SNK Adds PS2 Metal Slug, KOF Compilations To Xbox Ports

Thanks to GameSpot for its article revealing SNK NeoGeo's announcement of exclusive PlayStation 2 compilations, featuring 2-pack conversions of "SNK's 2D fighting games" King Of Fighters 2002 and 2003 (for Winter 2004), and "old-school side-scrolling-shooter action" titles Metal Slug 4 and 5 (for Spring 2005), for "an MSRP of $39.99." This follows the recent release of King Of Fighters 2000 and 2001 for PS2. Elsewhere, NeoGeo For Life has a picture of the box cover for the Xbox-exclusive Metal Slug 3 conversion, due out next month, which is also sporting "Xbox Live [stats] Leaderboards."

Comments

Huh??

[radicalskeptic]

I did not understand 20% of that headline at all.

Re:Huh??

[Babbster]

You were modded funny, but it's absolutely true. That headline makes no sense at all. Here's a properly written version:

"SNK Announces Forthcoming PS2 and Xbox Ports"

It's not necessary to [attempt to] summarize the entire post in the headline - that's the kind of thing that editing should fix.

On-topic, I'll be looking forward to finally playing Metal Slug. Having been away from arcades for many, many years I just haven't gotten around to playing any of the versions, despite having heard that it's an excellent shmup series.

Re:Huh??

[wan-fu]

Oh, c'mon. Though a dense headline, it is easily interpreted.

SNK Adds PS2 Metal Slug, KOF Compilations To Xbox Ports

So there are a number of things going on here. Most important to realize is that XBox is no longer running Microsoft's custom operating system. Instead, it is running FreeBSD and so it uses the ports and packages collection. As a result, SNK is able to add their new compilations of KOF and Metal Slug into the ports collection for XBox. Also note that the gcc compiler included in the FreeBSD for XBox has the ability to cross-compile for the PS2, hence, the PS2 compilations in the headline. Use

pkg_add -r SNK-metal-slug
pkg_add -r SNK-KOF

to install.

Awesome!

[lightspawn]

I can't wait to see what they're going to cut out of the original for the American version this time. Blood? Bounce? Maybe all the violence, and just have the characters talk to each other or play mini-games to determine the winner?

Re:Awesome!

[SuperMo0]

As in Quiz King of Fighters? Already done, my friend.

Re:Awesome!

[Samhaine]

Differences between the European/Australian version, the US version, and the original version.

Original
Bounce Factor = 1
Blood Factor = 1

US
Bounce Factor = 0-0.5
Blood Factor = 2-3

European
Bounce Factor = 5
Blood Factor = -2 (ooh, look, they ooze candy!)

XBox?

[Shakey_Jake33]

The XBox announcement is a little suprising, given the relative low popularity of the format in the companies home nation.

Plus the fact that the 2D and anime buffs who generally buy SNK games are probably the least likely to possess an XBox out of the big three consoles, due to the fact that so far, there have been few games on the format to appeal to that audience (mainly because of the point mentioned in my first sentence).

That said, the XBox is in the best position to provide online play, and it's good to see SNK realise this fact.

Would be very interesting to see how this turns out actually. Even more intetesting would be to see if the usual market audience for these types of games now go out and buy an XBox. After all, these people used NeoGeo's for 10 years or so, and we all know how costly NeoGeo carts were... an XBox and a copy of this game must be a similar price to a brand spanking new Neo Geo cart.

Re:XBox?

[SuperMo0]

I don't know, but if the games were coming out for PS2 (along with CvS2:EO for GCN), I wouldn't buy a new system just for one or two games.

Re:XBox?

[h0mer]

I don't think the Xbox ports are surprising at all. I'm a big fan of SNK and games in general, and I would put the Xbox at the top of the current generation. Xbox has a hidden side to it, not the FPS/Sports one. Tecmo and Sega are primarily responsible for that.

If I could have every game I own for PS2 on Xbox instead, I wouldn't have a PS2 anymore.

Re:XBox?

[buffer-overflowed]

I agree. It's very surprising. I'd expect PS2 or actually the GCN, which is where most gamers are and most of the audience for this type of thing is respectively. I'd toss the GBA in there, but really, SNK games wouldn't be all that great on that platform.

However, from a purely technical standpoint, the XBox is the best decision. With it's HDD, load times aren't as big of an issue, and it's best positioned for online play as you stated.

OTOH, with a pathetically easily installed mod-chip you can play most of the old SNK stuff already on the XBox and I'd think most SNK fans would favor local play over internet play.

So I don't think this will succeed, and I don't think the XBox was the right choice.

Re:XBox?

[Anonymous Coward]

So I don't think this will succeed, and I don't think the XBox was the right choice.

Dude, please fuck off. If you haven't noticed, the install base for PS2 owners is 2x that here than it is in Japan and the same goes for the GameCube and Xbox. The influence of Japan based games hasn't been important since the dawn of the early N64/PS1.

Re:XBox?

[buffer-overflowed]

Ok, I'm confused here, how the hell does that contradict anything I said?

Specifically that I don't think the XBox was the right platform for this and that I don't think the XBox ports will succeed in the marketplace.

Re:XBox?

[Anonymous Coward]

FYI, Mike Hawk started posting as AC a few days ago in response to people throwing his N-Gage advocacy, his penchant for Japan-bashing and Nintendo-bashing, and his inconsistent lies back in his face. Check the E3 story for his schizophrenic AC thread, and check out his recent journal entry about Nintendo....that has nothing to do with Nintendo.

Trolls are busy creatures, and they've started paying attention to /. games.

Now, I should note that SNK has released games on the GBA, including two King of Fighters games (the second of which is very good). Better than the SNES ports of SNK games that Takara handled back in the day.

Re:XBox?

[DeadScreenSky]

The article probably should have noted that Metal Slug 3 did come to the PS2 in Japan - home market tastes don't even figure into this decision. It doesn't make sense to stay on a single-platform for games like Metal Slug 3 (which are easy to port). What SNK is doing makes perfect financial sense, as the demographics for the PS2 and Xbox are very similar. It is just easy extra cash.

And it is important to note that the only reason that Metal Slug 3 is Xbox exclusive in the US is because of Sony of America. They wouldn't approve its release for PS2, since it isn't a 3D game (and SNK isn't as powerful as a company like Capcom or Konami, which can force the stuff through anyway). These are the same geniuses that prevented a US PSX release of Radiant Silvergun, DoDonPachi, Metal Slug 1 + 2, and plenty more classic games. Much of which to some extent lead to the practical death of shmups in the US, IMO...

But as long as you aren't directly competing with a first-party game, MS will happily approve any good game (and Metal Slug 3 certainly qualifies) for the Xbox.

And as others noted, your claim that SNK fans wouldn't generally be into Xbox is pretty silly. Where else am I going to play 'fanboy games' like the newest Panzer Dragoon, JSRF, DOA series, Ninja Gaiden, Steel Batallion/Tekki, Capcom vs. SNK 2 with online play outside of Japan, newer Japanese shmups with online scoreboards, for a while Shin Megami Tensei 3, etc. Big gamers that would be traditionally into SNK are very unlikely to only own one console.

Re:XBox?

[Anonymous Coward]

Sony had no hand in preventing the U.S. release of Radiant Silvergun. That would have been Sega's and Treasure's concern.
The games you mention aren't fanboy games. Other than megaten (9, not 3) for its Japanese style and heritage, Ninja Gaiden for its old Famicom/NES roots, and Tekki for the dedication it takes to pay so much to play one/two game(s), these are not game series for fanboys. And I say this as a fighting game player and Sega Saturn/DC collector.
This is not intended as a flame against the Xbox, but really, the fanboy factor is not very high for the system.

Re:XBox?

[DeadScreenSky]

Sega did not allow Treasure to release Radiant Silvergun on Saturn in the US, yes (honestly, not much of anything was being released on the domestically dying Saturn at that point), but Treasure then went to Sony of America, who also rejected it.

And are you honestly suggesting long-running series like DOA, (to a lesser extent) Panzer Dragoon, or Capcom 2D fighting games don't have tons of fans? The characters alone of the fighting games especially are tremendously popular among the fanboy type.

Re:XBox?

[Stormwatch]

>Treasure then went to Sony of America

Are you sure? If I recall this correctly, some Treasure developer said RSG would not be feasible on the Playstation.

Re:XBox?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm the AC above.

RS would not have been feasible on the Playstation. Even less technically advanced 2D shooters like Sohkyuhgurentai were bog slow on the Playstation.

Anyhow Treasure didn't approach SCEA (if anyone, it would have been SCEI). They had started planning on a PS version of RS in preparation of their transition to a mainly PS developer, however the plans were scrapped before porting work was even started. And that's why Sony (especially SCEA) had no say in the release of any U.S. version.

As for the other games that I cite as being non-fanboy games, yes, I mean it. They are all mass-appeal games that have a fanboy following, while those I cite are more specifically targeted at hardcore gamers.

DOA was and is a gimmick fighter series from the beginning, but especially beginning with the PS version. Yes, I own every iteration of the game, including both the Saturn and PS versions of DOA and the DC and PS2 versions of DOA2. It's much better than Tekken for strategic play, but that's not saying much.

Panzer Dragoon is a rail shooter. C'mon. I have every game in this series too, but the only notable one is Azel PS RPG/PD Saga. The shooters are Space Harrier with look and targeting, no matter how beautiful these games are.

Capcom's 2D fighting games are THE best. I have been a Street Fighter fanboy since SF2, and had enough experience with the first SF game before SF2 to know NOT to be an SF fanboy back then. But the SF games are not fanboy games.

To me, a fanboy game is one that doesn't have mass appeal -in the West- due to common misunderstanding of its qualities, something that hardcore gamers (fanboys) don't suffer from. The game has to be good, and it has to be relatively obscure or rare -in the West-. Each of the three games series above fail at least one of those criteria.

Re:XBox?

[Leynos]

Panzer Dragoon is a rail shooter. C'mon. I have every game in this series too, but the only notable one is Azel PS RPG/PD Saga. The shooters are Space Harrier with look and targeting, no matter how beautiful these games are.

You should try reading some of the threads on NTSC-UK about the dedication it takes to master PDOrta on the highest difficult. Or the threads on VGI's board that show just how much devotion Sega fan boys have to the Panzer Dragoon series.

For many Sega fans, the decision to buy an Xbox was made the minute a new Panzer Dragoon game was announced for it.

PDO may not fit your definition of a fanboy game, but the series undoubtedly has its army of fans who would follow it to the end of the earth. And those are just exactly the kind of people who would buy Metal Slug 3.

Although I'm probably not the best example, because I already bought Metal Slug 3 on the PS2 on Japanese import.

Later.

Re:XBox?

[Anonymous Coward]

You said it yourself. PDO doesn't fit my definition of a fanboy game. No offense was suggested or implied, and I honestly can't feel compelled to apologize if that's what was taken away from my post. However, from Space Harrier to Sin & Punishment to PDO, I honestly can't say that any rail shooter has been as involving for me as PDO's fans find them, but that's just my opinion.

I did mention that I am a Capcom fighter player, no? The best in the world are leaps and bounds better than your typical player. I would even go so far as to say that the best SF2 players are better than the average to a higher degree than the best shoot-em-up players are better than the average in that genre. And yet, the SF games aren't fanboy games, whereas most good shoot-em-ups are.

And please, spare me the import blurb. It's second nature for most hardcore gamers; I have a legitimate 65/35 import/domestic collection right now, mostly because of the PC Engine, SF, and Saturn.

Maybe not Metal Slug 4 & 5

[TuringTest]

According to the articles, MS 4 and 5 are the worse of all the series (not because playability but for the replay value). I've played 1 and X (which is like a 2.5 version) and they are great, funny games.

I suppose that 4 and 5 will play similarly the first times, but when you finish them they will be not that great. If I cuould choose, I would buy MSX and MS3, which look as the best two games in the series.