There was a time when you couldn’t
walk into a pizza restaurant without seeing an SNK arcade machine. SNK’s arcade
titles were some of the best you could find, and hold a very special place for a
good deal of nostalgic gamers. Therefore, it’s pretty safe to assume that this
collection of games is primarily geared towards them. SNK Arcade Classics Vol 1
for the Wii comes out about a few months after the PSP and PS2 versions, but
luckily does away with the original release’s bouts of slowdown, with each title
being a very accurate emulation of the original coin-op hit. While there aren’t
a lot of bells and whistles in the compilation, there’s still a lot for
old-school gamers to enjoy in the eclectic mix of arcade classics in this
collection.
SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 touches
on a lot of ground from SNK’s arcade hits. The mix contains 16 different
arcade titles from SNK’s storied history, with fan favorites like Samurai
Shodown, Metal Slug, and King of Monsters appearing, as well as more obscure
titles that you may have missed the first time around, like Top Hunter and Last
Resort. The titles in the collection span just about every arcade genre, from
fighting games and shooters to sports games, meaning that there should be
something for everyone.
In a noted improvement over previous
collections like the Metal Slug Anthology, SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 for the
Wii supports classic controllers as well as the Wii remote/Nunchuck combo. This
is good, considering that most purists will prefer to use the gamepad method,
and the Wii-mote/Nunchuck controls are pretty tough to get used to.
The games in SNK Arcade Classics
Vol. 1 are very well emulated, with very little slowdown. The one problem in the
collection is the dearth of any sort of extra content in it. The only unlockable
extras within the game are move lists that you can unlock by playing certain
games and earning medals. It would’ve been nice for some more features,
including videos and interviews, but sadly none of that can be found here.
Graphically, the game does a fine
job of emulating the great 2D graphics of the original arcade games. Granted, in
the age of high poly counts and high-def graphics, many gamers might not be in
to the seemingly simple nature of the game’s 2D aesthetic, but old-school gamers
with an appreciation for the quality of the original games’ sprites should
appreciate the look.
Soundwise will equally cater to
old-school gamers, as you’ll either love it or hate it. The music, sound
effects, voice acting are faithfully emulated from the original games, for
better or for worse, so you’ll either enjoy the nostalgia factor or you won’t.
Ultimately, the best part of the
collection is the price. For 30 bucks, you’ll get 16 Neo Geo titles,
which clocks in at between two to three bucks per game. Considering that some of
these same titles are going for 900 Wii Points apiece on the Virtual Console ($9
USD), this is a pretty sweet deal for Neo Geo fans who have yet to purchase any
of these titles for download.
Although the collection is decidedly
barebones, offering little more than the games themselves, it still stands as a
fantastic bargain for gamers looking to relive Neo Geo’s classic arcade
franchises, or those looking to make the leap for the very first time.
|
Review |
Gameplay: 8.0
Offering a varied mix of well emulated titles from myriad genres, there
really is something for everyone in this collection. The inclusion of Classic
Controller support is a great, if not necessary, touch.
Graphics: 7.5
While 2D sprites might not be everyone’s cup of tea, old-school gamers will
appreciate the collection’s faithfulness to the original arcade hits.
Sound: 7.5
For better or worse, the collection emulates the original games’ sound
effects very well, meaning that every cheesy voice effect and musical score is
here.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 7.0
The collection does a fine job of spanning many titles of SNK’s storied
history, but some extras would’ve been nice.
Multiplayer: 8.0
The collection allows for the same two-player gameplay elements as the
original arcade titles.
Overall: 7.5
What the collection lacks in extras it makes up for in value, as there is no
better (or cheaper) way to get your SNK fix on the Wii.
