SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Reviews
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is one of the coolest, most fascinating video game releases out in 2019.
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..
What I hoped would be a decent collection of SNK’s early gaming efforts ended up being one of the most impressive retro compilations I’ve encountered in recent memory. While not every game included will excite more casual players, those who do have an appreciation for the library offered here will find them presented with a level of care, concern, and passion that is too rarely seen.
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 40th Anniversary Collection is not full of flawless gems that everyone will love, and it suffers a bit in terms of variety. Strictly viewed for what it is, however, which is part retro videogame anthology, part history lesson, it is one of the finest one in the market, making this the definite product for those who want to try the titles on offer.
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.
Classic game compilations don't get much better than SNK 40th Anniversary Collection.
The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is an essential title for retro enthusiasts. It may be very heavy on shooters, but most of the shooters here are decent. Meanwhile, the other genres represented have compelling entries of their own, but Street Smart can be seen more of as a curiosity rather than something you'd actually want to play constantly. It is the Museum mode, however, that makes this collection shine, as there is a ton of content here for retro historians. Anyone who likes retro games should absolutely own this title.
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.
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
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
This is how you made a retro-collection: full of extras and interesting tidbits.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A portion of SNK's pre-Neo Geo library is given the archaeological treatment in the diverse and educational SNK 40th Anniversary Collection.
This all comes from a passion to keep as much this industry's history alive as possible, and it all shines through in the final product.
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is by far my favorite collection of classic titles. The fact that they are on Switch and available on-the-go is a major plus. Throw in the jump-in moments and watch mode on top of more free games down the road makes this a must-own for Switch owners.
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.
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.
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.
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a great example of how a retro collection should be assembled.