Websites like Neo Geo For Life still thrive in part because we as fans like to look back what what SNK accomplished with the Neo Geo and think about how awesome it was. NG4L itself is a celebration of all things Neo Geo. In 2005, SNK decided to pat themselves on the back and release a game that also existed purely as a celebration of all things Neo Geo.
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum
Genre: Tag Team Fighter Players: 2 Size: ??? Released on: Atomiswave, Playstation 2, XBox Live Arcade
Brief Description:
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum is a 2 on 2 tag team fighting game for the Atomiswave arcade board. The game features characters from several SNK and ADK titles. The story involves all of the characters existing in a world called NEOGEO World and being challenged by a man from the WAREZ Conglomerate. This was SNK's tongue in cheek way of blaming their previous financial troubles and the death of the MVS and AES on illegally downloaded software.
Great choice on NGBC being the 100th GotW, as for the game itself, its awesome, that's all. BTW, A HSC is possible for this game since the game only ranks on time, and not score like certain SNK games.
LIKE THE OTHER GUYS HERE...
have already said, NGBC is a great little game and would have been a great addition to the AES/MVS hardware library imo.
I really like the roster in this title. It brings back the imagination that went into the KOF titles of old, with some even more daring choices (i.e. Marco, CyberWoo etc).
This game has many, many good things going for it. as such, I will just concentrate on the couple of niggles I have.
BOSSES:
They're all really underwhelming when you have to face them, from NEO DIO to ShiShiOh. By comparison, fighting these bosses in their own respective game settings is quite epic.
2-CHARACTER TAG MODE:
Although I appreciate they were perhaps going for something a little different, I can't help but feel the Tag Mode was included for being differents sake. I don't think I would mind as much if the Tag Mode had been better implemented. I just feel that it was a tad lacking on the whole.
And that's about it. I loved the rest of it
STE C stated plain, actual hard facts on 26.11.11... "SF4 & MVC3 can go s*ck my knob because KOF (XIII) is king... again"
Not exactly SNKP's very best game (I hope KoFXIII will be it), but nonetheless a brilliant Fighter with lots of fresh ideas and innovations. I mean who could have guessed that the World Heroes protagonists or the 3D Samurai Shodown characters would ever appear again in a 2D fighting game made by SNKP?
In addition, NGBC's presentation appears top-notch, the music and gameplay are all fine. Even the plot involving a villain syndicate called WAREZ (a hint to the Piracy scene SNK/P suffered under) is well-thought and innovative. What's to ask more?
But just as Ninja I'm not completely satisfied with the Tag Team System, even a classic 3-3 KOF Team System would have been better. Shifting the characters every few moments and when one feels like it is pretty annoying and interferes with flow of play imo.
But apart from this, SNKP developed a very nice piece of software for the Atomisware. That's how we like it from SNKP!
Looking at this as a spiritual sequel to SVC Chaos, it's a magnificent triumph. But I think they only ever get compared because they're both crossover games. I think it's better compared to King of Fighters XI. Both were Atomiswave games released just months apart from each other. Both were tag team fighters and both show a tremendous amount of creativity. While NGBC was including cool oddball choices like Cyber Woo and Asura, KOFXI was including characters from Buriki One and Kizuna Encounter. These games combined should have been enough to make people stop saying SNKP just isn't as good as the old SNK, but the internet is the internet.
NGBC was the more attractive choice to me at the time, so I skipped KOFXI for a few years. Now, I'd have to say I prefer KOFXI, if only for a few odd choices in NGBC. Basically, the exact things Ninja already talked about in addition to the weird time trial single player mode hold it back ever so slightly for me. It's still a fantastic game though! And just like in the SVC thread I have to once again mention that Shiki is awesome!
Does anyone have the XBLA version? I'm trying to decide if it's worth the $10 when I already own the PS2 version. I heard the netcode was actually better than it was in KOF2002UM, but is it still possible to find matches online? That's really the only reason I'd have to buy it, since it is otherwise slightly less feature rich than the PS2 version (it's missing color edit mode!).
I'm very surprised there haven't been more responses to this! NGBC is a very good game, as Ninja said I love the fact that so many older characters made a re-appearance in it. It was a brilliant tribute to many classic Neo Geo games. I haven't played it in some time and my PS2 isn't even setup at the moment, but I'm tempted to grab the XBLA version so I can fire it up again, should tide me over to KOF XIII I think.
Whilst I am not the biggest fan of crossover games I cant deny that this is a beautiful looking game. I ashamedly have not actually played this game a lot as I much prefer Cap vs SNK but I will give it more time in the future as it is no doubt a decent game. I am rather a fan of the Atomiswave arcade board seeing as it basically a Dreamcast it was defo the right hardware for SNK to showcast its games.
I'll say Neo Geo Battle Coliseum is awesome. If they make Neo Geo Battle Coliseum 2. They should add:
New Original male Character similar to Yuki
New Original female Character similar to AI
Atomic Guy from King of the Monsters
Hokutomaru from Garou Mark of the Wolves
Andy Bogard from Fatal Fury
Galford from Samurai Shodown
The Griffon from Garou Mark of The Wolves
Kevin Rian from Garou Mark of The Wolves
Mr Karate (Takuma) from Art of Fighting
Sho Hayate from Savage Reign
Kim Sue II from Kizuna Encounter
Ralf from KOF
Marco from Garou Mark of the Wolves
This is one game I have never played and really wished it had been a final neo geo release as it does look great....pity my new PS3 is not PS2 compatible as would defo have got this game.
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