How would you fill a Neo 4-slot?

[Kid Ice]

OK you've got 4 MVS slots to fill. What do you do with them? You can have any 4 Neo games, regardless of cost and rarity. Would you simply go with your four favorites? Balance it out with different genres? Go all Samurai Shodown? Give us your picks and your rationale.

[RadiantSvgun]

Samurai Showdown V special- One of my favorite games. For some reason it's the easiest fighting game for me to play with a stick

Metal Slug- Cheap and I have very fond memories of this game. I could die on the first level and feel I have not wasted a quarter.

Crossed Swords- An excellent swordplay game that is a bit like arcade punch-out. It can get long, so make sure you have a stool.

Sengoku 3. Can't have an arcade without a Beat-Em-Up, and Sengoku 3 is one of the best in terms of graphics, sound, and story.

Also look into Rage of the Dragons, and Samurai Showdown 2.

[Ze_ro]

Samurai Shodown 4
Metal Slug
King of Fighters 98
Blazing Star

--Zero

[Hwj_Chim]

Matrimelee
King of Fighters 96
Shock Troopers 2
Metal Slug x

[digitalpress]

I struggle with this at my store pretty regularly. The games I LIKE aren't the ones that get played. So just picking my fave 4, it would go like this:

1) Metal Slug 3 (was popular at the store)
2) Neo Turf Masters (I don't think even a quarter was sunk in... after just one week I replaced it)
3) Sengoku 3 (has done so-so but I could play this all day)
4) Blazing Star (One or two regular customers, otherwise a bust)

Great poll.

[Vectorman0]

I'll just go with my favorites, though I will try to keep the genres as varied as possible.

Magical Drop 3
Metal Slug 3
Shock Troopers 2nd Squad
Zupapa!

There are a few others I left out that I also like quite a bit. Bust-a-move I like a lot, but Magical Drop beats it out. I'd also wish I could have a shooter in there, but I enjoy all of the games listed more than any Neo shooters.

[namzep]

1. Metal Slug 2
2. Magician Lord
3. Magical Drop 3
4. King of Fighters 99

[RadiantSvgun]

I struggle with this at my store pretty regularly. The games I LIKE aren't the ones that get played. So just picking my fave 4, it would go like this:

1) Metal Slug 3 (was popular at the store)
2) Neo Turf Masters (I don't think even a quarter was sunk in... after just one week I replaced it)
3) Sengoku 3 (has done so-so but I could play this all day)
4) Blazing Star (One or two regular customers, otherwise a bust)

Great poll.

The Digital Press store has cabinets? Man, I need to make a pilgrimage up there.

[fahlim003]

Strikers 1945 Plus
Last Blade 2 Final Edition
SVC Chaos
Pulstar

Secondary List:
Money Idol Exchanger
Metal Slug 3
Neo Drift Out
Thrash Rally

[RyoGeo]

Metal Slug 3: Best all around Slug, IMHO. A long game too, for the type.
Sengoku 2: Not as complex in terms of combos as S3, but WAY more fun to play. FANTASTIC sound, too. Good luck finding one, though.
Super Dodge Ball: Great animation, very colorful, AWESOME two player game
Mark of the Wolves: Not the biggest roster in the world, but damn, it plays nice, looks GREAT, and has wonderful sound. Lots of bootlegs though. Beware.

[Aussie2B]

Hmmm, that's a tough one. Glad that's not a problem when you got a consolized MVS and can pop in a new game as easily as a Super Nintendo cart or what have you. :) Just off the top of my head at the moment, I'd go with:

1. Garou: Mark of the Wolves - quintessential Neo Geo fighter
2. Metal Slug 3 - quintessential Neo Geo run-n-gun
3. Blazing Star - I'd probably say its the best shooter, but it would have to be on free play, heh.
4. Panic Bomber - Just 'cause you gotta have a puzzle game for good measure. I don't know if I'd say it's better than the Puzzle Bobble and Magical Drop games, but something about it is more endearing to me than those titles, which I get burnt out on after awhile.

Pains me to not represent a lot of other excellent games and genres, though. Gimme a 6-slot so I can add Neo Bomberman (and thus replace the puzzle game with something not Bomberman-themed, just for the sake of variety) and Neo Turf Masters.

[Damaramu]

1. Samurai Shodown 2
2. Metal Slug X
3. King of Fighters '98
4. Bust a Move 2

[Dangerboy]

4....

hmm...

a. Samurai Shodown 4
b. King of Fighters 98
c. Metal Slug X
d. Ninja Commandos \m/

[Tron 2.0]

Tough question since my current setup is a cmvs 2-slot.

I did have a 4-slot it was great untile i found out some games have to be in the,right slot to run.

Still here's what i think is a good setup.

1.MetalSlug
2.Samurai Shodown 2
3.League Bowling:Great when friends are over.
4.Wind Jammers

Secondary choice.
Twinklestar Sprites
MetalSlug 3
Magicial Drop 3
KOF 98

[ubersaurus]

I'd like to go with games that I can't get otherwise cheaply or with a good port.

Thus I'd go with Neo Mr. Do, Pulstar, Viewpoint, and Samurai Shodown Special.

[PapaStu]

1. Metal Slug 2, 3 or X
2. Magical Drop 3
3. Samurai Showdown 2 or 4
4. A good top down shooter.

[katchoo]

1. Metal Slug 2, 3 or X
2. Magical Drop 3
3. Samurai Showdown 2 or 4
4. A good top down shooter.

I second what Stu said, which works out well for our future Neo cabinet ownership plans.

Metal Slug - just a lot of fun, and great to play two player
Magical Drop 3 - <3 <3 <3 I kick butt in this game and played it for hours without getting bored.
Samurai Showdown 2 - It's Samurai Showdown! Ya have to get it!
Slot 4 could be good for rotating games, but 1-3 are permanent additions.

[savageone]

To pick just 4 is pretty tough. IMO the Neo Geo has the highest quality library of any system, thats based on the percentage of good games vs bad games.

1) One of the Metal Slug games (a given, either X or 3)
2) Baseball Stars 2 (clearly the best baseball game ever made)
3) Pulstar (the little clone that could)
4) Neo Turf Masters (if only it had the insane 5th course from the NGCD version.. woe)

[MrRoboto19XX]

Strikers 1945 Plus
KoF '96
Neo Turf Masters
Baseball Stars 2

Best of the best, if you ask me.

[kaedesdisciple]

Hm, you're right that IS a tough call. I would probably go with:

Metal Slug 3 (Pinnacle of the series for me, and MS is always a quarter muncher)
Bust-A-Move (Say what you will, people LOVE this friggin game)
Strikers 1945 Plus (Very fun and much easier to get into than Blazing Star)
Last Blade 2 (I always liked this series better than Samurai Shodown)

Alternates:
Shock Troopers (Almost never the same game twice, REALLY fun to try and 1CC)
Blazing Star (Fun AND pretty, but tough as nails)
King of Fighters '98 (Absolutely no story, but I love the number of available characters. Has something for everyone)
Magical Drop III (For some, this edges out BAM and even MIE, but I find it to be an acquired taste)

[CosmicMonkey]

Well in my 4 slot currently I have Last Blade 2, Metal Slug 3, Garou and Blazing Star. I normally do a change round of carts once a week, unless I have the CPS2 or PGM hooked up.

[InsaneDavid]

No love for Aero Fighters / Sonic Wings?! Anyway...

Aero Fighters 3 / Sonic Wings 3 - Fond memories of playing this endlessly over a few summers in the front of the San Jose Yohan (now Mitsuwa, game is gone though) supermarket's 4 slot makes it my favorite Neo-Geo game.

Baseball Stars 2 - As has been said, it's just about the greatest baseball game ever made. Tons of fun, totally approachable, and great head to head.

8 Man - I don't care if the game isn't all that great, it's the only game based upon one of my all time favorite anime characters. How I wish a new game would be developed based on 8 Man After.

Puzzle Bobble 2 - My favorite of the series. Screw the US version Bust-A-Move Again with the removal of Bub and Bob (still pissed Taito Legends 2 bullshitted us out of that).

[ccovell]

Metal Slug 3 - Maybe the best in the series.
Blazing Star - The best NG shooter?
Blue's Journey - Has always been a cute favourite.
Zed Blade/Operation Ragnarok - 'Cuz the music & gameplay rock!

[smokehouse]

1.MetalSlug
2.Samurai Shodown 2
3.League Bowling:Great when friends are over.
4.Wind Jammers

Close for me but I'd replace Wind Jammers with Bust a Move

[swlovinist]

1- Samurai Showdown 2, for being a true classic and still holding up as one of the best of a great fighting series

2. Mark of the Wolves is hands down one of the best Fatal Fury series games and in my own opinion one I would never swith out...if I had an MVS.

3. Baseball Stars for me is one great Baseball sim, and it brought some fond memories of playing it in the past.

4. King of Fighters 98 is my favorite of the series and I would love to play that one in the arcades all the time.

[otaku]

Mark of the WOlves
metal slug 3
shock troopers
probably another slug

[Kevincal]

Wind Jammers
King of Fighters '95
Metal Slug
2020 Super Baseball

:P

[MonoTekETeA]

Mark of the Wolves
Magical Drop 3
Super Dodge Ball
Spin Masters

[diskoboy]

-Sengoku
-Samurai Showdown
-Metal Slug (any version)
-Bust A Move 2

[Chuplayer]

1 - Garou: MOTW. HELLS YEAH!
2 - KOF98. More HELLS YEAH!
3 - Metal Slug 1. Even more HELLS YEAH!
4 - Last Blade 2. I need to walk around wearing a condom to contain the mess in my pants whenever I play a Neo Geo game.

[dave2236]

Neo Turf Masters Golf
Windjammers
Magical Drop 2
Metal Slug 2

[Flack]

Aero Fighters 3
Bust-A-Move / Puzzle Bobble
Neo Driftout
Metal Slug X

The only one of those I own is Metal Slug X. I have Samurai Shodown 1-3, Fatal Fury, Double Dragon and a few other fighters but they rarely get any play. I need to track down some of those other titles.

[Cauterize]

No love for Super Sidekicks!? Im sad to hear so!

Aero Fighters 3/Sonic Wings 3
Metal Slug
SNK Vs Capcom (SVC Chaos)
Super Sidekicks 2

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[sidnotcrazy]

1. Samurai Showdown II
2. Mark of the Wolves
3. Last Resort
4. Viewpoint (I can't help it. I love isometric shooters like Zaxxon)

[Kevin H]

In mine already I have
Bowling for the wife
Windjammers
Metal Slug X
Crossed Swords


I actually have other carts, but those are the ones I want to keep in it the most.

[cyberfluxor]

Mark of the Wolves -
I've been playing this at a fellow NG members place and it is an amazing fighter for the Neo. I'd love to have the ability to just play this at my house. So smooth, colorful and great fighting action.
Bust-A-Move 2 -
I can never leave out BAM, ever. It's my drug, endless puzzle bliss and religion; to NOT have the arcade version would be heresy.
Sonic Wings 3 -
Sonic Wings 2 is amazing in the arcade and I've spent so much time on it I'd need Sonic Wings 3 to fill the gap. I need more experience with this game.
Magical Drop 3 -
Another wonderful puzzler for the Neo. Eventually it'll fill a hole in my NGPC section but most of all the arcade belongs in an MVS for sure. Competition to the max!