I didn't even realize the Neo Geo Pocket Color turned ten years old this month, and given how much I check up on video game stuff (read: too much), it's probably a sign of how overlooked it was when it originally released. It was probably something the system didn't deserve, as even after a short amount of time, it amassed quite a quality lineup. It was almost as good as the Game Gear's software lineup -- especially if you cheat and include the games that weren't released outside of Japan -- and it was definitely better than the Atari Lynx.
Man, look at all of the colors! I wish every portable system had such a large variety of them right of the bat.
But the thing is...I never owned one. As much as I definitely wanted one of its iterations, it released at a pretty bad time for me. Not too long before it grabbed my interest, my time and money was grabbed by another system that released at the time that I found enticing. I think I made the right decision, sure, but given how much I apparently like portable gaming, I felt like I missed something. So I had to go with alternate means to enjoy its software lineup. Yes, that's emulation.
Really, emulation for this is similar to playing Game Boy games from any generation and Game Gear games on the computer: totally missing the point. These are games that are made to be ingested in small bursts on a smaller screen, and it makes some games look worse than they were originally because of being in a window about four times larger than its intended aspect ratio. But it's still acceptable, since it's not like I have a choice if I wanted to experience them. the lineup may be spartan, but what's there is certainly quality.
Since it's a Neo Geo console, you can probably guess that it had a nice lineup of fighters. And it did! One of the best was SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium, the first in the SNK and Capcom crossover fighting games. As it does everything so right, I almost can't imagine how SVC Chaos does so, so much wrong. Well, until I remembered that it was probably by a different team, since the former was put together by the first incarnation of SNK, while the second was put together after they reformed (when all of their games were a little rough starting out). Also notable was SNK Gals Fighters, which was a fighter involving nothing but female characters from SNK's fighting games. Oh, and Iori Yagami in drag as the final boss, which puts him in a whole new light. Hardcore Gaming 101 has an incredibly good article about it if you're interested in knowing more. The system will probably have the best lineup of fighters ever for a portable system, unless SNK really steps it up and ports more of their titles to PSP.
SNK vs. Capcom: Mark of the Millennium, Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure, and Metal Slug: First Mission, respectively. Sorry, I've got nothing witty for this.
But its standout titles consisted of more than just a steady line of portable fighters. There was SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash, which was a great card battle game whose defining feature was the plethora of fanservice it had; and not just for people who play fighting games from both sides. There was also a pretty good Sonic game, Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure, which felt like the lost 2D game in the franchise that they forgot to release on the Genesis before. Lastly, both Metal Slug titles, that's First Mission and Second Mission, where also pretty good; and different. They weren't ports of the original arcade games shoved into a portable system, but original games created specifically for the system. They're the only ones of it's kind, though I'd definitely like to see more. A pity the modern incarnation of SNK isn't interested in that.
As you could probably tell, I really regret missing out on this system. I'd like to grab one once I get enough money, but there's something that great about being there when the property is "hot," so to speak. A shame it was so ill-fated, since it was definitely the most deserving of being successful compared to a lot of other companies that competed against the Game Boy and failed miserably. So, uh, don't expect a Game.com retrospective here or anything.
Neo Geo Pocket Color montage and screens courtesy of VGMuseum.
Man, look at all of the colors! I wish every portable system had such a large variety of them right of the bat.But the thing is...I never owned one. As much as I definitely wanted one of its iterations, it released at a pretty bad time for me. Not too long before it grabbed my interest, my time and money was grabbed by another system that released at the time that I found enticing. I think I made the right decision, sure, but given how much I apparently like portable gaming, I felt like I missed something. So I had to go with alternate means to enjoy its software lineup. Yes, that's emulation.
Really, emulation for this is similar to playing Game Boy games from any generation and Game Gear games on the computer: totally missing the point. These are games that are made to be ingested in small bursts on a smaller screen, and it makes some games look worse than they were originally because of being in a window about four times larger than its intended aspect ratio. But it's still acceptable, since it's not like I have a choice if I wanted to experience them. the lineup may be spartan, but what's there is certainly quality.
Since it's a Neo Geo console, you can probably guess that it had a nice lineup of fighters. And it did! One of the best was SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium, the first in the SNK and Capcom crossover fighting games. As it does everything so right, I almost can't imagine how SVC Chaos does so, so much wrong. Well, until I remembered that it was probably by a different team, since the former was put together by the first incarnation of SNK, while the second was put together after they reformed (when all of their games were a little rough starting out). Also notable was SNK Gals Fighters, which was a fighter involving nothing but female characters from SNK's fighting games. Oh, and Iori Yagami in drag as the final boss, which puts him in a whole new light. Hardcore Gaming 101 has an incredibly good article about it if you're interested in knowing more. The system will probably have the best lineup of fighters ever for a portable system, unless SNK really steps it up and ports more of their titles to PSP.
SNK vs. Capcom: Mark of the Millennium, Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure, and Metal Slug: First Mission, respectively. Sorry, I've got nothing witty for this.But its standout titles consisted of more than just a steady line of portable fighters. There was SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash, which was a great card battle game whose defining feature was the plethora of fanservice it had; and not just for people who play fighting games from both sides. There was also a pretty good Sonic game, Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure, which felt like the lost 2D game in the franchise that they forgot to release on the Genesis before. Lastly, both Metal Slug titles, that's First Mission and Second Mission, where also pretty good; and different. They weren't ports of the original arcade games shoved into a portable system, but original games created specifically for the system. They're the only ones of it's kind, though I'd definitely like to see more. A pity the modern incarnation of SNK isn't interested in that.
As you could probably tell, I really regret missing out on this system. I'd like to grab one once I get enough money, but there's something that great about being there when the property is "hot," so to speak. A shame it was so ill-fated, since it was definitely the most deserving of being successful compared to a lot of other companies that competed against the Game Boy and failed miserably. So, uh, don't expect a Game.com retrospective here or anything.
Neo Geo Pocket Color montage and screens courtesy of VGMuseum.
Many years ago, I saw a package containing a Neo Geo and six games at a local EB. It was only $60, and I had the money - but I opted not to bankrupt myself for the rest of the week. Nowadays, of course, I regret the decision; It would have looked great next to my Lynx and Game Gear.
Man, I wish I would've come across a package like that. I probably would've gone through and bankrupted myself, since it's not like I have good judgment or anything (i.e. typical nerd). Who needs that when you could have a NGPC, right?
(Don't listen to me, I'm terrible.)