SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Reviews
The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection had some classics in it, as well as some games that I have never seen before in my life. The addition of the extra content was brilliant and makes the collection worth your time. If you're an SNK fan or you just like old games, then add this to the list.
The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a great collection of not necessarily great games. While retro enthusiasts and multiplayer fans will likely have this anthology near the top of their wish list, others might want to wait for some DLC to flesh it out.
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.
This is how retro compilations should be done. Although the emulation has a few little hiccups along the way and single Joy-Con multiplayer is sadly missing, the overall package here is wonderfully presented. Rather than just slapping a rudimentary menu over a bunch of old ROMs, it's clear there's been a lot of effort made here to catalogue an often forgotten period in one of Japan's most important game developers. As with all compilations there are a few misses, but the quality is generally high, and the supporting museum mode is an absolute treasure trove for retro enthusiasts.
This collection may not appeal to everyone, as when you boil it down a lot of these title feel the same. This serves more as a collector's piece, which isn't a bad thing; it's just very niche. As you can see though, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection does has a lot on offer. With thirteen titles from the off, eleven more coming the month after, and the various versions included, this anniversary bundle makes for quite the collection of portable nostalgia. Old games are very hard and it's important that we know where all the wonderful games we play today, started out. If you're interested in seeing those beginnings, then pick this game up and fill your boots.
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a great example of how a retro collection should be assembled.
Classic game compilations don't get much better than SNK 40th Anniversary Collection.
A portion of SNK's pre-Neo Geo library is given the archaeological treatment in the diverse and educational SNK 40th Anniversary Collection.
Overall, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection has titles that old school arcade gamers are sure to appreciate and also does an impressive job of diving deep into the company’s four-decade history. However, this may be even more of a niche collection than the Capcom Beat’em Up Bundle, which could work against it in the end..
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 an impressive museum exhibit of forgotten games that don't all hold up today.
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.
This is how you made a retro-collection: full of extras and interesting tidbits.
Review in Italian | Read full review
As an old-school gamer who's seen my fair share of classic collections that either nickel-and-dime gamers or just do the bare minimum, the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a refreshing and pleasantly surprising take on the whole retro collection trend. Yes, some of its games aren't as fun to play nowadays or don't have the cache of more popular old-school titles. A plethora of features and free additional content, however, make this a pixel-perfect example of a retro collection done right.
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is an interesting package, but even with the upcoming titles to be added, I have to question its value. Luckily, this is not a full price package, but even then many gamers will doubt the value proposition, quite rightly. I'm not saying don't buy the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection, but whether you'll keep playing the game after a few multiplayer sessions with friends is questionable indeed.
Great ports, awesome extras, and both arcade and NES versions make this a good game that many will enjoy.
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.
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a good compilation of SNK games, which will remind a lot of good memories to the fans of this brand, even if the Vs fighting and run&gun games are missing (find them on the Neo Geo Mini).
Review in French | Read full review
Putting aside a limited amount of genres, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection includes an educational value that is unrivaled in the history of retrogaming, offering the definitive learning tool for all SNK fans.
Review in Italian | Read full review