SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Reviews
Great ports, awesome extras, and both arcade and NES versions make this a good game that many will enjoy.
A worthy compendium for one of Japan's greatest arcade developers.
"A chest full of rare games."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Either way, it doesn’t take a genius to see that the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection isn’t for everyone. Many of the games here really haven’t aged quite as well as others developed for the same generation. If rummaging through the nostalgia of gaming history does appeal to you though, then this mid-range priced time capsule could very well be worth your investment.
While I’m not sure people who aren’t either “vintage” gamers like me or folks who have an appreciation for video game history will have a great deal of incentive to pick it up, the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection delivers just about everything I could want from such a package. It provides both an opportunity to immerse yourself in the game industry and its rise through the eyes of this one revered company and to enjoy a completely arcade-accurate experience by playing these classic titles.
Buy it for Crystalis, and then you can settle in for interesting and beautifully made pre-Neo Geo games when the adventure ends.
I think it is safe to say that the care and attention that went until putting this collection together is fantastic overall, though the games themselves are certainly more niche in nature. Arcade and NES enthusiasts who enjoy action games (especially shooters) will probably have the most fun with this compilation, however.
First, let's cover the broad spectrum, before we start dialing in on some of these actual titles. Right out the gate, I can tell you the presentation here is amazing. Every last game comes with just about every variant the original release exists in. American and Japanese arcade variants, contemporary console ports, it's all here. Not only do you have all of these variants, all of them superbly emulated, but you also have all of the extras. How would you like a ton of soundtracks to listen to, of classic SNK tunes? Done. Posters, samplings of vintage magazines, concept art? You've got it. There's tons of these little details and careful touches all throughout.
The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is by no means a bad bevy of retro delights. It’s just such a niche collection from a company that’s always going to play second fiddle to the likes of Capcom and Konami, that unless you’re a hipster of classic gaming, and is unlikely to attract your attention.
Snk 40th Anniversary Collection is one of the best compilations that can be found in the market, thanks to the you can play games that currently can not be played in any other way than pulling emulator and above it comes with a whole encyclopedia of the first decade of this wonderful company. Indispensable for all those children who refuse to grow and who still keep our coins in their pockets excited to play the next game.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection was a great experience. As much as I wasn’t born at the time these games were released, I still found them to be very fun to play
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is an awesome anthology of classics that felt about time it should exist. The games included can be debatable, but holding out-of-print or hard-to-find games in the palm of your hands is way cooler than coming up empty. The Museum feature alone really is a blast from the past. The Watch feature is a new innovation that lets players not only witness a playthrough, but control it and resume the game from any point they choose. Overall, this is a worthy package created with care.
As we have said we cannot value SNK 40th Anniversary Collection only as a playable product, we have to value this collection as a piece of video game history. SNK has taken seriously what this collection means to fans and offers us a magnificent product full of nostalgia, information and love. It is not a collection for all audiences and only those who lived through that time or those who like to enjoy the video game not only in its playable aspect, but also for its cultural and nostalgic concept will be able to enjoy this piece of SNK's soul.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
All in all I had a great time with the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection. I had a wonderful trip down memory lane with great title selections here and I’m certainly glad these titles will now find their way into the hands of this generation. The controls are solid, the audio is top notch and the graphics look great, but I would like to see some more filters added via the next patch if possible. If you’re an old timer like me you will certainly want to snag this one up. If you’ve never seen or heard of any these game before at the $39.99 price tag I feel like this is well worth it not only for the great games, but Museum Mode is great for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of the industry as well. Just don’t try to stick quarters into your Switch, it probably wouldn’t go so well.
Classic game compilations don't get much better than SNK 40th Anniversary Collection.
For this collection to be really worth the price of admission, SNK needed to dip into its more recent history, and particularly the fighting game genre, where the company has a genuine leadership position. It didn't do that, so it's hard to shake the impression that you'd be better off with a couple of the dozens of Neo Geo Classics that are available as individual purchases on Switch.
SNK isn't Nintendo or Sega, but they carved a unique path through the industry that has helped them stick around for 40 years. This celebration might only be focused on the first dozen or so years, but it's a lovingly crafted and curated virtual exhibit that sets the standard for retro collections for the future. SNK 40th Anniversary Collection shined a light on a company I didn't know much about, and I'm thrilled it will now be easy for others to learn about them the same way I did.
The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a must-have game on Nintendo Switch. Digital Eclipse, SNK, and NIS America have knocked this one out of the park, giving us an extended look at many of the classics that shaped up SNK during its early years. It does not feature every game, because that would require a ton of extra work and a way bigger development budget, but what is available, and what will be added on December 11, more than justify the asking price. After having a blast playing the games in this collection and marveling at the incredible museum section, I wouldn't mind seeing a second and third volume!
SNK raised the bar for this type of retro collections.
Review in Slovak | Read full review