SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy is a competent fighter but its "busty and over-sexualized characters might not be to everyone's taste in 2018" - as we noted in our September review of the game. SNK Producer Yasuyuki Oda even admit the fanbase was divided - with some delving deep into the game's fighting systems and others not wanting to consider it at all due to the concept.
What really amazed Oda-san was how audiences reacted to Terry Bogard being transformed into a "fatal cutie" in the spiritual successor to SNK Gals' Fighters on Neo Geo Pocket. Apparently, it was the first thing the development team decided about the game, so the element of surprise was never there on their own end. Oda went onto explain how Terry from the Fatal Fury series was always planned to become a female, due to his style, design, and identity being easy to recognise.

In regards to plot twists in the game, Oda-san said reactions were mostly positive in Japan, though not everyone necessarily agreed. Apparently, the aim was to create a game world based on a "dreamlike pocket dimension" filled with jokes and fun. The producer said some might judge the game based on its visuals alone and think it looks odd, but if you actually play it, you'll see how the story works out with its "silly" flavour.
As for whether the female version of Terry will make an appearance in more games, it's unlikely according to the SNK producer, as the surprise factor is now gone. There's also Terry's number one female fan Alice Nakata to fill the void. On a more promising note, the developers reportedly have plans for a second wave of DLC to support the game. SNK Heroines will also be joining the Japanese company's eSports program.
What did you think of the fatal cutie Terry Bogard when the fighter joined the SNK Heroines roster? Did you purchase this title on release? Tell us in the comments.
[source dualshockers.com]
Comments 49
Still waiting for a price cut
I prefer the male version myself.
Reminds me of the reaction to Bowsette.
Men like cat fight and horny women, this will never change.
Look at Bowsette, genderbend versions are the best ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
No metal slug reps, no money
I was more concerned with the substandard gameplay rather than how the characters looked.
This game looks whack. No thanks.
Most of the "fan base" didnt care about the game in his home market one way or the other 🙄
https://nintendosoup.com/snk-heroines-completely-fails-in-japan-switch-version-sells-half-of-ps4/
LOL I've always said that those oversexualized characters were just there to improve sales and distract from other lacking parts of a game that would normally make it a mediocre game
it was only inevitable this type of game would get made, now everyone is up in arms ???
yah, whatever...
(going to sit back and watch the fun of all the social debating about to get worse, LOL)
flicking popcorn in mouth, reading all these comments and giggling
(Hmmm.....wonder what kind of "le Fem Fatale'-ititties" there will be ??? )
looks very plain to me this game. it's not same quality the 2D version offers.... especially the older ones... how can't they put details on these 3D models as much i'm wondering...
@DikkeSnikkel With a nickname like that a comment like this makes a lot of sense!
So, can we get SNK Hunks after SNK Heroines ?
Sorry, but how could you take a beloved male videogame character, make him female, give her huge breasts, and put her in a shallow fanservice-y fighting game and not expect some mixed reactions?
@AlternateButtons This is what happens when sites like Kotaku and Polygon are allowed to run free, other sites start spreading their soy boy wings.
@AlternateButtons I mean this line is only pretentious if you interpret it to be. It's just a fact that it's not in everyone's taste. I don't see how this line should be judgemental.
I think your line with the whole "soy boy" is way more judgemental and condescending. As if you're an idiot if you think there's something wrong with an oversexualised game.
@Anti-Matter
you do realize pretty much all fighting games are the "Hunks" edition right ???
(on a personal note, do you fly the LGBTQ flag ???)
@AlternateButtons Actually shocked Dom didn't write this.
@TinyTim actually that kind of sounds interesting.
@Ensemen totally agree.
Oh boy! Watch out folks, the snowflakes don't like when we point out that big boobs don't make a good game!
my view about over sexuallized female characters is not like others I think, when I say it's "inappropriate", I'm speaking more "mechanically", various games have these great big, huge oversized walls of walking muscles true, but in most cases, these are WARRIORS !!!
RPG's, fighting games, action/adventures, these are guys who have to deal with the worst of the worst, though some can also get ridiculous also, that is an explanation, but let's put aside that these are fiction and fantasy, not real world, lets look at this
how effective is a woman or girl in some cases going to be in battle or a brawl if their oversized boobs are preventing them from doing anything (in real life), if I saw Christiana Hendriks trying to swing a sword at me, or Kat Dennings, throwing right crosses, or Amber Rose casting spell and firing a gun, all of them wearing as little or less as possible, I would laugh my ass off as they got their asses knocked out and/or killed
it's a cheap way for companies to add sales and/or distract consumers from what would normally be a mediocre or worse game, I recognize that "sex sells", and i am as much a lover of the human body as anyone, but for God sake, sell the game on it's own merrits.
now what i REALLY do hate is when anime' goes out of their way to make the girls have porn star bodies but the faces of 8-12 year old girls, now don't try to B.S. by saying "it's the drawing style that makes female characters look so young"
that's a crock of SNIZZIT, I have watched hundreds of anime' shows and movies and read manga since the early 70's, those miracle artists can practically fine tune age appearance by the month, so don't try that, those images are meant to propagate and stimulate a certain response on purpose
This article didn't say what actually was the reaction to genderbent Terry Bogard. Is she popular? Is the phobic gamergate fringe doxxing people over her existence? I was actually hoping to find out.
@AlternateButtons which line are you talking about?
Gotta love how the only options for some are hyper-sexualized and just-this side-of porn adolescent fantasies vs. "fat feminists, skinny hipsters and soccer moms in baggy unisex jeans".
Grow up.
@Nemodius
I'm open with LGBTQ.
I have watched America's Next Top Model series with some contestants are LGBTQ oriented.
I knew what their feeling.
@Nemodius
Um.... Question.
What do you think about Free Iwatobi & Yuri on Ice anime ?
A LOT of people judged it only on its looks.
Come on Nintendo Life.
Now I like breasts as much as the next man, but...
Actually that's all I've got.
...In other news....SMASH ULTIMATE IN ABOUT A MONTH!!!!
I just didnt care for the game itself. Dont care how it looks, how it plays is most important to me. This title felt... off. Off and very lackluster imo. Had way more fun with Blade Strangers.
I've always liked SNK's fighting games, so despite how silly this looked (which is kind of the point) I probably would have bought it. But a few months before this was released, I finally gave into temptation and bought a PS4 and one of the first games I picked up was King of Fighters XIV. Considering SNK Heroines is essentially a dumbed down version of KoF, I don't see much point in owning both. But I don't understand why anyone is upset by this game, apart from church ladies offended by jiggle physics. So they made a girl character based on a guy... So what, it's a joke! And I've seen this game referenced as an LGBT thing. How? It's clearly made for straight 14 year old boys looking for their waifu.
@TinyTim
Is it wrong that I'd like to see THAT game?
@Anti-Matter
about the personal question, nothin big, just the way you worded some things, made me wonder if i found a long lost friend
was wondering if your real name was Reo Sora
as for Yuri, have not had opportunity to get past opening creds
Definitely not the best SNK Fighter, but that’s ok. It’s a fun silly game and I enjoy it.
A sexy female? God forbid.... In 2018, they have to be KICK-ASS, DOMINATING, MALE DESTROYING.....
@TinyTim That's what today's twisted society wants. your supposed to pretend you like it, or they will label you a random word that ends in OT, IST, etc....
@AlternateButtons Yup, Men are no longer allowed to find women sexy, and sexy women are no longer allowed to be sexy. Yay... :/
@PLAYwithGregg
"they have to be KICK-ASS, DOMINATING, MALE DESTROYING....."
Cammy and Skarlet
@AlternateButtons I mean if you're feeling so offended by a line that can be interpreted otherwise, you are what you would probably call a "snowflake".
I'm a girl who likes attractive girls and these comments are a bit pathetic, why are you offended by an article acknowledging that not everyone is like you?
No forward thinking feminist would bother criticizing an SNK fighting game. Those that do are the kind that call themselves feminist because they can spot the most stereotypical examples of the “male gaze” on display and claim they are offended by it. Serious feminist theorists have moved on from this decades ago. Small beans...
I actually liked this "Fatal Cutie" rendition of Terry. Got me by surprise for sure.
I think it's fun to play around with goofy ideas now and then.
I haven't played the game and probably never will, but i liked the idea. If the gameplay was more refined as is in KOF i might had given this a shot.
@NotTelevision
I grew up 60's, 70's, 80's...
"feminism" was about being equal, women were very strong, but could still be themselves too
today's "feminist" are entitled wanna-be's, with a misconception of what it is and are also very hypocritical, what's not good for the gander is still good for the goose, and are weak willed, but manipulative and selfish
it's disgusting the pretend "me too", has nothing to do with empowering a meaningful ideal, it's used like a threat, everybody's afraid to look at another person lest he be accused of something
sometimes, the old ways were better, ask Mary Tyler Moore
@Kinoen You say that, but how many people want a. Ale Peach? Lol
What irks me about the game is they could have just made it a serious fighter with all the mechanics folks loved about the FF/KoF/AoF/etc. series, pushed the fanservice as far as they wanted and it would have been a great game. None of this one button combo, Kirby-like effects or dream finish nonsense. If you're going to make a fighting game for casual players, don't polarize the audience with sex appeal. If you're going to make a game for the kind of audience that busty, scantily-clad female fighters would appeal to (like myself), make it a game worth playing mechanics-wise because that's likely your grown-up, advanced (skill-wise) gaming audience.
Shame, because I love the idea of a female Terry Bogard. The real version is my second-favorite SNK fighter (next to Mai) but making Terry female would push her to the top. Haha.
I might have bought it if I played any of SNK fighters but sadly I don't which is kinda wasted on me as I don't know any of the fighters in the rooster.
It was an interesting moment when revealed, but it'd be nice if it jumped the shark (as well as a few other things that need to die), but meh, whatcha gonna do...
@TinyTim No pfp strikes again.
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