Publisher: SNK (1991)
Reviewed: 2003/6/17

You can usually pick up this side-scroller for pretty cheap, but there's a reason for that. The game provides some generic punch and kick action, but nothing more. Eight Man himself looks like a full-grown Mega-Man - in other words a complete dork. Still, as fast as Eight Man moves, you're not likely to notice how dumb his outfit looks. The action is spastic with multitudes of explosions and endless look-alike thugs. The action is fast and repetitive, and you can get into a Matrix-like groove in the middle of it all. Unlike other games like Ninja Combat, Eight Man can handle just about everything thrown his way. He has rapid-fire kicks and punches, as well as bombs for tight situations. There's some platform jumping, but nothing too difficult. The characters are large and colorful but not interesting, and the bosses are forgettable as well. The single unique aspect of Eight Man is the "running" stages, which lets him do his thing while running at blazing speeds. But since your enemies move just as fast, the gameplay isn't much different after all, and in fact these stages are less fun. The two-player simultaneous mode is supposed to incorporate some cooperative moves, but the screen gets too hectic to tell what's going on. Stick to the single-player mode for best results. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 14000
1 or 2 players
Publisher: SNK (1991)
Reviewed: 2005/8/17
Fatal Fury Special
Grade: B
Publisher: SNK (1993)
Reviewed: 2003/7/15

I was initially exposed to the Fatal Fury series through the two SNES carts that play like second-rate Street Fighter II (SF2) clones. But Fatal Fury Special (FFS) is a different story. Sporting terrific graphics and amazing playability, this one-on-one fighter is terrific. The 15 characters are huge and diverse, although I personally think there are too many ugly fat guys and not enough females (only one!). I noticed some definite resemblances to SF2 characters, particularly Sagat (Joe) and Chun Li (Mai). The backgrounds are colorful, imaginative, and many scroll sideways, but what's with the purple water? Anyway, the gameplay is what really counts, and Fatal Fury Special delivers big time. There are two punch and two kick buttons, and the SF2-inspired special moves are easy to execute. The CPU opponent is surprisingly clever and won't fall for the standard strategies. One original aspect of FFS is the ability to fight on two planes. By pressing A and B together, you can move between the foreground and background, and can even execute special attacks while moving between them. It's a cool effect and it adds a new dimension to the gameplay - literally. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: SNK (1990)
Reviewed: 2002/9/6

Football Frenzy had some serious potential, but serious flaws in the passing game prevent it from being great. Fast, button-tapping arcade action is what this game is all about, and Football Frenzy certainly lives up to its name. The players are large and nicely animated, and tapping the A button increases your speed. The defense can always see what play you choose, but it doesn't make much difference. Running the ball is a lot of fun and you can sometimes squeeze between a gang of tacklers. But passing? Forget it! Most of your receivers are off-screen, and the softly thrown balls are easily picked off by defenders. Half of the passes are intercepted! That's a shame, because Football Frenzy has some killer features. The camera zooms in on running plays, and the tackles look great. Cheerleaders provide a provocative halftime show, and best of all, the music absolutely rocks! I'm telling you, these tunes really get your adrenaline going. But without a decent passing attack, Frenzy ultimately falls short. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: SNK (1991)
Reviewed: 2004/11/13

Some might criticize this vertical shooter for not showing off the Neo Geo's full capabilities. It's true, but there's no denying that Ghost Pilots is still a lot of fun. Although its gameplay is slower than other Neo Geo shooters, the challenge is less insurmountable and you can really get into a zone playing it. You pilot WWII-era planes, taking out tanks, ships, and enemy aircraft flying in formation. Comparisons to 1942 are obvious, but Ghost Pilots is much better, with huge sprites, nifty scaling effects, and a two-player simultaneous mode. The action is smooth and easy to control, and the military-style music adds a sense of urgency. Your plane's guns can power up to three levels, and you also have a supply of bombs. I appreciate how the bombs absorb incoming missiles, doubling as a shield. The background scenery is clean but unspectacular, and the bosses tend to be generic mechanical beasts. After finishing the first stage, you can choose one of two stages to play next, as well as the type of bomb you'd like to employ. Ghosts Pilots limits you to three continues, so you probably won't blow through the game in one sitting. The high scores are
not saved, which is a bummer. But as one of the more affordable Neo Geo shooters, Ghost Pilots is definitely worth tracking down. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 251400
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Saurus (1996)
Reviewed: 2018/1/2
Our high score: 124901
1 or 2 players
Karnov's Revenge
Grade: B+
Publisher: Data East (1994)
Reviewed: 2008/1/6
Recommended variation: easy
Our high score: 276850
1 or 2 players
King of Fighters 94
Grade: A-
Publisher: SNK (1994)
Reviewed: 2009/3/14
Our high score: 88000
1 or 2 players
King of Fighters 94 (CD)
Grade: D
Publisher: SNK (1994)
Reviewed: 2009/3/14
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King of Fighters 94 (KoF94) is a terrific game, but this CD version can't do it justice. The main problem is the constant, annoying load screens, which typically run about 20 seconds each. When you first fire up the game, you watch a monkey juggling three balls. When the main menu is finally displayed, you select your mode, and then sit through
another load screen. After selecting your fighters, there's
another load screen. By this time you've already sat through three load screens, and haven't even thrown a
punch yet. That [expletive] ain't right! There are no loads during the match, and once a match is decided, you'll sit through one final load screen as the victory (or defeat) animation is loaded. When a game makes you wait 30 seconds just to see your character collapse in defeat, it's like rubbing salt in the wound. If you don't mind the exorbitant waits, the game itself is outstanding (see Neo Geo cartridge review for full details). The only way this CD differs from the cartridge is the soundtrack, which is slightly higher in fidelity than the cartridge version. Some of the background music has changed for the better (China) but some has also changed for the worse (Brazil). King of Fighters 94 is an amazing fighter, but this CD version might as well be called King of Monkey Juggling 94. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
King of Fighters 95
Grade: A
Publisher: SNK (1995)
Reviewed: 2009/3/14
Our high score: 82050
1 or 2 players
King of Fighters 95 (CD)
Grade: D-
Publisher: SNK (1995)
Reviewed: 2009/3/14
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King of Fighters 95 is one of my favorites in the series, but I can't stomach this CD version. Sure, you get all the thrills and eye candy of the cartridge, but at the cost of frequent 15-30 second load screens! SNK dropped the juggling monkey from the opening load screen, but the new rotating logos aren't any better! Give me back my monkey!! If you thought the number of load screens in KoF94 was excessive, rest assured this edition is
far worse! Now you have to wait for
each character to load between rounds in a match! Considering there are six players in the default "team" battles, that's a
lot of loading, and it really disrupts the flow of the action. The load screen feature small black and white illustrations of the fighters - as if that will ease the pain! This CD does offer one feature not found in the cartridge version, and that's the ability to save your place and continue later at the same stage. That really doesn't seem very useful to me - I would have much preferred it to save high scores instead. I love Kings of Fighters 95, but if there were any truth in advertising, SNK would have named this "King of Fighters 95 Now Loading". © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
King of Fighters 96
Grade: A
Publisher: SNK (1996)
Reviewed: 2009/3/14
Our high score: 70800
1 or 2 players
King of Fighters 96 (CD)
Grade: D-
Publisher: SNK (1996)
Reviewed: 2009/3/14
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Like the other King of Fighters CD games, this one annoys the VGC to no end with the frequent and
lengthy load screens. They seem to be even
more ubiquitous in King of Fighters 96, if that's at all possible. The initial load time is a killer, and having to wait for each character to load during the course of a match is just unacceptable. Since the moves in this edition deal substantial damage, the rounds tend to be shorter, effectively makes the load times feel
longer. The music was redone for this CD version, and it sounds too much like "real" music. Personally, I prefer my tunes with an electronic, synthesized old-school flavor. As with KoF95, you can save your game in progress, but who gives a [expletive]? King of Fighters 96 is a perfectly good fighter, but life's too short to waste time on this excruciating CD edition. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
King of Fighters 97
Grade: A-
Publisher: SNK (1997)
Reviewed: 2009/3/15
Our high score: 102200
1 or 2 players
King of Fighters 97 (CD)
Grade: D-
Publisher: SNK (1997)
Reviewed: 2009/3/15
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Few games have pushed my sanity to the brink like King of Load Screens 97 - whoops I meant King of
Fighters 97. Trust me - it's an honest mistake! Sitting through these rampant load screens is a lot like driving to work behind a school bus that stops to pick up a new kid at every block. The game even requires a load if you're about to play as
the same character you're already fighting. Hello - isn't that guy already
in memory?? Does changing the color of his outfit really require a load?! Throw me a bone, SNK! Another drawback of this CD version is that the backgrounds don't tend to change between rounds. As with the cartridge, the soundtrack is generally forgettable and occasionally irritating. Reviewing these King of Fighters CDs is draining my will to live. When will the hurting stop?? © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
King of Fighters 98
Grade: A
Publisher: SNK (1998)
Reviewed: 2009/3/15
Our high score: 71500
1 or 2 players
King of Fighters 98 (CD)
Grade: D-
Publisher: SNK (1998)
Reviewed: 2009/3/15
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If you want to experience the wonders of King of Fighters 98 but can't afford the cartridge, this CD edition will make you
miserable. The full color loading screens look flashier than ever, but at 20-30 seconds, they are also
longer than ever! You can slap lipstick on a load screen, but it's still a terrible thing. Making matters worse, there's a substantial pause before the load screen even appears. I can only assume it's
loading the load screen during that time. If that's the case, SNK should have included a load screen for the load screen. Yes, I am losing my mind. Experiencing the best in 2D fighting should not be this painful. See cartridge review for more information on a
playable version of this game. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
King of Fighters 99
Grade: A
Publisher: SNK (1999)
Reviewed: 2009/3/15
Our high score: 166
1 or 2 players
King of Fighters 99 (CD)
Grade: D-
Publisher: SNK (1999)
Reviewed: 2009/3/15
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Gee, I wonder why the King of Fighter cartridges cost a mint, yet these CD versions are available for under $20? I know
exactly why! I mean, it takes
two hours to load one match! Okay, I'm exaggerating, but I'm also convinced that these load screens trigger a warp in the space-time continuum, causing time to slow to a crawl. To its credit, this CD is fully reproduces the amazing effects of the cartridge version, including the changing weather conditions. The CD also contains a bonus art gallery not available on the cartridge version. But unless you're doing 25-to-life in a prison somewhere, you have better things to do with your time. The only thing these inexpensive CD versions are good for is to provide an English instruction manual to go with your Japanese Neo Geo cartridge. I wouldn't be surprised if these CDs actually
raised the value of the KoF cartridges! © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.
King of the Monsters
Grade: D
Publisher: SNK (1991)
Reviewed: 2010/11/27
Recommended variation: Easy
Our high score: 73,500
1 or 2 players
King of the Monsters 2
Grade: B-
Publisher: SNK (1992)
Reviewed: 2010/11/27
Recommended variation: Normal
Our high score: SLN 31,270
1 or 2 players
Publisher: SNK (1992)
Reviewed: 2004/2/21
Our high score: 50000
1 or 2 players
Publisher: SNK (1991)
Reviewed: 2007/4/11

League Bowling combines simple controls, brisk pacing, and sparkling graphics to produce an irresistibly fun ten-pin experience. Up to four players can compete in a game, and even more impressive is how a well-executed split screen lets two players bowl
simultaneously! I've never seen that before in a bowling game, but it's a terrific idea. The bowlers are spiky-haired punks, and it's a shame you can't be the top-heavy blonde who appears in the cut scenes. League Bowling's controls are as simple as they need to be - no more. Once you position your bowler, you use a "control meter" to apply spin, followed by a power meter. Excellent scaling effects show the ball approaching the pins, and the physics of the pins bouncing around is convincing enough. The collision detection seems slightly off however, as the edge of the ball will sometimes clearly pass
through a pin. Goofy animations accentuate particularly good or bad rolls, showing your bowler falling off a building or being run over by a truck. In addition to the normal bowling, two other modes include Strike 90 (bigger points for marks) and Flash (random points for marks). Personally, I don't really see what these extra modes have to offer. Also included is a "link" function that lets you chain two Neo Geos together (via a port in the cartridge) for some
four player simultaneous action. I can't imagine many gamers being able to take advantage of that, but it would be pretty cool. All in all, League Bowling is just plain fun, and may well be the best bowling game of all time. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.
Recommended variation: flash
Our high score: SDZ 1035
1 to 4 players