Unreleased Neo Geo Fighting Game Discovered, Dumped Playable in MAME

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Unreleased Neo Geo Fighting Game Discovered, Dumped Playable in MAME



It is no secret by now that there has been a new Neo Geo fighting game discovered. Yeah, a prototype of an unreleased game. The Neo Geo was a great system in both the home and arcades even though it carried a huge price tag (games for the home system were $200+ each). Over the years there have not been a ton of new games released for the Neo Geo, though a few homebrew titles have hit. Prototypes are rarer on all platforms actually, not just the Neo Geo. This unreleased fighting game was being developed by “Face”, a Japan based developer.

One on one fighting game fans will enjoy this news. While it is not a new shooting game along the lines of Last Resort, a new game is a new game. While not complete, this fighting game has a lot of the key components in place. Obviously, at first glance it is obvious that a lot of the animation, detail and other things for the fighters was not finished yet. It is obvious because Neo Geo games are known for their extremely detailed graphics. This is displayed in the backgrounds which look nearly photo realistic.

Other things not in this prototype include a user interface, sound, a ton of character art/animation, etc. Add to that list a complete lack of knowing anything about this title, such as story or even the title itself.

What is interesting is, years ago, I was talking with my friend Tony Gonzalez (he passed away shortly after this discussion took place). He was an old hat in the game development world. I am not able to remember what his various job titles were but he was involved with SNK and the Neo Geo when it came to America. He claimed to have in his possession many prototypes and unreleased games (including at least 10 games for the Neo Geo).

I doubt this is one of those titles though as this was originally purchased from a non-USA based owner. That means that we could maybe, someday, see those unreleased titles that Tony owned released.

For now, let’s just enjoy the recent release of this unknown fighting game. Head over to the forums on Neo Geo.com and follow the saga.

Source: RetroGamingMagazine