The 20 Best Looking Neo Geo Games

⚠️ All gameplay recording, game curation and opinions included in each video, as well as design or editing is completely done by me
Neo Geo (ネオジオ) is a set of video game hardware developed by SNK. Released on the market from 1990 to 2004. The brand was originally introduced with an arcade system, the Neo Geo MVS, and its home console counterpart, the Neo Geo AES. Both the arcade system and the console were extraordinarily powerful for the time, and the AES was capable of a complete compatibility of games released for the MVS. However, the high price of the SNK systems prevented it from competing directly with its contemporaries, the Sega Genesis, the Super NES and the Turbo-Grafx 16. Nevertheless, the MVS arcade was very successful in Japanese and North American stores.
Apart from the prohibitive price for the general public, the Neo Geo is remembered for its technical potential, showing visually spectacular 2D games that, even after all these years, continue to amaze all pixel art lovers. This video explores in depth the history of the Neo Geo to show you those games that graphically impacted us the most in the early 90s
In this video you will find:
• A showcase of Neo Geo games that serve to justify the technical capabilities of the system
• A description of the Neo Geo hardware to help you understand how these video games were made possible
• Info related to each game such as release date, developer company, game genre and system it was released on.
• Official game box arts with a 3D presentation.
• Educative and/or critical comments on the importance of the video game and why you should play it
Intro and Outro Music
In the Void "Amulets" está sujeta a una licencia de Atribución 4.0 de Creative Commons. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Fuente: • 🎵 In The Void - Amulet...
Just Breathing (Instrumental) "NEFFEX" está sujeta a una licencia de Atribución 4.0 de Creative Commons. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Fuente: • Just Breathing NEFFEX ...
00:00 Intro
00:11 Art of Fighting 3
00:35 Blazing Star
01:01 Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers
01:26 The Ultimate 11 - The SNK Football Championship
01:51 Prehistoric Isle 2
02:16 The King of Fighters 2003
02:41 Mutation Nation
03:06 Neo Drift Out
03:27 Samurai Shodown IV
03:52 Pulstar
04:17 Waku Waku 7
04:42 Ninja Masters
05:07 Neo Turf Masters
05:33 Last Blade 2
05:58 Magician Lord
06:22 Kizuna Encounter - Super Tag Battle
06:47 King of the Monsters 2: The Next Thing
07:13 Spinmaster
07:38 Garou: Mark of the Wolves
08:03 Metal Slug 3
08:28 Outro
Bits & Beats creates videos about the history of video games. In this channel you'll find comparisons, retrospectives, technical analysis, but, mostly, game curations with the idea of having an important task of preserving video games, and make them relevant to society at large.
Curation isn't just about digging up neat games, but it's also about preservation, interpretation, and using one's knowledge to make it relevant to people. With my videos I want older gamers to look back and remember the influence of video games on their lives, and new gamers to understand the larger context of the series they're playing for the first time today.
I put significant time and creative effort into each one of my videos, including research, digging into archives, playing video games and recording hours of footage, selecting specific clips, writing reviews for each title, and making a very careful video editing in the way to transmit both educational and entertaining values to my audience. Every video takes a lot of hours to produce, because I strive to give my audience a consistent, high-quality content.
Fidelity and preservation of the video games is essential in Bits & Beats, so the recordings are made with the highest bitrate quality. It is done this way to preserve original game look and sound through modern footage, with no superfluous additions. I recommend you watch the video at 4K and 60 frames per second to get the best possible viewing experience.
I hope you enjoy my videos and find them useful!
#BITSANDBEATS #neogeo #bestgraphics

[@BitsBeats]

For more variety, no more than one game from the same series (yes, I could select almost all Metal Slug!)

[@Protocultor]

...yet you included both Pulstar and Blazing Star. Still, good picks.

[@thuggeegaming659]

@@Protocultor Despite the names, Pulstar and Blazing Star are not from the same series.

[@demonology2629]

If you paused any other 3D game and the picture was still, it would look 2D just like NEO-GEO AES game. As a matter of fact I do believe NEO-GEO can produce 3D just like SEGA GENESIS and SUPER NINTENDO for the simple fact that they upgraded their systems with the chip in the cartridge. Another fun fact when you pause NEO-GEO and you look at the screen the more you look at it the more detail you'll notice it's amazing best graphics and sound I've ever touched is that system right there

[@NoSpamForYou]

Honestly Magician Lord doesn't look that great. I think one of the Crossed Swords (I or II) or The Super Spy should have made the list instead.

[@thiagovidal6137]

This list went from "best looking Neo Geo games" to "random Neo Geo games I like" really quick.

[@NinjaCacodemon_IsSus]

hello cacodemon

[@ophidianmind333]

Neo Geo games had some of the best graphics of any system because those games focused on having great 2-D pixel art and developers mastered that style. I really wish more games looked this good and a lot of modern pixel art games come across looking kind of muddy. It seems modern developers could learn a bit from the old masters and then potentially come out with some gorgeous looking games.

[@realamericannegro977]

In my opinion it even looked better than some CPS2 games and CPS3 games. I would put SVC Chaos against anything on those boards including Naomi and it will hold it's own of not look better than many games on it in terms of aesthetics.

[@armorbearer9702]

I hope it is not like Disney. I heard that Disney lost many artists that can do the classical animation style.

[@eileenlucynakurosawa7421]

Agreed

[@joesaiditstrue]

I wouldn't call it pixel art, it was almost all hand drawn sprite work, but your point is still valid. there were a lot of pixel art games but my personal favorites were the hand drawn fighters and the prerendered games like prehistoric isle 2 and pulstar

[@Longlostpuss]

Those of us from that era already know this, but to own a Neo Geo literally meant you had an interchangeable SNK arcade board in your home. And it also meant that you were the kid in school whose parents had a shit ton of money.......

[@EvilTerry35]

My buddy bought one in 1991 but he was already old enough to work while still in high school, so he had no rent or bills to pay. It came with Magician Lord and two controllers. I'll never forget it, when he unboxed it. I bought my own system about three years later, used, which I still have.

[@davida7229]

Hey im new to this console and i just have 1 major question right now. So is the neo geo the "definitive" way to play those arcade games that never got a good console port, let alone a console port at all?

[@Longlostpuss]

@@davida7229 I'm not really sure what you're asking. if you've got MAME, you can't get better than the actual arcade ROM itself. In the absence of MAME, the best way to play SNK games was on the Neo Geo back then, full stop, conversions on the other 16-BIT machines were never anywhere near as good, they were miles less powerful.

[@lodasi]

I think Viewpoint deserves to be on this list.

[@Benny_Shill]

Remove mutation nation

[@FireBomberBassist]

Good 2D always ages so gracefully.

[@outfoxmedia5090]

FACTS

[@estebancruz6194]

Beautiful looking games for sure & the scan lines makes em look even better for me 🤩 👍

[@Oribaa90]

I love the Neo Geo so much. I bought my first one two years ago with a NeoSD. I love other 16 bit systems but Neo Geo games feel so special. It is great arcade fun. I just wish it had more games to discover some hidden gems. The SNES and Genesis are great for exploration.

[@TravisTheMaximus]

Neo geo has such amazing sprite art

[@megamanzero3486]

I'd say these games look pretty damn good and this list is actually very accurate!

[@Vinyl_Doomed_Man]

I love Neo-Geo games! My first arcade machine is a four slot mvs cabinet.

[@Vinyl_Doomed_Man]

It came with Metal Slug, Samurai Shodown 1 and 2 and Fatal Fury Special.

[@overkill1473]

Last Blade 1, Samurai Shodown 1 and Metal Slug 2 are the prettiest games on the Neo Geo. None of them are listed here. Good job!

[@daveruda]

I always had a soft spot for Crossed swords with those big sprites and colorful backgrounds

[@MURD3RWAVE]

I have such a soft spot for the neo geo. Almost envy the people that have a arcade system. I had the chance to buy one in early 2000s for dirt cheap. Still haunts me that I didn't buy it. Thought the games are just to expensive. Now with all the muti carts and stuff I really wished I bought it. I'm a sucker for big pixel art games. Love KOF and I always liked the sound and music in neo geo games. For the last year or two I prefer to play Indy pixel art games. Blasphemous, Axiom Verge, Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, pretty much if it has pixel art and a metroidvania. I'm buying it. Still Neo geo has so many pixel art games. I would love to own one.

[@chadmolitor6691]

You can still find them for dirt cheap man. I see them pop up on Craigslist often for $300 to $500. Just depends on timing. There was one blocks away from my house that sold for $125 a few months ago!

[@outfoxmedia5090]

0:19 never seen that kind of falling. The animation is SOOOOO GOOD!!!! Also 1:52 , That game about the dinosaurs looks REALLY GOOD!!!

[@soulreaver1983]

Outstanding video as always thanks!😎👍👍👍👍

[@christopheradolphe]

I remember those days playing arcade games, Art of Fighting, Blazing Star and Last Blade were my favorites

[@kakolicht]

There are no SNK's games that aren't eye candies. I remember being mesmerized by the original Art of Fighting (graphics, voices, sound effects), Samurai Showdown, World Heroes 2 and so on. Not to mention that back in the day in São Paulo/Brazil it was one of the most coveted symbol of status owning a Neo-Geo. Good old days.

[@Protocultor]

At the price it was sold, of course it was, anywhere in the world (thank God for NeoRage coming out in the late '90s). Neo Geo is still a great piece of hardware.

[@pedrooscarbh]

Can You tell us, how was the gaming scene in the 90's in your country? Greetings from Venezuela....

[@EvilTerry35]

Legend Of Success Joe and Riding Hero were crappy-looking Neo Geo games. Luckily, there are more games on the Neo that show off what it can do, it lasted a very long time.

[@Oribaa90]

@@EvilTerry35 these two are also the worst playing games for the system. I love the Neo Geo and its games but these two games shouldn't be on the system.

[@EvilTerry35]

@@Oribaa90 I don't own those titles, they would have sucked on the SNES.

[@xieulong]

These games will still look good 100 years from now.

[@crowsketchcentral4469]

Yeah most of the graphics in SNK are really good. Some sound effects tho mostly in fighting games are too loud. I remember the TV volume is very low but yet you can still hear the cracking loud punch and various hit sounds in fighting games lol

[@jojobizarreadventure171]

you forgot kof 2000 the graphics were crazy.

[@oloruncorey6745]

You forgot Baseball Stars 2!

[@pouncingpantherpucks2779]

I don't know about any of you but when it comes to Fatal Fury, I love Joe Higashi. I think he is just so underrated. Anybody else like him?

[@user-or3xg2id6e]

NEO GEO games does have box covers!!! Search them up. The box covers are AMAZING!!!!!!

[@SeeOHZee]

Art of Fighting 3 used motion capture tech to handle the beautiful sprites.

[@EvilTerry35]

Razion, a game that is made by NG Dev Team, pushes the Neo to the limits in terms of graphics, as well as Fast Striker.

[@Luiggiggi-]

The best looking game for neogeo should have Kof 98 backdrops, last blade animations and shinkiro overall graphics style. Would be a dream...

[@starstarstar4643]

It's not the neo geo best fighter game but I always liked the extra animation movement in the Art of Fighting 3 characters, it made them feel more alive than other characters in Neo Geo Fighter games,

[@suicidebxmber1234]

I'm surprised by the resolution of these games; the pixel art is so good that it seems to have a greater dimension. Does anyone know if there was a set size for sprites, and if there was, what resolution it was?

[@TheKayliedGamerChannel-YouTube]

For a KOF I'd have chosen KOF95 or 98 imo, but they are all excellent choices anyways ✌️

[@simplyrazeen9765]

Childhood memories in the ARCADE then on PC using The Neo Geo CD all in ones

[@Funtasters]

Nice video bro, great.. 😊👍 All the games look good, but in my opinion the best games are KOF'03, Samurai Showdown IV, and Metal Slug 3, hehe.. 😁👍

[@gregoryjohnson9733]

The Last Blade series was my 2nd favorite weapon based fighting game.

[@AppericateGamer]

Amazing video hope see for sega Genesis and super Nintendo one day. Keep good work

[@davidtorres5500]

I never played Pulstar, Neo Turf Masters, Neo Drift Out and Mutation Nation, but I played all the other real jewels. I LOVE SNK classic Games.

[@Protocultor]

Neo Turf Masters is my favorite golf game ever; even if you dislike the idea of golf, you should try it. Highly recommended.

[@davidtorres5500]

@@Protocultor Thanks.

[@adityalokapratama8495]

kizuna encounter, mark of the wolvevs and ninja masters i think are SNK's masterpieces. it's obvious that they put their passion in those games instead of just re-releasing annual KOF games.

[@carlosaugusto9821]

Ninja Masters isnt a Snk game. But ok, you are right about MOTW.

[@TheKayliedGamerChannel-YouTube]

@@carlosaugusto9821 I'd say KOF 95 or 98 are the pinnacle of those series

[@pyronfr]

Many Neo-Geo fighting games weren't even made by SNK, they only developed Fatal Fury, KOF, The Last Blade, Samsho, Kizuna Encounter/Savage Reign, SVC Chaos, King of Monsters, and Art of Fighting. The rest were developed by other company and sometimes only PUBLISHED by SNK.

[@YeldellGW]

I might be bias but Shodown III to me was the game that pushed the graphics and animation to the limits in the Shodown series.

[@rodrigolegaspes5839]

I prefer samurai 2

[@MrErick82]

@@rodrigolegaspes5839 Ok but graphics wise SS3 shits on all the other games...

[@shakesquire84]

Sengoku 3 needs to be on here!

[@guillermofuenzalida4154]

7:10 WTC: “not again!!”…

[@PONTOCRITICO]

This console is a myth. If well explored in all its features, Neo Geo gives a real lesson on how 2-D games should be. The true power of an M68000 CPU can only be truly glimpsed in this video game. I believe that if it had been more popular, today the homebrew market would explore much more this console with releases of unprecedented quality, as has been seen in atari 2600 and Genesis, which have already reached the technical limit in memory use in ROMs.

[@Sinn0100]

The 20 best looking Neo Geo AES/MVS games...you could do a list of all of them and for their time you would be accurate. The Neo Geo was an incredible piece of kit all through the 4th and dare I say 5th generation. I tried to get one many times in my youth (during the 4th and 5th gen), finally succeeding in 2008. Now, I have a Neo Geo AES, CDZ, and two fully functional MVS 4-slot cabs in our home arcade. I am an SNK fan for life. I never cared for the Art of Fighting games nor Prehistoric Isle. Mutation Nation was okay but Sengaku 2 and 3 were the best beat em' ups on the Neo Geo platform. Sengaku 3 looks absolutely incredible even by today's standards. Spin Master was one of those rare titles that was not graphically impressive too me. I think Blue's Journey and Top Master were better games. Finally, while you can never go wrong with a Metal Slug entry the best will always be Metal Slug X. Other than that this video was downright solid. I think I just may have to subscribe now. ;)

[@evilblader7]

Si hay otro catálogo de juegos que pude conocer tan bien como la super Nintendo y Gameboy advance, fue la Neo Geo. Tuve un emulador con un montón de juegos. Recuerdo que mi impresión por el catálogo de Neo Geo fue tal que fui a un lugar donde venden consolas y juegos, triste y decepcionante fue mi sorpresa al enterarme que aunque si existían consolas caceras, esas casi nunca vinieron al país y las poquísimas que lograron ingresar estaban a precios exorbitantes, no creo que haya sido solo en mi país que se formó la idea de que si tenías una consola de Neo Geo (o una PC engine) es porque eras millonario.

[@thuggeegaming659]

The golf and soccer games are odd picks. I can understand wanting variety in the list, but I think there's better looking NG games. Baseball Stars looks pretty awesome, for a sports game. I'd also add Super Spy and Crossed Swords.

[@SwedishMeattball]

Art of fighting 3 is still amazing to look at in its origianl cart form its like playing a comic book gorgeous 2d

[@100troqfazer]

I really love and prefer Street Fighter and old Mortal Kombat games, but Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury games are so rich in details, maybe more than King of Fighters games.

[@berva]

This is a great list

[@MURD3RWAVE]

SNK VS Capcom. Love the SNK versions of Capcom characters. One of my fav games of all time because the art style and music.

[@stevesteve0521]

Fantastic list, you pretty much nailed it with your game selections

[@bigcatclassics6759]

That Ultimate 11 soccer game looks really good

[@tiagoallister]

Just a heads up - you used a Samurai Shodown VI artwork for SSIV. Anyway, some nice games on the list yeah. Cool vid mate

[@amirlpz9253]

My best games in one video 📸 thanks 👍 you are a artist 😎

[@farizshadier96]

Very good videos ☺️👍

[@incompetent_chair]

IMHO, Samurai Shodown 2 graphics easily outshine SS4.

[@mariowario5945]

0:57 average day in single player fatal fury

[@parazels83]

Is the CRT filter available in console versions of the games?

[@humansrants1694]

It is for the Switch

[@Disconnect350]

Garou Mark of The Wolves and Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 are beautiful games. Very underrated.

[@snkgeneral1004]

LMFAO Mark of The Wolves underrated ? Said no one ever. If anything that game is *OVERRATED* it's not even good . Real Bout 2 is underrated though.

[@pyronfr]

@@snkgeneral1004 Honestly, Garou MotW feels like "What if Capcom developed a Fatal Fury game"

[@MegaRayland]

Seems suspect some games like Magician Lord and Kings of the Monsters 2 are included but others better graphically, such as Last Resort or The Super Spy, aren’t.

[@dennisw3892]

Regarding KoF2003, the health bars are glitched, are you using a NeoSD by chance?

[@bigjoegex]

I love this Channel. ❤️❤️❤️

[@BlackFox_RX_VODS]

Dos de luta, mesmo não tendo jogado todos (ainda), do NeoGeo Real Bout Fatal Fury ainda é o meu favorito. Inclusive zerei todos os Fatal Fury, tô só esperando o City of the Wolves

[@nimaiiikun]

Art of Fighting 3 was really beautiful, but i hated its controls. Last Blade 2 is another good looking game. I wish there was a SamShowdown x Last Blade cross over.

[@realamericannegro977]

Puzzles me why they don't make games on this hardware any more when you have all these retro games from indie companies doing well.

[@Jopovania]

Seeee SNK eran los REYES del pixel art!!!

[@asmara9779]

1:00 i can see M.Bison stage outside of the arena

[@user-ln1le6zd8n]

Cool games from Neo Geo

[@zukoulou7464]

Terry in Garoû : Mark of the Wolves, is a DLC character in KOF XV.

[@James-oj6ru]

You know, despite these devs working on a machine practically weaker than the GBA… _GODDAMN,_ they might be the Warframe dev’s teacher (or black magic or practicioners) because they somehow able to make full use of the game’s strength and limitation yet making some really pretty, well animated and amazing games to play through

[@Sinn0100]

Weaker than a GBA...the Neo Geo MVS/AES predate the GBA by 10 years. Not to mention the ROM sizes of many Neo Geo games are quite a bit larger than anything on the GBA. Any Neo Geo game being ported to the GBA would have to make serious concessions, you know that don't you? I doubt it has the RAM to run something like Metal Slug full out.

[@johnboydojo]

@@Sinn0100 CPU on the GBA is higher than that of an MVS/AES and memory is roughly around the same but cart size....no comparison.

[@Sinn0100]

@@johnboydojo The GBA and Neo Geo AES have the same amount of RAM...yes and no. SNK was famous for adding what they needed on cart so yes the GBA has about the same amount on-board but not if the carts have extra. I believe Metal Slug X has extra RAM in it which helps fix the massive slowdown from Metal Slug 2.

[@armorbearer9702]

Beautiful, these games remind me of an important lesson I learned on Sabersparks channel. You never go for the latest graphics in the game industry. You need a graphics that have a certain style and charm. This is why 2-D games will always be around.

[@nexusofice9135]

It was stated in this video that Garou Mark of the Wolves is the 9th title in the Fatal Fury series. That is incorrect. Listed in release order below. Fatal Fury Fatal Fury 2 Fatal Fury Special Fatal Fury 3 Real Bout Fatal Fury Real Bout Fatal Fury Special Real Bout Fatal Fury 2 The Newcomers Garou Mark of the Wolves That would make Garou the 8th, not the 9th in the series.... Unless he's randomly counting the Neo Geo Pocket release of Fatal Fury First Contact that came out a few months before Garou in 1999. But if that's the case why didn't he pick to include fatal Fury Wild Ambition on the hyper neogeo 64 which came out in January of the same year before both of those titles?

[@SK_yg]

Neo Geo Dream for 2 d Games

[@raadsiddique2090]

Metal Slug is absolutely the best.

[@shuckylad]

whats your shader settings? games look great.

[@SwedishMeattball]

Wanna miss the 1990s innocence listen to neo turf masters and hear a great time in our lives i was in hs in love and on top of the world this was and is the best stoner golf game ever made

[@vtstht]

recording on original hardware?

[@BitsBeats]

I would have loved to do that

[@andysalazar7040]

Kizuna Encounter :D

[@CharlyHyo]

Uff alguien reconocio el espléndido trabajo en Blazing Star el cual es un juego muy movido ni se diga de sus jefes tan grandes, la musica que esta de lujo, sin duda mejoraron lo que se hizo en Pulstar, aunque hiciste trampa al decir solo un juego por franquicia ya que pusiste dos secuelas, Pulstar/Blazing Star y Real Bout Fatal Fury 2/Garou, pero se agradece al darle el amor a esta mitica arcade que nos dio increibles juegos, igual hubiera estado genial meter Top Hunter, Shock Troppers 2, KoF98, Nightmare in the Darkness y Twinkle Star Sprites, sigue asi igual seria genial un Top con juegos de CPS1/CPS2, otras placas Arcades, asi como de consolas de sobreme y portatiles

[@BitsBeats]

Me has pillado 😁👍

[@jamesburke9680]

The good days of games 🎮 nowadays it's all about who can by all the Competition

[@yoyoyonasa]

Kof2k, kof98 are far more beautiful than kof2k3. Sengoku3, rage of the dragons and shock trooper 1 & 2 are nice too. And i am sure that there are others ...

[@Denoflittletreasures]

Some pics i really cant agree with. They not bad but some better are missing. I think this is more a lot of personal like then best looking games. Viewpoint, 3 count bout, Agressors of dark Combat, Top Hunter and others are missing. Maybe you should make a vid best looking games of each genre, hard to beleave that neo drift out, Magican lord, Kizuna, Mutation nation and king of the monsters is on the list. They not bad looking they look good too, but there are better looking ones.

[@Benny_Shill]

Missing shock troopers 2

[@realamericannegro977]

Fatal Fury 3 looks better than Real Bout Special 2 and is the best looking game in series. Samurai Showdown 3 look way better than 4 and has the best graphics in the series. King of Fighter 97 also has the best graphics in the series and Snk vs Capcom is also one of the most technically impressive games on the Neo Geo. I'm shocked these games didnt make the list.

[@MrErick82]

I agree SSIII is my favorite in the series and has the best graphics and music too.

[@Luke781231]

In my opinion, the best looking neogeo KOF is KOF 2000 instead of 2003.

[@SiincereARC]

Sad faced to not see neo bomberman

[@aetc914]

💪🏼😎

[@picolete]

Daraku Tenshi looked amazing but was unfinished

[@johnboydojo]

Magician Lord but No Top Hunter or Sengoku games....?

[@fabianofuba3099]

Samurai Showdown 1996.

[@hoangnhat257]

0:36 Blazing Star

[@fabianofuba3099]

Ninja Master 1996.

[@ralfvanbogaert3451]

Magician Lord made it, but Viewpoint or Last Resort didn't?...

[@Smoothie_The_Gamecat]

Almost all the mentioned games, are in the digital store, like Xbox and PS4

[@mentalhell4846]

Yeah, SNK is pretty good at preserving their own games.

[@MVA74]

Buona lista Giudizio equilibato

[@uri.v4723]

You should make one with taito games

[@Eric_zero]

Art of fighting is my favorite but i love kof and you have a favorite too ?

[@bogdantanasescu3793]

More like top 20 best looking 2d games

[@yoyoyonasa]

shick trooper 1 and 2 ?

[@Hello-hz7gj]

Cool

[@loganamir]

Where is Double Dragon Neo Geo edition😔

[@BitsBeats]

🙏

[@gdvanish7145]

Blazing star feels weird to look at with out the girl sound sho7ting whan ever you collect somthing

[@benjisurya]

ninja masters in the list?? WTF guys?