CanvasONE has been on his PSP…

Ah, the classics: Art of Fighting, Fatal Fury, Metal Slug, Samurai Showdown, erm… Baseball Stars 2…

Volume 1 of SNK Arcade Classics offers 16 games including some of the most influential games plucked from SNK history. While some collections (see KOF: Orochi) aim to fill a void left within a diehard fan’s heart, this compilation serves as a fun way of displaying SNK’s early achievements.

The roster features some well known games that the average older gamer will have played from a young age. Some of the landmark titles that SNK is best known for are here, mixed in with some interesting overlooked ones. Popular franchises such as King of Fighters are included, but the ’94 edition offers far less than its ’98 successor. However, this is the first volume, and it does make sense when considered as a chance to explore the origin of a successful series, even if it lacks the superior gameplay. Serious KOF fans have The Orochi Saga to invest in, so it is understandable to leave out the more comprehensive versions – but even so, it might help the collection if the best versions of hits such as Fatal Fury and Samurai Showdown were available.

It’s great to have a roster of games that are totally different, though. I really enjoyed King of Monsters, which is a Rampage-esq wrestling game that uses a city as a wrestling ring for giant monsters. Although some of these games wouldn’t well on their own, it’s nice to have such an eclectic mix to choose from when travelling – even though you may be unlikely to return to the collection on a daily basis.

The inclusion of an achievement-based “unlockables” function does a good job of holding this volume together. Some of the older games can have very steep difficulties and can get quite monotonous, so it’s nice to be able to unlock small rewards that applaud you for your efforts (there’s also one large final reward). The menu that holds these games together is simple and unobtrusive, acting as an easy way to select a game and get playing – however, there are load times and sound emulation issues that somewhat counteract this friendliness.

It’s really cool to own a lot of these games. However, they don’t offer much in the way of longevity. The trophy-style system helps and playing these games with another person is definitely fun, but most big SNK fans will be left with a taste for more. The title suggests that this collection will be the first of more; therefore you can’t really fault the basic entries on this UMD, as it leaves us with enough on our wish list for the next release.

You can also get hold of this collection on the PS2, but I feel that the strength of this package lies in its portability.