perfectly if extra_frame is 0 (default).
There is a special issue with the hitbox lua in MOTW: Some characters' taunts have unused hitboxes, but while the script is running they become visible and function as usable attacks. All of these "attacks" are disabled in normal gameplay and can never be used.
How do I perform guard cancels (GC)?
Guard cancels are an intermediate/advanced mechanic in Garou. When you guard against an attack a few frames before it hits, you perform a Just Defense. During a Just Defense, the player has a very short time to cancel its blockstun into a special or super attack. It can be extremely difficult to input the motion of a special attack during a Just Defense, since the time window is very tight. However, Garou has a very lenient directional input buffer. You can perform a guard cancel by buffering the special motion inputs before holding back to block. By pressing the attack button upon confirming the Just Defense, you will perform a guard cancel.
For example, Jenet can use guard cancel into Crazy Ivan by inputting 21[4] (Just Defense) 
. [4] means that the input 4 is held until the end of the special command.
Jenet can also guard cancel into her super Many Many Torpedoes by inputting 236236[4](Just Defense) .
My DP breaks fail every time! How can I do then consistently?
(applies to Dong, Marco, Gato, Terry, Grant)
There is a simple input trick that, for some reason, allows shoryuken-type breaks to be performed much easier. You must hold down the directional input 3 (down forward) during the break input. For example, with Marco, input 623, then hold down 3 as you input /
> +
How do I play survival mode in the arcade version?
In order to play survival mode in the MVS arcade version of the game, press and hold + + + 
before hitting start. It should take you directly into survival mode after you pick your character.
What is the tier list?
This list has changed over the years due to new techniques and bugs discovered. Individual top players' lists may deviate slightly, but in general the tiers look something like this:
All lists are ordered within tiers
| Tier | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| Top | Kevin, Kain, Jenet, Grant |
| Upper-Mid | Gato, Dong, Marco (Butt) |
| Mid | Jae, Hotaru, Terry |
| Lower-Mid | Griffon (Tizoc), Hokutomaru |
| Bottom | Rock, Freeman |
| Tier | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| A | Kevin, B. Jenet, Gato, Kain, Grant |
| B | Dong Hwan, Jae Hoon |
| C | Butt, Hotaru, Hokutomaru, Terry |
| D | Tizoc, Rock, Freeman |
| Tier | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| A | Kevin, Grant, Kain, Jenet, Gato |
| B | Jae Hoon, Dong Hwan |
| C | Terry, Hotaru, Marco, Hokutomaru |
| D | Freeman, Rock, Griffon |
What are the differences between game versions?
- Playstation 4 and Steam:The Playstation 4 and Steam versions of the game are ports made by Code Mystics based on the Neo-Geo AES Home Console version. They feature a robust online connectivity between peers through rollback netcode. There is a gallery mode with several official artworks. Despite the robust netcode, it still lacks lobbies and spectator mode.
- Neo-Geo AES Home Console: The Neo-Geo AES (home console) and Neo-Geo MVS (arcade) versions provide the authentic experience , and they are identical. Support for Garou is available on all worthwhile Neo-Geo emulators. Warning: Most Neo-Geo emulators support a Prototype version of Garou: MOTW that should be avoided at all costs. This version has many bugs and changes from the released versions that make unsuitable for competitive play.
- Playstation 2 and Xbox 360: The Japanese Playstation 2 and Xbox 360 versions are the best home console versions. The controls are very tight and the gameplay is perfect. On the PS2 version during play the words 'Guard Cancel' do not flash on the screen like the other versions do. On the 360 version it fixes that problem. The training mode for PS2/360 is superior to all other official releases. It allows for recording and playback of the training dummy's actions. So for practicing setups and other single player training, the PS2/360 versions are the best, even better than the original Neo-Geo version. Another thing to take notice is that both the PS2 and 360 versions run at a faster framerate than the original arcade MVS/AES versions. Only takes a bit to adjust to the speed difference and shouldn't cause any problems when running tournaments. The online play over Xbox Live is better than previous SNK releases, but is still bad nonetheless. Steam/PSN/FightCade are your best options for online play. The PS2 version also contains the arranged soundtrack, while the 360 version does not (as it is based directly on the original Arcade version).
- Dreamcast: The Dreamcast version is the worst of all versions. It offers nothing over the Neo-Geo versions other than the unlockable image gallery and the arranged soundtrack mode. Inputs are delayed, Terry's stage lags the game and some versions show problems with sound effects delaying as much as 2 seconds from when they should play. Some of Terry's voice samples are also not the ones from the game, but from as early as Real Bout Fatal Fury Special. If possible, select the original soundtrack option instead of the arranged soundtrack, and play on the original GD-ROM to lessen these effects. Even with these adjustments, this is the worst option for play; even playing on an emulator will be more satisfying.
How do you change the number of rounds in each match?
You can set the "Round Setting" for the number of rounds needed for a player to win a match/game: 1 round, 2 rounds, or 3 rounds.
The default is at 2 rounds. And in a first to 2 rounds, there is a total of 3 rounds between both players.
With the 3 rounds setting, you can set the game to have first to 3 rounds, where you can get a total of up to 4 rounds before the Final Round.
This is sometimes done by arcade players.
On Steam:
Offline:
Options --> Game Options --> Round Set -> "5"
Multiplayer:
Create Match --> (Host Options) Round Set --> "5"
(Default Round Set is "3")
On Fightcade/FBNeo:
To get to three rounds, Player 1 does the following:
Start up your game:
1. Tap Coin
2. Tap F2 (Test menu)
3. Go to "setting up the soft dip" and tap A (3rd option down)
4. go to "Slot1 Garou MOW"
5. Scroll down until you get to "Win Point" and tap A until VS is at "3"
(Any "VS-3" selection is fine. COM is when playing the CPU. Default is "COM-2 VS-2".)
6. Tap C until you're back to the main menu, go down to exit then tap A or B.
Reset all options in the soft dip settings to default by doing the following:
Start up your game:
1. Tap Coin
2. Tap F2 (Test menu)
3. Go to "Hardware Test" and tap A (1st option down)
4. Press Start
5. Then press start until you get to the "Backup Clear" menu (clear the backup ram)
6. Press A, B, C buttons at the same time. When successful, you will be taken to the next menu (setting up time).
7. Press F3 to reset.
What are the Versus Options?
The AES VS Mode gives you a "Versus Option" screen after selecting your character and setting your T.O.P. placement. You are allowed to select a "handicap" and select a stage.
VS Mode Handicap Setting
A player may choose 8 different handicap settings, starting from 0 stars to 7 stars handicap.
The more handicap you have, the less you take damage.
The default selected handicap for AES VS Mode is 3 stars.
However, the hidden handicap for MVS/arcade is defaulted at 4 stars.
Below are the rates for each handicap star.
The handicap functions like the "defense rate" in "Damage and Meter Calculation".
You include the character's handicap rate and truncate just as you would the other multipliers.
7 star handicap - 0.60 damage multiplier
6 star handicap - 0.80 damage multiplier
5 star handicap - 0.90 damage multiplier
4 star handicap - 1.00 damage multiplier (MVS default)
3 star handicap - 1.10 damage multiplier
2 star handicap - 1.20 damage multiplier
1 star handicap - 1.30 damage multiplier
0 star handicap - 1.40 damage multiplier
Stage Select
A character has one stage associated with them.
Each stage has 3 versions (1, 2, and 3)
Some stages remain unchanged and are the same across all versions.
The first round is on stage version 1.
And the next round is on stage version 2.
Subsequent rounds after that are all on stage version 3.
Stages:
Terry -- Freight Express
Rock -- Live House "Old Line"
Dong -- Oriental Casino "Woo"
Jae -- Yok Chong Market
Hotaru -- Philanthropy Belfry
Gato -- Barbaroi Falls
Jenet -- Blue Wave Harbour
Marco/Butt -- Sarah Forest
Hokutomaru -- 5th Ave. & 2nd St.
Freeman -- Slam "Free Field"
Tizoc/Griffin -- Universal Arena
Kevin -- S.S.P. Maneuver Field
Grant -- Dark Palace Basement
Kain -- Dark Palace Donjon
How does Round Time work?
Rounds are by default set to be 60 seconds.
Round length is determined by the "Game Time" option.
This can be set by going to the AES version menu "Options", or Steam version menu "Options".
You can choose presets: 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds, or ∞ (infinity) seconds.
Or you go to the "soft dipswitch" options of the MVS version.
The minimum round length you can achieve is 10 seconds, while the maximum is 99 seconds.
The Extra Round is 30 seconds less than the set time. If the set time is 40 seconds or less, the Extra Round will always be the minimum 10 seconds.
How does the round system work?
Players can gain one round either by winning by K.O. or by having more health than the other at Time Up.
Players can also both gain one round at the same time. This is done through Draw Game after Time Up, or through Double K.O.
- At Time Up, if the game judges that both players have the same amount of health, there is a Draw Game and then they both get a round.
- Double K.O occurs when any trade reduces both players to no more health at the same time and then they both get a round.
The Final Round occurs when both players have the same amount of rounds and require only one more round to win the game.
At the Final Round, if both players gain one round at the same time, with either Draw Game or Double K.O., you go into the Extra Round.
And if you have another Draw Game or Double K.O. on that Extra Round, no one wins.
What are the different ways for a round to end?
There are different types of round end and K.O. screens at the end of a round.
- Default K.O. = This happens when you win any round with any attack other than a super, or with any trade.
- Time Up = When the time countdown finishes, the game awards the round to the one with more health.
- Draw Game (After Time Up) = This happens after Time Up, when both players have equal health and are both rewarded with a round.
- Double K.O. = Happens with any trade that reduces both players to no more health.
- Default Super K.O. = Happens when a non-Final Round (or non-Extra Round) is won with a super.
- Final Super K.O. = Happens when a Final Round or Extra Round is won with a super.
At the end of the Final Round or Extra Round, the Default K.O. and Final Super K.O end with different music used. And if that final super is a hidden super, another music track is used.
