The Neo Geo was home to many fighting games and while the well-known ones were from SNK themselves, there were other fighting games that deserve attention as well. Breakers and its update Breakers Revenge were two Neo Geo fighters from Visco that have gained a following in recent years and now QUByte Interactive has brought the games back in a new collection. Given that some recent re-releases of classic fighting games have not launched well, there was some concern here, but it is pleasing to say that those fears are unfounded when it comes to Breakers Collection.
Both games are well preserved here and the emulation is excellent, with the games feeling accurate to the original releases. Breakers is a game that plays very akin to the Street Fighter series but in the SNK style, which makes for a very unique experience. As mentioned above, Breakers Revenge is an update to Breakers that rebalances the game, makes the final boss playable and adds in one new character, and actually feels very different as a result. Both versions are worth trying out but there are some things to note in the collection.
Breakers does not have a training mode at this time, while Breakers Revenge does. This is a little annoying but the training mode in Breakers Revenge works well. What is more notable in both games is the addition of a Team Battle mode that can be done in 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 like in the King of Fighters series. These Team Battle modes actually work very well and feel completely natural in the game, and not something that is awkwardly tacked on.
Both games also have a very good online mode added with multiple options, and one thing that is good to note is the inclusion of both rollback netcode and crossplay. Crossplay across all systems is available right away and there are no real issues when playing players on different systems. The rollback netcode is also implemented perfectly here and the online plays like a dream come true, showing just how well-polished this is.
But how is each game on its own? Breakers is a game that may take some getting used to as there is a bit of roughness at first. As mentioned, this plays far closer to the Street Fighter series but uses the Neo Geo style and four-button controls. This may cause some disconnect at first but once you adjust, the game is actually very easy to get into.
The roster is not that large, but remember that this was a debut fighting game released in the ‘90s and as such, a large roster was not needed yet. The characters all feel great to use though, and the gameplay can be picked up with ease. The combo system works well and every hit feels satisfying with every character feeling unique, even if not every stage feels great.
Breakers Revenge was an update and is very much the superior game. With the final boss now playable and a new character added, the roster got a needed expansion, but what is more important was the character rebalance that removed the rough patches of the first game. The gameplay feels much tighter now and is even easier to pick up, and the inclusion of a training mode here, really lets you see just how well each character is to control.
In addition to the games, there is background information, an interview with the original creators and more included, to give more context and understanding of Breakers for newcomers. While it is not on the level of a Capcom Museum addition in one of that company’s games, it is a very welcome edition here and offers more to players. As well, there are a number of options to choose from such as screen filters, sound options, a music library and more, all of which give the collection the feeling of a complete package.
QUByte Interactive went above and beyond when creating this collection and while the many delays had many worried, the excellent quality of Breakers Collection ultimately proved the developer knew what it was doing. This is how you port a classic fighting game ( or two) and the work done on it is commendable. Breakers Collection is extremely easy to recommend and any fighting game fan or fan of Neo Geo games should definitely check this out.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
Available on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch