© SNK / CapcomFor anyone big enough to remember the initial release of SNK Vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium in 1999, his recent surprise arrival at Switch was a real fact. This crossover fighter is part of a famous series that pits the best fighters in the stables of the two companies’ fighting series, and this particular entry has not appeared on any console platform with official capability since the release of Neo Geo Pocket Color has been around for more than two decades.
For series producer Neo Geo Pocket Color, Adam Laatz, and assistant director Lionel Ackah, the collaboration with Capcom that led to the return of this series gives hope for future releases.
“Capcom was integral to allowing us to re-release SvC: The Match of the Millennium on Nintendo Switch,” Laatz told us when asked about what involvement Capcom had with this reissue. “While it may be a challenge to grant gaming licenses and work with third parties at times, we are very grateful that our good friends at Capcom have helped us make the portage of this title a reality. Collaborative titles are a day to bring companies and players together in a sense, we hope that re-launching this SvC title after so many years will serve as an opportunity for more releases to appear in the future. “
While it can be a challenge to license games and sometimes work with third parties, we are very grateful that our good friends at Capcom have helped us make the portage of this title a reality.
Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol.1 was released on Switch a month after the arrival of SNK Vs. Capcom and gathered the NGPC titles previously released on Switch and added several more to the bargain. Since Code Mystics ’Neo Geo Pocket Color emulation framework is obviously working on Switch, you might assume that getting Match of the Millennium in the eShop was a relatively basic exercise. We asked how much time had passed since the initial ‘well, we’re doing it’ a ‘boom, it’s ready! ‘.
“We understand that if you don’t get involved in game development, you might think emulation is easy,” replies Lionel Ackah, assistant director of the series. “However, it really takes a lot of work and effort to achieve a high level of quality. We can proudly say that Code Mystics has always responded to the call here and has met the expectations of our fans in this release once again. for example, the mechanics of the link game must be adapted to each game and each game we have deployed must be thoroughly tested, often requiring fine tuning.In this sense, the emulator that Code Mystics has provided it is more accurate for the NGPC than any other previous attempt. This time, development took about a year from start to finish for our first batch of Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection titles. “
Fans of this game and the console in general have waited a long time to play them on modern platforms. Why did it take so long to see them reissued? “The two main reasons,” says Ackah, “were to find a developer we can trust and get the license for our collaborative titles.”
Since the microswitch stick on the original console was obviously not an option, we asked Ackah how he preferred to play Switch, with the analog stick, D-pad buttons / touch screen? “While it’s not as perfect as the original microswitch joystick, of course … the D-pad would be closest to the original experience.”
development took about a year from start to finish for our first batch of Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection titles
Given that the release of Switch allows a whole new generation of players to experience the game, we wondered if it was fair to take it on. others Tickets for the SNK vs Capcom series could hit Switch in the fullness of time. Ackah played it with his answer (“Hopefully yes!”), but the prospects for Neo Geo Pocket Color appear to be a little sunnier, at least in the short term, according to Laatz. “We’re currently making plans for future releases and thank you for your support of SvC: The Match of the Millennium and Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol.1. Stay tuned for future announcements.”
After two decades (yes, it’s really been so long!), Is it great to see Match of the Millennium finally hit another platform and we were curious if we could see third-party NGP (C) games coming to Switch at some point? “We can’t say too much,” Ackah replied, “but it’s a possibility.”
And finally, we asked Ackah his favorite fighter in The Match of the Millennium. “It’s always hard to pick a character with such a fantastic list,” he replied diplomatically. “I would say Mai Shiranui, as she has a particular set of skill and movement that make her stand out from most of the typical archetypes of fighting game characters.”
We are sure many fans would agree with him.
SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium and NEOGEO POCKET COLOR SELECTION Vol.1 are now available in Switch eShop.