ACA NEOGEO Selections wrap up some great games and also Metal Slug 4

SNK has announced that they’re bundling up a selection of Hamster’s ACA NEOGEO titles into a couple of physical volumes. Right now, they’re only announced for Switch in Japan (thanks, Gematsu), though I personally expect that they’ll probably make their way over here eventually. If not, they’re very importable as, judging from normal Arcade Archive releases, you’d be able to select from North American and Japanese versions.

Do you own none of the ACA NEOGEO releases and want to own all of the ACA NEOGEO releases? Well, too bad because each collection only has 10 of them. The selection on them is diverse but also kind of bizarre. Only two of the Metal Slug games appear in the collections, but while Metal Slug X is an obvious choice, the second one is Metal Slug 4, which is sort of the bastard of the series. Diversity is great, but why Metal Slug 4?

They also mix some sports titles into the mix, which probably wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice either, but at least that makes a little more sense when it comes to diversity. You may not have played them before, and it’s a good reason to try them. 

On the other hand, this might also be a way to make up for slow sales. Like when a grocery store takes a pork cutlet that has gone grey beneath the fluorescent lights, throws it in some bread crumbs, then puts it back on the shelf for another week as ready-to-cook schnitzel.

Anyway, here’s a closer look at the two collections:

ACA NEOGEO Selection Vol. 1

• The King Of Fighters ’94
• Metal Slug X
• Garou: Mark of the Wolves
• Samurai Spirits V (Samurai Shodown V)
• ASO II Last Guardian (Alpha Mission 2)
• Riding Hero
• Top Hunter: Roddy and Cathy
• Top Players Golf
• Fūun Mokushiroku: Kakutō Sōsei (Savage Reign)
• Shock Troopers

ACA NEOGEO Selection Vol. 2

• The King Of Fighters ’95
• Metal Slug 4
• Samurai Spirits (Samurai Shodown)
• Fatal Fury 2
• Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad
• Ghost Pilots
• Baseball Stars Professional
• Mutation Nation
• Big Tournament Golf (Neo Turf Masters)
• Stakes Winner 2

The Japanese release date is December 12, 2024 on Switch. They’re selling for 5,940円, which is roughly $41 USD at today’s exchange rate if the internet isn’t lying to me. No word on a North American release.