Neo Geo Reviews G-J

In my zeal to review every video game in existence I sometimes inadvertently gloss over some great titles. Garou: Mark of the Wolves is one of those games, but I think the oversight is understandable. I didn't know Garou was the Japanese equivalent of Fatal Fury. Fatal Fury was a great one-on-one fighting franchise, but I didn't realize it was still kicking in 1999.

Having Terry Bogard on the roster should have tipped me off, but most of the other fighters are not familiar. There's a wrestler in a bird mask, a sadist named Freeman, a maid named Hotaru, a scrappy kid named Hokutomaru, and a hot chick named B. Jenet who enjoys hanging out with sailors. Some may remember Rock Howard from Fatal Fury 3 (SNK, 1995). There's also a black dude named Butt!

The controls feel perfectly comfortable with two punches and two kicks. There are also a slew of more subtle moves like fakes, small jumps, and dodge attacks. But the most original element is the TOP gauge. A silver bar covers part of your life meter, and when your health falls within this threshold you can perform stronger attacks and recover life. It makes your fighter glow and adds an extra layer of strategy.

Mark of the Wolves plays like a dream, and its graphics are heavenly. The fighters themselves really hit the sweet spot between anime and realism. I can't say enough about the dynamic, layered stages. The urban areas in particular sport a degree of detail that just makes you want to hit pause and soak it all in. In one city stage you can see people arguing with traffic cops in the foreground, advertising billboards, and soaring skyscrapers in the distance.

The parking lot outside of the R&B Club is brimming with atmosphere. My friends Brent and Brian had fun just identifying the various models of cars. The bell tower stage is remarkable because those bells are immense! Stages change between rounds, sometimes dramatically.

When you use a continue the game presents a "continue service" screen. This offers you advantages like more power, lower difficulty, or weaker opponent. At first I frowned upon these but now I appreciate how they can give you a leg up on finishing the game, especially since continues are limited.

I've been playing a lot of fighting games as of late but this has been a revelation. Once you get into a groove, playing Mark of the Wolves is like playing a musical instrument. The difficulty ramps gradually, so each match grows in intensity. This game was released when SNK was on top of their game, and it shows. Note: Also released for the Dreamcast. © Copyright 2026 The Video Game Critic.

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.

Ironclad is one of those obscure shooters held in high regard by Neo Geo fans. The game is so rare it has practically taken on mythical status! Since I could never obtain an actual copy I'm reviewing an emulated version. At least now I can see what all the fuss is about. Ironclad's stages have a distinctive retro-futuristic style with graphics among the best I've seen in any shooter.

The opening stage is set in a burning city and the scenery looks nearly photo-realistic! Objects in this game have a pseudo-3D appearance with gleaming metal surfaces. The industrial areas look appropriately gritty, but there are also beautiful natural areas with serene lakes reflecting a full moon. Not only can you select branching stages, but the stages even branch within themselves.

Ironclad offers frenzied rapid-fire shooting against waves of tanks, robots, bombers, whirly-birds, and robotic frogs that backstroke through the sewers. Boldly imaginative weapons include flaming rings that slowly emanate from your ship. Like R-Type (Turbografx-16, 1989) you have an external orb you can attach to the front of your ship or deploy to a remote part of the screen. Using this device isn't intuitive but it adds depth.

Ironclad looks amazing but sometimes its rich graphics work against it. Not only do oversized enemies tend to crowd the screen but when navigating the layered scenery it's hard to tell what you can or can't touch. The action is prone to slowdown (especially with two-players) and the game could really benefit from a rapid fire button. I wouldn't call Ironclad the most fun Neo Geo shooter, but technically this one is hard to top. © Copyright 2018 The Video Game Critic.