The New Japan Project: An Exploration of SNK Before the Neo Geo (Pt. 0)

This is the start of a series of blog posts on SNK's arcade history of the 1970s and '80s. Before we get going, however, a few introductory remarks are necessary.

Mission Statement

The history of Shin Nihon Kikaku Corporation (lit. 'New Japan Project'), (re-)founded as a video game company in 1978 and abbreviated to the now iconic acronym SNK two years later, is well-chronicled. As such, it is not in need of a non-native speaker's attempt to write about it from scratch or even to expand on it. The company's bumpy road to cult status, its severe transformations around the turn of the millenium, as well as their most influential and beloved product – the Neo Geo AES released in 1991 – have been subject of various write-ups online. The information, the anecdotes, the insider voices are generally out there. Furthermore, writing with authority, especially historiographically, requires exactly that: authority. This series of blog posts will not amount to a company biography, will not unveil new historical information or dig up hidden material. An "exploration" of SNK's arcade roots means highlighting a side of gaming history naturally overlooked by strictly historical accounts – the video games themselves.

The aim is, thus, to experience SNK's arcade output in chronological order, from 1979 all the way up to the release of the Neo Geo MVS in 1989, SNK's cartridge-based solution to swapping out arcade games for one cabinet. The reasons for this are simple observations and perhaps contestable ones: Public awareness of SNK's output today starts with the Neo Geo, starts with series like Metal Slug or King of Fighters, starts with pulsating backgrounds and intricate beats, but rarely takes a look back. This series presupposes, then, that going through the first ten years of the company's library should prove interesting: Is there any continuity to be found or was the Neo Geo a watershed moment not only for the stylistic signature but also the game design of the Osaka-based developer? Do SNK's arcade efforts deservedly play second fiddle to the arcade outings of companies like Namco, Konami, Capcom, Taito, Atari or Midway? And lastly, how has SNK framed their own portfolio over the years?

The last question can promptly be answered: While a collection like SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 (not to mention series-specific compilations like Samurai Shodown: Anthology, the Fatal Fury: Battle Archives, Metal Slug: Anthology etc.) highlights the classics of Neo Geo fame, a collection like SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 0 focusing on the pre-Neo Geo days did not make it out of Japan in 2011. Lastly, SNK has vigilantly pursued comprehensive Neo Geo libraries both on the Wii Virtual Console as well as – still ongoing – on Nintendo Switch. This year's physical and digital release of the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection becomes even more notable given it is the first instance of the titles contained being rereleased (by Digital Eclipse, in this case) in an official fashion outside of Japan. With the exception of NES classic Crystalis and the lesser known Iron Tank: The Invasion of Normandy – two out of four SNK titles solely developed for a home system pre-1990 (alongside Little League Baseball Championship Series and Dexterity for Game Boy) –, the collection initially released with twelve arcade titles out of the gate but received free DLC to include crucial early titles among others, ultimately boasting 25 games in total. Some of them are even bundled alongside their NES ports as well as, in all cases, their regional variants.

The series will certainly draw on this collection but try to seek out the gaps it leaves open. The write-ups will be as long as the games themselves command and merit. It should be a fun ride. The future is now?

Further reading:

Provo, Frank: The History of SNK – gamespot.com, 06/2004

'SNK Corporation' (Company page) – mobygames.com