Best Multiplayer Neo Geo Games

The Neo Geo game console was a great hit in the 90s, and it spawned some of the best game titles that many generations will remember. 

It provided great fun for the entire family, so I compiled a list of the best multiplayer Neo Geo games for you in this article. Let’s take a look!

Best Multiplayer Neo Geo Games

Consoles like the Neo Geo AES were an excellent source of entertainment back in the 90s, especially since two players could play games simultaneously. Here are some of the best multiplayer Neo Geo games:

• Metal Slug Series
• Windjammers
• Neo Turf Masters
• Spinmaster
• Samurai Shodown Series
• Street Hoop.

Short Overview

Metal Slug Series

There is hardly anyone who is a fan of retro games and hasn’t heard about the most popular Neo Geo game franchise of all time, the Metal Slug Series.

In a way, the Metal Slug series defined the “walk and shoot” arcade game style of the 90s. With the first game’s release in 1996, SNK (the game’s developer) introduced dynamic gameplay that followed the last game of the series. 

The original Metal Slug and its sequels have their own stories and settings, and each one is an improvement over the next. The story revolves around a group of protagonists called the Peregrine Falcon Squad, who fight to prevent the creation of a New World Order. 

All Metal Slug games have multiplayer support, so you can play the campaign with your friends or family and have endless fun.

Windjammers

If you’re an air hockey fan, then Windjammers will be an excellent choice for you. The game offers dynamic gameplay based on air hockey mechanics, where you must shoot the disc and hit the opponent’s goal zone to score.

Windjammers was released by Data East in 1994 and was developed as a single-player or multiplayer game. You can choose one of six available characters from different countries and special abilities.

The game’s goal is to outsmart the opponent by successfully hitting their goal zone with a disc. The corners on your and the opponent’s sides are red, and hitting those zones awards five points, while the middle is yellow and worth three points.

A match between two players has three sets, each lasting 30 seconds. A set ends when one of the players scores 12 points or when the time runs out. The match is won if you score two out of three sets.

Read more: Best Neo Geo Games Review

Neo Turf Masters

Neo Turf Masters is another sports arcade game based on the game of golf. The game was developed by Nazca (Metal Slug’s original designer) and later published by SNK for their Neo Geo consoles.

The game has dynamic gameplay, with simple controls but challenging mechanics. It allows two players to play and compete against each other simultaneously in two different game modes: stroke play or match play.

You can choose one of six playable characters with different skills and abilities, depending on your preferred playstyle. 

Controls are easy to master, as one button on the controller determines the power and height of the shot, while the remaining two determine the hook and slice. 

However, this easy-to-learn control scheme is made challenging by the game’s difficult mechanics, which vary depending on the level. 

Spinmaster

If I had to choose, I’d say that Spinmaster is my favorite multiplayer game ever released on the Neo Geo systems. 

Designed and developed by the same company that made Windjammers, Spinmaster was published by SNK in 1993 and immediately had great success.

Spinmaster offers single-player and multiplayer modes, with player one controlling Johnny and player two controlling Tom. Both protagonists initially have yo-yos for weapons and use them to strike down enemies. 

As they progress through the game, other weapon choices are offered, such as bombs, boxing gloves, ninja shurikens, and fire and ice projectiles.

Each level after the first one is divided into 2-3 stage levels, making for 12 levels, which can all be played through in about 30-45 minutes. 

Nonetheless, Spinmaster is a lot of fun and remains one of the best multiplayer Neo Geo games to this day.

Samurai Shodown Series

This article would be incomplete if I didn’t include a fighting-style multiplayer game, right? For that reason, I’ve chosen the Samurai Shodown Series to be among the best Neo Geo multiplayer games. I will talk about them, just like the Metal Slug series, because each installment is unique. 

The first installment of the series was released in 1993 by the SNK corporation and was among the first fighting-style arcade games with an emphasis on weapon use. 

The game strongly accents 18th-century Japanese culture and centers on a group of characters in a certain region in Japan.

Each Samurai Shodown game is based on the hack-and-slash combat system, with every playable character possessing different combat techniques and abilities. 

Characters have Rage meters that fill up as the player receives damage. Once filled, they unleash special attacks depending on the character.

Also read: Rarest Neo Geo Games

Street Hoop

The last game I’ve decided to include in this article is also the only basketball game released on the Neo Geo platform. The game, also known as Street Slam, was published in 1994 by SNK before being developed by the Data East company.

To start the game, choose one 3-player team from 10 available teams. Each team has its strengths and weaknesses. For example, one team is good at shooting 3-pointers, while another is good at scoring dunks.

Both background and playground settings change as you play with different teams, ranging from street courts to beach courts to back alley courts.

Street Hoop is among the best multiplayer Neo Geo games with a sports theme, which you can enjoy with your friends and family and have hours of fun on end.