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[firenze]

Probably been asked before but which is better The Last Blade or The Last Blade 2? I already got my GOAT (SamSho 2) but I'm looking to broaden my library a little bit.

They're both so good, but I actually prefer the original. Mainly for aesthetic reasons, because I love the stage backgrounds (one per character, with 14 characters + 1 variant stage = 15 total) and stage intros. Plus, I might have some bias from LB1 being overwhelming when I saw it for the first time, and LB2 losing some of that wow factor since it was somewhat more of the same.

LB2 has more characters, but significantly less stages since they aren't tied to character. 10 total stages, and aside from the iconic burning building stage I feel like they have less personality than the original's. There were also some mechanics tweaks/improvements to the speed/power modes (and new combined EX mode), which might matter somewhat for extremely high end competitive play. But honestly, that's probably not what most people are doing with a Switch port without online play.

Also, Samurai Shodown 5 Special coming soon... don't skip it! Totally redeems the shaky SamSho5, and really puts it up there with SS2 and the Last Blades as the top weapons-based fighters for the system. I think this interview nails some of it (in particular, Watakun's answers to the last few questions). Has that uniquely SamSho feel that is focused on short and deadly rounds, footsies, and strong normals - much like the aspects most people enjoy about SS2.

 

[firenze]

KOF 2003 was released for Switch today! Nice to see, since it hasn't received a ton of ports, and $7.99 is certainly a fair price.

However, the definitive version of the game is really the PS2/Xbox port (which also made it as a downloadable PSN game for PS3 in Japan only). That version included both a fantastic port of the standard Neo Geo version, as well as console exclusive remade 3D backgrounds and a good arranged soundtrack. Plus unlockable boss/extra characters. One of the very few instances of a Neo Geo fighter having a truly superior port to consoles - it really feels like the PS2 version was the true vision the developers wanted, but couldn't achieve on the Neo. They were just at the limits of the nearly decade and a half old Neo Geo hardware at the point this game came out, but that's perfectly understandable.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Baseball Stars is obviously a typo, since that game was already released on Switch in May 2018. It's gotta be Baseball Stars 2.

These announcements were actually rather predictable - as I noted two months ago (when Ultimate 11 had already been announced):


I doubt there are any more Neo Geo games currently in the pipeline, based on this group finishing up all of the games that Hamster may realistically have had an opportunity to license. Obviously that could change if they acquire some new licenses. Most notable potential licensors include:

- Visco: By far the biggest Neo Geo publisher whose games have not appeared in the ACA Neo Geo series. The company appears to still have been active in licensing their IP relatively recently, so perhaps there's a chance. They were responsible for 12 Neo Geo games: Andro Dunos, Battle Flip Shot, Breakers, Breakers Revenge, Captain Tomaday, Ganryu, Goal! Goal! Goal!, Neo Drift Out, Neo Mr. Do!, Pop'n Bounce. Also Puzzle de Pon and Puzzle de Pon R, which are a bit odd in that they were developed by Visco but publised by Taito, so I'm not sure who has the licensing rights (though they don't seem to have been licensed by Taito/Square Enix along with the recent Hamster license acquisitions of Puzzle Bobble and Puzzle Bobble 2)

- Technos (via Arc System Works, who currently holds most of the former Technos IP): Double Dragon, Super Dodgeball, Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer

- Hudson Soft (currently part of Konami): two Bomberman games and Kabuki Klash (though Kabuki Klash/Tengai Makyou might have additional licensing concerns)

- Sega: not entirely clear, but they may hold the license rights to Viewpoint (Sammy) and Matrimelee (via a complicated web of licensing, but perhaps Sega obtained rights via Atlus)

Every other official release on Neo Geo MVS hardware that hasn't shown up on ACA Neo Geo falls into the following categories:
- Publishers with only 1 Neo Geo game (and generally fairly obscure stuff - Fight Fever, Pochi & Nyaa, Tecmo World Soccer '96, Legend of Success Joe, Rage of the Dragons, Nightmare in the Dark),
- Incredibly niche games with zero international appeal and localization concerns (Japanese-only quiz, mahjong, or shogi games)
- Weird hardware (mahjong controller games, The Irritating Maze)
- Obvious major licensing issues that seem unlikely to be resolved: Windjammers (Dotemu currently has the license, previous non-Dotemu releases were removed from digital storefronts), SvC Chaos (Capcom), Eightman (likely expensive and complicated to license from the manga/anime IP holders)

Quoting this post for a new page. Great information.

I'll say it again: I'm hoping for Neo Drift Out: New Technology to come out in some form, some day.

 

[Scopa]

BASEBALL STARS 2

Finally!

 

[davidgilmour]

So, that was it? The end?

 

[slangman]

Samurai Shodown V Special to come next , as was last game announced. Maybe this week? Nothing else after that. I assume ACA Neo Geo is all dried up now, outside of 3rd party games and Ironclad.

 

[firenze]

Samurai Shodown V announced for this week, April 18. If SSVS is the end, it's kind of fitting for the series to go out with a bang with the last official SNK Neo Geo release - and one that SNK famously resisted porting for ages until very recently. It's also excellent, so anyone who doesn't have it in some other form should seriously give it a look.

Probably ends the series for the foreseeable future unless Hamster gets license rights from a new publisher (Visco would be nice!). My previous summary of the Neo Geo games that didn't make it to the series is here. If we're done, it was an awesome run. 108 Neo Geo games released, over the last 2 or so years, with a super consistent game-a-week weekly release schedule from Switch launch in March 2017 all the way to mid-January of this year before they started spacing out the releases a bit.

I'd also hold out some hope that perhaps in the future Hamster will make an emulator update to improve video options (scanlines WITHOUT forcing a soft filter, please!), and push out updates to all of these releases. Probably not super likely, but I can hope!

Samurai Shodown V Special to come next , as was last game announced. Maybe this week? Nothing else after that. I assume ACA Neo Geo is all dried up now, outside of 3rd party games and Ironclad.

I wouldn't bet on Ironclad appearing, but stranger things have happened. Even though Ironclad made it to Wii VC worldwide in a very weird turn of events, it's a Neo Geo CD game - and Hamster's MO is very much arcade-focused stuff. Would be cool to see though!

 

[davidgilmour]

And from now on, SNK will be taking over again themselves?

SNK Reveals Plans for NeoGeo 2 and NeoGeo 3, A New Metal Slug and How King Of Fighters XV Will Run on Unreal Engine 4

SNK revealed they will release 2 games a year starting 2020, pre-order sales for Samurai Shodown are going extremely well, and more.

www.dualshockers.com

 

[Yagami_Sama]

NeoGeo 2 and 3 ? Like, new consoles like the NeoGeo gold ?

I need to research about this.

 

[slangman]

I look forward to seeing SSV: Special. Hope its MUCH better than the vanilla version, as that one is quite terrible. Gutted this most likley will be the last ACA Neo Geo to look forward to. Would have loved Breakers Revenge, Matrimelee, RoTD, and Viewpoint.

I wouldn't bet on Ironclad appearing, but stranger things have happened. Even though Ironclad made it to Wii VC worldwide in a very weird turn of events, it's a Neo Geo CD game - and Hamster's MO is very much arcade-focused stuff. Would be cool to see though!

Actually, Ironclad on Wii VC was based of an MVC prototype/alpha release version and not the Neo Geo CD version.I mentioned that one, as it recently got a GOG release, but may not be possible for ACA Neo Geo release, as might be considered.. too unpure, in regards as a proper arcade release.

 

[davidgilmour]

I really hope that next to Metal Slug 7 , SNK will make Magician
Lord 2 and Baseball Stars 3

 

[firenze]

I look forward to seeing SSV: Special. Hope its MUCH better than the vanilla version, as that one is quite terrible. Gutted this most likley will be the last ACA Neo Geo to look forward to. Would have loved Breakers Revenge, Matrimelee, RoTD, and Viewpoint.

Oh, it is a LOT better than vanilla SSV. So much more polished and better feel of actually playing the game, better presentation (I adore the character select screen and character art), just a much improved experience. There's a reason it's still around getting regular play in Japanese arcades.

It's a shame ROTD never got any ports/re-releases. Great game, and the AES cart is the pride of my collection. I suspect the licensing is very difficult for this one, since as I understand it Evoga retained the rights... and then went out of business (RIP, wish they could have done more).

Breakers Revenge is one that feels like it might be possible, since Visco appears to still be licensing their stuff. I'm really hoping Hamster figures something out with them, would be great to get Visco's large Neo Geo catalog added to the ACA Neo Geo series! I really dig Ganryu, and I'm sure people would be happy to see the likes of Neo Drift Out and even Andro Dunos.

Matrimelee is also a weird one as far as license rights go. The whole Power Instinct series has always been a strange web of confusion, and I don't think this one is as simple as Sega (via Atlus) currently having the rights - Excite (yes, the 90s web portal) had ownership as far as I know, and released a slightly enhanced PS2 port of the game. But I could imagine this is one that would be very difficult to get in contact with the proper people to license for current distribution.

Viewpoint is a maybe? Should be under Sega's control now (via Sammy), so perhaps that's feasible. Sega hasn't tended to license their stuff out to others though, preferring to do their own releases through remakes/ports and their own Sega Ages series.

Actually, Ironclad on Wii VC was based of an MVC prototype/alpha release version and not the Neo Geo CD version.I mentioned that one, as it recently got a GOG release, but may not be possible for ACA Neo Geo release, as might be considered.. too unpure, in regards as a proper arcade release.

Oh wow, I never realized that was an arcade prototype! Strange! Was so weird to see it getting a widespread US release on Wii VC, and that's the only way I've ever even played the game. Would be cool to see, perhaps it could happen.

While we're on the topic of Neo CD exclusives that had MVS prototypes... I'd also love Crossed Swords II!

 

[firenze]

Well, well... it isn't coming via ACA Neo Geo, but BREAKERS and BREAKERS REVENGE are getting a console and PC release in 2020 courtesy of QUByte Interactive (same publisher that just released the Vasara Collection). Link to their Breakers Collection website.

Switch not officially announced, but given the Vasara situation and general desire for publishers to put retro stuff on Switch, I'd assume that's a safe bet. Between this and Vasara, it also seems that QUByte has some Visco licenses... so perhaps more Visco stuff to come (Neo Drift Out, Ganryu, Andro Dunos, etc...)