Virtual Console Wrap Up For 7/7

We’re noticing a trend here as of late. Another week, another old Neo*Geo game. Let’s see how the Kliq feels about King of the Monsters

King of the Monsters
Publisher: SNK
Developer: SNK
Original Release Date: 07/01/1991
Wii Points Cost: 900

Alexander Lucard:
The King of Monsters is a cute little title. You have to realize that the game is basically 怪獣, or Kaiju . You have a choice of six characters (although the SNES and Genesis ports only had four playable characters) and you would button mash your joystick in an attempt to clobber your opponent in a manner befitting a Godzilla or Gamera movie.

I really enjoyed this game back when it first came out, but the sequel blew it out of the water. I own both for my Neo*Geo, but I can’t really recommend this one as it hasn’t aged well and it’s a pretty shallow title. Now if this was KotM 2, I’d give it a hearty thumbs up.

I’m a bit sad that like all of SNK’s series that aren’t KoF or Metal Slig that this has fallen to the wayside, especially considering how popular it once was. At least Cyber Woo is playable in Neo*Geo Battle Coliseum

Adam Powell:
I remember being jealous of neo geo owners when that first came out. I never played it though. I DID play the SNES port was for hours and hours…

Mark B.:
Gee, yet another game that’s on the SNK Arcade Classics collection, which is now coming out, by all indications, in about two weeks, for the MSRP of $29.99.

Look, no, okay? Just no. If it were King of the Monsters 2, then fine. I’d say “Sure, buy this, it’s awesome!” and that’d be the end. But seriously, alright? For the cost of about THREE of these games you can get OVER FIVE TIMES THAT AMOUNT. Just… don’t. Don’t do it. Buy the collection instead if you want this; you’ll be so much better off.

Chris Bowen:
Apparently, Nintendo is cleaning out the Neo Geo stock. Another lone, solitary game, and yet another one that is available on a $30 compilation.

King of the Monsters is an OK enough game; if you have to ask if it’s worth $9, the answer is no, but that’s besides the point. In reality, unless you don’t own a PS2 or PSP, this is NOT a $9 game, because it, and plenty of others – most of which have been recent releases – are on a $30 game already, with extras. This release schedule is a lot like getting stuck at 2nd base with a woman; it’s unsatisfying and leaves you wanting more, while the woman in this case (Nintendo) keeps making excuses, saying she’s not ready to go further and is paranoid about her father coming around the corner.

Nintendo, you’re giving me blue balls, and if you continue to leave me wanting like this, I’m going to find another way to get my retro gaming satisfaction. As it stands, you’re not coming through.

Nate Birch:
I only played the Genesis version of King of the Monsters. I recall it’s basically Rampage without the sense of humor or same level of building destroying satisfaction or, you know…any fun really.

Mark B.:
Actually, it basically amounts to pro-wrestling with monsters.

So, y’know, it’s basically worse.

Nate Birch:
Ahhh yes, now I remember you had to “pin” your opponent to beat them, which I recall finding stupid.

Throw your opponent through a skyscraper? Well they’ll pop right up from that, but if you stand on their chest for 3 seconds, that’s it for them. Good to know colossal atomic monsters have a set of rules governing their city flattening brawls. It’d be chaos otherwise.

Mark B.
Yeah well, the functional problem with combining anything with wrestling is that wrestling, on its face, is ridiculous, and anything combined with it only becomes moreso. See Rumble Roses.

Though using a superhero to suplex a giant beetle? Still good times.

Guy
Never played that one.

Lucard

As you can see, we’re a little upset about the recent releases on the VC. And a lot of us are died in the wool MVS/AES fanatics. Japan got Phantasy Star IV in June and they’re getting Shining Force II this month. Can we please get something that isn’t on a current-gen compilation. There’s a lot of super quality Neo*Geo titles out there aren’t currently available on the PS2 or Wii. Here’s a hint: GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES.