SNK 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 204 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • gameplay
SNK 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION Game Cover
The SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is an impressive museum exhibit of forgotten games that don't all hold up today.
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"SNK 40th Anniversary Collection" is a retro gaming experience featuring 24 classic and nostalgic arcade games from the 1980s, including Alpha Mission, Athena, and Ikari Warriors. This collection offers modern conveniences, such as rewind and watch mode features, providing an enhanced gameplay experience. The arcade comes home with both console and arcade versions, allowing players to continuously challenge for personal bests.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Nintendo Ds
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 204 reviews
music4 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • Great collection of classic SNK games with solid emulation and a variety of features, including rewind and save states.
  • The museum mode offers extensive historical content and bonus materials, making it a nostalgic experience for retro gaming fans.
  • Crystalis stands out as a highlight, providing a lengthy and enjoyable action RPG experience reminiscent of classic titles.
  • Controls are frequently bugged, causing movement to get stuck in one direction, which significantly hampers gameplay.
  • Some games in the collection are considered outdated or poorly designed, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
  • The collection lacks certain features like online multiplayer and has limited achievements, which diminishes its overall value.
  • music30 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality, with standout tracks like the theme from "Psycho Soldier" being highlighted. However, there are complaints about inconsistent volume levels and occasional interruptions in the soundtrack during gameplay. The inclusion of a museum mode with soundtracks and bonus content adds value, though some users wish for more variety in the music selection.

    • “The graphics still hold up, the music is excellent, and though it may be a bit grindy at times as most RPGs like this tend to be, it's still a lot of fun.”
    • “But there are also many games that I had heard very little of before: I have come to know Psycho Soldier as a bona fide classic, for one, with a killer theme song that is actually sung using a workable audio chip!”
    • “With its bubble gum-like voice, music, and singing, you'll be walking on sunshine in no time...as long as you're using the rewind feature.”
    • “On these emulations, they often cut in and out and the soundtrack also breaks up.”
    • “There's a lot of early examples, of not the earliest example, of things such as continues, voice work in games, voice work in the game's music, etc. On the subject of sound though, the volume in the games is very inconsistent, and while many games had digitized voices I could not understand any of them.”
    • “In the soundtrack, some sounds are incorrectly labeled as 'unused' even though they obviously are in the game.”
  • graphics16 mentions

    The graphics are generally well-received, with many praising their quality and the beautiful recreation of visuals and sound. However, some users criticize the lack of graphic mode improvements and a clumsy interface, questioning the value compared to free emulators. Additional features like a museum showcasing artwork and game history are appreciated, though the absence of translations for Japanese materials is noted as a downside.

    • “The graphics still hold up, the music is excellent, and though it may be a bit grindy at times as most RPGs like this tend to be, it's still a lot of fun.”
    • “Beautifully recreated graphics and sound.”
    • “Alongside the games, you get a museum that showcases a bunch of artwork, posters, and screenshots of all SNK games from that time, along with the soundtrack and achievements.”
    • “Clumsy interface, no graphic mode improvements; why buy what emulators do better for free?”
    • “You can also see a lot of laziness in games like Time Soldiers, where the bosses all share an AI, just having different graphics for different areas.”
    • “They include a lot of Japanese artwork and game manuals but didn't bother to translate any of them.”
  • gameplay12 mentions

    The gameplay experience is marked by a mix of nostalgia and innovation, featuring smooth transitions and the ability to switch between arcade and console versions. However, many games share similar themes and mechanics, leading to a "try once and forget" sentiment, particularly for those not fond of the core titles like Ikari Warriors. The inclusion of a rewind function and a museum feature enhances the overall value, especially during sales, but the collection may primarily appeal to dedicated retro enthusiasts.

    • “I love the overall presentation, with its smooth transitions, background video gameplay, and having the option to choose between the arcade and console version as well as switch regions.”
    • “Instead of having to look up walkthroughs, you can watch gameplay of every game and learn what to do.”
    • “However, some games are about the same theme/gameplay, which may be a weakness of the pack.”
    • “I'd say it's worth it for the price (especially if you get it on sale, it's a whopping 80% off at the time of writing) mainly due to the museum feature actually being really cool and that you're able to play these games with a smooth rewind function (Vanguard especially would be very difficult without it at points), but a lot of it is 'try once and forget' unless you're a massive retrohead. About half of it consists of sequels to and clones of Ikari Warriors, so if you don't like that game, then half the collection already isn't for you - although some of them might be more interesting, like Search and Rescue, the core mechanic is just too much of an issue for me.”
    • “A lot of the games in this set used special control mechanics in the arcade.”
  • story8 mentions

    The story is described as convoluted and somewhat tedious, which is typical for the genre, but players appreciate the ability to rewind and retry sections. There is a desire for better translations to enhance understanding of the plot and characters, especially for games that have influenced others in the genre.

    • “Of course the game is not perfect: the story is a bit convoluted and the mazes can be tedious, but that is to be expected from the genre.”
    • “It would have been nice to have them translated to know how to play those games and to know the plot and characters.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization strategy has been criticized as a nostalgia cash grab, with players feeling that the high costs are unjustified for content that is often available for free elsewhere. Additionally, there are complaints about poor customer support, particularly regarding bug reporting, which detracts from the overall experience. However, some users appreciate the inclusion of a museum feature that offers additional nostalgic content.

    • “Nostalgia cash grabs that cost this much for what's often out there for free should at least run smoothly.”
    • “If you try to report a bug, mad community managers will erase you and call you a liar and will make insane claims which are disproven by their own advertising.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players note that while the game can be grindy at times, which is common for the RPG genre, it remains enjoyable overall despite some convoluted story elements and tedious mazes.

    • “The game can be quite grindy at times, which can detract from the overall experience.”
    • “Grinding feels repetitive and can make the game feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
    • “While the game has its merits, the excessive grinding can be frustrating and lead to burnout.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The stability of the program is notably poor, with many users reporting issues such as upside-down displays and black screens when attempting to play games. While the emulation itself performs well and includes appealing extra features, the overall reliability remains a significant concern.

    • “The emulation runs great and the extra features (museum, artwork, manuals) included are a nice touch.”
    • “Buggy program that on many computers displays upside down and then gives a black screen when trying to play games. See discussions here on Steam for more info.”
    • “Buggy program that on many computers displays upside down and then gives a black screen when trying to play games. See discussions here on Steam for more info.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game's optimization is lacking, with players expressing frustration over performance issues, especially given the high price point for what they perceive as nostalgia-driven content that is often available for free elsewhere.

  • replayability2 mentions

    The replayability of the museum's game selection is limited, with only 25 out of 74 games being playable, and many of these are generic shoot 'em ups, suggesting a lack of variety and depth for repeated play.

    • “Only 25 out of the 74 games shown in the museum are playable, most of which are generic shoot 'em ups.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    Users consistently express a strong appreciation for the game's unique and captivating atmosphere, highlighting it as a standout feature that enhances their overall experience.

    • “I love their special atmosphere.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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