I'm a Neo Geo CD neophyte looking to hear about what there is to look forward to on this system. What games do people like on the system?
So far I've played Viewpoint, Last Resort, Sonic Wings 2 & 3, and Puzzle Bobble. Viewpoint is my favorite by far. The Sonic Wings titles are chopped because, of course, there's no tate. (At least, I assume there is no tate option.) I know I'll have to get Pulstar someday when I can afford it.
Which Metal Slug games are on the system? I'm not so interested in fighters, but I love puzzle games. Are there some good ones?
neo geo cd games
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superhitachi4
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You've already played some of the better titles: Viewpoint, Sonic Wings 2+3, Last Resort. I'd suggest (along with what you've already played): Baseball Stars 2 (yeah, I know it's sports, but it kicks ass 
), Wind Jammers (same: sports, but really good), Metal Slug 1+2 (these were the only ones released on NGCD), Pulstar (of course hehe), Samurai Shodown 1-4 (fighters), and Last Blade 1+2 (also fighters). It's a shame that Blazing Star was never released on NGCD. One of my favs. As you already know, Pulstar's good if you can get ahold of it.
), Wind Jammers (same: sports, but really good), Metal Slug 1+2 (these were the only ones released on NGCD), Pulstar (of course hehe), Samurai Shodown 1-4 (fighters), and Last Blade 1+2 (also fighters). It's a shame that Blazing Star was never released on NGCD. One of my favs. As you already know, Pulstar's good if you can get ahold of it. 
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neorichieb1971
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Neo Geo multi slot cabinets were horizontal orientation only. Therefore it was impossible to have any neo geo game made in TATE mode.
Even Strikers 1945 plus is horizontal, the only game in the series which didnt have TATE.
I would recommend...
Pulstar and the Metal Slugs (1 and 2). I have never played it but Ironclad Bri'kinger is supposed to be an excellent hori shooter. However, it goes for $200+ per copy. Here is a screenshot -
In fact, all of the games I just listed come in the higher end price bracket, starting off with Pulstar being $60+, Metal slugs are around $80 a piece at least.
I never bothered with the fighters, as the loading times were ridiculous.. like 2 minutes loading per level.
Even Strikers 1945 plus is horizontal, the only game in the series which didnt have TATE.
I would recommend...
Pulstar and the Metal Slugs (1 and 2). I have never played it but Ironclad Bri'kinger is supposed to be an excellent hori shooter. However, it goes for $200+ per copy. Here is a screenshot -
In fact, all of the games I just listed come in the higher end price bracket, starting off with Pulstar being $60+, Metal slugs are around $80 a piece at least.
I never bothered with the fighters, as the loading times were ridiculous.. like 2 minutes loading per level.
This industry has become 2 dimensional as it transcended into a 3D world.
Metal Slug 1 on the Neo CD is pretty cool, it has an additional 'battle training' mode.
As for the fighting games, the earlier KOFs, SS games and so on are actually bearable. It's the later stuff like the Last Blade titles where the loading times get really ridiculous.
I second the Baseball Stars 2 recommendation. It's my favorite sports game, ever. Also, Neo Turf Masters is an awesome golf game (by the creators of Metal Slug) -- I believe it got a CD release.
As for the fighting games, the earlier KOFs, SS games and so on are actually bearable. It's the later stuff like the Last Blade titles where the loading times get really ridiculous.
I second the Baseball Stars 2 recommendation. It's my favorite sports game, ever. Also, Neo Turf Masters is an awesome golf game (by the creators of Metal Slug) -- I believe it got a CD release.
We here shall not rest until we have made a drawing-room of your shaft, and if you do not all finally go down to your doom in patent-leather shoes, then you shall not go at all.
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professor ganson
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Very interesting. So I was wrong about Sonic Wings 2 and 3. Sonic Wings Special has a tate mode, so I assumed that the former games were originally proper verticals as well.neorichieb1971 wrote:Neo Geo multi slot cabinets were horizontal orientation only. Therefore it was impossible to have any neo geo game made in TATE mode.
Even Strikers 1945 plus is horizontal, the only game in the series which didnt have TATE.
I like to watch baseball, but I've never played a baseball videogame, well, apart from the NES one. I might just have to try Baseball Stars 2.
There's a metal slug title on Saturn. Anyone know the relation between it and MS 1 and 2?
Anyone know about good puzzle games on the system?
Thanks for all the interesting feedback!
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neorichieb1971
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Metal slug on the saturn is the same metal slug on the neo geo cd.
However, the neo geo CD is far the superior version due to the 7mb of ram it has. Saturn version only uses 4mb of ram and has slowdown issues. The neo cd version of MS1 is arguably the best version of the game period.
Metal slug 2 is one of the most artistic slugs imo, but it has some major slowdown issues even in 1p mode. Also the Neo CD version has background animations missing due to memory shortage on the neo cd.
As for puzzlers on the neo cd. I had magical drop 2 which was hard but pretty cool. You might want to try out Zintricks which is a CD exclusive on the neo (expensive ish again).
Review here -
http://www.neo-geo.com/reviews/neo-revi ... trick.html
However, the neo geo CD is far the superior version due to the 7mb of ram it has. Saturn version only uses 4mb of ram and has slowdown issues. The neo cd version of MS1 is arguably the best version of the game period.
Metal slug 2 is one of the most artistic slugs imo, but it has some major slowdown issues even in 1p mode. Also the Neo CD version has background animations missing due to memory shortage on the neo cd.
As for puzzlers on the neo cd. I had magical drop 2 which was hard but pretty cool. You might want to try out Zintricks which is a CD exclusive on the neo (expensive ish again).
Review here -
http://www.neo-geo.com/reviews/neo-revi ... trick.html
This industry has become 2 dimensional as it transcended into a 3D world.
Hey ganson, good to see you got a NGCD.
I think it's a really underrated system. It gets a lot of beef from Neo Geo cartridge and MVS (=the NG arcade hardware) fans, cuz of the loading times, but if you know what games to stick to, they really aren't a big deal. Plus there's some advantages to the system too, such as the remastered soundtracks. Plus they're all redbook audio, so you can rip them straight to mp3!
Here's what games I would recommend:
SHOOTERS:
They're all really good on CD, since they generally have little to no load time during play.
Well you already have Last Resort, Viewpoint and Sonic Wings 2&3, which are all A-class products, so what else is there?
Top tier:
- PULSTAR - The best Neo Geo Shooter overall, and the best R-Type game ever made!
- TWINKLE STAR SPRITES - Classic Puzzle/Shooter hybrid, a must-have. Since you frequent these boards I'm sure you already know it.
- CHOUTETSU BRIKINGER (aka IRON CLAD) - A Neo Geo CD exclusive!!! I've actually never played this, but supposedly it's very cool. Certainly has great pre-rendered graphics like Pulstar/Blazing Star. Unfortunately it's the most expensive of all Neo Geo CD games... Usually $200+!
Second tier:
Not as classic as the above, but may still be of interest.
- ASO II - LAST GUARDIAN (aka ALPHA MISSION II)
- GHOST PILOTS
- NINJA COMMANDO
- ADK WORLD (Collection of mini-games, incl one shmup) NGCD-exclusive!
PUZZLE:
Puzzle Bobble is a must, as well as:
- MAGICAL DROP II - One of the best puzzlers ever made!
Only Magical Drop III is better, but it never came out on CD. 
- ZINTRICK - Another CD-exclusive! From the people who made Twinkle Star Sprites.
FIGHTING:
Vs Fighters are a bit problematic. Because of the large sprites and many animation sequences, there are usually some considerable loading times, that usually make 2-Player play pretty annoying. Samurai Shodown 2 & 4, Fatal Fury 3, Ninja Masters, King of Fighters '98 and Last Blade 2 are probably the creme de la creme of beat em ups on CD, but the loading times are really to excessive. Luckily most of these games have been ported well to other systems, like Dreamcast.
OTHER:
- METAL SLUG - Everybody knows this game is great, and on Neo Geo CD it's really good too, with little load times. The Saturn Metal Slug is the same game. Afaik there's no real difference between the two.
- METAL SLUG 2 - Good, but the game itself had some problems that were smoothed out in the "remixed" METAL SLUG X.
- TOP HUNTER - Cool action platformer, that was sort of the forerunner to the Metal Slug games.
- BLUE'S JOURNEY - Another cool and cute platformer.
- FLYING POWER DISC (aka WINDJAMMERS) - Awesome frisbee game! Incredibly fun in 2P mode. Definitely one of the alltime Neo Geo classics!
- NAM-75 - Old school first person shooter. A Neo Geo classic of sorts.
- CYBER LIP - Like Contra, but actually not as good.
- SAMURAI SPIRITS BUSHIDO RETSUDEN - CD-only and Japan-only Samurai Shodown RPG! It's actually really well made, but of course you'll need to be able to read Japanese.
I think it's a really underrated system. It gets a lot of beef from Neo Geo cartridge and MVS (=the NG arcade hardware) fans, cuz of the loading times, but if you know what games to stick to, they really aren't a big deal. Plus there's some advantages to the system too, such as the remastered soundtracks. Plus they're all redbook audio, so you can rip them straight to mp3!
Here's what games I would recommend:
SHOOTERS:
They're all really good on CD, since they generally have little to no load time during play.
Well you already have Last Resort, Viewpoint and Sonic Wings 2&3, which are all A-class products, so what else is there?
Top tier:
- PULSTAR - The best Neo Geo Shooter overall, and the best R-Type game ever made!
- TWINKLE STAR SPRITES - Classic Puzzle/Shooter hybrid, a must-have. Since you frequent these boards I'm sure you already know it.
- CHOUTETSU BRIKINGER (aka IRON CLAD) - A Neo Geo CD exclusive!!! I've actually never played this, but supposedly it's very cool. Certainly has great pre-rendered graphics like Pulstar/Blazing Star. Unfortunately it's the most expensive of all Neo Geo CD games... Usually $200+!
Second tier:
Not as classic as the above, but may still be of interest.
- ASO II - LAST GUARDIAN (aka ALPHA MISSION II)
- GHOST PILOTS
- NINJA COMMANDO
- ADK WORLD (Collection of mini-games, incl one shmup) NGCD-exclusive!
PUZZLE:
Puzzle Bobble is a must, as well as:
- MAGICAL DROP II - One of the best puzzlers ever made!
Only Magical Drop III is better, but it never came out on CD. - ZINTRICK - Another CD-exclusive! From the people who made Twinkle Star Sprites.
FIGHTING:
Vs Fighters are a bit problematic. Because of the large sprites and many animation sequences, there are usually some considerable loading times, that usually make 2-Player play pretty annoying. Samurai Shodown 2 & 4, Fatal Fury 3, Ninja Masters, King of Fighters '98 and Last Blade 2 are probably the creme de la creme of beat em ups on CD, but the loading times are really to excessive. Luckily most of these games have been ported well to other systems, like Dreamcast.
OTHER:
- METAL SLUG - Everybody knows this game is great, and on Neo Geo CD it's really good too, with little load times. The Saturn Metal Slug is the same game. Afaik there's no real difference between the two.
- METAL SLUG 2 - Good, but the game itself had some problems that were smoothed out in the "remixed" METAL SLUG X.
- TOP HUNTER - Cool action platformer, that was sort of the forerunner to the Metal Slug games.
- BLUE'S JOURNEY - Another cool and cute platformer.
- FLYING POWER DISC (aka WINDJAMMERS) - Awesome frisbee game! Incredibly fun in 2P mode. Definitely one of the alltime Neo Geo classics!
- NAM-75 - Old school first person shooter. A Neo Geo classic of sorts.
- CYBER LIP - Like Contra, but actually not as good.
- SAMURAI SPIRITS BUSHIDO RETSUDEN - CD-only and Japan-only Samurai Shodown RPG! It's actually really well made, but of course you'll need to be able to read Japanese.
http://www.egameaddiction.com/neogeocd/loadtimes.html
That site has a list of how long the loading times are for a lot of Neo CD games, if you're interested.
The only thing that kept me from buying a NGCD was the library; KOF '99 was the last game for it, and besides that, prices were still way higher for some games than on MVS, like Metal Slug.
Hope you enjoy it though, I've heard the loading times for shmups are nil.
That site has a list of how long the loading times are for a lot of Neo CD games, if you're interested.
The only thing that kept me from buying a NGCD was the library; KOF '99 was the last game for it, and besides that, prices were still way higher for some games than on MVS, like Metal Slug.
Hope you enjoy it though, I've heard the loading times for shmups are nil.