February2018
Review World Heroes 2 (Switch eShop)
An improvement over the first game, but it's not Perfect
Of the many one-on-one fighters released on Neo Geo (and now filling up the Switch eShop), World Heroes was far from top of the pile. It could still entertain however, and its colourful cast of characters inspired by historical figures helped it stand out. World Heroes 2 provides the same best...
December2017
Review World Heroes (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Joan of Arc VS. Hulk Hogan. Round 1. Fight!
Many, many fighting games were released on the Neo Geo and these are slowly but surely filling up the Switch’s eShop. Compared to most of the options available World Heroes and its sequels offer a simpler experience with less depth, but the series can still entertain when its varied cast of fighters...
September2017
Review Blue's Journey (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Unremarkable trip
Pollution caused by the Daruma tribe is causing great harm to the planet Raguy and it’s up to you as Blue to partake in a platforming adventure to defeat this menace and save the Princess Fa. There was no shortage of platformers in the 1990s, but one appearing on the Neo Geo was unusual and with its leaf-stun mechanic and ability...
August2017
Review Magician Lord (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Casts ‘impedimentia’ too often
It’s funny how over the years some big titles can fade completely into obscurity. There’s a good chance most modern gamers will never have heard of Magician Lord, but back in the early ‘90s it was actually quite a well-known title. That’s because in the early days of the Neo Geo, Magician Lord was one of...
May2017
Review World Heroes Perfect (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)
Ra Ra Rasputin, lover of the Russian queen
The one-on-one fighting gold rush started by Capcom's Street Fighter II inspired many famous series, including Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, Virtua Fighter and Samurai Shodown, but there were just as many - if not more - also-ran challengers which achieved moderate success at the time but have since faded...
January2013
Review World Heroes 2 (Wii Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Global gathering
ADK’s World Heroes series is one of the Neo Geo’s lesser-known fighting dynasties, and is usually pushed to one side when people get all nostalgic about the likes of King of Fighters, Art of Fighting, Samurai Shodown and Fatal Fury. This is probably because the franchise never really took itself all that seriously; the cast was...
July2012
Review World Heroes Perfect (Wii Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Not quite perfect
When World Heroes was first released on SNK's Neo Geo arcade and home console system, it was yet another attempt to capture the popularity of Capcom's Street Fighter, this time by developer ADK. While the game featured some unique gameplay and visual features, it was still regarded more as a nice attempt at the genre than any type...
July2008
Review Ninja Commando (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Ikari Warriors with ninjas - awesome!
Ninja Commando is often confused for Ninja Combat or even its sequel, but in fact, it's neither. Ninja Commando is basically an overheard run 'n gun game that feels a lot like the arcade classic Ikari Warriors at times, although it doesn't quite have the same level of playability. While the game is an earlier...
June2008
Review Ninja Combat (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Ninja Combat is a scrolling beat 'em up featuring, as the title suggests, ninjas.
One of the first releases for SNK’s Neo Geo console, Ninja Combat is unsurprisingly a little rough around the edges. Graphically it’s not really a massive leap up from the likes of the SNES or Megadrive/Genesis (bear in mind that when this game was first published...
November2007
Review Blue's Journey (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
The Neo Geo is known primarily for its fighting games and the occasional shoot-em-up, so it’s good to come across a cutesy platformer on the system. If you are familiar with Super Mario Bros 2 on the NES you’ll have an idea of what to expect from Blue’s Journey. Every good platformer has a gimmick: in this one the...
October2007
Review Magician Lord (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
It's magic!
One of the first games produced for SNK’s arcade system, Magician Lord is a lot like Capcom’s Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts. You play the titular wizard as he battles to defend his homeland from the evil advances of the absurdly named Gul-Agieze. Considering the age of the game the visuals and sound are both excellent. The sprites...
Review World Heroes (Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
A fighting game released in 1992 featuring eight characters, including Hanzo, Janne and Rasputin, modeled on historical figures from throughout the ages.
Released when the avalanche of Street Fighter 2 clones hit arcades in the early ‘90s, World Heroes was a minor success that gained a cult following thanks to a combination of impressive graphics,...
