Today I'm starting new seires about how the PS2 is actually many, MANY systems in 1 and I'll cover the games that make the PS2 the only console equelevent to a swiss army knife.

For the 12 people that don't know (actually there are a ton of people who know nothing of the Neo Geo) The Neo Geo was the first real arcade Hardware to have a home system. The ST-V and Naomi, The Sony ZN line, System 246 there wouldn't be those with out the Neo Geo. Now we get arcade quality games.....as digital downloads. But those who wanted to bring the arcade home had to sacrifice something. A few frames of animation, maybe a whole stage or bonus round.

The Neo Geo changed this but it came at a premium games were upwords of $200 or more

SNK later sought to fix this by releasing the Neo Geo CD However load times made own this alot more harsher.

The Saturn was a good alternative and later the Dreamcast for those needing an SNK fix.

However The PS2 not a sega system would ultimately be the best bet for SNK fans. Sure the Wii has Neo Geo on VC but the Wii is also the dumbest system ever conceived.

Almost every major SNK game would see release on PS2 and an arcade stick made to look like like the Neo Geo AES (the Home System while the MVS was the arcade) stick was released in a few varients.

Today I'm going to have a look at all the games I have in SNK's line up. I'm actually to my knowledge Only missing 2 or 3 games.



KING OF FIGHTERS

Every KOF can be had on PS2 so why isn't 2002/2003 and Neowave here? Simple, I have them on XBOX. Also KOF 2000 and 2001 were released on PS2 back in I belive 2002 or 2003. I don't have 94 rebout because it's hard to find. I DO have 94 though but we'll cover that disc alone.

Starting things off we have KOF Orochi. Arcade perfect through and through. You can change the language in game a huge plus The Menu is this honeycomb thingy that's consistent with most of these collections. The thing about early KOFs (94-96) is how brutally difficult they are. The AI in these are horridly cheap. 97 fixes alot of that However cool characters in 95 and 96 (Eiji, Vice, Mature the boss team) are missing in 97. The Arrange soundtracks and custom colors are also a huge draw to justify getting these collections over say MAME Roms. Another draw over MAME is bosses are playable without codes or hacks.

Released next was KOF NESTS of all the SNK collections on PS2 this has the most games in it. You get ports of the Dreamcast versions of 99,2000 and 2001. 2001 also has a brand new Arrange soundtrack. BUT there's more. While these ports don't have language options to play in English You get perfect Roms of 99-2001 however arrange soundtracks don't play in them. Still you can play those in English.

Skipping ahead we have Novembers KOF XI Great roster yes but good game? NO
arcade version doesn't even have MAI she returns here but its just a rip from another game. No new story added either for the Extras. It's also a horribly broken Fighter and MUKAI is the cheapest boss EVAR. But Eiji is bact from 95 The Next PS2 SNK game Obsoletes XI. (which was not on the Neo btw It was on one of the many followers the Atomiswave)

Next Up we have KOF 98 Released just last week in Japan (it'll come sometime before Jesus' return in the US) The Bosses from the Orochi saga are unlockable. Added to the Roster right off the Bat is Eiji Kisaragi (FINALLY!), Kasumi Tudoh and the 96 boss team of Geese, Krauser and Mr Big. AWESOME as if that isn't enough there are other modes and you can play an arcade perfect version of the Neo Geo version of 98.
New music and backgrounds are also here.

Garou dantetsu aka Fatal Fury

Fatal Fury is probably The Most Famous of SNK series Terry is an icon and you can even buy his hat.

Battle Archives VOL 1 pretty much has all the Features NESTS and OROCHI had. Arrange soundtracks ect. Everything is cover HOWEVER you need boss codes to play as bosses in Fatal Fury 3 and you can't play as Ryo in Fatal Fury Special either if you can I dont know how (seems you also need a code I just checked)

VOL 2 Same Deal again. There are unlockables again but they aren't big ones and some previously unplayable characters are now playable.

GAROU! YES Garou was released in Japan New menu but that's it same great game Graphics were cleaned up a little too. No English though I would also say it's far superior to the Dreamcast rush job.

Last Blade

GREAT Collection. Again same honeycomb Menu as battle archives and the KOFs all the same features BUT it's Last Blade. A few things are missing from the Dreamcast version or 2 like 1 button supers a gallery mode and Hunafunda game. But all in all for a 2 game collection you couldn't have a better 2 game collection.

World Heroes

After Nests probably my fave. More new features added to the existing games. The Games them selves were covered elsewhere on my blog. But fan or no GET THIS.

Metal Slug

Ingame load times aside arcade perfect with unlockable galleries and stuff Plus Metal Slug 6 which would be worth the price in and of it self. These are some of the most fun and humorous games of the run and gun genre you'll ever play. BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT


Art of Fighting

BLEH moving on

Arcade Classics Vol 1

16 games with achivements (cool idea) and Neo Turf masters is the most amazing golf game ever and the music sounds like something out of Metal Slug. Shmup fans have last Resort. Plus fighting heaven with KOF 94, and Sam Shodown. Some games are rehashed from other collections but are somehow better here. Shock Troopers is great too. Must buy HOWEVER there are no arrange soundtracks.

Showdown Tenka and NGBC

NGBC would be even more awesome if it was SVC Chaos 2 like it was planned to be. Shodown Tenka great but marred by a Cheap final boss. BUT ALL 2d Shodown characters are playable. So No Shiki and Asura (who ARE in NGBC)

Alright so there you has it. A look at the PS2 as a NEO GEO.

NEXT TIME: Sega PS2