Remembering the NGP

Not to be confused with Sony's new NGP, I wanted to revisit one of my favorite hand held gaming systems from generations past. I hope I didn't confuse anyone by including "NGP" in the subject. What I'm going to talk about is the Neo Geo Pocket (NGP, see?) and Neo Geo Pocket color.



The Neo Geo Pocket Color, or NGPC for short, was released in late 1999 and developed by SNK. It was a 16-bit, full color system that used cartridges similar to the original Gameboy series. 2 player was possible via a link cable (sold separately) much like the Gameboy as well.

Another cool feature was the ability to system link the NGP to the Sega Dreamcast. For example you could link SvC MOTM with Capcom vs. SNK 1 and transfer your bonus game points from the NGP to your Dreamcast file, which predates Nintendo's idea of linking the Gameboy Advanced to the Gamecube.



My favorite thing about the hardware itself is the "click stick" that they used instead of a standard D-pad. It's essentially like a tiny arcade stick the size of your thumb. You can hear the micro switches clicking as you rotate the stick, allowing you to hear and feel all 8 directions. This is especially ideal since there are so many fighters in the NGP's library.

Other than the innovative click stick, the rest of the hardware hasn't aged well. It's not back lit and the color quality is much duller than the Gameboy Advanced even. So it might not be very appealing to search for one of these if you've never played one. Unless you find yourself interested in one of the games.

The software is where the system still shines. I really hope that someday some of these games end up in a collection for one of today's handhelds. Let's take a look at a few of my favorites:

SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium



My favorite game for the system and way better than the arcade version of SvC. The sprites are cleverly designed super deformed versions of the characters and are greatly animated. The gameplay feels kind of like Street Fighter alpha 2. They did great cut scenes that force all the characters to interact. The stories actually pretty good too. On top of that it has great extra modes to keep you busy. You can fight how you like: KOF 3 member team style, Capcom vs. series tag style, or singles one on one. Then there's all the crazy bonus games, such as DDR with Darkstalker's Felicia. This game is quite possibly my favorite handheld game.

SNK Gals Fighter



This fighter plays a bit more like the actual KOF games, except the cast is made up entirely of the female fighters from the KOF series. A lot of attacks have been updated to make the game more slapstick comical, such as Mai's giant fan super. It actually reminds me a lot of Pocket Fighter. There's also a custom fighter option, where you can equip accessories found during the fights that boost your health, attack power and other attributes. It's a solid fighter that I wish we could get an updated version of for consoles. Queen of Fighters would be great, and they could even keep Iori in drag as the last boss.

KOF R2



This is actually a handheld version of KOF 99 Dream Match for Dreamcast, which was really KOF 98? I'm not sure as I tend to stay on the Capcom side of the fence. Anyway, the game feels like a pretty true to form entry for KOF. Nearly all characters from the console version are present as well as the various modes such as team, tag, singles, etc. The cool extra feature with this game was the ability to link to the dreamcast version for added points. I don't think I ever tried it with this game though, so I'm not entirely sure what it did.

Other awesome games for the handheld include:
Sonic Adventure
Metal slug series
The Last Blade
SNK vs Capcom Card Fighters Clash
Fatal Fury

The great lineup of games and the click stick makes the NGP one of my favorite handhelds of all time. I can only really recommend on to you if you like fighters and are a major SNK fan, or maybe just a collector. If you're looking for an alternative to the Nintendo DS or PSP you may be dissapointed.

Still, these things usually run for a about 20 dollars or so on ebay, so you can't really go wrong there. Now if you'll excuse me I think I'll enjoy some SvC now.

Update:After writing this I found a video revealing the new Marvel vs. Capcom 3 fight pad by PDP. Taking a page from the NGP, they've created a pad that uses micro switches much like the NGP's click stick. Check out the video below for details on this pad. With the inclusion of the click stick, this could be the best pad for fighters yet.