snk
Latest
Running with the devil in Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2
Teaser posters for Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2 decorated SNK's booth at TGS, and now SNK has started releasing screens and information about the game, which looks pretty much exactly like the first one. Akuji, the protagonist of Doki Doki Majo Shinpan, is now guided by a cute lil' devil called Kuro in the sequel, instead of the angel, Lulu, who enabled his witch-touchery in the first game. Amusingly, despite the apparent change in alignment, Akuji's directive is exactly the same: poke at girls to determine their status as witches. We guess he must have a different reason to find witches in this new game. The deep Doki Doki Majo Shinpan storyline will just keep us guessing until the very end!
Fix revealed for resolution issue on NeoGeo games
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Fix_revealed_for_resolution_issue_on_NeoGeo_games'; You know how we were having issues with the NeoGeo games on the Virtual Console? Well, someone on these fine internets figured out a fix, although it isn't as ideal as a system update from Nintendo would be. Still, it's not that difficult of a process and allows us to play our games. That's what's most important, after all.Here's the fix: Boot up your NeoGeo VC game of choice When it loads with the squished screen, hit the Home button on your Wiimote Head into the Operations Guide Once inside, plug your nunchuk controller into your Wiimote, then simultaneously press A+Z+1 You should hear a sound, signaling that the Wii has been set to Interlace mode Enjoy. Now, once done, all of your NeoGeo games should run fine, meaning you won't have to do this for every game.[Thanks, Jason!]
VC Monday Madness video wrap-up 10/8/07
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/videos/gaming/NEOGEO_games_on_the_Virtual_Console_are_not_displaying_properly'; While normally we'd have some more coverage for you past the post break, we can't possibly do that for you. Sorry, but if you watched the above video, you'd understand why we couldn't play enough of each of the games to come to a determination as to whether they're worth downloading or not. Actually, as it stands right now, they aren't worth downloading until Nintendo has worked the kinks out.Oh, how there are kinks ...
VC Monday Madness: All hail the NEOGEO
Finally, the NEOGEO makes a huge splash on the Virtual Console, offering up three different top notch titles to download. Wallets will be beaten to a pulp, their contents spilled all over the ground and quickly sucked up by Nintendo as each of these NEOGEO games will require a $9 entrance fee. And, with three different games available, that's a lot of scratch for some retro gaming goodness.This week's games are: Fatal Fury (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points) World Heroes (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points) Art of Fighting (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points) As always, be sure to check back later for our video wrap-up of this week's offerings.
SNK keeps 2D alive, classic fighters coming to PS2 this fall
We can't help but love SNK. Like that girl in the back of the class who refuses to accept that big hair and jelly bracelets have long since gone out of style, SNK continues to hold onto the the idea that 2D is where it's at. While the company has already committed to supporting both the Virtual Console and XBLA with its back catalog of sprite-based games, SNK today announced plans to bring two of its more recent PS2 fighters to the U.S. as well, namely The King of Fighters XI and NeoGeo Battle Coliseum.While the eleventh installment of anything boggles the mind, SNK promises that King of Fighters XI will see a return to the series' classic gameplay, with added refinement and a few new bells and whistles like the 'match-deciding' Judgment Indicator and Dream Cancel (aka 'the wake-up call'). In addition, the PS2 version will also include new features not found in the arcade original, including new characters, music, and bonus stages.That's all well and good, but SNK's promise to bring 'fan-service megamix' NeoGeo Battle Coliseum to the U.S. is what seals the deal. The tag team fighter features a roster packed full of 40 characters from across SNK's catalog of favorites, including Metal Slug's Marco, Samurai Shodown's Hoahmaru, and even King of the Monsters' Cyber Woo. Maybe that girl in the back of the class is onto something.[Via press release]
Australia's first Neo Geo VC game on the way
Australia has more than the Hanabi Festival to cheer about, when it comes to the Virtual Console. Like Japan and, reportedly, the U.S., Australia's download service will be home to Neo Geo games. The likely first candidate, as revealed by the OFLC ratings board, is Art of Fighting.We best know Art of Fighting from its weird zooming camera that makes the sprites look absolutely massive, and from being the origin game for many future King of Fighters characters including Robert Garcia, Ryo Sakazaki, King, and others.Even if Art of Fighting isn't your favorite Neo Geo game, it is a Neo Geo game, and is therefore great news for Australian fighting fans.[Via GoNintendo]
King of Fighters XII coming in 2009
Classic fighting fans unite! It's true that the last round of King of Fighters games weren't as spectacular as the old school 2D originals, but apparently SNK wants to remedy that by mixing 3D with 2D with their newest entry into the franchise: King of Fighters XII. Speaking with Kotaku, SNK Overseas Manager Yoshihito Koyama admitted that a good time for KoFXII to hit the PS3 and 360 would be in 2009. The game is going to be 3D, but shaded to look 2D, apparently. We're not quite sure what that means, but we hope it goes beyond standard cel-shading seen in many of those awful anime-inspired fighting titles. More news as it develops, though this one's quite a distance away.
TGS07: Neo Geo VC games already obsolete
This announcement from SNK comes in a close second to the Family Trainer in the Weird Wii Game Timing awards. Not even a whole week after the first Neo Geo game was made available on the Virtual Console, SNK is announcing a compilation disc of 16 Neo Geo games for the Wii. 4 Color Rebellion's Vinnk got the news firsthand from SNK, and what you're seeing above is genuine, unfiltered "fanboy glee" from the news. To be honest, we'd be a lot happier to buy a regular compilation disc than to pay $9 per game. We imagine a lot of other people will be as well. It raises a lot of questions, beyond the obvious "what games will be included?" Specifically, why SNK planned downloadable games on the Wii if they're going to sell them on discs as well. Is this for people without Internet access, maybe? Will it focus on game series that SNK wants to bundle together? Does SNK's home games division just not talk to the downloadable content people?
First batch of Metal Slug 7 screens makes us wish second batch was released instead
It pains us to admit it, but the screenshots that've followed up yesterday's Metal Slug 7 announcement aren't quite the gorgeous scenes of 2D chaos we anticipated. Perhaps 1UP's usual wonky image scaling is to blame, or maybe the run-and-gun game just needs to be seen in motion -- either way, SNK Playmore has a playable demo available at the Tokyo Game Show, so we'll likely receive some hands-on impressions soon. Though we haven't yet heard anything about Metal Slug 7's touchscreen features or any multiplayer possibilities, a "Combat School" mode in which you can complete specific missions and earn medals has been revealed. Hop in an SV-001 and drive past the post break for a couple more screenshots.
Metal Slug 7, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2 on the way
This week's Famitsu contains two SNK mini-megatons, according to the NeoGAFfers liveblogging their readthroughs. First, a sequel to a game that plenty of people think shouldn't have existed in the first place, Doki Doki Majo Shinpan. Maybe this one will be less boring than the original. Or, maybe it'll be exactly like the first one.The other game is something that people can express their interest in, even outside of the safe anonymity of the Internet: Metal Slug 7. This is the first game in the main series not to be released to arcades, and it's going to be a DS game (Metal Slug 3D was a Japanese PS2 release, and Metal Slug Advance came out on the GBA). It also means that the same system is getting brand new (2D) Contra and Metal Slug games, and is therefore the best system ever for the run & gun game.
First American Neo Geo VC releases: fighters only
SNK Playmore USA sent out a press release informing us that three Neo Geo games will be available on the U.S. Virtual Console at some unspecified future date. Two of the three, Fatal Fury and World Heroes, are also slated to be among the first three Japanese Neo Geo titles on the Virtual Console. The third game, however, is not Magician Lord as it is in Japan, but Art of Fighting.Of course, most SNK fans are fighting game fans, so it does make some sense to swap out the side-scrolling action game for another of the Neo's classic fighters; however, we kind of enjoy variety. We are also a little disappointed that two of the available games can be found on inexpensive anthology discs on another system (we're also disappointed that VC Art of Fighting pretty much kills the possibility of a Wii release of its Anthology). Why not something like Waku Waku 7, that isn't currently available on a collection disc? Or how about a non-fighting game?Don't mistake our lack of enthusiasm for these particular games for lack of appreciation of Neo Geo VC games. We will totally be dropping multiples of 900 Wii Points for Neo Geo games, and doing so with big smiles. Just not these three games.
Cyberball, Fatal Fury hit XBLA next week, special price drops too
Wow, the Xbox Live Arcade press release came early this week and it is loaded with goodies. First and foremost, let's discuss next week's games. There are two games arriving next Wednesday, Fatal Fury Special and Cyberball 2072. If you're a longtime gamer, both titles are likely to bring back heady arcade memories. We're talking about real arcades of course. Fatal Fury Special is old school 2D fighting at its finest, whereas Cyberball 2072 brings us robotic football with a ball that explodes if you don't make those touchdowns quickly. It is, put simply, football for nerds, and it always managed to draw in the same two guys at the arcade. You know, the guys who put their drinks on the machine and played nothing else for five hours. Good times. Both Fatal Fury and Cyberball will be available for 400 points.In other Arcade news, a select group of XBLA games will be available for half price this weekend in celebration of Labor Day. The four titles are Zuma, Small Arms, Dig Dug, and Gauntlet. Zuma and Small Arms will be available for 400 points, while Dig Dug and Gauntlet will be a mere 200 points each. The Labor Day special runs from 5:00PM PT September 1st though 4:59PM PT September 3rd. Hachi machi, it's so much Arcade goodness we can barely stand it.Read -- Cyberball 2072 XBLA siteRead -- Fatal Fury Special XBLA site
Metal Slug 3 coming to XBLA
Nobody knows when it'll be released, but SNK finally announced that Metal Slug 3 will hit Xbox Live Arcade in the relative future. SNK is apparently showing the game at next month's Tokyo Games Show according to a translated press release. They will also be showing off Fatal Fury Special at the event as well. Ever since the announcement of Metal Slug on XBLA a year ago, fans have wondered which installment of the franchise would be used.For straight-up Xbox users, it's nice that Metal Slug is coming to XBLA, but frankly there's plenty of systems to play the whole series on with Metal Slug Anthology. Not to mention, GameTap also practically has the whole series as well -- and there's typically one in rotation on their free service, plus you can just stick a wired Xbox controller in your PC and there you have an XBLA experience. But, if you must have it on XBLA, Metal Slug will come blasting around eventually.[Via X3F]
Metal Slug 3 offically rolling onto XBLA
Well, it only took SNK nearly a year to announce it, but we finally know which Metal Slug will be hitting Xbox Live Arcade. Having already read the headline, you may have guessed that it's Metal Slug 3. If so, then you are correct. Go get yourself a cookie. According to a (translated) press release from SNK Playmore, the game will be part of the company's lineup at the Tokyo Game Show next month. In the same press release, it is also revealed that SNK Playmore will be showing off Fatal Fury Special (known as Wolf Legend Special in Japan).There you have it then. Now that the veil of secrecy has been lifted, are you happy with SNK's Metal Slug choice, or would you have preferred a different entry in the series?[Via XBLArcade]
Virtually Overlooked: Athena
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative.SNK's Athena should have been one of the coolest NES games available. It had a huge variety of equippable weapons, armor, and accessories, and it featured a female protagonist, a distinction shared with its contemporary, Metroid, and not much else. It didn't work out, but let's not let that minor quibble stop us from appreciating it! Any SNK game that didn't cost $300 is at least worth a look.
SNK vs Capcom: Card Fighters replacement in full swing
We can honestly say we haven't purchased this game because of all the controversy surrounding it, however now that news hits that those affected by the broken carts are receiving the promised replacements, we're feeling a bit more confident. And, even though SNK Playmore took longer than we would've initially thought to help those in need, we think if there are any more problems from here on out, we'd be covered.Did any of you send in for a replacement cartridge? Receive it yet?
Doki Doki Majo Shinpan artwork rips
For those who place little value in the chase, that exhilarating, flirtatious period when nothing is guaranteed, actually playing through Doki Doki Majo Shinpan is secondary to groping its adolescent witches. Rather than have you labor through the text-heavy release's dialogue and plot setup, Stage Clear has posted artwork wrested from the Japanese game, enabling you to skip the journey and get right to your depraved destination. While none of the shots are scandalous enough to land you a ten-year stay in a federal prison, we wouldn't say that they're safe for work viewing either. The wiccan nymphets are depicted in poses that would leave Humbert Humbert dizzy with delight ("the king crying for joy, the trumpets blaring, the nurse drunk"), their faces reacting to the taps and strokes of an unseen stylus. Scurry shamefully past the post break for a couple of those images.
Buffering ... Buffering ... Majo Shinpan
If you've been following Doki Doki Majo Shinpan with the same level of interest as we somehow have developed, then you probably saw our first video footage of the game, taken from a store demo. But that was in a noisy store, shot with a handheld camera, and not really the ideal presentation for game video.Well, this is significantly more ideal. It's a Windows Media stream of that same video, in much better quality. The only problem-- like we said, it's a Windows Media stream. Expect to wait a bit.[Link goes to a streaming .WMV video.][Via Dengeki]
The Doki Doki Majo Shinpan empire expands into print
SNK is banking on the success of Doki Doki Majo Shinpan, which has become our favorite game to talk about. They have good reason to, since the game's been doing pretty well in preorders. They plan to start siphoning money from otaku pockets via an official Shinpan manga by Ken Yagami, in manga magazine Champion Red. We don't know anything else about it yet, except that it'll be totally hilarious and will make us uncomfortable at the same time.
Doki Doki Majo Shinpan trailer
We can only imagine how much fun it must have been for someone to stand in the middle of a store with their camera out, recording a promotional trailer for Doki Doki Majo Shinpan. We'd be too embarrassed to do it, but then we're too embarrassed to go out in public in general. This is the in-store trailer of which we saw stills yesterday, but in motion. It's kind of interesting to see the battle mode, which involves reflecting projectiles with well-timed stylus taps. It's also kind of interesting to see, you know, the rest of the game.[Via NeoGAF]
