SNK revisits well, returns with 16-game compilation for PS2, PSP [Joystiq]

[DP ServBot]

Filed under: Arcade, Sony PlayStation 2, Action, Adventure, Fighting, Sports

We honestly believe that when it comes to SNK, they believe that nostalgia is job one. Why else would the company continue to keep one foot rooted in the past by re-releasing countless compilations of old releases in lieu of anything truly new? Not that there is anything wrong with that. The company has forgotten more about making fun games than most newcomers will ever know, polygons or not.

On that note, SNK's latest trip back in time comes care of an impressive collection of 16 different SNK faves, which skirt across the surface of the company's storied history like flat stone. Set for release for both the PlayStation 2 and PSP sometime during the first half of this year, the not-so-creatively dubbed SNK Arcade Classics: Volume 1 will include a bevy of early-gen fighters, such as the first World Heroes, Art of Fighting, and Samurai Shodown titles, as well as Fatal Fury, King of the Monsters, and King of Fighters '94. Beyond fighting games, however, SNK has put together a rather eclectic mix from other genres, with action titles like Top Hunter, Last Resort, Shock Troopers, Sengoku, and Burning Fight, as well as sports entries Baseball Stars 2, Neo Turf Masters, and Super Sidekicks 3. And of course, where would any SNK tribute be without the original Metal Slug and Magician Lord? Nowhere, that's where, so it's a good thing it includes those as well.

Not a bad salvo for the first volume, which has us already wondering what games should make the cut for what we hope will be a second collection soon to follow. What SNK greats would you like to see make a return?

[Via press release]

Permalink | Email this | Comments


</img> </img>


More...

[kaedesdisciple]

Shock Troopers = sold to me.

[Jorpho]

How exactly do you think these compilations are made? Reworked from the original source code? Emulated using something programmed in-house? Or emulated using a licensed copy of something otherwise freely available for PCs?

[swlovinist]

I know that this will probably not get a budget release, but sign me up.

[Dreamc@sting]

Just read this yesterday, another reason for me to not leave my television

[roushimsx]

Emulated using something programmed in-house?

I know some companies are fond of farming out emulation tasks to Digital Eclipse and the like, but I don't think SNK does for most of their NeoGeo packs. At least, I'm under the impression that they do almost all of their neo geo emulation in house. Though they had Terminal Reality do the Metal Slug pack, and they were caught red handed using bootleg dumps in the PSP version.Hamster likes jacking MAME code, does a shitty job of porting it, and doesn't even try to hide it.

[Xexyz]

Do we know which branch of SNKP is developing this? If it's their Japanese branch (which handles all the fighting series compilations), then they'll probably be doing the coding/emulating themselves. If it's their USA branch, who was responsible for Metal Slug Anthology, then expect it to be farmed out to another party, and another possibility of input lag...

[Trebuken]

Has Viewpoint ever been released on another platform?

[7th lutz]

Has Viewpoint ever been released on another platform?

Yep. Viewpoint was released on the Snes, Genesis, and ps 1.

[Steven]

Sweet, I'm also looking forward to World Heroes Anthology

Wonder if that will be budget or not. If not, I'll gladly spend $50 for it -- only "current gen" release that I would do so for.

[Overbite]

Wait, didn't they already release Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury in complilation packs? Why do we need those again?

And they're bringing out a Samurai Shodown pack too so we don't need the first one in this.

[RadiantSvgun]

When are we going to see Savage Reign, Super Tag Battle, and Aggressors of Dark Kombat? I know Fu'un Super Combo is out in Japan, are we going to see that here?

[RASTAN]

Shock Troopers = sold to me.

Ditto.

If this is true I might then seriously get rid of my 2-Slot like I had been planning on (but that fell through for a number of reasons), as I simply cannot part with my arcade MVS because of this game, part II and NAM-1975 alone. Of course, I didn't see Shock Troopers 2 mentioned nor pre Neo-Geo stuff like IKARI 1-3, Guevara / Guerrilla War, Time Soldiers, and P.O.W. If that was on like a volume three I'd piss the elixir of life and gladly be a wanted man from those needing eternal youth. Still though, I'm damn glad to see SNKP actually bringing out the titles of games that have long deserved to be played on more current consoles.

[kainemaxwell]

Nice assortment of games, I'm sold! Hopefully the price will be a sweet $19.99.

[DigitalSpace]

Nice to hear of another PS2 classic compilation. Excellent selection too! I'll probably get this at some point.

[jcalder8]

I'll pick this one up for sure since I've never spent much time with any SNK games, of course the price will indicate how quickly I pick it up.

Edit: woot woot 1000 posts, only took 2 years

[Trebuken]

Yep. Viewpoint was released on the Snes, Genesis, and ps 1.

Cool, but no modern compilations?

Any version superior to the original?

[snes_collector]

Wait, didn't they already release Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury in complilation packs? Why do we need those again?

And they're bringing out a Samurai Shodown pack too so we don't need the first one in this.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Can't complain I suppose...

[RadiantSvgun]

I'd piss the elixir of life and gladly be a wanted man from those needing eternal youth.

Thats great.

I thought I was a SNK fan, but damn...

[Damaramu]

Nice assortment of games, I'm sold! Hopefully the price will be a sweet $19.99.

I am hoping Amazon will have it for $14.99 like the other SNK comps of late. Foiled again, Gamestop markups!