Neo Geo blaster Shock Troopers available now on PS4 & Xbox One

Run ‘n’ Gun ‘n’ Fun

Hamster have released the next in their wave of Neo Geo classics, relaunched for modern platforms. This week sees the return of SNK’s Shock Troopers, for PS4 and Xbox One.

Shock Troopers launched in arcades and on the Neo Geo platform in 1997. The top-down run-and-gun title comes from the era of military shooters where a sexy gal and a square-jawed lunkhead were all that was needed to bring down a terrorist regime and an army of super-soldiers, powered up by a stolen experimental serum. Simpler solutions for simpler times.

The gimmick that Shock Troopers brought to the table came in the form of its character switch system. Players can head into battle as one of three heroes, or can choose to go in as the entire team, with the ability to switch between characters on the fly (though choosing the latter option gives you a shorter life bar).

The game has multiple weapons, boss battles and a variety of routes through the battlefield. It has has rad music and satisfying sound effects. Though a little clunky today, (given it’s twenty years old) Shock Troopers is still good, old-fashioned, nihilistic fun for you and a pal to while away the afternoon.

Shock Troopers is now available on PS4 and Xbox One, priced at $8. It was released last year on Switch.