90s arcade nostalgia strikes again. Legacy publisher SNK Corporation has just announced the imminent arrival of Mr. Karate in its latest fighting game, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. Furthermore, this fifth DLC character of "Season Pass 2" will be available starting May 27, 2026.
A Demon Mask for a Return to Neo-Geo Roots
For fans of the golden age of the Neo-Geo arcade cabinet (SNK's overpowered 2D gaming system), this name carries legendary weight. In fact, Mr. Karate made his very first appearance in 1992 as the final boss of the original Art of Fighting. Concealed behind the mask of a Tengu—a long-nosed red creature from Japanese mythology—this fighter was actually Takuma Sakazaki, the master of Kyokugenryu Karate. Years later, in 1999, his son Ryo Sakazaki would take up the mantle in the 3D entry, Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition.
However, a bit of a question mark hangs over this 2026 version: the official press release mentions a mysterious Italian accent for the character... Personally, my money is on Robert Garcia, the famous Italian-born student of the Sakazaki family. I'm quite confident he's the one who has put on the mask this time around!
