At the moment, Xbox-owning SNK fans are limited to only a couple of games on their console: Metal Slug 3 and SVC Chaos, the revived Neo Geo company's answer to Capcom vs. SNK 1 and 2. That's all set to change with the rather exciting news that there are no less than four beat-em-ups from the 2D masters coming to Xbox, and PS2 too.
First up - chronologically speaking - is King Of Fighters '94 Re-bout, a conversion of a well-loved, vintage version of the long-running series. Running at a higher resolution than before, the game will look better than ever. The backgrounds have been updated to 3D, but fear not, purists, for there's an option to play with the original 2D backgrounds too. There's even a couple of extra characters thrown in for good measure.
For those who want a more recent version of the KoF series, you can get two for the price of one! KoF 02 and 03, released separately in Japan, will be available together on one disc. It's also been announced that SNK Playmore's new arcade game, KoF Neowave, will be coming to both consoles, and will also feature online play.
Got that? Three (well, four really) versions of KoF coming to a console you're pretty likely to have. But there's more! We are also getting a release of what they are calling Samurai Showdown V for our benefit, but has been announced in Japan as Samurai Spirits Zero. This will feature 20 of your favourite sword-wielding slashers, plus four brand new characters, and will be the first game in the series for seven years.
It's time to dust off those arcade sticks and get involved in an upcoming mini-era of fighting joy!
First up - chronologically speaking - is King Of Fighters '94 Re-bout, a conversion of a well-loved, vintage version of the long-running series. Running at a higher resolution than before, the game will look better than ever. The backgrounds have been updated to 3D, but fear not, purists, for there's an option to play with the original 2D backgrounds too. There's even a couple of extra characters thrown in for good measure.
For those who want a more recent version of the KoF series, you can get two for the price of one! KoF 02 and 03, released separately in Japan, will be available together on one disc. It's also been announced that SNK Playmore's new arcade game, KoF Neowave, will be coming to both consoles, and will also feature online play.
Got that? Three (well, four really) versions of KoF coming to a console you're pretty likely to have. But there's more! We are also getting a release of what they are calling Samurai Showdown V for our benefit, but has been announced in Japan as Samurai Spirits Zero. This will feature 20 of your favourite sword-wielding slashers, plus four brand new characters, and will be the first game in the series for seven years.
It's time to dust off those arcade sticks and get involved in an upcoming mini-era of fighting joy!
Companies:
SNK Playmore
Games: Samurai Shodown V The King of Fighters '94 Rebout The King of Fighters 2002 & 2003 The King of Fighters 2003 The King of Fighters NeoWave
Games: Samurai Shodown V The King of Fighters '94 Rebout The King of Fighters 2002 & 2003 The King of Fighters 2003 The King of Fighters NeoWave
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Comments
NiktheGreek 19 May 2005 17:32
1/1
Some brilliant games there and I'll probably buy at least one of them, but it does highlight the creative crisis SNK Playmore is facing right now. It is becoming too reliant on well-established IP (King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown and Metal Slug) and re-releases of games within those series. For example, also showcased at E3 is the re-release of the original Metal Slug on GBA and the Metal Slug 4/5 double pack for PS2 and Xbox. Even "new" titles such as King of Fighters Neowave and Neo Geo Battle Colliseum are "dream matches" and reuse of old characters.
What the company needs to do is focus on extending those brands (which to be fair, it is doing with King of Fighters XI and the new Samurai Spirits game, both on Atomiswave) as well as building new key franchises and perhaps even reviving old ones such as Cool Cool Toon. Part of what made SNK was the classic characters and brands we love, but part of it was the curious new directions they often took.
What the company needs to do is focus on extending those brands (which to be fair, it is doing with King of Fighters XI and the new Samurai Spirits game, both on Atomiswave) as well as building new key franchises and perhaps even reviving old ones such as Cool Cool Toon. Part of what made SNK was the classic characters and brands we love, but part of it was the curious new directions they often took.