NEOGEO POCKET COLOR SELECTION Vol. 1 Steam Edition
Gameplay 8
Graphics 8
Sound 8

NEOGEO POCKET COLOR SELECTION Vol. 1 Steam Edition is an excellent retro compilation, especially for fans of SNK’s handheld fighting games. This collection is stacked with classics but lacks SNK Vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium, which was included in the Nintendo Switch release. Nevertheless, there are hours of entertainment here, and the presentation is top-notch. If you are a retro fan or loved the original hardware, you will definitely appreciate this compilation.

Gameplay: Lots of great fighting games, but the other titles are great too.

Graphics: The games obviously show their age but still look great for what they are.

Sound: Limited by the original hardware, but not bad overall

Summary 8.0 Great
Gameplay 0
Graphics 0
Sound 0
Summary rating from user's marks. You can set own marks for this article - just click on stars above and press "Accept".
Accept
Summary 0.0 Terrible

NEOGEO POCKET COLOR SELECTION Vol. 1 Steam Edition

Developer: SNK CORPORATION, Code Mystics | Publisher: SNK CORPORATION | Release Date: 2021 | Genre: Action / Casual / Retro | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Following its release on the Nintendo Switch, PC fans can finally join in on the retro fun with NEOGEO POCKET COLOR SELECTION Vol. 1 Steam Edition. The name is a mouth full, but it is an apt description of the ten handheld titles included in this compilation. What makes it even more enticing is that while some of the games in this collection were released individually on the Switch, this is the first time any of these titles appear on PC.

Anyone familiar with the history of handhelds will know that the Neo Geo Pocket Color was released in 1999, only to be discontinued a scant two years later. Don’t let the failure of the hardware fool you into thinking that its software lineup was lacking, though. Despite its short lifespan, the Neo Geo Pocket Color received plenty of great titles, with many of them included in this compilation.

SNK was known for its arcade titles, especially 2D fighting games, so it’s no surprise that these featured prominently on the Neo Geo Pocket Color. Half of this compilation consists of fighting games with the likes of SNK Gal’s Fighters, Samurai Shodown 2, King of Fighters R02, The Last Blade: Beyond The Destiny, and Fatal Fury First Contact all being present. However, players familiar with the Nintendo Switch version of the compilation will immediately notice that one of the biggest titles, SNK Vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium, is conspicuously absent. Instead, for this Steam release, it was replaced by Crush Roller. While this is obviously rather disappointing, the good news is that the missing title is available on Steam as a standalone purchase. This is fine for players who are only interested in SNK Vs. Capcom: TMotM and not the rest of the titles, but we would have liked to see the option to purchase it as a discounted DLC for the compilation simply to keep everything neatly together.

Nevertheless, the fighting games that are included in this collection are some of the finest ever to grace a handheld and hold up surprisingly well, considering their age. The Neo Geo Pocket Color was a 16-bit device, so it can’t really compare with the more advanced handhelds released since then by Nintendo, but it was an excellent device for its time.

Although the backgrounds in the fighting games are relatively sparse, the characters’ sprites are large and detailed. The animations are also really smooth, and the miniature characters are a perfect match for the style of the handheld. The other half of this compilation consists of a more varied assortment of titles. In addition to the platforming and shooting of Metal Slug 1st and 2nd Mission, there is also the aforementioned Crush Roller, which is a type of Pac-Man-style game featuring a paintbrush getting chased by fish. Then there’s Dark Arms: Beast Buster 1999, a surprisingly playable RPG and Big Tournament Golf, which most Neo Geo fans will recognize as Neo Turf Masters. Having never owned a Neo Geo Pocket Color, we were not drawn to this compilation for nostalgic reasons but still ended up enjoying it far more than expected.

NEOGEO POCKET COLOR SELECTION Vol. 1 Steam Edition doesn’t just contain ten games but also a couple of extras. Each game has 3D models of their boxes and the cartridges inside, which can be viewed from any angle. In addition, players can also view high-resolution scans of each game’s manual. We would have liked to see some behind-the-scenes information or history of the games included as seen in other retro compilations, but there’s nothing of the sort here. There are other neat touches, though, such as being able to switch between the English and Japanese versions of the games, which then also change the boxes and cartridges. Some of the games in this collection were compatible with the Neo Geo Pocket Colors monochrome predecessor and can be played in black & white too.

The Neo Geo Pocket Color had a 2.7″ display with a resolution of only 160×152 and slightly less than 150 colors on screen at a time. Due to this small resolution, the games in this compilation features an overlay of the Neo Geo Pocket Color for extra authenticity. Players can even choose from a selection of skins representing the different variations of the actual hardware that SNK released. In addition, it’s possible to disable these skins and simply zoom in on the screen if you prefer a closer look at the action. Although the graphics will never be able to compare to what can be seen in Neo Geo arcade titles of the same era, they were quite impressive for a handheld, especially one that could last for more than a day between charges.

As with the visuals, the audio found in these games is not as impressive as their arcade counterparts. Remember, these games originally ran on cartridges, which could only hold about 4MB of data. Despite this, most of the titles still managed to squeeze in some decent music, and in the case of Metal Slug 2nd Mission, some digitized speech too. We didn’t encounter any issues playing any of the games using a controller, and some of the games even support local multiplayer. While the collection only has one achievement per game, a few of them are surprisingly challenging to get, which is a good thing. Although the compilation does not make use of save states, it is possible to exit a game and continue right where you left off when you return, provided you don’t switch to a different color mode. Another feature that players not used to the difficulty of older titles will enjoy is the ability to rewind at any point and then continue.

Although it might make more sense to have a compilation like this on the Nintendo Switch, which itself can be used as a handheld device, the games don’t look that bad on an HD computer screen either. Players looking for an authentic handheld experience can also make use of the Steam Link feature to stream the games to their phone or tablet for playing on the go. There’s also the upcoming Steam Deck, which will be perfect for playing compilations like this one.

NEOGEO POCKET COLOR SELECTION Vol. 1 Steam Edition is obviously not going to be for players who are only interested in the latest and greatest games that can showcase their state-of-the-art hardware. However, if you loved the original hardware or can appreciate great retro titles, there’s a lot here to keep you busy. The commission of SNK Vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium is unfortunate as Crush Roller doesn’t quite have the same impact, but this is a matter of taste. We definitely enjoyed playing all the games in this collection, and the emulation was rock solid for the most part. Hopefully, a second volume is not too far off, as there are plenty of other great Neo Geo Pocket Color titles waiting in the wings for an opportunity to shine again.

System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 7 (32/64bit)
  • Processor: Intel Core i5 @ 2.0 GHz
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 560
  • DirectX: Version 9.0
  • Storage: 2 GB available space

Related posts

Goats On A Bridge

Goats On A Bridge

Don’t be fooled by the cute graphics, Goats On A Bridge can easily cause you to rage quit after your hapless goat tumbles off a bridge or roll into a crate it was supposed to jump over, for the umpteenth time. Taking control of two goats at the same time, and then navigating them across an obstacle course is not easy, but it is quite fun. The game is even more entertaining if you can rope in another poor soul to help you with the goats. Gameplay: The game packs a mean challenge, but it is relatively short. Graphics: The levels are bright and cartoony, while the already adorable goats can be made even more charming with accessories. Sound: A couple of nice tunes and the usual wacky assortment of sound effects.

Serious Sam 3: BFE

Serious Sam 3: BFE

Serious Sam 3: BFE is not as colorful or over the top as its predecessor, but it is still a great title for players in search of frantic action. The game slows down a little too much in some parts, but few other games can come close in terms of the sheer mayhem when all hell breaks out. It is definitely a game that is best enjoyed with some friends as there are plenty of co-op modes and options to keep everyone happy. Gameplay: The campaign starts a little slow, but overall the game still has plenty of action. Graphics: It is not as colorful as Serious Sam 2 and definitely shows its age, but some of the set pieces and enemies remain impressive. Sound: The soundtrack is excellent, and the iconic enemy sounds are all present.

Sakura Dungeon

Sakura Dungeon

Sakura Dungeon offers a nice fusion of traditional step based dungeon crawling and the manga visual style that has made developer Winged Cloud (in)famous. Despite all the erotic content (mostly censored in the Steam version) the game doesn’t skimp on the role playing elements either. It might not be as in-depth or complicated as other dungeon crawlers, but definitely offers a fun and compelling experience. Gameplay: Explore dungeons, defeat cute monster girls and then recruit them to your party. Graphics: The 2D visuals look great despite the lack of animations. Sound: Great music, but limited sound effects and no voice acting.

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is an action-packed Metroidvania title with a fascinating and sprawling game world to explore. This world is also inhabited by some of the genre's strangest and most fascinating enemies and NPCs. Completing the game provides a nice challenge, but players determined to uncover every secret and ending will be surprised to see how much is lurking beneath the cute exterior of Hollow Knight. Gameplay: Hollow Knight is an absolute blast to play, and there's so much to see and do that players can easily lose hours in Hallownest. Graphics: The 2D visuals are charming, and the character designs, as well as unique areas, make for a memorable experience. Sound: Everything from the haunting soundtrack to the strange language spoken by the bugs is superb.

Control

Control

Control is an over the top third-person shooter with a very interesting story and setting. Unfortunately, while the combat can be a lot of fun, thanks to your supernatural powers, it can also become a bit repetitive after a while. We also found that the main story didn’t manage to grab our attention in the same way as some of the things described in the classified file collectibles that are scattered about did. Nevertheless, if you are looking for something that is a bit out of the ordinary, looks great, and offers more replay value than any of Remedy's previous titles, then Control is worth a try. Gameplay: Sometimes boring, sometimes chaotic, sometimes repetitive, but also filled with a few great sections. Graphics: The game looks great if you have the hardware to do it justice. Sound: The soundtrack could have been better, but the voice acting is top-notch.

Flame Over

Flame Over

Running around as a firefighter extinguishing flames and rescuing civilians is a lot more fun than it sounds and Flame Over packs quite a challenge to boot. It is definitely a little frustrating at times, but the randomized levels and addictive gameplay will keep you coming back for more after every rage quit. The game made the transition from PS Vita to PC very well and comes highly recommended. Gameplay: Fun, sometimes frustrating, very challenging and definitely addictive. Graphics: Four different environments and some very nice fire effects. Sound: Very catchy and fits the theme of the game perfectly.

Leave a comment

fourteen + 6 =