SNK Dropping Traditional NeoGeo Hardware

Thanks to GameSpot for its news discussing SNK's decision to shift its arcade development platform from the original NeoGeo MVS cartridge format to Sammy's Atomiswave. A spokesperson for Sammy commented: "The NeoGeo's games have been played worldwide, but it ran on a 16-bit board that had reached its limits", and the SNK Playmore development chief lamented: "There have been talks in the past about when we'll stop supporting the NeoGeo, but this is going to be the real end. And that's really an indescribable feeling." Fan site NeoGeo For Life points out current NeoGeo MVS title Samurai Spirits Zero Special, the last in an era for SNK, while the GameSpot article explains: "Three new titles have been announced for release on the Atomiswave: The King of Fighters 2004, Samurai Spirits AW, and Metal Slug 6."

Comments

Re:Metal Slug 6?

[Fred Or Alive]

Metal Slug 4 and 5 exist as well. SNK Playmore's official sites are at:

Metal Slug 4 (Japanese)
Metal Slug 5

Re:Lasted longer than all?

[Fred Or Alive]

The Famicom (Japanese version of the NES) was apparently in production from 1983 to 2003. I think Neo-Geo was actually availible in 1989, or at least that's the earliest game copyright dates for the system.