Discovering The Neo Geo
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 5:50 am
As we get reconnected to the Internet the other day, I decided to download a torrent full of Neo Geo ROMs and NeoRage (emulator).
Like most 16-bit gamers, I was aware of the console but could never afford one (nor know anyone who had one). Also, later I had a brief sample of the machine in the arcades but never really got into any of the games in the cabinets I'd played. I always loved the big, bold, colourful graphics and the larger-than-life presentation of many of the games.
So tonight I've been going through the ROM list and I've found some great games already!
Of course, there's Metal Slug - a game that I've always heard/read good things about but never got to play. Great old-school arcade blasting with fantastic animation. I can't believe there's so many instalments to play!
A bizarre cutesy Mario Brothers clone called Zupapa. You have to stun enemies, then flip them - like Mario Bros (except you punch them/throw creatures at them) - but there's more to it and the game is really addictive.
Zupapa (skip to about a minute in):
A third-person rally game called Over Top (kind of the same viewpoint as Rock 'N' Roll Racing but with a multi-terrain rally course (taking you through city streets, forest, mountain and desert in one single lap). This is also really addictive in a Micro Machines kind of way.
Over Top (skip to about 2 min):
An awesome arcade golf game called Neo Turf Masters.
Viewpoint is a brilliant scrolling shooter (isometric) with a very distinctive visual style (kind of like Bitmap Brothers meets Wipeout) and great animation. It's a typical arcade shooter in many ways, but it's well-designed and seems to have a good difficulty curve.
Viewpoint:
I also had a quick go on World Heroes. That was better than I thought - I know SNK were renowned for their fighting games (around 30% of the ROM collection seems to be fighting games) but I didn't like it much in the arcade, I always preferred MK and SFII.
So I'm enjoying the Neo Geo - I wish I'd got to play these games sooner but there you go...
Any other good game recommendations?
Like most 16-bit gamers, I was aware of the console but could never afford one (nor know anyone who had one). Also, later I had a brief sample of the machine in the arcades but never really got into any of the games in the cabinets I'd played. I always loved the big, bold, colourful graphics and the larger-than-life presentation of many of the games.
So tonight I've been going through the ROM list and I've found some great games already!
Of course, there's Metal Slug - a game that I've always heard/read good things about but never got to play. Great old-school arcade blasting with fantastic animation. I can't believe there's so many instalments to play!
A bizarre cutesy Mario Brothers clone called Zupapa. You have to stun enemies, then flip them - like Mario Bros (except you punch them/throw creatures at them) - but there's more to it and the game is really addictive.
Zupapa (skip to about a minute in):
A third-person rally game called Over Top (kind of the same viewpoint as Rock 'N' Roll Racing but with a multi-terrain rally course (taking you through city streets, forest, mountain and desert in one single lap). This is also really addictive in a Micro Machines kind of way.
Over Top (skip to about 2 min):
An awesome arcade golf game called Neo Turf Masters.
Viewpoint is a brilliant scrolling shooter (isometric) with a very distinctive visual style (kind of like Bitmap Brothers meets Wipeout) and great animation. It's a typical arcade shooter in many ways, but it's well-designed and seems to have a good difficulty curve.
Viewpoint:
I also had a quick go on World Heroes. That was better than I thought - I know SNK were renowned for their fighting games (around 30% of the ROM collection seems to be fighting games) but I didn't like it much in the arcade, I always preferred MK and SFII.
So I'm enjoying the Neo Geo - I wish I'd got to play these games sooner but there you go...
Any other good game recommendations?