SNK has released a number of Neo Geo Pocket Color games on the Switch recently, and now have a released a 10 in 1 collection of both previously released and new ports for the system. SNK is no stranger to collections, having released the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection and Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection, and those compilations had a lot to offer. How does the Neo Get Pocket Color Selections Vol 1 release hold up?
In addition to the previously released titles, there are four new titles included here. Dark Arms Beast Buster, Big Tournament Golf, Metal Slug 1st Mission and Metal Slug 2nd Mission. Since I have previously reviewed the other games, I will focus on the new games and what the collection offers. For those curious, here are our reviews of Samurai Shodown! 2, King of Fighters R-2, SNK Gal Fighters, The Last Blade: Beyond The Destiny, Fatal Fury First Contact and SNK vs Capcom Match of the Millennium.
The games have a variety of options you can choose from, such as the Japanese or English text and a look at the box art and manuals that can be adjusted for region. You can also simulate the games on the various Neo Geo Pocket systems, such as playing in Black and White on the original Neo Geo Pocket and playing on the New Neo Geo Pocket Color. The various modes and functions are neat and I have to say that while there is no dedicated museum mode, the collection does have interesting things to look at for those curious about the history of the games
Metal Slug 1st Mission
Metal Slug 1st Mission is a great portable take on the run ‘n gun series that takes what made the games work and made some interesting adjustments. The game is full of solid action with good fun, and the basic gameplay is familiar enough. There are some control issues though as there is a dedicated jump button but both weapons use the attack button. To switch between the two, you must hit options (plus button) in order to switch between guns and grenades. This takes a few minutes at first to get used to, and I will admit that it does cause some issues when you are in a tight moment and forget to switch.
The vehicle based segments are handled differently than the Neo Geo games, instead being dedicated parts of the level where you automatically get in and only leave after that section is over. It is a nice change of pace and the levels take on a nice variety of styles this way. In both the vehicle and on foot sections, you have a life meter which was only introduced in the main series in the sixth entry for the Ikari Warriors guests, while being present in other handheld entries.
I was very impressed with my time playing the game, and noticed some very neat parallax scrolling, which was new to the system at the time. Fans of Metal Slug should definitely be excited to play this as it is a very unique take on the series.
Metal Slug 2nd Mission
I am going to be honest here and say that Metal Slug 2nd Mission is mostly more of the same from the first game. There are some changes here and there and some really do improve the quality of the game, but everything major is the same. The differences include that you no longer need to toggle between grenades and guns using the options/plus button, and instead just use the button to throw your grenades. This may seem like a small change, but it makes a huge difference when you are in a tight area.
Another change is that voice clips have now been added for when you pick up powerups and items. It seems basic but it does help the presentation value. Otherwise, the game is very similar to 1st Mission, just with a new story and stages. The vehicle sections are a lot more creative this time, including shmup sections and overall I enjoyed this game a lot more than the first one. Both are great however and are must plays for any Metal Slug fan.
Dark Arms: Beast Buster
This is a very surprising game when you learn the history behind it. This horror/action/RPG is done in an overhead run ‘n gun style and seems to be all ages friendly, but is a spinoff of Beast Busters. For those unfamiliar, Beast Busters is a horror themed light gun game on the Neo Geo and is one of the goriest games SNK released for the arcade prior to the Neo Geo (though there was a sequel on the Hyper Neo Geo 64 a couple of years before Dark Arms released). This is a very different take on the game obviously, but Dark Arms: Beast Buster is one of the most creative spinoffs SNK could have done.
You cannot go running around shooting everything you see and expect to survive, and instead you need to be defensive at first. Defeating enemies will drain their souls into your weapon and you can gradually upgrade as the game goes on. You can gain new weapons as well, and they are often better weapons, but you need to use your main weapon to take the enemy’s life force. You will interact with various characters as well, and they will point you where to go and give you missions, since this is at least partly an RPG game after all.
One of the better parts of the game is the day and night system, where some enemies will attack during the day and different ones at night. This is not the only part of the day and night system though, as certain areas are themselves only available either during the day or night. There are objectives you will have such as recovering items, solving puzzles and more, and I have found this to be a very accessible title with a nice touch of horror.
There is some great music here as well, which fits the game perfectly. In fact, everything about the presentation makes Dark Arms stand out. This is very much worth playing and again makes the collection tempting for anyone.
Big Tournament Golf
Big Tournament Golf is the name Neo Turf Masters goes by in other regions, if you were wondering what this game is. It is a brilliant conversion of the arcade game with creative liberties taken. The game now uses a great chibi art style instead of the arcade game’s visuals and it’s absolutely great.
The game has its own set of characters each with their own stats, complete with names such as young hero and technician. Obviously the presentation is less realistic than in the arcade game, but the gameplay is still amazing. There are three different modes, including Stroke Play, handicap and Triple Crown, and there are three different courses that have a nice amount of variety.
Big Tournament Golf is very easy to access and learn and retains the charm of the arcade game in this portable form. This is the ideal conversion SNK could have done and there are hours of fun you will have with this. The visuals as mentioned, are great, and the music is excellent as well. I spent quite a bit of time just playing the different characters and never got bored.
There are also a number of options you can choose to change up the game, like an auto-power option and various gameplay tweaks. I loved the arcade game and I love this version, which is easily one of the best golf games for any portable system.
Emulation
The Neo Geo Pocket Color ports to Switch, have been emulated perfectly in all the games, and the emulator also includes some nice additions as well. Almost every aspect of the Neo Geo Pocket Color was replicated, including the options for a system set up if you want, and a Neo Geo Pocket Color appears on screen for you to play the game on. When playing on the New Neo Geo Pocket Color or the Neo Geo Pocket, those are shown instead. You can adjust the controls as you want, adjust display options, and there is even a rewind function included. In addition, there are a variety of skins for the on-screen Neo Geo Pocket Color in the form of the various different models of the system. The manual for each game is also digitally replicated here and that is a nice touch. If you feel the screen is too small, you can also enlarge the image or zoom in to see better.
Final Thoughts
Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 has four amazing games that are newly re-released, and six excellent fighting games. If you have not yet purchased any of the games previously available, then even at the asking price of $40 the collection is very much worth getting. The excellent emulation and great games available make this a must have for any Neo Geo fan. However, if you already own the previously released fighting games, you may have to ask yourself how willing you are to double dip to get the four new games which are not available individually. The four games are extremely high quality, and being games other than the fighting genre is a plus, but that may not be enough to get you to buy the whole collection for them.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
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