ROG Retro: The Nine Best Neo Geo Games

The Neo Geo had some amazing experiences and brought arcade perfect gameplay to the home. Today I want to take a look at the nine best games on the system that stand out today. Lets get started.

Neo Turf Masters

Lets starts out with a game that is beloved by many, Admittedly I am one of the few who doesn’t get the appeal of golf games, and this one did take its time to grow on me. That being said however, I can see why Neo Turf Masters is so beloved. The game has simple, easy to learn controls and amazing game physics. This enables players to quickly get the hang of things, and go wild in the gameplay. The courses in the game go beyond what would be possible in real life, giving it an over the top feeling and the result is a game that can appeal to anyone at any time.

Windjammers

Windjammers is in essence, an update of Pong done right. Two characters instead of two paddles, and there is a different point system but the gist is the same. Where Windjammers stands out is how it thoroughly embraced 90’s culture and extreme sports and mixed in creative character design to give us fun and addictive gameplay.  You select one of six characters, each representing a country, and face off to be the best. Each character has a special move they can do, and the matches get very intense. Windjammers is one of those games that has the IT factor. It seems like a silly concept but it not only works, its actually very fun and competitive

Baseball Stars 2

The Neo Geo was home to many amazing arcade sports games, but Baseball Stars 2 stands out above all others. Extremely polished gameplay and highly detailed visuals caught many people’s attention, but it was the addictive action that kept them hooked. Much life Neo Turf Masters did with golf, Baseball Stars 2 made baseball accessible for players who might not be interested otherwise. It was the most acclaimed baseball game for a long time for a reason, and it holds up very well.

The Last Blade 2

While Samurai Shodown gets love as SNK’s premiere weapons based fighter, it was The Last Blade 2 that perfected that style of gameplay. Spot on controls, amazing visuals, and characters that stood out rose this fighter above others. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, so learning how each one works is essential for surviving. The gameplay didn’t get an overhaul from the first entry, so much as a fine tuning to add new high points such as the ex meter, and improved gameplay reaction. A must play fighter for any fan of the genre.

Garou Mark of The Wolves

The finale (so far) of the Fatal Fury series, Garou is the peak of 2D fighting action on the Neo Geo. Introducing the T.O.P. system which added a degree of strategy not seen before was a touch of brilliance that altered the way we played. In addition, the game managed to introduce so many more great new characters like Tizoc and Rock Howard who have become fan favourite, and the stages were some of the best. SNK took everything they learned from the series up to this point, and the result was magic.

Shock Troopers

A run n gun series for the Neo Geo, Shock Troopers was unique in so many ways. You could play as a single character or a squad of three and would move in eight directions to go with the action. Combining action with strategic movements made the gameplay more intense and the visuals made everything seem more lively. This is the perfect shooter for those who want something different,

Waku Waku 7

I love this game so much I do not know what to say. So instead of gushing again, I will quote my previous article on the game.

The Neo Geo was home to so many classic fighting games that people love, but one that I feel stands above the others in terms of uniqueness was Waku Waku 7. To be clear, this  is one of the most unusual and off beat fighting games ever made. The cast of characters are ones who are parodies of other games, of anime, manga, comics and of movies, (Japanese as well as western made), such as shotoclones, sword fighters, anime action girls, and so on. This game also happens to be one of the most awesome fighting games ever made and holds up extremely well. It has that special charm of being easy to learn but difficult to master, while being fun to play and enjoy.

The fighting is excellent with fun visuals that still look great today. To give some reference, the visuals  have that look that games like Street Fighter III and Darkstalkers had, and yet still feel like they are depicted in the SNK style, which is somewhat different. As well,  the music in the game is absolutely fantastic and  switches from off beat sounds  to fun and energetic ones, while always getting you into the fight.

KOF 98

King of Fighters is the premiere fighting series from SNK and KOF 98 may be the best in the series on the Neo Geo. The first “dream match” entry, KOF 98 brought back all the fighters from previous installments for a non canon all out brawl. Once again you will choose a team and enter the tournament to go for the victory. The gameplay is almost the same as KOF 97, with only a slight change wherein the game gives a handicap to a team that is done a member. It varies on which mode you are using, but otherwise the gameplay is unchanged. With the best visuals in the series up to that point, and older characters returning, KOF 98 has something for everyone.

Metal Slug series

Metal Slug is one of the best run n gun series ever made. I could not just settle on one entry so I am including the entire series. From the rough beginnings of 1, to the polished action of x and 3, and yes even the later entries, this game has a level of quality that cannot be matched. Using both vehicular action, and standard run n gun elements, Metal Slug was fun that is ageless. The great music, multitude secrets to find and cartoonish visuals that fit the game perfectly all combined to create an experience that just cannot be matched. Only Contra III has come close, but even that game just cannot match up to the majesty that is Metal Slug.

And there you have it. Our list of the nine best games on the Neo Geo. What Neo Geo  games did you like best? Let us know!

In addition, we would like to add that there are active retrogaming Facebook community groups you can join. For more, visit Retro Gamers Hub (www.retrogamershub.com) for their extensive collection of retrogaming interest groups to choose from.