SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Reviews
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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.
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.
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.
Without a doubt, SNK 40th Anniversary is probably the strangest collection of retro and classic games I have ever spent time with. Overall, the package bounced around with me having feelings of fun, intrigue, disappointment, and confusion all at the time time.
While these games were iconic trendsetters for their time, only a handful of them hold-up to today’s standards of playability, ingenuity, and fun. While the library size is large, so many of these games feel like reskins that it doesn’t quite reflect the broader scope of SNK’s accomplishments over the years. If you love a fast-paced challenge than this is definitely for you, but rather than being a memorable throwback like the NES or SNES Classics, this feels too bogged down in its lack of variety for what it could have been.
"A chest full of rare games."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
A worthy compendium for one of Japan's greatest arcade developers.
Great ports, awesome extras, and both arcade and NES versions make this a good game that many will enjoy.
All in all, the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a fine way to experience SNK's humble beginnings. The included games cover a wide variety of genres, and even the worst of them have one or two admirable qualities. There are no complaints at all when it comes to features. Both region-select and console versions are accounted for, and the museum is loaded with bonus materials. Hopefully the dual-stick control issue is eventually sorted out, as it's the only stain on this otherwise impeccable set.
SNK raised the bar for this type of retro collections.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
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.
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
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is essential for game historians and recommended for anyone that wants to experience some old-school charm without the annoying difficulty gates. The titles themselves are hit and miss, but the good outweighs the bad by a healthy amount.
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.
The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is an impressive museum exhibit of forgotten games that don't all hold up today.
Buy it for Crystalis, and then you can settle in for interesting and beautifully made pre-Neo Geo games when the adventure ends.
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.
Despite the aged-feeling of some of the titles, there’s still a lot to enjoy about the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection