NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 Reviews

NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is ranked in the 71st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9.5 / 10.0
Mar 26, 2021

NEOGEO Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1’s timing has weird optics, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a quality compilation of underappreciated classics. The historical features are great, so is the emulation. And it helps that this is a pretty powerful set of games by themselves. The physical release is icing on the cake, and I hope this means the brand has been successful enough to keep things rolling.

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Digitally Downloaded
Harvard L.
Top Critic
Mar 24, 2021

The whole collection features a promising ten games from a sorely underlooked handheld console, all of which hold up well today. The collection doesn’t have the same sheer value for money that something like the SEGA Mega Drive Collection does, but you shouldn’t underestimate how well all of these handheld titles told up today. While Volume 1 does lean heavily into the fighting game genre, it’s SNK – you knew what you were getting into. I especially liked the way that the handheld ports simplified and distilled the core of each property, but not in a limiting way: I felt like I was getting the proper Metal Slug, KOF and Last Blade experiences, but simplified down to be more accessible for a newer player. With an excellent multiplayer mode and opportunities for replay value across the titles, Neo Geo Pocket Color Collection Vol. 1 is a welcome addition to the retro compilations across the Switch eShop.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 31, 2021

Best part is that I don't have to try and find a working NGPC in good condition anymore.

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4.5 / 5.0
Mar 24, 2021

NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is a fantastic collection of NeoGeo Pocket Color games that fans of fighting games and Metal Slug alike will thoroughly enjoy.

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Mar 26, 2021

I have to say I’m very impressed with NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1. The game selection here is great, the extras (such as the boxes and manuals) are a nice touch, and the price is very reasonable. You get 10 great classic games for the low price of $39.99. The Metal Slug titles, SNK Gal Fighters’ and SNK vs. Capcom are worth that alone. I feel this is a great pickup for any SNK fans, fighter fans, or anyone that is looking for some fun classics to play on the go.

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TechRaptor
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Oct 18, 2021

While half the games in the collection are fighting games, the remainder are an interesting variety to choose from. The emulator itself however, could use some work.

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2021

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is a great collection that includes most of the must-haves from the SNK handheld. However, the Metal Slug games still suffer from noticeable lag, which hurts their inclusion. Despite that, retro gamers and those who love SNK fighters should own this little piece of magic handheld history.

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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2021

NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 offers a quality retro experience. The collection features an interesting selection of action and fighting adventures, and all titles together offer hours of fun. When it comes to features, there are basic options and a few extras, and it's a shame that some of the issues in the individual titles persist here. In the end, NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is a great way to get to play some of the biggest highlights of the SNK portable console.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

85 / 100
Apr 1, 2021

NEOGEO POCKET COLOR SELECTION Vol. 1 is the compilation that includes 10 games from the extinct SNK portable system that was on the market in the late 90's. The selection includes some of the best titles in the system, which is remembered for its conversions of Neo Geo's star franchises. For the rest, a highly recommended compilation for those who were lucky enough to enjoy this laptop, or for all those who could not enjoy it, and are curious about the interesting but unsuccessful Neo Geo Pocket Color.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

4 / 5.0
Mar 24, 2021

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is a must buy for anyone who has wanted to enjoy what the classic portable had to offer and missed out on the individual releases.

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Nintendo Life
Stuart Gipp
Top Critic
8 / 10
Mar 27, 2021

A strong showing for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, this is an eight-game compilation with seven avowed recommendations. That's a pretty high ratio, and that tantalising "Vol. 1" in the title makes us hope and pray that more SNK handheld goodness is to come. Now that Match of the Millennium has been accounted for, after all, there's surely no reason to hold out on us vis-a-vis Card Fighters Clash, the absolute best game on the system. Sonic Pocket Adventure would be ace, too. But that's all speculation – in the here and now, Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is a great little compilation and all the better if you didn't buy all the previous standalone releases. If you did, is it worth the money? To this writer, yes, but you can quietly seethe about the financial imposition.

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8 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2021

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol.1 is a fantastic (and cheap) way to play some of the best games available on possibly the best portable system you have never managed to put your hands on. I wish they have added some other cult classics like SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash and Sonic Pocket Adventure, but I’m pretty sure SNK and Code Mystics will eventually release them in a second volume. I for one, will eagerly look forward to it.

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4 / 5.0
Mar 29, 2021

If you’ve yet to pick up the six previously-released games on this collection, then Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is easy to recommend. Packed with hours upon hours of retro-gaming goodness, it’s as close as it gets to a definitive look at SNK’s 16-bit handheld. I only hope that Big Tournament Golf, Dark Arms, and Metal Slug: 1st & Second Mission are added to the eShop down the road so that those who purchased the earlier releases don’t have to shell out another $40 to play these titles.

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8 / 10.0
Jul 24, 2021

NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 has 10 of its popular games that were ported to be played on the Nintendo Switch. Each game has different language versions and also emulates the slight differences of the game versions based on certain regions. Some of the contents include 3D renders of the actual game cartridges that you can tilt and turn to see from different angles. Multiplayer features that required the original to have link cables between the two portable machines are now comfortably allowed to be played in local multiplayer. The selected games were rightfully some of the best games at its time so now’s the chance if you weren’t able to live those days back in the era of the OG portable gaming sensation.

Review in Korean | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Oct 20, 2021

NeoGeo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 is an interesting and varied collection with great games from the SNK portable console. It's a product that is sure to appeal to retro enthusiasts and portable enthusiasts, with the potential to appeal to a wider audience, especially casual gamers, given the simple, “to the point” nature of the games. Although it's a bit under-resourced and despite the absence of SNK Vs. Capcom: The Match of Millenium, the quality of the collection will guarantee a lot of fun.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Mar 17, 2021

While I used to have nearly every Nintendo handheld system and enjoyed both of the ones from Sony as well I was never inclined to take a chance on the Neo Geo Pocket...

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7.8 / 10.0
Mar 31, 2021

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol 1 is a fantastic selection of games, even if it does tilt a little heavy towards the fighting side of things. Given that the title has ‘Vol 1’ in there, I wonder if we’ll see one or two more of these collections (the Pocket Color had 31 games released for it). Assuming you haven’t already picked up all of the previously released fighting games, this is a very worthwhile collection for old school gaming enthusiasts.

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7 / 10.0
Mar 29, 2021

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 will be a letdown for those who've already purchased some (or all) of the fighters released prior. But if you've been wondering why SNK hasn't bundled these handheld games together, wonder no more. While very much a mixed bag, there's enough here for the curious, and more so for fans. Bring on Vol. 2.

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7 / 10 stars
Mar 24, 2021

A decidedly niche retro fix for fans of the beloved if underappreciated Neo Geo Pocket Color.

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7 / 10.0
May 26, 2021

Another blast from the past with solid games that still hold up (mostly).

Review in Slovak | Read full review