The 1997 game selection - your favorites?

HeavyMachineGoob

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After a banner year in 1996 for the Neo Geo and early signs of slowing sales, it’s not overly surprising that the following year would be a dry one with a surprisingly small assortment of games being released. Still, a few gems and cult classics saw the light of day this year.

Only 8 game were released this year (or 9 if we count RBS as a 1997 title*)

The Irritating Maze
King of Fighters 97
Last Blade
Magical Drop 3
Money Puzzle Exchanger
Neo Bomberman
Pop ‘N Bounce
Real Bout Fatal Fury Special*
Shock Troopers

My favorites from this year are RBS, Last Blade and Shock Troopers
 
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Digmac

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Can’t go wrong with Magical Drop 3 and Money Idol, two of my favorite Neo Geo games, period. Shock Troopers is another gem, the best game Saurus ever put out.
 

donluca

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Same here, Money Idol and Magical Drop 3 are solid games and had lots of fun playing them against my friends.

The first Last Blade isn't bad as well, but LB2 just improved it in every possible way.
 

yagamikun

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While I wouldn't consider 97 to be the banner year that 96 was, there were still some solid gold releases for sure.

My favorites of the bunch are RBS, Last Blade, and Shock Troopers. I avidly play all of these games today.
 

The Chief

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Lots of good games this year. From the listed titles my faves are KOF '97, Magical Drop 3 and Pop 'N Bounce.
 
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Real Bout Special and KOF '97 for sure; both huge standout titles. Magical Drop 3 is up there, but I still need to get my hands on Money Puzzle Exchanger and give it a try, seems very well-regarded.
 

joe8

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After a banner year in 1996 for the Neo Geo and early signs of slowing sales, it’s not overly surprising that the following year would be a dry one with a surprisingly small assortment of games being released. Still, a few gems and cult classics saw the light of day this year.

Only 8 game were released this year (or 9 if we count RBS as a 1997 title*)

The Irritating Maze
King of Fighters 97
Last Blade
Magical Drop 3
Money Puzzle Exchanger
Neo Bomberman
Pop ‘N Bounce
Real Bout Fatal Fury Special*
Shock Troopers

My favorites from this year are RBS, Last Blade and Shock Troopers
Of that list, my favorites would be The Last Blade & Shock Troopers.
RBS was released in January 1997, so it's a 1997 title.
 
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oliverclaude

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Only 8 game were released this year...

One could say quality over quantity and Last Blade is really a definition of that. Shock Troopers on the other hand is one of the best games out of the entire Neo Geo library, only flawed by the fact, that it wasn't released on the home console.

Also, just look at those puzzle games: MPE(!), MD3, arguably the series best title, but also Neo Bomberman, which combines Irem (Produce), Hudson Soft and Now. Then Pop'n Bounce and Irritating Maze, which are still very solid, with the latter introducing a unique dedicated cabinet.

My personal favorite is definitely Last Blade, for me it's an epitome of Neo Geo's Magic. Back then, but notably during Neo's extremely rich afterlife.
 

Voodoohead

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I love bomberman, if it came out one year earlier they maybe transferred it to the AES.
 
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HeavyMachineGoob

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Of that list, my favorites would be The Last Blade & Shock Troopers.
RBS was released in January 1997, so it's a 1997 title.

Yes but many MVS releases of it and the Japanese AES version have a 1996 copyright year listed so there’s contention there.

One could say quality over quantity and Last Blade is really a definition of that. Shock Troopers on the other hand is one of the best games out of the entire Neo Geo library, only flawed by the fact, that it wasn't released on the home console.

Also, just look at those puzzle games: MPE(!), MD3, arguably the series best title, but also Neo Bomberman, which combines Irem (Produce), Hudson Soft and Now. Then Pop'n Bounce and Irritating Maze, which are still very solid, with the latter introducing a unique dedicated cabinet.

My personal favorite is definitely Last Blade, for me it's an epitome of Neo Geo's Magic. Back then, but notably during Neo's extremely rich afterlife.

Quality over quantity indeed, though decline is also definitely apparent in how few of the 1997 releases got a home AES release. This is a trend that continues with every year right up until the Neo’s final year in 2004.
 
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Leback

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Last Blade for sure, it's my favorite Neo game along with it's sequel and Samsho 2 and 4.
RBS is a great second.
 

SignOfGoob

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A super high quality year. I absolutely LOVE and spent a TON of time with KOF97, Real Bout Special, Last Blade, and Magical Drop 3.

Shock Troopers was an excellent surprise. Neo Bomberman is one of the lamer releases in the history of the series. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it as a single player title but...WTF is “single player Bomberman”? Inferior to Bomberman ‘93, ‘94, SS, and all the Supers. Maybe even lamer than Famicom Bomberman II because...no four players just reduces the game. It would have sold three copies on AES and cost more than double any Bomberman game ever released before or since.
 
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HeavyMachineGoob

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Neo Bomberman is one of the lamer releases in the history of the series. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it as a single player title but...WTF is “single player Bomberman”? Inferior to Bomberman ‘93, ‘94, SS, and all the Supers. Maybe even lamer than Famicom Bomberman II because...no four players just reduces the game. It would have sold three copies on AES and cost more than double any Bomberman game ever released before or since.

Imagine Hudson designing a 4 player adapter for the AES.

For the MVS version, I do remember hearing about it supporting the Kizuna 4 player adapter, or did that never make it into the retail version of Neo Bomberman?
 

SignOfGoob

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I don’t think there is a retail (AES) version of Neo Bomberman.

There may have been some JAMMA+ situation or system link but I don’t know. I’ve only ever played someone’s personal copy in a non-arcade scenario. It doesn’t have Thrash Rally style link ports on it though and I don’t think it links League Bowling style either.
 

ggallegos1

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Quality titles there. Shocktroopers, RBS, Last Blade, MD3.
 

HeavyMachineGoob

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I don’t think there is a retail (AES) version of Neo Bomberman.

There may have been some JAMMA+ situation or system link but I don’t know. I’ve only ever played someone’s personal copy in a non-arcade scenario. It doesn’t have Thrash Rally style link ports on it though and I don’t think it links League Bowling style either.

There could have been a home version of Neo Bomberman.

The MVS version supposedly supports the Kizuna Encounter 4 player board, it's a JAMMA passthrough board.
 

J-P

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I enjoy all of the listed titles quite a bit - but Last Blade would have to be the favourite for me. Very hard to pick just one of those games... RBS, KOF'97 were also fantastic. If I had to pick a non-fighter, Shock Troopers or MD3.
 

@M

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If I could only pick one, Magical Drop 3, I LOVE that game. Last Blade, Real Bout Special, and Money Puzzle Exchanger would round out my picks. I care less and less about KOF '97 as time passes; the end of the Orochi saga was disappointing for me.
 

ShaolinAce

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Last blade for sure. Infact I think Last Blade is my #1 overall.

Neo bomberman screams 4 players aswell.
 

Tron

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For me MD3,MPE,Last Blade and Shock Troopers.Nothing against neo-bomberman as game on it's own is fine but a lack of multiplayer just isn't the same compared to the others in the series.
 

cr8zykuban0

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My favorite 3 for 1997 would have to be magical drop 3, last blade and real bout special with kof 97 being an honorable mention. It’s a great game but just not my favorite in the series
 
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