A fine collection for the enthusiasts.
I had heard of the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection before when it hit the Switch a few months back. Sounded like a nice concept with some really interesting features. It’s now hit the Xbox One with a new addition to the roster, and I can finally give it a shot for myself. It’s one heck of a collection that any fan of arcade games and SNK should check out.
The draw here is the fact that all these arcade games can be viewed, played, and rewound. I could start watching a play through of Ikari Warriors and decide to pick up the game right there in the second level, and with a push of a button, I was playing where the video left off, and if I ever screwed up and made a big mistake, I could choose to rewind and try that section again. Each game also comes with save states for when I wanted to take a break and come back to it later.
Platforms: Switch, XB1, PS4
MSRP: $39.99
Price I’d pay: $30
Along with that, many games on offer have both the Japanese version and English version, along with the arcade and console versions. Depending on if it was ever made, of course. The number of options is very impressive here.
The museum mode offers up pictures and trivia for games in the SNK library that really give off that restoration feel and make the entire collection feel like it was finely crafted. I love this sort of care that goes into collections of this sort.
The only big downside I see to this collection is the fact that many of these games are obscure. When I booted the game up, I did a quick scroll of the games on the menu and maybe recognized four of them. The Xbox One version gets an extra game, Baseball Stars, to total of 25 games in all. On top of that, there a number of games in this collection that are “one and done” due to how primitive they are. Still, it’s nice to see how games have evolved over the years and it is part of video game past.
For the collector or retro game enthusiast, this is a must have. Fans of SNK games will find a lot of history here, and some fun while they’re at it. Some games may turn off the more casual players, and I can’t help but notice there are a few games on here that are just not that fun to play, but knowing the history of these games and video games as a whole is important to me. Luckily, SNK didn’t skimp on the presentation and restoration of this collection. It’s an acquired taste, but for those that are interested in the games of yesteryear, this is a great collection to pick up.
The games offered in this collection are as follows – Alpha Mission, Athena, Crystalis, Ikari Warriors, Ikari III: the Rescue, Victory Road, Guerrilla War, P.O.W., Prehistoric Isle, Psycho Soldier, Street Smart, Vanguard, TNK III, Chopper, Munch Mobile, Fantasy, Time Soldiers, Bermuda Triangle, Saskue Vs. Commander, Beast Busters, Paddle Mania, World Wars, SAR: Search and Rescue, and Ozma Wars with the Xbox One version adds Baseball Stars to the roster as well.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
