There was a lot of anticipation and build up for the first official next-gen, HD release of SNK’s venerable team fighting game, the King of Fighters. The King of Fighters XII is finally upon us, but the results aren’t quite what all the hype built up to in the past year. With so many other recent choices in the 2D fighting genre, KoFXII has some stiff competition that it simply can’t match up to–especially as a full-priced release.

SNK, and especially their Neo Geo console system’s fighters, have always had a special place in the hearts of fighting games fans. Since the early 90′s, SNK’s fighters for their super-priced super system were the main competition to Capcom’s Street Fighter II reign as coin-op and home fighting champ. When SNK decided to create a game that combined a huge portion of their roster (and throw in new characters as well), the King of Fighters was born. It was and remains a team-based combat game, with three fighters on each side.

That legacy continues in KoFXII, but the game has finally made the jump to next gen, HD glory. This was no easy task for the developers, as it meant carefully re-drawing every single character and frame of animation to compensate for the new, much higher resolution. The results are, overall, good, but certainly not as exceptional as fans might have hoped. In direct comparison to BlazBlue and Super Street Fighter II HD Remix, the graphics are noticeably more jagged and less detailed. The animation is excellent though–better than the SF2 Remix–and the action itself is amazingly smooth.

The action is also incredibly retro. If you’ve played a 2D fighter in the last 15 years, you know how to play KoFXII. It’s the same half- and quarter circles, and a few other familiar motions, that have been making rounds in every fighter since the original Street Fighter 2. While most of the Grade-A competition have found ways to evolve, there’s very little here that feels at all different than any other KoF.

Indeed, there’s actually a lot less here than in past KoF games. Though previous iterations often had over 30 combatants, KoFXII offers a paltry 22, and several key favorites are completely absent (notably Fatal Fury 2 hottie ninja, Mai Shiranui), and the two new characters–two female brawlers named Mature and Elizabeth–just aren’t that interesting. It doesn’t help that there’s no story mode whatsoever to help flesh out who these characters are.

In fact, there’s really only one main single player mode–the arcade mode, which is simply a series of five timed bouts and no boss characters. Other than that, you have a training mode and on- and offline versus modes, which makes the game an incredibly hard sell for people who enjoy fighters alone. Online gameplay has its share of issues as well. Though Ignition and SNK have released a patch to smooth out the online play, it’s still not as smooth as other fighters, which is a serious problem for a game where timing and precision are important.

It’s true that KoFXII adds a few new wrinkles to its combat system. There’s a stronger focus on juggling your opponent in the air by stringing combos together. There’s also the new critical counter system that lets you stun an opponent with a perfectly-timed counterattack. A lot of the characters have been retooled for the game as well, and diehard fans might not like the results since some old favorites have actually been toned down.

Blast Factor: The biggest problem with the King of Fighters XII is that there simply isn’t enough of it. There’s a pitiful lack of meaty game modes, the arcade mode is poorly done, the character roster is light for this series, and the presentation isn’t great. For the price, it’s impossible to recommend a game that should and could have just as easily been a $15 download. KoFXII essentially feels like a half-done fighter, where the developers focused purely on the HD graphics and decided to leave the rest of the work for the inevitable sequel.

King of Fighters XII is available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, and retails for $59.99

Do you have what it takes to be the king of Fighters? Find out today, as the long, long, long awaited game is now on shelves everywhere.

And what would a highly anticipated release be without one final launch trailer? One last time bask in the sights and sounds of SNK Playmore’s fighter as you watch the trailer below, and if you’re experiencing some suck in the game’s online multiplayer mode, fear not for a patch is inbound promising to end any issues you may be currently experiencing.

We’ve been exhaustively covering all things King of Fighters XII for some time now, and what we’ve got today gives you an inside look at the SNK studios, by way of an interesting video delving into many questions concerning the game and its unique presentation style.

It’s a great way to spend a lazy afternoon if I do say so myself, and if you’ve picked up the game and are angered at a somewhat broken online system, according to the game’s official Twiiter page, an update is headed your way!

Like the six “Metal Slug” games SNK Playmore released prior to this one, the seventh entry in the series is a bullet-filled explosion festival that is sure to please fans of the series. The gameplay is reminiscent of past Slug games, with plenty of enemies, powerful weapons, POWs to rescue, and amazing visual style, especially for a handheld title. Is there enough to warrant a purchase though, given you can pick up six similar titles (“Metal Slug Anthology”) together for roughly the same price?

There is not much to complain about when it comes to “Metal Slug 7.” Yes, the campaign is short, but you could say the same about other Slug games (and side-scrolling frenetic shooters in general) so it isn’t a surprise. The one area where you could win some points in the case against the title is in the lack of multiplayer modes, as in, the game lacks any. Part of the glory of Metal Slug has been co-op, especially with the number of foes on screen and the difficulty levels available, so not even having that option available is a negative that cuts into its value.

Besides this though, there is not much to complain about. The game has brilliant visuals that match up with anything SNK Playmore has done with the series in the past, despite its place on such a tiny screen. The characters and enemies have always been well animated, and that’s no different on the DS. The art style also retains its excellence, with giant bosses and vehicles that animate fluidly and beautifully.

The campaign mode may be short, but for those obsessed with collecting everything, there is plenty to do, as you need to save all of the prisoners of war successfully or beat through the game without using a continue in order to earn the highest scores possible. This, along with the “Combat School”, which is a game mode that gives you a specific task in a level (such as a minimum number of missed shots) gives the title plenty of replay value, in spite of its short length.

Most importantly, you will want to collect as many of the POWs as you can, or achieve new high scores, because the gameplay is excellent. Metal Slug has consistently been one of the better options in its genre since its inception 12 years ago, and this new entry in the series just adds to that rich history. If you were on the fence about whether or not Metal Slug 7 was worth it, ask yourself: How great is it to be able to carry a Metal Slug worthy of the series’ name with you anywhere you go, with the ability to blast through well-designed levels and enemies whenever you get the urge?

SNK Playmore announced Friday the development of SNK Arcade Classics: Volume 1 underway for PlayStation 2 and PSP.

The collection will feature the following quarter-per-play classics:

• ART OF FIGHTING – The first game in SNK’s second fighting-game franchise, set in the same universe as FATAL FURY.
• BASEBALL STARS 2 – The sequel to SNK’s popular baseball arcade game.
• BURNING FIGHT – New York detectives battle organized crime in this fighter.
• FATAL FURY – First released in 1991, FATAL FURY introduced the two-plane fighting system.
• KING OF FIGHTERS ’94 – The first game in the popular KING OF FIGHTERS series.
• KING OF THE MONSTERS – In KING OF THE MONSTERS, giant monsters fight for power in epic battles.
• LAST RESORT – A challenging futuristic shooter.
• MAGICIAN LORD – Players help the wizard Elta save his homeworld in this platformer.
• METAL SLUG – Known for its humor and fast- moving gameplay, this run-and-gun side-scroller was the first in the popular series.
• NEO TURF MASTERS – A golf game which debuted on the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999.
• SAMURAI SHODOWN – Set in the 18th century, SAMURAI SHODOWN features bladed-weapon combat and an international cast of characters.
• SENGOKU – In SENGOKU, players face off against undead feudal Japanese armies.
• SHOCK TROOPERS – In this run-and-gun adventure, players save a scientist and his granddaughter from the Bloody Scorpions.
• SUPER SIDEKICKS 3 – A soccer game featuring teams from all over the world.
• TOP HUNTER – Bounty hunters protect colonists from space pirates in this futuristic action game.
• WORLD HEROES – This classic fighter pits players against historical figures in a tournament enabled by time travel.

“With 16 of our most beloved games, SNK Arcade Classics: Volume 1 is a must-have addition to any arcade fan’s collection,” said Ben Herman, president of SNK Playmore USA. “It’s the most comprehensive SNK compilation to date.”

The collection will be available in a few months.