Favour O. Jonathan

While many consoles were marketed on the premise of bringing the arcade experience into the home, SNK’s Neo Geo was the first console to truly deliver on the promise. The Neo Geo hardware initially launched in arcades as the “MVS” (Multi Video System). The subsequent home version was known as the AES (Advanced Entertainment System) and had the same raw specs as its arcade counterpart. Its cartridges were the size of arcade boards, and the console shipped with high-end joysticks. Fighting games were dominating the arcade scene when the Neo Geo hit store shelves, and this was reflected by its library. SNK developed most of the Neo Geo games themselves and their wasn’t much in the name of variety, but the console was never expected to reach beyond its niche market status. It launched exclusively as a rental console (called Neo Geo Rental System), but there was enough demand to convince SNK to release the system as a luxury console. At $650 (in 1990!), the Neo Geo stands as the most expensive console ever released. There are several reasons why I’m acknowledging Blazing Star as the best shoot ’em up on the Neo Geo. First and foremost, the option to play the game with a friend automatically puts it ahead of many games in the genre. At any time during the game, a second player can join in on the action. I also appreciate how players are free to choose from a variety of different ships. Each of the game’s six ships features its own weapons; and the option to change ships after continuing makes it easy for players to experiment. Blazing Star isn’t nearly as “unfair” as many shooters are. Players start right where they left after they die and aren’t forced to repeat sections they’ve already played through. With that being said, the game is still exceedingly difficult. The screen is often filled with dozens of enemy ships and hundreds of bullets. A lot of people prefer traditional hand-drawn sprites over pre-rendered graphics, but it’s hard not to be impressed with how the game looks. The action in Blazing Star is downright incredible. Bizarre boss encounters and poorly-translated text only serve to make the game even more charming. Its a recurring trend on this list, but Spinmaster is yet another hidden gem on the Neo Geo. The game’s overall style was heavily inspired by Data East’s own Joe & Mac series, but it never saw the same level of success. Spinmaster combines traditional platforming gameplay with “run and gun” elements. The game uses a comical art style and the characters have an undeniable charm. Instead of blasting enemies away with guns, players knock them out with yo-yos. (There are many weapon upgrades available, however, and players can also expect to find ninja stars, boxing gloves, bombs, fireballs, and killer icicles in the game.) In typical platforming fashion, players can also opt to kill their enemies by jumping on their heads. Spinmaster is a fairly short game, but each level takes players to a new environment. Whether you’re riding through a pyramid on a mine cart or rowing down a river in a wooden boat, each stage offers something new. Spinmaster can be pretty relentless and the number of enemies to deal with can get pretty ridiculous. Thankfully, the controls are perfect and the game actually becomes more fun to play as the difficulty increases. It likely goes without saying, but the game is most fun when played with a second player. When most people think of comical side-scrolling action games on the Neo Geo, they think Metal Slug. Rest assured, many of the things that made the Metal Slug games so appealing can also be seen in Spinmaster. As its name suggests, SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos is a crossover fighting game that features both SNK and Capcom characters. Capcom had previously developed their own crossover games (Capcom vs. SNK), but SVC Chaos was SNK’s take on the rivalry. SVC Chaos uses the same basic four-button configuration that most SNK fighting games do, but several new techniques were introduced in the game. The new “Front Grand Step” allows players to leap toward their opponent and cancel into a basic attack while a new multi-leveled Power Gauge gives players more freedom to cancel their maneuvers. SVC Chaos features a roster of 36 characters taken from various SNK and Capcom franchises. On the SNK side, Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Samurai Shodown, King of Fighters, Metal Slug, and Athena are represented. The Capcom side includes characters from Darkstalkers, Red Earth, Mega Man X, and Ghosts ‘n Goblins. Nearly three quarters of the Capcom characters were lifted from the Street Fighter series, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Neo Geo was basically synonymous with 2D fighting games, but the console completely missed out on the most acclaimed 2D fighting series of all time. The inclusion of so many Street Fighter characters in the game was appropriate. The Neo Geo was almost 14-years-old when SVC Chaos hit store shelves, so the fact that the game was even released at all is pretty extraordinary. Windjammers could almost be described as a glorified version of Pong. The gameplay consists of two opposing players throwing flying discs back and forth in an attempt to hit designated targets. The physics in the game have a distinct “air hockey” feel, and the flying discs bounce off walls in a predictable manner. The game features six different courts of different sizes, and each has their own scoring zones. Certain stages have additional barriers added to them which force players to rebound the discs at unusual angles. Windjammers is a fast-paced game that requires quick reflexes. Players are encouraged to release the disc immediately after catching it in order to increase the velocity. In addition, players have various special moves at their disposal which can be accessed by performing Street Fighter-esque motions on the joystick. There’s no better way to surprise your opponent than by setting the disc ablaze. The game’s simple premise makes it easy for anyone to jump into, while the advanced techniques make it a great game for veterans. Unfortunately, Windjammers is another one of those titles that went largely unnoticed by most gamers. It’s certainly not the most complex game on the Neo Geo, but the fast-paced gameplay makes Windjammers enjoyable from the get-go. An atmospheric weapon-based 2D fighting game set in 18th century Japan, Samurai Shodown II is the best in its series and one of SNK’s greatest accomplishments. Instead of simply modifying the classic Street Fighter II formula, SNK created an entirely new fighting system for the Samurai Shodown series. At its core, Samurai Shodown is all about timing and technique. A single well-timed button press can take off more than half an opponent’s energy. This makes anticipating your opponents next move an essential skill. You’ll also have the ability to disarm your opponents or unleash violent finishing moves. Samurai Shodown also introduced a number of quirky mechanics to the genre – including animal sidekicks that periodically join the battle, and delivery men that randomly throw items onto the field. Samurai Shodown II was among the most stunning fighting game of its era and was notable for its large characters, vibrant backgrounds, and a dynamic camera that zooms out as the characters get farther away from each other. The music was also memorable, and the use of traditional Japanese instruments added to the incredible atmosphere. There were a lot of uninspired fighting games released in the mid 1990s, but Samurai Shodown II was not one of them.