Mexican Pros Challenge Japanese Meta in New Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Tier List

The developing meta for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves has revealed a distinct divide between two of the world's strongest fighting game regions. While Japanese pros have recently solidified a strict hierarchy centered around safety and defense, the Mexican community has presented a radically different view of the roster.

A new tier list shared by top player and community figure JohnyKOF highlights this divergence. Unlike the Japanese rankings that placed several fan favorites in C Tier, the Mexican list suggests that aggressive playstyles may unlock potential that Japanese defensive structures overlook. Importantly, this new list is ordered within tiers, meaning the leftmost character is the strongest.

The Terry Bogard Divide

The most significant disagreement between the regions centers on the face of the franchise, Terry Bogard.

The Japanese community, including prominent players like GO1 and Nemo, recently relegated Terry to C Tier. Their analysis suggests that while Terry is "honest" and functional, he lacks the oppressive tools required to break through the top tier defenses of characters like Hotaru and Kain.

The Mexican tier list fundamentally disagrees with this assessment. By placing Terry in the S Tier, the Mexican community argues that his toolkit is far more viable at the highest level than Japan gives him credit for. However, his position on the far right of the tier suggests that while he belongs among the elites, he is considered the gatekeeper of the S rank, powerful enough to hang with the gods but still requiring more effort than the absolute top threats.

Rock Howard: Low Tier or Solid Mid?

Rock Howard sees a similar, though less extreme, boost in the Mexican rankings.

While the Japanese list drops Rock into C Tier alongside Terry, viewing him as a character with too many risks, the Mexican list elevates him to A Tier. This does not position him as a broken top tier character, but it firmly establishes him as a solid mid tier choice capable of holding his own against the roster's best.

This A Tier placement suggests that Mexican players believe Rock has enough versatility to navigate the neutral game without being completely shut down by the top tiers, provided the pilot has strong fundamentals.

Marco Rodrigues and the Aggressive Meta

Marco Rodrigues also benefits from the Mexican perspective. While often viewed as a specialist character in other regions, his placement in the A Tier on the Mexican list indicates he is a genuine threat in the current meta.

This contrasts with the Japanese view that often isolates Marco's success to specific players. The Mexican consensus points to a broader acceptance of his offensive pressure as a consistent winning strategy, rather than a gimmick.

Comparative Analysis

The table below outlines the major differences in how these two regions view key characters.

The only point of total agreement remains Tizoc. While Mexico places him in C Tier and Japan ranks him below D Tier, the consensus across the Pacific is clear: The Griffon Mask is currently the weakest character in the game. However, the drastic differences in Terry and Rock's placements prove that the City of the Wolves meta is far from solved. It currently depends entirely on where you play and whether you value safety or aggression.

Source: JohnyKOF via X