Mike Haggar

Lore & Background

Introduced as one of the three playable characters in Final Fight, Haggar is a former professional wrestler turned mayor of Metro City, which is plagued by the Mad Gear gang. After he refuses their bribe, they kidnap his daughter Jessica in hopes of forcing Haggar into reluctant cooperation. Haggar recruits the help of Jessica's boyfriend Cody and their mutual friend Guy to rescue her and defeat the gang. He later appeared in sequel games Final Fight 2 and Final Fight 3, battling against a revived Mad Gear and the Skull Cross gang respectively. He also appears in related titles such as Final Fight Revenge and Mighty Final Fight, and in Final Fight: Streetwise as a retired mayor in charge of a boat repair shop and training gym.

Reader's Guide

Mike Haggar is noted as the star of the Final Fight series and has been described as one of the most iconic and recognizable characters in gaming history. He was named the best character of 1990 by the magazine Gamest, and one of the best of 1993 in the same magazine. GamesRadar+ praised his character as one of the greatest protagonists in gaming, citing his 'selflessness, strength, and the ability to inspire others.' Destructoid's Zoey Handley stated the character's presence is what set Final Fight apart from other beat-em-ups such as Streets of Rage. In the book Greatest Gaming Icons by Retro Gamer, they noted much of the fan love came from Capcom's 'obvious empathy for him,' citing his role as the only returning character in the first three Final Fight games and his appearance in Saturday Night Slam Masters. They felt that Final Fight without Haggar would lose something integral to the franchise, and discussed how his mustache was a part of his iconic look, though the decision to make him look younger in Final Fight 3 was an unpopular choice. Haggar is one of the few prominent characters in the Final Fight series who has never been a playable character in the Street Fighter series.

Did You Know?

• Haggar was created by Akira 'Akiman' Yasuda, who was inspired by the musical Les Misérables, the manga Mad Bull 34, and the 1984 film Streets of Fire.
• In Final Fight: Streetwise, Haggar is a retired mayor in charge of a boat repair shop and training gym, and is playable in the main story mode after being unlocked.
• Haggar appears in the American Street Fighter cartoon episode 'Final Fight,' where he recruits Ryu and Ken to rescue his daughter.
• In the canceled 3D fighting game Capcom Fighting All-Stars, Haggar was intended to appear as a selectable character, reprising his role as mayor to save Metro City from a bomb attack.