Neo Geo Super Dodge Ball Is Best Dodge Ball

Most people that have spent some quality time with an NES probably have some fond memories of Super Dodge Ball. For those of you that haven't, you are dead to me. It's a great game that is marred by some pretty horrendous sprite flicker, and sadly, most of it's ports sequels had issues with controls or general shittyness. Thankfully, just before going bankrupt in 1996, Technos, the company behind Super Dodge Ball, Double Dragon, River City Ransom, and a million other Kunio games, released their final game, Super Dodge Ball for the Neo Geo. This version happens to be my favorite version of the game, and the one of the most entertaining games that might be found in an arcade cabinet.

Zed Blade/Operation Ragnarok

I've must have mentioned multiple times now that horizontal scrolling shooters are not really for me. Still, every once in a while I'll throw one in to see some flashy stuff, blow some things up, and mash a button fervently. I initially started playing Zed Blade, known as Operation Ragnarok in Japan, because it is a Neo Geo game, and it seems obvious that I will write about every Neo Geo game eventually, regardless of quality or monetary value. It was made by a company known as NMK, whom never made any major hits in their short lifespan.

Spin Master: They Spinnin'

Here is another Neo Geo game that is unusual in a couple of ways. It wasn't developed by SNK and it isn't a fighting game. Spin Master is an action platformer made by the always quirky Data East. The name makes since considering the default weapon is a yo-yo, but I don't have an explanation for the Japanese title, Miracle Adventure. I apologize for the screenshots in this article. For some reason I took them with the HUD layer disabled, and I'm just too lazy to retake them. It shouldn't really change your view of the game because it is unremarkable like everything else.

Crossed Swords: Insert Joke Here

My experience with Crossed Swords  started when I was an impressionable young boy. Okay, I could go on with the double entendre, but that would be uncouth, and I'm not one to drive a joke into the ground. I actually did play the game as a kid though, in the game room of a hotel or something like that. As someone who *gasp* never really got into Punch Out!, I rather enjoyed the game back then, and it is still a mostly fun little game.

Ghost Pilots: No EVPs Here

Looking at the breakdown of what systems I've written about, I realized I've hardly written about Neo Geo Games, in spite of the fact I love the system. So, I randomly chose a Neo Geo game that I had never played before, and sadly I got Ghost Pilots. While the system doesn't have a lot of bad games, it does have a lot of competent, though forgettable, titles. This is definitely one of those. There isn't anything particularly wrong with Ghost Pilots, it just isn't anything special.