Favourite Mega Pack/Classic Volumes release?

[danthor]

What's yours? Either classic volume, or game of the 15 that came out. Play anything you haven't before? Or was there maybe a game you were really wanting to come out in one of these packs, and did?

Myself, I've been rocking the hell out of Blazing Star. I've been looking forward to trying Savage Reign and Kizuna Encounter, having never played them! I read up on the games, and they have some really interesting things going for em. The vertical ascension to different stages, for example. Like Fatal Fury's plane switching (which I LOVE) but in a different direction. I'm excited to sit down and give them a go tonight!

I've also never heard of Blue's Journey at all, so I'm interested to try that, and see what it's all about! Where platformers are so sparse on Neo Geo, this could be an interesting treat.

[rayred]

Nice topic, danthor! I only ordered Vol.5 strictly for The Last Blade. Last Blade is in my top 10 Neo Geo games. AOF 3 is pretty cool, but I've played it on the AOF anthology on the PS2. Blue's Journey I never played and I was shocked at what a good game it is! It is an excellent platformer who's only real flaw is it's lackluster graphics.

I'm going to order Vol.3 eventually since I Love KOF '96 and I never played the other 2 games. After that I'm set until the next batch of releases. I might consider Vol.4 to play MOTW, but only if there's a price drop.

[danthor]

The Last Blade is most definitely one of the finest Neo Geo titles I've ever played. Gorgeous presentation, and really interesting combat, everything about those games exude pure class. The Last Blade 2 manages to make it even better! No easy feat. Parrying and countering was a real game changer for someone like me who was used to Samurai Shodown! I mean, there was dodging, but this was different, and very satisfying to pull on an opponent.

Myself, I LOVE AoF 3. But I've always been a huge AoF fan (I could go on for a long time about why I enjoy em so much). I've actually gone out of my way to track down and get the original homecarts of all 3 games for this particular series. As much as I wish we would have gotten AoF 2 in this batch of releases, I'm really happy to see AoF 3 get some love. I think it's one of the most underappreciated fighters on the system. There's a lot to it, interesting and flexible juggles/combos, and of course, the graphics. Being an animator, the visuals in AoF 3 (and a LOT of NeoGeo games, for that matter) always blows me away, every single time I play. Whether it's admiring the timing of a punch, the secondary action in Robert's necklace as he prances around, or the subtle movement in the fabric on Ryo's pants. Mindblowing quality presentation. But it suffers to many by removing pretty much all the classic characters, Ryo and Robert excepted, and updating the combo system. And I can totally see that, that was my biggest gripe with Street Fighter 3. But in this case, I actually enjoy the new characters, in spite of how much I miss the classic characters (Karman Cole is seriously awesome) If I could toss in AoF 2's roster with these guys, and have this kind of presentation... I would have my PERFECT AoF game.

Kof 96 is a damn fine game, among the best KoF games. One step closer to getting my favorite KoF; KoF 97. Maybe next batch! But I can tell you Blazing Star is absolutely worth it, just for that game alone! It's more addicting than it has any right to be. Easily one of the best shmups on the system!

I can also tell you firsthand, the games on Volume 4 (MoTW, Shock Troopers, World Heroes 2 Jet) are some of the systems brightest shining stars. MoTW is just an amazing fighting game. It honestly doesn't feel like Fatal Fury to me, especially lacking plane switching, keeping everything locked into one layer. But what IS there is a goregous, well presented, amazing 2D fighting experience. Shock Troopers is also a seriously amazing shooter. I actually have the cart (MVS) for this game, and I rock it with regularity. In all honesty, I'm starting to prefer playing this to playing through a Metal Slug title when I get that shooting itch. There's so much variety in characters, weapons, and levels! you can choose different paths to take, and mid mission, those paths can change and cross even more, so it's never really the same experience twice! The soundtrack alone is worth it there. And World Heroes 2 Jet.. well, I've always really enjoyed World Heroes (This one I've got on homecart), but this was a great game, and it's got the mode I was SORELY missing in the included World Heroes Perfect; Deathmatch mode. the difference there being that your life is measured in a marker. The more damage you inflict on your opponent, the farther in the opponent's direction it goes, and likewise the more damage you take, the farther towards you it goes. The whole idea being to get that marker all the way to the left or right, it's seriously one of the most intense kinds of fights to have, as it can go either way at any moment. If you liked WHP in the included pack, Jet will give you something more.

[rayred]

MOTW is very cool. I have it on the Xbox. Shock Troopers is awesome! I've played it on the SNK Arcade Classics for the PS2. WH Jet.... Well, personally I think all the WH games to be extremely lack luster.

I've played them all and I just don't think any of them are any good. Graphics, speed, music, play control, everything just screams lower tier fighting game. That's just me though. I know that the series has it's fans.

[crujones4life]

I like Metal Slug 2 a lot more than I remember. ..fantastic. ..better than X! To bad so much slowdown. Allows you to really appreciate all the handdrawn details though.

[crujones4life]

Anyone else notice the graphical glitches on WH2 Jet? Black squares on the ground on far left side and far right side of Mudmans stage...