The Mog Blog » NEOGEO Station Review Compilation

Over the course of me playing King of Fighters ’96 and Metal Slug 2, I could only think of one thing. How am I going to review these games for NEOGEO Station? Then it hit me, these are the same games we used to play years ago! Those of us who used to play these games to death when we will younger will still remember how they played and the only way to do this was to get to the point. Welcome to the NEOGEO Station (NGS) Review Compendium. Here you will find mini-reviews of the games released for NGS. Before that however I need to`what it is you’re getting into.

NEOGEO Station, developed by SNK Playmore, is more like a program for the PS3 that isn’t quite ran like one. What it is at its core is an app that allows the emulation of NEOGEO games on the PS3 with networking features. The games are also offered on the PSP as well but do not have the same functionality of the PS3 versions. When I say networking features, I mean that they allow for online co-op and versus play. They can still be played locally with these modes but now you’re able to create lobbies with friends in order to game online. Another thing of note, NEOGEO Station games do not offer trophies/leaderboards/etc. Also of this writing, arcade sticks such as those Mad Catz TE sticks are also compatible with it for that arcade like experience.

The games in this compendium will be update periodically as games are released for NGS. To speed up your search of a game in the list, just hit Ctrl+F and input the code next to the game, including the brackets.

List of games in compendium:

King of Fighters ’94 [KOF94]
King of Fighters ’96 [KOF96]
Metal Slug 2 [MS2]
Samurai Showdown [SAMS1]

King of Fighters ’94 [KOF94] Review

Allow me to first point out that The King of Fighters, for its time, was a revolution in fighting games. I like to really emphasize “for its time” because while it was revolution, the game is still archaic though it is a huge jump from Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting. Being that this is the first in the series and with King of Fighters XIII recently out, you really can’t expect much from this title. It would be the first time where all these characters from different SNK franchises would fight each other in a 3-on-3 team elimination style tournament. From Fatal Fury to Art of Fighting to even Psycho Soldier, arcade goers were hyped back in the day for what this represented. It was a dream match that would spawn many sequels in years to come!

KOF94 reminds me just how great of an upgrade the following games would be. 94 only allows you to use preset teams. Do you like using Terry? Then you must use Andy and Joe. Love that Yuri? Then King and Mai will also be a part of your arsenal. Jumping into the technical aspects of the game, it features a pivot dodge maneuver which predates the dodge roll. In this, your character will step into the background and will be invulnerable to everything but throws. This, combined with the fact that short jumps didn’t exist yet actually makes it a bit hard to rush down, a quality that King of Fighters is generally known for. Super Moves (or Super Desperation Moves if you want to keep it old school) can only be done if you have a fully charged meter or your life is flashing red. The super meter can be manually charged by holding ABC or blocking attacks. One thing that will confuse you about the super moves is that the motions and buttons required are really consistent between each character. For example: KOF fans will know that Kyo’s Super is done by doing quarter circle back then half circle foward with hard punch and that remains true in this game. Terry’s Power Geyser, on the other hand, is done by doing quarter circle back, half circle foward and then hard punch and light kick at the same time… Huh.

Overall, it was a good start for the KOF series and while a lot of the conventions really show their age with this title, it’s interesting to look back to see how KOF started off with. Just don’t expect to play for that long. Not being able to select your favorite characters in a team and just dealing with a slow pace game will wear down your interest rather quickly. – MogKnight

Mog Blog Score: 2.5/5

King of Fighters ’96 [KOF96] Review

King of Fighters ’96 brings together 27 fighters from various SNK franchises in a tournament to see who’s the best. KOF96 brought with it new systems such as the dodge roll, small jump, and high jump. Normal staples you see today in KOF. Personally speaking, I’m not much of a fan of the gauge system used in 96 where you have to charge it but one can’t be picky. Still, its an improvement of the previous KOF title.

One thing you will appreciate however is the online play which is stable and as some would put it, better than that of Super Street Fighter IV of late. This I would have to agree and you don’t have to go far to actually find someone to play with anymore. SNK also went a bit further and worked out some of the glitches for online play as well but fret not, if you want your glitches, you can always turn them on through the NGS Console before starting the game though it only applies to normal play. With the integration of network play, it is a game you can now play with friends and experience this classic fighter the way it was meant to be years past. -OnesOwnGrief

Mog Blog Score: 3.5/5

Metal Slug 2 [MS2] Review

Metal Slug 2 is one of those games released by SNK way back when. Its one of the first games in a series that has reached up to 7+ iterations by this publishing. Shooters aren’t mainly my thing but from time to time I have been known to dabble a bit. Metal slug 2 is what I call something I am not used to. This may because I have spoiled myself with Hard Corps: Uprising on current generation titles but if you can get used to the way the game handles its shooting then you should find an experience that will hold you over for quite a bit. The co-op is limited to only two players as well.

NEOGEO Station games happen to have a satisfying netplay experience as well. You wont run into crazy changes in speed or lag as often but this is still dependent on your connection with another person. Not all internet connections are created equally as many of you realize. Overall though, the game itself is still a classic among shooters on NEOGEO and one of the better known franchises from SNK. Its worth a shot if you’re interested in some old school gaming. Especially if you have an arcade stick. -OnesOwnGrief

Mog Blog Score:3/5

Samurai Showdown [SAMS1] Review

Samurai Showdown is a game released back in 1993 for Arcades and NEOGEO. One thing that was different about it was that unlike the other games that were released during that time, this one focused on weapon based combat. This would be what you’d consider a breath of fresh are back in those times and I enjoyed playing this title very much at the train station in my youth (I’m not that ancient by the way). Yep, the train station had Samurai Showdown my friends. I have to admit, I enjoy living where we can reflect on our past as gamers and still be able to play the games we loved so much back then.

The characters all feel unique and have varying personalities. Combat is fast and frantic but there is more emphasis on single strikes rather than combos. There is also the ability to knock the opponents weapon out of their hand during combat due to the class system. Its all just quick, no nonsense, fun. There are also a few other touches to the game that are nice that I wish I’d see more in current titles such as the character interactions pre-fight and the slow motion of hard hits. There is also the dynamic camera change depending on how far the characters are from each other. As a classic NEOGEO fighter, I would have to say this is by far one of my favorites and for anyone who’s looking for a change of pace, this could be just what you’re looking for. Have fun my friends, I know I will be with this title. -OnesOwnGrief

Mog Blog Score: 4/5

OnesOwnGrief

Hi everyone! Names Edward "OnesOwnGrief" Walton, Associate Editor here at The Mog Blog, and I'm here to make sure all our gamers out there know whats hot out there and what isn't, at least in my own opinion anyways. Just want to remind everyone that a review is an opinion and never the final word on if you should try something.