Bullet Heavens review of Metal Slug 3 for PS4

Such an iconic series! Don't forget about Bitmap Books book on the subject, out now.

NG DEV Teams end of year news: new shmup coming!

Except for a gaggle of updates about releases shipping (Krautbuaster AES 1st Print starts shipping early 2020 (Collector's Editions first) as does MVS 2nd Printing) NG DEV also revealed they are working on a new shmup:
New NEOGEO game:

The next new vertizontal NEOGEO shmup made by our CGI graphics team (Razion/Fast Striker) will be announced for MVS between April and June.

They close out the letter saying that Gunlord X is available worldwide for PlayStation 4 on the Playstation Store/PSN.

New Neo Geo shooter up on Kickstarter

Project Neon, a new shmup/STG for the Neo Geo platform has hit Kickstarter. You know i'm not the biggest fan of Kickstarter but don't let that deter you from tossing money at projects you care about.

New Neo Geo shmup/STG Project Neon being teased

Named Project Neon (for now), there is an upcoming trailer and Kickstarter promised soon. It's fun to see the revival the Neo Geo platform has been getting.

Twin-sticker Xeno Crisis is out on literally everything now

After being successfully Kickstarted Xeno Crisis is now shipping for Sega MegaDrive, Sega Dreamcast, Neo Geo MVS/AES, Nintendo Switch, Sony Playstation 4 and Microsofts Xbox One (did I forget a platform?). I forgot a platform: Steam!

In a lovely twist you can buy just the game as a ROM for MegaDrive or a CD image for Dreamcast for people who just want to play the game without the added bulk (and wait for) of packaging.

The soundtrack is also available on vinyl and CD.

Bullet Heaven reviews Captain Tomaday

Metal Slug news: 3 getting limited release and the series getting a book

Limited Run Games made a surprise announcement that Metal Slug 3 is getting a limited release for both PlayStation 4 and PS Vita THIS WEEKEND.

Seeing as the Metal Slug games are available on every platform known to man this might not be such a big deal. They will have a regular and a classic edition with the classic being twice as expensive and:

The Classic Edition includes:

• Functional, classic, fully licensed, and SNK approved Neo-Geo shockbox designed to hold and store a PS4 or PS Vita game case (or one of each)
• Physical Metal Slug 3 game for the PS4/PS Vita
• Neo-Geo AES inspired retro cover sheet
• AES formatted manual designed to fit in the shockbox manual pouch
• 3 high-gloss art cards
• 18 x 24 inch poster

Bitmap Books has Metal Slug: The Ultimate History, a 400+ pages book of, well, the history of the Metal Slug series. If you're a fan this will probably be right up your alley. Pre-orders open today.

Terraonion had a big day of announcements

Terraonion is the spanish company behind the flashcarts for Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo MVS and the amazing flashcart+ODE (Optical Disc Emulator) SSDS3 for the PC Engine, and today they had some great new announcements:
1. The NeoSD AES & MVS Pro carts can play Neo Geo CD games from SD card. Yes, really!
2. MegaSD is a basically an SSDS3 for the Mega Drive/Genesis. Yes, a Sega CD/Mega CD ODE in an FPGA implementation that plugs into your Mega Drive/Genesis/Mega sg (and yes again, the Mega Drive FPGA re-creation is supported!)

This enables so many shmups across the systems involved that I can practically feel my thumbs ache already!

Here's the whole announcement extravaganza:

Gunlord X announcement trailer for Switch

Way back in August of 2018 we got first word that Neo Geo / Dreamcast game Gunlord was getting an overhaul and landing on the Nintendo Switch.

It's now only days to release, May 22nd is what they're aming for, and here's the announcement trailer:

Kraut Buster review

NGDev Team's long-awaited run'n'gun Kraut Buster for the Neo Geo AES/MVS gets a review:


Is it worth the 500 dollar price tag? Find out!

SNK, for music lovers

SNK Arcade Sound Digital Collection Volume 1 is coming to CD soon.

If you're into game music and like ASO / Alpha Mission then this release might be for you. I'm guessing it's not a huge print run so maybe pre-order?

More Switch catch-up

Sky Force Anniversary is in the eShop, a welcome addition to this series. You need to grind, grind, grind your way through it but it's fun all the way.

M.A.C.E. Space Shooter is also in the eShop, looks to be your basic 2 player co-op vertcially scrolling shooter.

SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is out in the eShop as is Atomic Robo-kid, a new entry in the awesome Arcade Archives series.

RocketsRocketsRockets is a player vs player shmup out now.

Blazing Chrome is a run'n'gun coming to Switch next year:

ASO / Alpha Mission has hit PS4 / Switch

Hamster on-going Arcade Archives series launched ASO or Alpha Mission for both PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch yesterday.

Alpha Mission is one of the titles expected in physical forms on the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection due out on November 13th for Nintendo Switch so Switch owners might just want to hold off until then.

A whole lotta news!

Black Bird has already launched (back on October 18th), worldwide, on Nintendo Switch and is expected to arrive on Steam on October 31st. Here's a review.

Astebreed for Nintendo Switch (i sense a theme here) is arriving on November 7th.

Anger Force: Reloaded is a new shmup announced for Switch and tells us it's coming this year. eShop only as of now, but who knows if a physical release is in the cards at the rate they are appearing?


Yuge-san, holder of the Toaplan license, say they have a shmup in development for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch for release 2019.

If you want Hunter's Moon: Remastered for the Commodore 64, Thalamus Digital has orders open until midnight tomorrow. Hurry!

Steel Vampire's Steam page is up. This seems to be a big deal although I haven't heard about this one before.

Nintendo Everything brings us a closer look at the upcoming SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Limited Edition for Nintendo Switch.

Solid Aether is a minimalistic bullet-hell shmup available on Steam since September 28th that I haven't heard of before either (another theme?).

Fast Striker moves to PlayStation4 / Vita

Both beautiful and great sounding, MVS and later Dreamcast shmup Fast Striker from NG:DEV.TEAM has been announced by Eastasiasoft for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in October.

It will be available digitally at $6.99 / €6.99 and as physical limited edition for $34.99 including shipping. Limited edition pre-orders will open on October 11 at Play-Asia.

Polymega launches pre-order (and crashes)

Polymega already piqued my interest as it will be able to play Neo Geo CD games without having brutal load times.

But as the launch trailer revealed, they had a trick up their sleeve: Saturn-support from day one. That's a killer feature right there for shmups fans.

Sadly, the site crashed almost immediately when they opened the flood gates.

Kraut Buster for MVS still available for pre-order.

As of right now there are still 8 units of NG:DEV.TEAMs upcoming run'n'gun Kraut Buster for Neo Geo MVS available to pre-order.

Prehistoric Isle 2 coming to Xbox One

Hamsters ACA Neo Geo series will bring Prehistoric Isle 2 to the Xbox One on August 2nd.

Metal Slug 4 coming to Switch

Hamster has announced that Metal Slug 4 is among the next round of titles in the ACA Neo Geo series that will be released for Switch.

SNK celebrates 40th anniversary by Switching it up

SNK 40th Anniversary Collection has been announced for the Nintendo Switch.

The SNK 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION includes classic titles such as Alpha Mission, Athena, Crystalis, Ikari Warriors, Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road, Ikari Warriors III: The Rescue, Guerilla War, P.O.W., Prehistoric Isle, Psycho Soldier, Street Smart, TNK III, and Vanguard - with more titles to be announced!

A superlative collector's edition will be available too.