While many of the titles included are overhead or side-scrolling shooters, there’s also the classic NES RPG Crystalis and the arcade/Sega Genesis brawler Street Smart that really showcase what an eclectic driving force for creation SNK has been through its lifespan. Much like with other anthologies such as the Capcom Beat’em Up Bundle and the Disney Afternoon Collection your enjoyment of the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection will depend on a combination of nostalgia and a passion for challenging or retro games. Whoever was in charge of collecting all the archival history did a great job of being thorough. They take a look at several titles not included (at least initially) in the collection and even delve into Tanagram Q, a “lost” title that was conceptualized and never made it to market. Players will have a chance to check out concept art, arcade cabinets, instructional manuals, and other promotional materials from the company’s long and storied history. It’s an interesting option that I haven’t seen in a compendium before, and considering how much people are into livestreams and let’s plays I wouldn’t be surprised to see this be a more common feature for collections like this in the future.Īs one would hope, SNK’s 40th Anniversary Collection also delves deep into the company’s long history. The little thingsįor players having serious problems getting through a title, or just looking to give their hands a rest, the game also features a “Watch” mode that runs through a game for you. While all the games are on free mode and have endless continues, dying in most titles does reset power-ups or weapons, so there’s a practical reason for players trying to stay maxed out to use it. It makes sense considering that most of these games were designed to quarter eaters, titles that were tough as nails that could be beaten with the right set of skills, but would mostly end with people clunking down 25 cent piece after 25 cent piece in order to make it to the next level. What’s especially great about this is that while the two versions of a title may be extremely similar, they both have enough distinct features to offer up a different play experience and give the more hardcore fans an easy way to compare and contrast arcade and home game design.Īlong with alternate versions of a handful of titles, the Anniversary Collection also features the rewind the function that seems to have become a standard for classic anthologies like this one. This essentially means that hefty a chunk of the 13 included titles is a two for one deal. A few of the titles only made it to arcades or to home consoles like the NES, but whenever possible SNK has included both the arcade and home console versions of their titles, or in the case of international releases the Japanese and US versions. SNK’s Anniversary Collection contains 13 titles including all three Ikari Warriors titles, TNK III, and Crystalis, as well as a few of my personal favorites like P.O.W. Now, on the cusp of their 40 years of operation, the team has put together The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection to shine a light on some select titles that help shape the company’s early years. During this time they made a ton of popular and challenging titles for arcades and home consoles. In fact, the company has about 13 years of history before they made their own console. However, the plucky Japanese company has been around and making video games long before the first Neo Geo ever even came to market. It’s not horribly surprising that SNK is mostly associated with the Neo Geo and its catalog of arcade and home titles.
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