As you’re all well aware, it’s hard to support 2D games worldwide. SNK can do just about anything they want in Japan and survive, but when considering which platform to thrust their games behind, they’re potentially in big trouble next generation.
For this entire generation, Sony wouldn’t let them translate games for the US market, despite the fact that, say Metal Slug 3 is every bit as fabulous as Gradius V or R-Type Final, it’s not just 3D. The Gamecube controller is rather prohibitive for the games they tend to focus on (fighters). And the Xbox isn’t exactly catering to the audience that screams for SNK like experiences.
With the advent of the next generation, it’s going to be even harder for SNK to get their games approved by Sony for translation. Despite the fact that they threw in 3D background modes for several of their games, Sony still wouldn’t allow it. The PlayStation would be the best platform to keep developing for, because its easily got the biggest fighting game fanbase on it and that’s where all the other fighting games are and all of SNK’s legacy games are on the platform. On top of that, SNK’s released almost all of their current gen games for the PS2.
Redoing all the collections for the Wii would take a lot of time they could be using to generate new games, but it might be worth it. First of all, the Virtual Console is tailor made for the types of games SNK makes, whether they be ports of old games or new games made in that style. They’re short, pick-up and play, they’re got graphics which are considered modest by 3D wow’em standards and they’re heavily in demand by oldschool snobs.
Better yet, SNK’s had a full rebirth of their quality. Metal Slug 6 is a return to form. Neo Geo Battle Coliseum is waaaay up there at the top of the heap of the dream match fighters that combine different games. The King of Fighter XI is amazing and continues their “gotta beat 98” mantra of releasing excellent KOF games. Samurai Shodown has experienced a complete revival. And on top of that, they made the excellent decision to give us a new Cardfighters Clash, as everyone knows the original is one of the most addictive card RPGs on the planet.
Even with the Wii controller being standard, I imagine there’s more than enough of an audience for the Virtual Console controller, which looks the best for SNKish games. And Nintendo will most likely do some sort of bundle to increase the amount of people who own it anyway, like they’ve done with their rumble paks, link cables, ram packs and so on. Better yet, of the three development environment for smaller games, I think the Wii both has the audience and the best kind of set-up if what’s unveiled for making new games for the VC turns out good. The other thing is with Wii’s graphics being less powerful, there’s not going to be as MUCH of a difference between SNK’s games and the rest as there will be on the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Better yet, they probably won’t be tempted to throw in useless shitty online modes that only infuriate people who can actually play fighting games.
The more I think I about it, the more I think SNK should switch gears to Nintendo this generation. And no, for people who are asking, I’m still not selling my Neo Geo with the entire game run collection yet. Be patient.
-Kitsune