Rage of the Dragons NEO Review (Switch)

Neo Geo games have been hitting the Switch at a rapid rate. Many of them get the ACA treatment, but every now and then we get something slightly different. Rage of Dragons Neo falls into the latter category and is obscure even for the hardcore SNK fanbase.

Most of you will have heard of Double Dragon and know something about the legacy of the franchise. You may even be aware that a one-on-one fighting game was developed, though it wasn’t received particularly well. Well, the original plan was for this game to be a sort of follow up to that. At some point rights were lost and it continued development under a different name.

This re-release has had some work done on it. It comes with an online mode and a host of video and audio options. There is also a training mode to help get yourself familiar with the games more intricate systems. There’s also a challenge mode for those few out there who might think the game is too easy for them.

The combat takes the form of a two-on-two tag fighter. Characters can dive in and out when a tag bar is filled, and this forms a key part of your strategy. The game is tough with the computer a fairly merciless and brutal opponent. Luckily you have unlimited continues and the option to save your progress as you go. The biggest challenge is the sheer amount of damage you can be hit with in one combo. One mistake can you see an entire life bar wiped out if you aren’t careful.

It follows the familiar SNK template in terms of both look and combat buttons. If you think about a hardcore The King of Fighters with two on each side, you wouldn’t be a million miles away. The combat itself is precise, and the move sets of the characters are varied and will take a serious amount of time to master. Although certain names and designs have been changed, it’s also pretty easy to see which characters are meant to be which when it comes to Double Dragon.

The graphics are suitably detailed and impressive as well. Characters are well animated and well designed and the backdrops are full of action and life which helps to make each fight more of a spectacle. If you can crack the difficulty and systems, then this is likely to become a favourite among fight fans.

Overall, Rage of the Dragons NEO is going to appeal to a niche audience. It’s far more complex than a lot of both SNK’s and Capcom’s output and there’s no real easy way to get used to it. You are likely to be pounded down over and over until you work out a few things to help you hold your own. If you stick with it long enough to get into it though you’ll find an incredibly deep and rewarding game that is well worth sticking with.

Overall 7/10

Visco Collection Review (Switch)

Retro collections are becoming more and more common on the Switch and it has now reached the point that more niche and obscure titles are getting their chance to shine. Pixelheart have previously acquired the license for a host of Visco products and have published sequels to a few of them such as Andro Dunos 2 and Ganryu 2 (which we have previously covered). This though is the first time they have selected original Neo-Geo titles and bundled them together.

There are seven games in total, and they range across genres. You get the original Andro Dunos and Ganryu games, Windjammers inspired Flipshot and its sequel Bang Bead, a vertical shooter called Captain Tomaday, Goal!, Goal! Goal! and rally game Neo Drift Out. It’s a varied bunch of somewhat lesser known and obscure Neo Geo titles. If we are honest, it’s also a little on the light side and a few more games to round out the package would have really pushed this to the next level. But what’s here shouldn’t be overlooked.

Neo Drift Out in particular is very welcome as it's the very rare, third game in the Drift Out franchise and means something that is going to cost you a small fortune is now easily available. It plays much the same as the others in that it’s a very arcade take on rally driving. The goal is to complete a course under a certain time limit and then move onto the next. It’s viewed from an isometric perspective and there are of course plenty of hazards and short cuts along the way to learn. It’s pretty difficult but also great fun and certainly one of the high points here.

More forgettable are Goal! Goal! Goal! and Captain Tomaday. There are a whole host of football games on the Neo-Geo and while Goal! Goal! Goal! Is good, arcade, fun in small bursts it doesn’t really do anything to stand out from the crowd. Captain Tomaday, certainly has the quirky element going for it as you are in control of a flying tomato taking on an evil eggplant who wants to take over the world. Its closet comparison would be something like Galaga as you scroll up then stop at arenas that fill with enemies. There’s a host power ups and some fun scoring mechanics but we struggled to stay with the game for too long.  

Flipshot and it’s follow up, Bang Bead, are two games based heavily around the Windjammers model. You must hit a ball back and forth to each other with the aim of breaking the wall behind your opponent. Precision deflections add power to the shots and once your opponents wall is down you can score. There’s a host of different characters each with their own strengths and weaknesses and it’s decent fun in small bursts. The games also have online play which helps their longevity massively. Bang Bead being super rare is yet another reason to be glad this collection exists as well as only a handful of physical copies are out there.

The two most high-profile games on the collection have already been mined for sequels. The first Andro Dunos is a great little game, even if it lacks some of the visual flair of other Neo-Geo shooters. It’s a horizontally scrolling shoot’em up where you start with all available weapons and power them up continually by collecting pods. Knowing what to use and when, along with the chargeable super attacks is the backbone of the title. It’s fast and clean looking and should keep you occupied for a fair while.

Ganryu, is the other high-profile game here and it’s quite different from its sequel. A ninja platformer sitting somewhere between Revenge of Shinobi and Legend of Kage it looks great, fusing a sort of feudal Japan setting with neo-industrial overtures. Its biggest problem is that it’s quite stiff to control and while players can leap around, throw out grappling hooks and use a host of weapons, you can’t dash which makes movement and avoiding certain attacks unnaturally difficult. It’s still fun, but you’ll be wishing it just controlled as good as it looked much of the time.

Overall, the Visco Collection does an excellent job of bringing some of the more obscure Neo-Geo titles to players attentions. The work that has gone into making pretty much all of them available to play online should also be applauded as it was always going to be somewhat of a niche release. It’s not perfect and it could do with a few more games but we are certainly glad it exists and it gives players a way of accessing some quite rare titles for very little money. We would be happy to see more of this in the future for sure.

Overall 7/10

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Volume 2 Review (Switch)

Like the first Neo Geo Pocket Collection, Volume 2 brings another ten games to the Switch (Eleven if you count both versions of SNK VS. Capcom Card Fighters’ Clash). It means that around a quarter of all the games available on the system are now on Nintendo’s hybrid and we can only hope this continues. It also helps that there’s some really good games on here.

Like the first volume this collection brings together the individually released Pocket games from the year, compiles them and adds a host of others as well. We’ve had fewer individual releases this time around so it’s an enticing prospect even if you’ve already broken cover and purchased some of the games already.

Included are three sports games. Neogeo Cup 98 is an easily forgettable football game but the other two fare far better. Pocket Tennis is great and evokes memories of Super Tennis back on the SNES. We found ourselves losing far more time than we intended, and it works great for quick goes. Baseball Stars is also a lot of fun with each of the teams having unique stats and each area of the game being represented well. Both may not have warranted individual releases, but they are far more than just filler here.

There are two quirky games on here as well with The King of Fighters Battle De Paradise providing a sort of weird board game version of the game and the notoriously quirky Ganbare Neo Poke-Kun also here. Unfortunately, both games are in Japanese (though the manuals have been translated). Both games are confusing enough without having to fight through a foreign language as well. Ganbare in particular has a fair amount of text so you’ll need to keep going back an forth to know what is going on. The game itself has a weird creature developing mini games which you can then play, and you have to effect his environment to keep him awake. Yes, it’s very strange.

Biomotor Unitron adds a much-welcomed RPG to the collection though in truth it’s quite average. It’s a bit Pokémon like but instead of creatures you are collecting resources for your robot. It’s solid but we can’t see many people seeing it through to the end. The previously released Mega Man Battle and Fighters is also included, (and not translated from Japanese), which provides two games which are effectively a succession of boss battles in a kind of basic fighting game. It’s fun, but nothing amazing and without the license would likely be forgotten.

What is a wonderful surprise is Puzzle Link 2. On the surface it seems like a sort of Magical Drop or Puzzle Bobble clone but that is not the case. You do have to match colours, but you do this by connecting them with pipes that you throw up the screen. It’s a fresh and clever take on the genre and one you’ll lose a lot of time to. Who knew Pipemania crossed with Magical Drop was the game we all needed?

The remaining two games have both been released separately. Big Bang Pro Wrestling has proved to be a really nice surprise. We had never even heard of it but it’s now up there with SNK vs Capcom: Card Fighters Clash as our most played NGP game. It plays well, it’s inventive, the graphics and sound are satisfying, and it uses the control scheme the best you can possibly expect for the system. There’s also a wide range of characters and match types to pick from.

SNK Vs, Capcom Card Fighters’ Clash is of course the headline act here with both versions of the games included and the English and Japanese language versions of both those games as well. The card battles themselves are deceptively complex. Battles play on out on a table where players can lay a maximum of three cards down. When played, cards add whatever special points they have to the players total and also present a battle point value to attack and defend with. The special points then allow for things like dual attacking and launching special abilities. Once cards are down players can either attack with them or hold them back to defend. Once an action has been taken the card in question is then frozen. This is important as you must weigh up how likely you are to be able to defend against incoming attacks and if an all-out strike by your team is worth leaving yourself defenceless for.

The key here is that you aren’t trying to eliminate all your opponent’s cards but instead knock down their health bar. If they are unable to block an incoming attack with a card the battle points value of the card will be removed from their total. Once it reaches zero, they lose. The same goes for you of course, so the balance between attack and defence is key. The only frustrating thing here is of course that there is always a certain random element to how cards come out so some games can be lost very early on with little the player can do about it. Of course, when you get hold of a few better cards to add into your deck this also works the other way as you can destroy your opponent very quickly if they start with a bad hand.

Overall, this second volume of Neo Pocket games has been put together very well. There’s enough here to warrant buying the whole package if you’ve already bought one or two of the other games and there is a good mix of different styles and genres. It also shows the handheld was far more than just mini versions of 2D fighters. If haven’t bought Card Fighters’ separately already this is pretty essential, and even if you have the other games are well worth playing. Let’s hope more collections appear in the future.

Overall 8/10

Big Bang Pro Wrestling Review (Switch)

The Neo Geo Pocket Colour is really finding a second life through the Nintendo Switch and long may it continue. Scouring lists of essential games though will rarely bring up this lesser-known wrestling game and initially it did seem a rather odd choice to us. First impressions weren’t particularly good either but then it all sort of fell into place and now it’s clear this is one of those hidden gems you hear about so often.

What many may overlook is actually how the game works (handily a scan of the original manual is included). There are two main types of wrestling games when it comes to lock ups. Ones where you hammer buttons and ones such as Firepro which are more focused on timing of button presses and building of moves. This is most certainly in the second camp and once players get used to it there’s a fun game here even though you only have two buttons to pull off moves.

Those two buttons are used to their fullest though with each wrestler having four grapple moves along with a host of strikes and rope based attacks. Each wrestler also has a special move which they can pull of at any time once their name is glowing by pressing both buttons together. The lack of moves is also shielded by the fact that matches are often fairly short so repetition never has a chance to set in.

There’s no shortage of match types either with a career mode that features coffin matches and things hanging on a pole matches (which we’ve still not fully worked out), along with the more standard fair. You can also find weapons around the outside of the ring and even bump the ref. it’s very impressive from the little Neo Geo Pocket and this must be one of the most ambitious games on the system.

The most telling thing about the game is simply how many hours we have put into it without realising. It certainly has the same power as all the best wrestling games where you simply lose track of time and find yourself staying for one more match.

Overall, Big Bang Pro Wrestling has proved to be a really nice surprise. We had never even heard of it but it’s now up there with SNK vs Capcom: Card Fighters Clash as our most played NGP game. It plays well, it’s inventive, the graphics and sound are satisfying, and it uses the control scheme the best you can possibly expect for the system. Well done to whomever picked it out to be given a second chance on Switch- it’s a resounding success.

Overall 7/10

SNK VS. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash Review (Switch)

Of all the Neo Geo Pocket games to be ported to the Switch, Card Fighters Clash is arguably the most high profile and the most sought after. While many of the Pocket games are designed to be enjoyed in short bursts befitting of a handheld, Card Fighter Clash will likely see you lose hours of your life.

It’s a simple concept, you pick either the Capcom or SNK version of the game to start your game and you are off in a Pokémon style collecting cards and then using them in battle against other players. Handily, both of the versions of the game are included in the switch port and you can trade between them in order to create a complete collection of cards. Sadly, the ability to play against other human players is incredibly limited as there is no online mode which may limit the games appeal for some.

The single player campaign is enjoyable enough and the setup is simple. Players are initially charged with winning six coins from six locations around a small map. In each location you need to defeat three or four players before challenging the area boss. Each player you defeat gives you more cards to play with. Won cards are randomised so you can try and farm them if you wish, though the rarer cards can only be gained from the best players or by completing specific criteria. Once you have the six coins a few more areas open up with ever increasingly complex decks of cards to play against.

The card battles themselves are deceptively complex. Battles play on out on a table where players can lay a maximum of three cards down. When played, cards add whatever special points they have to the players total and also present a battle point value to attack and defend with. The special points then allow for things like dual attacking and launching special abilities. Once cards are down players can either attack with them or hold them back to defend. Once an action has been taken the card in question is then frozen. This is important as you have to weigh up how likely you are to be able to defend against incoming attacks and if an all-out strike by your team is worth leaving yourself defenceless for.

The key here is that you aren’t trying to eliminate all your opponent’s cards but instead knock down their health bar. If they are unable to block an incoming attack with a card the battle points value of the card will be removed from their total. Once it reaches zero, they lose. The same goes for you of course so the balance between attack and defence is key. The only frustrating thing here is of course that there is always a certain random element to how cards come out so some games can be lost very early on with little the player can do about it. Of course, when you get hold of a few better cards to add into your deck this also works the other way as you can destroy your opponent very quickly if they start with a bad hand.

Overall, SNK Vs. Capcom: Card Fighter Clash is a welcome addition to the Switch library. It’s perhaps the Neo Pocket Game that has aged the least and remains the most relevant. It does take a few hours to really get into but once you do, you’ll be losing hours of your life without realising it.

 Overall 8/10

SNK VS. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium Review (Switch)

SNK has been releasing a number of its chibi styled Neo-Geo Pocket fighters on Switch but this is the first time the company has ventured into its crossover relations with Capcom. The home console versions of Capcom VS. SNK 1 and 2 are both much loved and would surely garner a lot of interest were they to reappear. With that in mind this release is a tantalising hook for fans hoping it may lead to companies working together again in the future.

As adaptations to handheld consoles go this is pretty impressive. There are a ton of characters to pick from and the tag and team based modes also make the cut. The single player mode even has story scenes and plot to it and there are extra modes present such as survival, time attack and a host of mini games. In terms of options you’ve got them in abundance as well with a full suite of display and control configurations to play with.

The game also looks massively impressive with iconic stages from various SNK and Capcom fighters shrunk down and recreated in the distinct visual style. The music is also recreated to the best of the systems capabilities and fighters are easily distinguishable in their more pocket style. In terms of presentation there is little to fault here and many will be charmed enough by this alone to justify the purchase. It really does look lovely.

The biggest issue comes with how the game actually plays. With only two buttons to work with the move sets have obviously been adapted. It actually works out quite well and still offers a range of punches, kicks and special moves of varying strengths. The main problem here though is the input for the special moves. The original hardware never made this the easiest thing to do but trying to pull off chibi fireballs and dragon punches using the Switch controls is a whole new level of inaccuracy. Thankfully using a pro controller works better but using a pro controller for a portable port of a portable console game is not really ideal.

Though it can be frustrating, the game still works well enough to be knock about fun. It has a good pace to it and will certainly provide an enjoyable distraction. Chances of players sticking with it long term though are fairly unlikely. There just isn’t enough depth here and the moves are just a touch too annoying to pull off to make this a regular go to when other fighters are available and much friendlier on the hands.

Overall, SNK VS. Capcom is an enjoyable game and one that fans of the genre and retro collectors will certainly have some fun playing around with in short bursts. The added weight of the license attached to it makes it the most likely of the Neo Geo Pocket games to catch peoples eye and we are very glad that SNK’s portable console is getting a new life for a new audience. The care and attention the port has had put into it is also commendable.

The truth is that the market for this version of the game (or any of the Neo Geo Pocket Fighters), is somewhat niche. With games such as BlazeBlue, the numerous ACA games and the Street Fighter Anthology it’s hard to see anyone coming out with this as their favourite fighter. It’s like playing Killer Instinct on the Gameboy – Yes, it may be very impressive but given the option you’ll always go for the bigger brother.

Overall 7/10

Metal Slug X Review (Playstation)

Containing just about the shortest plot in videogame history, Metal Slug X sends the player on a mission to eliminate an individual who is causing a lot of upheaval in the world. Rumours suggesting the plot was written on the bus by an SNK employee on their way to work remain unconfirmed, but then the Metal Slug series has never been about epic plot-lines. Indeed, shooting things is all that matters in this title - a lot of things - and it makes a nice change to see a game concentrating on the action rather than some pointless plot that nobody cares about anyway.

For those unaware, the Metal Slug series follows the tradition of classic side-scrolling shoot 'em up action. One or two players are directed across screen blasting absolutely everything in sight, devouring power-ups and rescuing the odd hostage who is (conveniently) scattered about the levels.

Metal Slug X is set across six stages of high-octane bliss, and even though you are granted unlimited continues, the blasting never gets old for anyone starved of mindless destruction. What truly places the series apart from others in the genre is the absolutely astounding artwork and character direction. Each of the six central stages is a smorgasbord of detail, with lashings of colour and digestible moments. Indeed it truly is one of the most sumptuous-looking 2D shoot 'em ups ever to exist. As well as the terrific backdrops, all the enemies and characters in the game are coated with equal dollops of care with small touches such as soldiers laughing when they kill you, only to then almost jump out of their skins when you reappear with your next credit - sometimes even legging it into the distance.

Boss battles are something to marvel at as well, with each new mechanical monstrosity being both bizarre and intimidating at the same time and it is clear so much thought has gone into every detail that you can only marvel at the end result. Coupled with the graphical excess are some of the best sound effects the PSone has to offer. At all times the sheer amount of explosions and gunfire plays out to a fever pitch of excitement and, when you throw in the screams of soldiers who have been shot with some obligatory arcade-style speech samples, you find yet another level of depth added to this otherwise 2D experience.

Your characters are controllable to the Nth Degree and move about at a fair notch, which at least gives you half a chance of avoiding all the incoming fire. While superficially the nuts 'n bolts of gameplay are hardly revolutionary, they do fill the requirements which means you can shoot and jump, throw bombs, and use a number of different vehicles to despatch your foe. Simple, but very effective.

Furthermore, to top off this excellent feast of graphics, sound and controls, stage layout is dramatic and different all the way through - containing enough new features and small touches of brilliance to keep players occupied at all times. Given the unlimited continues it's fairly certain you will complete the game each time you play it, but everything seems so full-on and engaging that you'll want to return for the sheer chaos. (once completed a number of extra missions do become available, and while most only consist of simple tasks - such as staying alive for as long as possible or seeing how long you can protect a baby from marauding aliens - they do serve to spike interest, as players aim for those ever-increasing high scores.)

Overall, Metal Slug X takes its place on the Throne of Unmissable Experiences. We have no reservation in saying that if you own a PSone this is the best thing that has happened to it in years. A masterclass in the way that all action games should be made, grab yourselves a copy and get blasting.

Overall 9/10

Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol 1 (PS2 Review)

Fatal Fury is to SNK what Street Fighter is Capcom. The series contains many of the company's most iconic characters, most notably Terry and Andy Bogard, and the game world is used in some of their other fighting franchises such as King of the Fighters and the Art of Fighting series. This first collection of Fatal Fury games contains the original Fatal Fury, Fatal Fury 2, Fatal Fury Special and Fatal Fury 3: Road to Victory.

The games follow the story of Terry and Andy as they fight their mortal enemy Geese Howard. Like all good bad guys he never stays dead for long and constantly returns to host more fighting tournaments. Fatal Fury 3 takes a slightly different approach by having everyone meeting up to scrap over an ancient scroll that will reveal a fighters true power.

Let's get the bad news out of the way right from the off. Anyone loading up the original Fatal Fury is in for a shock. Fatal Fury is not a good game and it has aged terribly. Characters only have one punch and kick and a limited amount of special moves. There are also only three playable characters. However, keep in mind that the original Street Fighter was awful as well.

Moving swiftly on to Fatal Fury 2 and Fatal Fury Special things improve immeasurably. Now you have a full compliment of characters to pick from and a decent range of moves and specials to use. The main gimmick of the games is that you can fight on two different planes. Players can either jump from one to the other at will or use certain moves to throw characters into the background. The idea is to add a more tactical edge to matches and in part it succeeds. Once you get to grips with it you can leap back and forth to dodge special moves and break up combos. However, it can be a little frustrating when you spend half the match just trying to get on the same plane as the opponent in order to land a hit.

The minor problem of occasionally getting stuck in a leaping between foreground and background match aside, both Fatal Fury 2 and Special are solid fighting games. The fighters are all remarkably different and each has their own style and personality. There is also a notable absence of characters that copy Street Fighter creations. This means you are going to have to play with everyone on offer to find out who fits your style and we, at Retro101, think this a very good thing.

Fatal Fury 2 and Fatal Fury Special may be decent enough, but the real star of the compilation is the excellent Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory. Every idea started in the previous games has been refined and improved upon no end here. The mechanic of moving between planes has been changed slightly and now works much better. Instead of leaping around, characters can only move in and out of the main fighting plane for a few seconds. This allows decent players to not only evade moves and break throws, but also to circle around their opponents looking for an opening. Master the skill and your enemies will be left punching air and be open to a counter attack.

The speed and graphical finesse has also been ramped up considerably. The game now plays out effortlessly in a blaze of rhythm and colour. The extra speed and smoothness of flow means moves can be linked together much more effortlessly than before. Fatal Fury 3 is now much more of a strategic game than any of the series before it. One wrong move can leave you open to an onslaught of attacks and no one is ever down and out until they have lost the last piece of their energy bar.

As you can probably tell we really like this compilation. The original game may be poor now, but adding the excellent Fatal Fury 3 to the package makes it essential for any fight fan out there. We can't wait for the Volume 2 and the Real Bout games to make their appearance. Hopefully, they will make it over to the UK and then we can dream of finally getting a Pal release for Garou: Mark of Wolves.

8/10

Samurai Shodown Anthology Review (Wii)

The Samurai Shodown series is one of SNK's best known franchises and players have been chasing decent home versions of the games for years. Though a number of the titles have appeared on everything from the SNES to the Mega CD there has never really been a version that lived up its arcade origins.

The Samurai Showdown Anthology gives many players the chance to play arcade perfect versions of the six Shodown games for the first time. As well as the games there are a few other minor options included such as being able to edit characters colours and play a small mini game.

The Shodown series has always taken a slightly different approach to the beat'em up genre due to the characters carrying weapons. The games are also much more about waiting for an opening and capitalising on your opponents mistake. Matches in any Shodown game can be incredibly cagey as it can take as little as three strong attacks to down an opponent due to extra damage being given for counters and hitting people in the air.

The first two Showdown games are the best example of what makes the series so special. The second game especially, is incredibly tactical. One mistake and your opponent will be all over you. This makes it pretty tough in single player but it does illustrate the different way you need to play the game.

In order to win matches you need to understand which moves counter other moves and which will leave you open if they are blocked. Special moves are also used differently with their main aim being to make your opponent jump or move into a position where they can be struck with you weapon.

Samurai Shodown II is also the best balanced of all the games. After this, SNK started to add in mountains of new techniques and even changed the button assignment. Samurai Shodown III is the worst affected with gaudy, overly large sprites and bizarre move sets making it seem messy and unfocused.

Luckily, the series does recover and the forth and fifth games return to being fun. However, they are still full of overly complex techniques and difficult moves to pull off (especially on the small Wii classic controller), and still feel more than a little unbalanced. In there favour is an ever increasing roster of characters that remain interesting and different enough to warrant players trying out the newcomers.

Samurai Shodown VI is the most over the top and allows you to pick just about every character in the game. You can even choose to play as a small monkey or one of the characters dogs. It also allows for a large degree of customisation in which special bars and techniques you use. It may not be as tactical as before but it is excellent knockabout fun.

8/10

SNK Arcade Classics Vol.1 Review (PS2)

Capcom, Taito and Midway have had great success with arcade compilations. Now it is the turn of SNK to try their hand at bringing some of their gems from yesteryear to a new audience. We here at Retro101 couldn't wait to get our hands on this compilation as many of the games have not appeared on home systems before. As always though, there is the mix of classics and games better best forgotten.

Seeing as this package has 'Volume 1' stuck on it we assume that SNK is planning to continue to bring us games from it's past. This, in some way can help to explain why we have many of the first titles in their long running franchises. The first Art of Fighting, World Heroes, King of the Fighters and Fatal Fury games are all here. Unfortunately, they have all been bettered quite substantially by later games in their respective series’ and will warrant a couple of plays each at best.

There are more titles that will have people running back to their current generation systems as well. Magician Lord is a terrible platform game that could be used as an instrument of torture. Meanwhile, Sengoku and Burning Fight are two of the dullest scrolling fighters we have ever had the misfortune to experience (and we've played Growl).

On a brighter note, the first Samurai Shodown game is included and we are delighted to say that it retains all the brilliance that made it such a hit when it was first released.  There are plenty of other reasons to smile as well. King of the Monsters, though a little basic, is still great fun to play in short bursts. Here players pick from one of six B movie monster characters and do battle in the middle of a Japanese city.

The Neo Geo sports titles put up a good show as well. Baseball Stars 2 and Neo Turf Masters still play a great game of Baseball and Golf respectively. Super Sidekicks 3 is also included and, while not the best football game ever, is still worth spending some time with.

The real highlights of the package though are some of the games making their debuts on the home consoles. Top Hunter, which recently came out on the Wii Virtual Console, is a great little oddity of a game. It's sort of a platformer crossed with Metal Slug but instead of guns our heroes have long extendable arms which they use to grab enemies and chuck them around. Last Resort, is a great side scrolling shooter which shows more than a little resemblance to R-type. Still, it is an intense score rush game that requires buckets of skill to get anywhere with and is a must for any fan of the genre.

However, the best game in the package for us is Shock Troopers. Imagine a top down version of Metal Slug and you are in the right area. The game has three different paths that can be taken and offers up some of the most intense and varied shooting action we have seen in an arcade game. You also have the option of choosing from a whole host of characters to blast your way through the levels with. The first Metal Slug game is included and, though it has already been released in its own collection, we are glad to see it here.

The first volume of the SNK collection is a real mixture. There are certain games here that we would never want to play again in a million years. But don't let that put you off as the inclusion of Shock Troopers alone makes the package worth hunting out. The fact you have some other stone cold classics in there, such as Samurai Shodown, Metal Slug and Last Resort, make this a must for any fans of classic games.

7/10

The King of Fighters Collection – The Orochi Saga Review (PS2)

The King of Fighters series is one of SNK's most popular and iconic franchises. The games see characters from SNK’s different fighting titles meeting up to have an almighty three on three scrap. The formula works so well that Capcom decided to use it when they developed their Marvel output. This collection contains the first five games in the franchise.

The collection is dubbed the 'Orochi Saga' as it follows the story of several crime lords as they host the King of Fighters tournament and gradually come to learn of the awesome power of the evil Orochi. Geese Howard, of Fatal Fury fame, then decides he wants to raise the Orochi from his slumber to harness his power. This, of course, causes all hell breaks lose. Beat'em ups are never too hot on plot but any excuse for a fight is fine by us.

We at Retro 101 are very glad to see the first five titles here as it means you not only get the history and development of the series but the best games as well. King of Fighters 96 and 98 are, generally speaking, the ones that fans tend to pick as their favourites and it is easy to see why.  These two certainly have the best feeling of impact and chaos and most concepts introduced throughout the series are balanced perfectly here.

That is not to say that King of Fighters 94, 95 and 97 are bad by any means. KOF 94, being the first in the series suffers from being rough around the edges and 95, while improving on certain things, introduces a few ideas that don't quite work how they should. When you reach KOF 96 all the rough edges have been removed and the various dodges and counters have all been balanced out which, while only being little changes, makes a massive difference.

KOF 97 takes a few backwards steps as SNK try something a little different. What is most disappointing though is that the music and sound effects are very poor. This removes almost all the tension and atmosphere from the game and often left us feeling bored. Of course, everything is fixed and polished to perfection with KOF 98. Otherwise known as 'the slug fest' this is one of the most highly revered and sought after fighting games of all time. It allows players to pick from over thirty nine characters and we are delighted that it has made it onto this compilation. All of the characters are unique which means if you want to master everyone you are going to be here for a very long time.

Aside from the main games SNK has also added other options into the mix. For fans you can check out a whole host of related media such as art work and sound effects for the games. There is also the excellent addition of the challenge mode. This gives you various conditions to overcome in preset matches, such as only using the kick button or being outnumbered. Overcoming a challenge unlocks new characters, art work, music and various other things.

SNK has released a number of collections now but this is by far the best of them. The King of Fighters series is one of the greatest 2D beat'em up franchises out there and on this disc are two of the best fighting games you are ever likely to find. Anyone who has thought twice about picking up the other collections should not hesitate here. KOF 98 would be worth the money on its own, but adding it into a mix that contains KOF 96 and all the extras makes this an unbeatable package. If you have never played a SNK fighting game before then this is the place to start.

9/10

Art of Fighting: Anthology Review (PS2)

Art of Fighting was one of SNK’s main franchises between 1992 and 1996. For those who don’t know, it is a one-on-one fighting game, and often over-shadowed by more high profile tiles such as Street Fighter 2 and Fatal Fury. Now PS2 owners can pick up all three titles in one anthology.

Another big selling point at the time was the fact the games had a real story to them. Although looking at them now, it is hardly the stuff of legend. Basically, it revolves around two rivals: Ryo Sakazaki, the ‘invincible Dragon’ and Robert Garcia, the ‘Mighty Tiger’. To start with, they both have to put their differences aside to rescue Ryo’s sister. The second game is a simple tournament and the third title has Robert walking around with his childhood friend, Freia, as her bodyguard. It’s hardly gripping stuff.

Though never as popular as Capcom’s brawler, it has brought a few innovative features to the genre over the years such as the ‘Rage Gauge’, which depletes each time a special move is used. As the series progresses, you begin to get things such as ‘Heat Mode’, which increase characters’ strength by twenty percent when they are low on health, and the ‘Ultimate KO’ move, which, if performed, will see you win in one round.

It’s all very progressive, but since the series stopped back in 1996, it does feel very outdated now. Almost all of the features have been improved upon in games such as Street Fighter 3, Alpha 3 and even later SNK games such as Garou: Mark of Wolves.

One of the tricks that is quickly noticeable is an automatic zoom in and out feature. What this boils down to is simple: as characters move away from each other, the screen pans out and they get smaller. It is hardly a feature worth bragging about but it does stop you getting stuck on the side of the screen. At best, it means a cunning opponent can’t trap you into falling into a projectile attack like in Street Fighter 2. At worst it is distracting and might make you feel sick.

The sprites are large and well-drawn and the backgrounds are nicely done and contain a lot of character. All the titles manage to contain a fair amount of personality and the different fighters on offer are quite varied. In terms of the how the games play though, the first in the series is pretty slow and forgettable.

things do improve with the second and third games, and either of these is worth a look if you are a beat ‘em up fan. That said, it is only the most hardcore player who will stick with them for any length of time when there are so many better options available now. There is of course the obligatory VS mode, but there are certainly no bells and whistles here, with players only be able to take part in one-on-one fights.

The no thrills approach is also apparent in the fact that the only extra is the ability to customise the various characters’ colour schemes. This is a shame as it is hardly the sort of game that a casual gamer is going to pick up at his local supermarket. The only gamers likely to buy the anthology will have to be specifically looking for it and a little more in the way of special features would have been nice.

Art of Fighting acts as a decent foot note in beat ‘em up history, but it is unlikely that anyone other than fans from back in the day will look twice at it. It certainly isn't going to win any newcomers over. The fact there is also a Street Fighter Alpha 3 collection and the excellent Guilty Gear X2 available on the PS2 makes this even more redundant.

It is nice to see some of the forgotten games from SNK’s past making their way onto systems where everyone can enjoy them, but there are so many better titles that we wish they would dig out. We can only hope some of the better and rarer games (such as Last Blade or Mark of the Wolves) will be getting a release soon. For now, even at a budget price, this particular art is best left in a museum.

5/10

Metal Slug 7 Review (DS)

Metal Slug has always had a long and glorious history when it comes to blowing very big things up. The recent Metal Slug Anthology on the Wii and PS2 let many gamers experience the chaotic destruction for the first time. Now we have a brand new title hitting the Nintendo DS. Of course, it hasn't been all roses over the years. Many will feel that the games which followed Metal slug 3 lost their ability to create the adrenaline pumping experience the series was renowned for.

The games chronicle the fight between our elite infiltration squad heroes and the armies of General Morden. After many years of war and with the world slowly recovering, a documentary looking at global refuse problems seems to show a Morden soldier in the background. The team is reassembled and quickly head off to the refuse island to take down Morden's secret hideout.

With a reputation for filling the screen with enemies, rockets and bullets it may seem odd that the new title finds itself on a handheld system. However, many games of its type, such as the awesome Bangai-O Spirits, have thrived on handhelds over the years. Metal Slug also has a handheld pedigree with one GBA and two good Neo Geo Pocket games being released a good few years back.

Despite all this, we still had trepidations when we began to lay waste to the General's army. We are happy to say that most of our fears were completely unfounded. The title may not have the small touches and humour that are so prevalent in the other versions of the series but there is enough here to show this is still a Metal Slug game.

The pace and ferocity of the combat hasn't changed much either. There are still loads of enemies and huge vehicles on the screen and apart from the occasional, very small, piece of slowdown it all runs as smoothly as can be. Everything else seems suitable Metal Slug as well.

The characters and vehicles have the right weightiness to them and all the weapons have the series trademark impact. Sound is also just right with all the samples of soldiers screaming, weapons blasting and muffled calls of "heavy machine gun" we have come to love over the years.

While it does work very hard at trying to recapture the feel of the classic Metal Slug titles there are also a number of new features that have been thrown into the mix. The six playable characters are now more different from each other than ever before with each one having strengths, weaknesses and a unique special attack. The most interesting of these is Clark's Super Argentine Back Breaker; a throw move which can be chained together to achieve massive scores.

Overall, Metal slug 7 marks a steady return to form for the series. The new slugs work well, the level design is decent and most of the bosses are inventive and suitably monstrous. It never quite reaches the heights of the best games in the series, but it’s so far ahead of the bad ones that you wonde how on earth Metal Slug 4 could ever have been created by the talent at SNK. It may not be a game for the feint of heart but fans should love it and anyone who wants a solid run 'n' gun titles to play on the bus can't really go wrong.

7/10

Retro 101's Favourite Beat'em Ups Part 1 - SNK

SNK games are often overlooked due to their hardcore nature and difficulty to find in Europe. But any gamer worth their salt knows of the team's talent when it comes to two dimensions. So forget your Ryu's and six button fighting systems (if only for a little while). Let us be your guide to some of best fighting games you may never have played. Of course, there are other SNK beat’em ups available that aren’t listed here. Simply put, we really don’t rate The Art of Fighting and some of the others.

World Heroes 2

Though a fairly simplistic fighter, World Heroes 2 does have a lot going for it. One of the things that set it apart is the expansive and colourful cast of characters based on historical figures. What other fighting game allows you to pit Hulk Hogan and Bruce Lee look-a-likes against Joan of Arc?

The standard two round mode only acts to show up the games shortcomings. Select the Death Match mode however, and things suddenly become a whole lot more interesting. Here two fighters battle over a single energy bar during one extended round. The best aspect of the Death Match is the obstacle filled levels you fight in. Some stages have metal blades running along the floors, while others are strewn with landmines or take place in a small metal cage.

World Heroes 2 may not be the most technical game, but once you switch it into the Death match mode it can still offer something to fight fans today. If you want to try a game that's a little different then hunt it out


Samurai Showdown 2

For many this mix of martial arts and swords is SNK's finest hour. Here at Retro 101 we don't hold it in such a high regard, but we do still love it to pieces. The Samurai Showdown series is one of the most unique fighters out there and this second iteration is one of the finest fighting games available.

In this sequel more characters were added, along with the POW finishing moves. More importantly, the game was fine tuned and balanced to be much more even than the first. What we end up with is a tense series of bouts where any wrong move could be your last.

Fitting for a series concerned with weapon combat, the basic gameplay requires quick strikes when an opening presents itself, rather than long combo sequences. This can seem tough for newcomers as three or four strong blows can end a round. For those that learn the ways of the sword though it soon becomes clear that Samurai Showdown is as much about knowing when not to strike as it is about attacking.


The Last Blade/The Last Blade 2

This often overlooked other weapon based fighter is, in our opinion, the best of SNK's 2D fighting games. While Samurai Showdown III and IV ended up fun but uneven these two games are a lesson in balanced combat where mastering your character is the key to victory.

Each character is different and all have their own strengths and weaknesses. They can also be customised by picking different attack forms. The first game lets you make your fighter either speed or power based, while The Last Blade 2 adds an EX option as well.

The difference between the three styles makes a remarkable impact on your strategy. It also looks beautiful and each new area is presented with a subtle cut scene beforehand to add atmosphere. The special moves are not massively flashy but it all keeps with the games ethos of balance and skill. Everything about the title(s) leaves you with the impression you have just played something destined to be a classic.


Garou: Mark of the Wolves
This re-imagining of SNK's long running Fatal Fury series was developed to provide competition to Capcom's Street Fighter 3. Perhaps surprisingly, it almost manages to match Ryu and friends. The action is fast, tense and fluid and each of the characters has a real personality of their own.

Mark of the Wolves is a distillation of all the good points of the Fatal Fury series over the years and also throws in some wonderful tactical features. For instance, blocking at exactly the right time creates the chance to parry your opponent's attacks for big damage. Also, a new T.O.P bar is placed on your characters health meter. When you drop into the bar it allows for a new technique to be used.

As a reinvention of a franchise it is hard to think how a better job could have been done. From a slightly ageing and creaky bunch of titles a vibrant, skill based and flair filled fighter has emerged that really does deserve all the credit it gets.

The King of the Fighters

The proverbial SNK team based cash cow. Ever since the first title way back in 1994 a new game has appeared almost yearly. While none of the games are bad, the real cream of the crop appeared between 1996 and 2000. After that, the focus seemed to be more on making things look flashy in 3D, though King of the Fighters XIII is excellent.

For those that don't know, the King of the Fighters titles allow you to pick a team of SNK's finest from various games and take on other teams. When one player is knocked out the next in line joins the battle. Certain versions of the game also introduce a fourth striker character that can be called upon to use a sneaky special move a limited number of times.

Considering the amount of fighters on offer the game remains remarkably balanced. It also requires players to learn many more moves and strategies than they would normally as you need to be handy with a number of different characters to succeed. A few minor balancing issues aside the series always remains fun and highly enjoyable.