Japanese Nintendo Switch Owners Will Be Playing Neo Geo Games Next Month

Bet people weren't expecting this to happen so soon

This is great news as well!

The Japanese may have 20 launch games but nearly half of them are old.

Could there be a link with http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/01/13/arcade-archives-announced-for-nintendo-switch ?

What I mean is "are we sure it is VC?"

This is looking less likely as VC and more likely as a retail release.

This is good news. Snk made some really good games.

@ElGrego I was thinking the exact same thing.

@kingc8 They can of course but we've played most of them elsewhere.

@ElGrego and @Damo That is exactly what it is, and I'm surprised that NintendoLife did not catch that at the event in January. It is even listen on NoA's homepage - albeit not with much info:

http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/arcade-archives-switch

@kingc8 old games are awesome, but in and of themselves are not necessarily a compelling reason to lay down a substantial amount of money on a new console, when there are other cheaper ways of playing the same games

Sweet! Sometimes I dug out my ancient Xbox to play Metal Slug 3. Will be nice to play it on the go in 2018 when I look at getting a Switch.

They are renaming the service, trying to rebrand it in a positive light?

@SLIGEACH_EIRE At least getting the old games is better than not getting them.

Wow King of Fighters '98 takes me back, to my old after school Arcade days.

The VC was big news when it was announced for Wii. VC is not one of Switch's selling points like it was for Wii.

It was exciting, now it is not.

Gamecube aside, haven't most Nintendo fans played all the classics they wanted to play by now? New Nintendo fans that I know aren't too bothered about the old games as there's plenty of recent ones to enjoy, and the older fans have already paid for them multiple times. Virtual Console is a good thing, but I think its importance is massively exaggerated by fans. I'd rather see money spent on quality new titles than on emulating old ones. Ideally I'd have both, but I get the impression Nintendo can't afford to do both based on their output the last couple of years and the Switch line-up. As am aside, I'm as ravenous for Gamecube vc as anyone.

@JohnnyC There is much room for growth,

I'd argue that there are many SNES, N64, GBA that are treasured that have yet to be released on any VC.

These aren't VC games.

@JohnnyC

Perfectly summed up. I was really hoping to be able to play Mario Sunshine to keep me going till Mario Oddessy comes out but other than that I've pretty much already bought the older games I want from the NES, SNES & N64 era.

It'd be nice to be able to transfer them to my switch & play them on the go but only if we can transfer them for free.

I certainly don't plan on paying for them (yet) again

I see Nintendo is still going to show Japan all the love and leave the rest of the regions in the dark.

More SNK games please!!

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Nintendo are trying to attract new people to gaming. Get your head outta your proverbial and let others enjoy stuff. Jeez, most comments you make are just selfish and redundant! I won't be picking most up (although KoF 98 is always difficult to say no to) but the more the merrier I reckon.

It's still confusing. They keep signaling this air of mystery around the VC, and then just kind of matter of factly drop Neo Geo games on the eShop. It's hard to tell as others said if this is "VC" or if they're just putting retail releases on the eShop of old games. It's either proof that all the mystery is for nothing and VC is the same old VC. Or it could be proof that "VC" is going to be something radically different than the way we know it.

Well they claim their an entertainment company first, and the old rule of showbiz is "Always keep 'em guessing."

@bezerker99 Well, it's region free, so you can just create a Japan account and buy them too now. That makes life slightly easier.

I would love a cart of arcade games. A few volumes, then I'd buy the switch arcade stick for sure.

These are all on Android TV. I am guessing these are Android TV ports.

Honestly KOF 98 makes sense for the Switch since it was probably the most balanced KOF and is less a classic and more a competitive standard, with two joycons it would be great.

SNK needs to remaster KOF 98 and 2002 for widescreen though.

Neo Geo ?
Huh ?

If they're digital releases.doesn't that mean that they'lll be avaibable worldwide since there's no region-locking?

@NEStalgia I thought that was just for retail releases. Wasn't sure that was applicable to VC games. That would solve the problem.

False alarm, then?

These games were already confirmed to be arriving in March a day or 2 after the presentation.I actually made an Arcade Archives thread in the forums about it at the time.Apparently they are all coming to the west starting with KOF 98 in March.

https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/13/nintendo-switch-neo-geo-games-waku-waku-7-kof/

@darth2d2 I have King of Fighters: Dream Match 99 on my Dreamcast which is the KOF 98 port.

Love that game. It doesn't have the silly cheap bosses either. Would love to get it on Switch for portable play but playing KOF without a D-Pad is a problem. I really need to see reviews on how this plays.

Same with metal slug. Portable play is awesome but I need to hear how it controls.

Nintendo really to get d-pad joy-con in shops.

Samurai Shodown II pleaseeeeeeee!!!!!!!

What a surprise.

"We may not be waiting that long"

What are we kidding? Japan's going to get this stuff right away and we'll have to wait 6-8 months.

@UnseatingKDawg See my post above,they are apparently arriving worldwide starting from March.

Since these are not VC releases, hopefully they would at least offered online play for some of them.

This is the Arcade Archives retail release just getting an eShop release. No evidence of the Virtual Console, but still nice to see emulation allowed.

Wasn't it rumored that Nintendo barred emulation of any sort from previous online storefronts, basically to force publishers to participate in the Virtual Console program, and thus limiting digital emulated content to the platforms that Nintendo themselves have decided to support in the process (No Vectrex Regeneration port, for instance)?

@kobashi100 Same concern here. I am hoping that the analog sticks will work well until there are proper fight sticks made.

@JohnnyC I definitely think there's no space for VC on Switch. Really how many times were gonna pay for the same thing ?

time to make a japanese account then. we can do that, right? they confirmed? 8 accounts, one switch? @Damo?

Shock Troopers is the ship!
Pretty sure this is the first time this game is available outside of a compilation.

Pretty excited abiut Blaster Master Zero too.

Does anybody have a clue if Japanese eShop purchases are possible? I feel like I read somewhere you go to the store based on your IP address, but this seems pretty easy to subvert.

KoF 98, Waku Waku 7, Metal Slug 3, all on the go! I can't wait 'til we get this in the west!

What I want to see is a full transfer of all existing virtual console titles already owned on my Nintendo network account in Wii U.

I then want to see the N64 and Wii catalogue expanded.

I then definitely want to see the addition of the Gamecube back catalogue steadily.

I then want to see the re-introduction of Sega to the virtual console and would sincerely LOVE to see the addition of any Saturn and Dreamcast titles. Particularly Panzer Dragoon Zwei, Sega Rally, Vjrtua Fighter 2, Shenmue I and II, souls calibur, marvel capcom 1 and 2,

@Spiders Shock Troopers is on Wii VC.It didn't appear till late 2012 though,just before Wii U launched.

https://www.nintendolife.com/games/neogeo/shock_troopers

@JohnnyC To be honest, no. There are just certain games that are linked to my childhood that I will always go back and replay. Final Fantasy IV and VI, Legend of Zelda, Dragon Warrior/Quest, Super Mario World, Super Mario Bros 3, Link's Awakening, Super Mario Land 2, Street Fighter II/Alpha 2 and countless others that I am perfectly happy to keep returning to. Yes, their controls and UI are archaic but there is just something to them like a great novel that calls me back time and again.

That isn't to say I don't like new things also, just that there is plenty of room for the Nintendo Classics to still be relevant.

Yes, give me all the neo geo games..... my precious.

@bezerker99 Technically since they aren't confirming anything about the eShop at all, we don't know that for absolutely certain, however since you're creating the same Japanese account that everyone in Japan is, it really wouldn't be possible to not give you the Japanese eShop. The only sticking point would be billing, since if they block international transactions, CC's wouldn't work. But there's no reason to believe buying a prepaid Nintendo card (physical or digital) wouldn't be valid to add credit to the wallet. And they did confirm that the wallet is now shared between WiiU and Switch via the Nintendo Account.

That's welcome news but that has nothing to do with VC at all methinks. I want to be able to experience Mario Sunshine and Luigi mansion.

That's awesome. SNK have been releasing arcade Neo Geo games on PS4 and the started doing the same with Xbox One. That's great that they are coming to the Switch, I would definitely pick them up. It might be too much, but online play would be a great if added in. I might need to pick up an arcade stick for Switch.

I don't think it will be VC games, I think it will be just like what is on the playstation 4 and it will be Arcade Archives on the Switch.

http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/arcade-archives-switch

@Spiders Its on the Wii VC too, along with its sequel. It might of also had an online digital PS3 release in Japan as well.

They're probably doing their own thing outside of VC so that maybe they don't have to apply to the whole "Discount for owning it on the Wii" thing (Which I doubt if there are discounts, they go as far back as the Wii, but who knows right now?).

I believe when they released Neo Geo games on PS3, they all had online so its safe to assume these will as well.

And everyone, try Shock Troopers. Such an underrated game and not a Neo Geo fighter either. XD

Neo Geo games... so there is a Virtual Console after all.
OF COURSE JAPAN IS GETTING IT FIRST

@shonenjump86 There was a leaked Hori product sheet with an arcade stick, and all the specs and packaging lined up with the products that have since been made available like the LAN adapter.
I'm guessing it won't be available until Ultra SF II or (fingers crossed) Mahvel.

Good to see, but I don't need them, got the real thing in all its 6ft glory next to me here.

@OorWullie Due to previous experiences I have jumped the gun on the assumption of this date of release. Thanks for the info.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Not everyone has. I for one have never played World Heroes before, and I'm a fighting game fanatic. And chances are, you haven't played Waku Waku 7. Now you'll have a chance to rectify that.

I see comments saying no one cares about the VC or aren't we done with those games now? LoL, we will never be done with amazing classic games. That's why the nes classic won't stay on shelves. I've played through the original Legend of Zelda dozens of times because I love it. Same with the first final fantasy and mega man 1 - 3 and super MARIO 1 through world. They remind me of being a kid like I imagine a game of baseball reminds my dad of being a kid in the 50s. I hope they get the VC up and running soon, and not as a drip feed cash grab again but in an iOS App Store style that has some dignity to it. Until then I have my nes classic mini to scratch the retro itch.

This makes me feel better

I call that good news, roll on more non-nintendo systems!

Yay!!!!!!!!!

I'm very confused... wasn't Blaster Master Zero coming to 3DS?? Was it moved to Switch only?

Very cool and unique to start off the system with arcade downloads! These will be great a start to Joy-Con multiplayer's attraction purposes.

I am not convinced that these are actually VC titles. Neo Geo games have also been rolling out on PS4 and Vita over the past few months. Plus, I doubt that Nintendo would launch the VC service on Switch with games for a non-Nintendo machine.

Of course, I could be wrong.

@Spiders yes, I heard about the Hori arcade stick for Switch, I'll pick it up if I get a Switch. Also, Shock Troopers was released on PS3 as a single download with a few other Neo Geo games. I thinks it's also on the Wii VC.

@AlexSora89 They aren't VC games. They're coming to the west starting with KOF'98 in March.

Does this mean that we'll get Mega Drive/Genesis games too?

Metal Slug 3 on the go? Yes please

@G-Boy if we do, I'm hoping for Sonic 1, 2, 3, & Knuckles, Samurai Shodown, Golden Axe, Altered Beast, Mortal Kombat, Skitching, & Revenge of Shinobi.

I don't know if this is proper Virtual Console stuff or basically just few Neo Geo ports to the eShop, so I'm basically still waiting to see the VC proper. . . . It is, however, cool to see these three Neo Geo games coming to the system regardless of exactly how.

@IceClimbers
Well, as the saying goes, "if Muhammad doesn't get to the mountain...".

Nice I'll get to play metal slug 3 for te first time... if this is coming to the west..

I will say I'm more familiar with the Neo Geo Pocket Color (I own one actually) but this is really cool. I'll be able to try the games I've been meaning to for so long. ^_^

Ladies and gentlemen: these Neo Geo Releases have NOTHING to do with the Switch vc service that Nintendo said will "share more information with us at a later date" the service is not ready for Switch launch. SNK is following their own path to release these classics like they've been doing on PS4 and now Xbox one. Either way it's a good thing for the Switch! But vc is not ready and it ticks me off! Thx

mutation nation or bust

Considering it took years for Turbo Graf-X games to come to WiiU after Japan got them, (and we still don't have the 3DS versions) I'll be amazed if they ever come out outside Japan.

Waaatttt neo geo! I love that, it has ao many awesome games. Cant wait

These games are certainly not part of the Virtual Console, but instead part of the Arcade Archives by Hamster and Nippon Ichi Software.

The official releases on it are (so far):

The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest (SNK)
Shock Troopers (SNK)
Metal Slug 3 (SNK)
Waku Waku 7 (SNK)
World Heroes Perfect (SNK)
The King of Fighters '94 (SNK)
Metal Slug (SNK)
Samurai Shodown (SNK)
Alpha Mission II (SNK)
Fatal Fury (SNK)
World Heroes (SNK)

and

Rygar (Tecmo)
Mat Mania Exciting Hour (Technos Japan)
City Connection (Jaleco)
Double Dragon (Technos Japan)
Terra Cresta (Nichibutsu)
Crazy Climber (Nichibutsu)
Ninja-Kid (UPL)
Moon Cresta (Nichibutsu)
Renegade (Technos Japan)
Gradius (Konami)
Nova 2001 (UPL)
Raiders 5 (UPL)
Scramble (Konami)
Exerion (Jaleco)
Buta san (Jaleco)
Magmax (Nichibutsu)
Bomb Jack (Tehkan)
A-Jax (Konami)
Solomon's Key (Tecmo)
Mr. Goemon (Konami)
Karate Champ (Data East)
Shusse Ozumo (Technos Japan)
Crazy Climber 2 (Nichibutsu)
Cosmo Police Galivan (Nichibutsu)
Ninja-Kid II (UPL)
Ikki (Sunsoft)
Super Dodge Ball (Technos Japan)
Shanghai III (Sunsoft)
The Legend of Kage (Taito)
TwinBee (Konami)
Double Dragon II: The Revenge (Technos Japan)
Bubble Bobble (Taito)
Life Force (Konami)
Kid's Horehore Daisakusen (Nichibutsu)
Armed F (Nichibutsu)
Gradius II (Konami)
MX 5000 (Konami)
Soldier Girl Amazon (Nichibutsu)
Kiki Kaikai (Taito)
Contra (Konami)

The good thing about this is that all these games just take up 1 slot in the SWITCH menu as they are going into the Arcade Archives "folder" instead of taking up 51 slots (one for each game). This is helpful especially if SWITCH is another system with a max of only 300 game slots which would get into the way of collectors.
I hope Nintendo's own Virtual Console will have a similar kind of "hub" on SWITCH as well.

I don't know if I'll download any (when I buy a Switch, wich won't be soon), but its at least better then yet another run of the nes/snes vc games seen on Wii and Wii u!

I'm just glad I kept my VC games on my original Wii. I still buy the odd new one

I hope we see Bomb Jack in EU. It's such a great example of an arcade game.

Great even though they all came out on a wii disk years ago.

I will support Virtual console until the very end..............