Street Fighter 2 - Why no Neo Geo version?

[Leon Retro]

I guess it's because SNK were sort of rivals with Capcom back in the day, but.. I'm not so sure? ... Capcom have always been a producer of games for all types of systems. StreetFighter2 appeared on all the major consoles and computers.

I wonder why SF2 didn't appear on the NeoGeo. Did Capcom decide it was a bad idea, or did SNK decide that they wouldn't allow it because they saw Capcom as a rival? ... We will probably never know, but it's something I was thinking about after reading the Retro Gamer piece on the NeoGeo.

What do you think? ... I know it's a funny idea, but I'd like other peoples opinions.

[Vince]

I'm sure its because they were rivals, i mean remember that the Neo Geo MVS was an arcade system, which would have been in direct competition with Capcoms CPS system. It would be like Sony releasing Gran Turismo or ICO on the 360, more unimaginable in fact, it would just never have happened. Also the Neo Geo only has 4 buttons.

[Leon Retro]

I'm sure its because they were rivals, i mean remember that the Neo Geo MVS was an arcade system, which would have been in direct competition with Capcoms CPS system.

Yep.. that's probably the reason. By 2000 the whole rivalry thing had cooled down - and you had SNK vs Capcom as a result. Back in the early to mid 90s, though, SNK did have a thing about taking on Capcom.

I think it was stupid of SNK. They should have allowed Capcom to release games for the system. Then again.. Capcom may not have wanted to It's definitely confusing.

The problem with the NeoGeo is that SNK, for whatever reasons, didn't have the likes of Capcom, Konami, Taito, Irem on board. Maybe they deliberately didn't want big name companies involved with the NeoGeo? .. That's something we'll never know. I'm pretty sure - judging by SNK's attitude back then - that they were arrogant enough to believe they could beat the big guns at their own game.

Sure.. the NeoGeo did well with the likes of KingofFighters, Samurai Showdown, and some cool games from smaller devs, but the machine really could have been the complete arcade experience in the home if all the big arcade publishers had been on board.

Then you read about devs deliberately not compressing their games for the system. I'm sure with compression leading to lower cartridge sizes and therefore.. lower prices, the machine could have been quite succesful in the home.

Then it leads you to think that Nintendo, and maybe even Sega as well, asked Capcom to not release SF2 on the NeoGeo. I mean.. SF2 would have been arcade perfect on the Neo - making the other home systems look clearly inferior. I'm not sure, but I think the SF2 arcade board was around 55mbs - which would have meant a lower cost Neo cart.

It's an issue I've been pondering. I like to think about the rivalry between all the firms back then - and the issues it raised.

[MonkeyJuggleDX]

The problem with the NeoGeo is that SNK, for whatever reasons, didn't have the likes of Capcom, Konami, Taito, Irem on board.

Taito did release games on the Neo and Nazca were former Irem employees.

There were also games developed by Technos, Sunsoft, Alpha Denshi, Data East, Tecmo, Face, Hudson Soft, Psikyo & Video System. All well known companies in Japan and worldwide except for Alpha Denshi & Face.

[kernow]

True, it was quite a developer friendly system, more so than the CPS2 even really.

It could have done SF2 WW pretty easily I guess, but it wasn't in their interests.

[Leon Retro]

Taito did release games on the Neo and Nazca were former Irem employees.

There were also games developed by Technos, Sunsoft, Alpha Denshi, Data East, Tecmo, Face, Hudson Soft, Psikyo & Video System. All well known companies in Japan and worldwide except for Alpha Denshi & Face.

Yep.. I knew about Puzzle Bobble and Nazca, so I shouldn't have really mentioned Taito and Irem. With Taito, I'd have liked to have seen some fresh games from them for the system. A top quality platformer for example.

The NeoGeo did attract a lot of devs who weren't big guns. The ones you mentioned, whilst creators of some classic games, weren't in the big league with the likes of Konami, Capcom and Sega.

I can only guess that SNK deliberately didn't want the big players onboard - or the big players didn't want to get onboard for various reasons. We can only speculate.

It would have been nice to see what Treasure could have done with the system. I'd have liked to have seen a platformer from them.

True, it was quite a developer friendly system, more so than the CPS2 even really.

It could have done SF2 WW pretty easily I guess, but it wasn't in their interests.

A very friendly system. SNK pushed it as "The Arcade in the home" ... but the big majority of 2D games you'd have found in the arcades between 1990-1996, didn't appear on the system. I'm sure Capcom and Konami's best 2D arcade games could have run very well on the Neo.

Rivalry was probably the reason it never happened. I do feel that SNK had a strong arrogance though. We all know how destructive an arrogant attitude can be in the games business.

Then you look to the end of the 90s - and Capcom & SNK were producing games together. By then.. the 2D gaming scene had cooled down and with it the rivalry between firms faded. I can only wonder if SNK were the reason why Capcom & Konami never released games for the Neo. I guess I'll never know. It's not the sort of thing the Japanese like to disclose.

[Colin]

Leon, do you also believe that the moon landings were filmed in paramount studios, and that there was a major cover up of a crashed alien craft in roswell? Your conspiracy theorising has given me a good old chuckle there!

Nothing more to SF2 not appearing on neo than the fact that capcom were SNK's arcade competition. It's no different to why sega games weren't released on nintendo consoles back then, or vice versa. Or that's how i'd see it anyway.

[Leon Retro]

Leon, do you also believe that the moon landings were filmed in paramount studios, and that there was a major cover up of a crashed alien craft in roswell? Your conspiracy theorising has given me a good old chuckle there!

Nothing more to SF2 not appearing on neo than the fact that capcom were SNK's arcade competition. It's no different to why sega games weren't released on nintendo consoles back then, or vice versa. Or that's how i'd see it anyway.

I also believe in Leprechauns.

Seriously, it's just food for thought. I'm not saying I believe in one theory; it's a mixture of possibilities.

Capcom always seemed like a developer who were happy to put their games on any system going. Then... again they were a big arcade player, so the rivalry with SNK was most probably the reason they didn't create games for the Neo system.

They could have said " SF2 AES only" ... That would have kept it away from the arcades. I have a feeling that SNK didn't want the big guns on their system, but it could have been the other way round, with the big guns not wanting to join the SNK party.

One thing is for sure - the NeoGeo could have done a perfect port of SF2. It would have been fun to see the game on the system - as it would have been the best fighter for the machine.

[Colin]

It would have been fun to see the game on the system - as it would have been the best fighter for the machine.

Pfffft! Yeah, right.

[kernow]

haha, so true

[Baseley09]

This thread doesn't really make sense.

Games were made by SNk (&etc) for the arcade using the MVS Neo Geo hardware, they weren't made for the Neo Geo console so to speak...any games on that system are just tooled from the arcade format.

[usman]

.....

[Fastware]

The problem with the NeoGeo is that SNK, for whatever reasons, didn't have the likes of Capcom, Konami, Taito, Irem on board. Maybe they deliberately didn't want big name companies involved with the NeoGeo? .. That's something we'll never know.

It's becuase those companies had thier own arcade division with hardware to support. The MVS was what these companies would have been writing games for if they supported the Neo Geo. With a later release as a home version.

SNK's business was not compatible for them.

Why write for some other companies arcade hardware and pay a royalty for that?

It's better to use your own hardware you can customise for each game and so will look better than the MVS game.

The AES market is too nieche for these companies to support. A SNES/Megadrive game would cost the same to develop and would see a much bigger return.

[pentarou]

Along with the whole SNK / Capcom rivalry, the Neo is a couple of buttons short of making SF2 playable.

*Edit* Oops, just noticed someone pointed that out in the second post.

[samanosuke]

The NeoGeo did attract a lot of devs who weren't big guns. The ones you mentioned, whilst creators of some classic games, weren't in the big league with the likes of Konami, Capcom and Sega.

...who all had their own Konami GX, CPS-1/2, Sega System/Model systems to release games for.

I can only guess that SNK deliberately didn't want the big players onboard - or the big players didn't want to get onboard for various reasons. We can only speculate.

...and I can only speculate to the contrary; I'm sure SNK would have appreciated the extra revenue as it would have stopped them from sinking into administration. However, as I and many others have said, other arcade developers had their own hardware to develop for.

A very friendly system. SNK pushed it as "The Arcade in the home" ... but the big majority of 2D games you'd have found in the arcades between 1990-1996, didn't appear on the system. I'm sure Capcom and Konami's best 2D arcade games could have run very well on the Neo.

I think SNK meant arcade quality games in the home, not literally every single arcade game in your home, otherwise they would have just released a consolised JAMMA harness.

Rivalry was probably the reason it never happened. I do feel that SNK had a strong arrogance though.

Finally the penny drops...

I can only wonder if SNK were the reason why Capcom & Konami never released games for the Neo. I guess I'll never know. It's not the sort of thing the Japanese like to disclose.

...and is then picked up again and flung into the yonder!!!

They could have said " SF2 AES only" ... That would have kept it away from the arcades. I have a feeling that SNK didn't want the big guns on their system, but it could have been the other way round, with the big guns not wanting to join the SNK party.

Surely everyone and their dog knows that the money to be made in developing for the Neo was in the MVS sector? The AES was just a little side show, enabling MVS developers to make a few extra quid from their endeavours. It really makes no sense to develop an AES exclusive game which will maybe sell a couple of thousand copies if you're lucky. Have you never wondered why there are no AES-only games apart from that homebrew shooter whose name escapes me right now? Add to this that SF2 was readily available for the SFC, MD and PCE, how many AES owners do you think would stump up £300 plus the money for a couple of 6-button sticks when they could just get the SFC version instead?

One thing is for sure - the NeoGeo could have done a perfect port of SF2. It would have been fun to see the game on the system - as it would have been the best fighter for the machine.

Of course the Neo could have handled a perfect port - in retrospect it seems even more powerful than CPS-2 hardware. I think (and hope) your last statement was tongue -in-cheek though

Saying that SF2 is better than the likes of Garou: MotW or Last Blade 2 is like saying Wolfenstein 3D is better than Half Life. Yes Wolf 3D was the original and we all loved it at the time but Half Life refined and improved upon the genre no end.