Interviewed at the SNK Offices in Wall, New Jersey on March 7th, 2008.

SNK Playmore USA Office Images, Wall, New Jersey 2008

For 2008 SNK Playmore USA has their best line-up of titles ever, given what we saw at GDC 2008 in February. For years, we've always wanted to pay SNK Playmore USA a visit in Wall, New Jersey and in March of 2008, we finally did.

Our interview as we would like to describe it, comes from the hearts and minds of fans, asking the kind of questions that we think pure SNK gamers would want answers to. So without any further delay, here goes:

S-C: Since, MOTW we have not seen any other Fatal Fury. There were rumors, but also confirmation from SNK Executives knowledge and production of a MOTW 2 for the NEO GEO; however, speculation has it that it was during the time of SNK's restructuring, so eventually, the project was canceled. Whatever happened to this and are we ever going to see an original follow up to this?

SNKP: The story has not been concluded in Mark of the Wolves which we released in 1999. We think we should conclude the story of Fatal Fury someday. There's not currently in any concrete demand schedule, but with some new technology we're working on, that is something that is in our mind.

S-C: According to SNKP JP though, there was one in the works for the NEO GEO in a previous interview with Falcoon.

SNKP: With what went on in Japan with restructuring, there was some files that were no longer available. But those versions would not have been on playable formats with the new generation hardware.

In Japan they have a PS2 version, they are going to release a Wii version. If we could figure out a way to do this here in the states, we would. I'm right now waiting on pricing, as far as costs. I think it's going to be restrictive. No one is really going to want these things for their Wii controller if it's a $50.00 or $60.00 retail. It may look good and may have great collectability to it, but I have to find a [manufacturer] partner. It's not about ones and twos. I'm not sure of the minimum quantity to bring it in and I have to see the pricing, but we're looking into it.

S-C: Other manufacturers have an online store to order t-shirts, CDs, Soundtracks and games. Does SNK ever plan on setting up an online store?

As far as an online store. There are no plans to do it. It's not impossible to get the more important wheels rolling as far as velocity. What I got to do is to come up with items. Alot of the collectible things from Japan is that they send me a few samples, but they don't send me final production or give me cost on it. Metal Slug shirts, music, sure, why not?

S-C: Well, like Capcom, they have their own online store.

SNKP: Well, with the distribution deal I have right now, I feel it would be the wrong thing to do. [In other words, SNK Playmore USA doesn't want to be in competition with it's distributors and feel it's unfair]. Like Sony, they have Sony stores. Does it makes sense to have a Sony store when you can go down the street and buy a Sony product that you distribute to?

S-C: So have loyalty to your sellers.

SNKP: Yes, we have loyalty to our distributors and vendors.

S-C: There were some unreleased NEO GEO games that were only available on NEO GEO CD format. Do you plan to release these rare, hard to find games on either downloadable service and/or compilation? The NEO GEO CD titles only were: Iron Clad, Zintrick, Crossed Swords II

SNKP: It could be download, it could be actual compilation. There are thoughts in that vain. We have 120 arcade games. It's not about just bringing them to the PS2 where the graphics would be sufficient. It would about redoing them and making them better. Take for example, King of the Monsters, we can make a whole new revamped version with HD graphics, [better in every way, gameplay, graphics] or make a whole new Ikari Warriors altogether.

S-C: The Nintendo DS has been successful almost from day one. The SONY PSP; however, is a different story, having a very slow start, but recently, with great software support from many third parties, it is surpassing the Nintendo DS in sales. Because of this recent success for the PSP do you plan on focusing more on portable gaming with original content that was never released by SNK previously? Moreso, right now Metal Slug 7 is only announced for the Nintendo DS, but would you like to see this on the PSP as well.

SNKP: There's no plans for original new games. There could be an opportunity. We have all the Anthologies and have a lot of other titles to release. We released KOF Orochi Collection, we still have to do the second half, so we have a lot of ammo.

BH [blurbs]: Baseball Stars...!! [laughs]

S-C: Part 3? [ha-ha]

S-C: SNK has a large following pre-NEO GEO days with some hit arcade titles. Does SNK ever plan to release a compilation of these games? such as Street Smart, Ikari Warriors series, Time Soldiers, Athena, Crystalis, etc.

SNKP: When I personally make the title of our first collection, SNK Classics Arcade Classics Volume 1, it doesn't say NEO GEO Collection Volume 1, so any volume can have any SNK game that is not NEO GEO. I think that is clear now.

S-C: It's pretty clear now.

SNKP: Yes, it's clear.

S-C: Clear as mud. [laughs]

[laughs] Ok, so trust me, it will be there.

S-C: SNK has a great library of shooters. Fans would die and love a shooter compilation. Any plans in the future for this to happen? Secondly, many of these shooters were produced by third parties, do you know off hand it SNK can produce these titles without a lengthy legal process to get them approved?

There are no plans right now to do a shooter compilation. If there were or becomes one, we could. It doesn't mean that some of our games are not shooters. You could call Metal Slug a shooter.

S-C: To tell you the truth, that wasn't really a question, but a suggestion for SNK Playmore to create a compilation, since SNK [NEO•GEO] has a great collection of shooters.

Andros Dunos
Viewpoint
Ghost Pilots
Pulstar
Blazing Star
Twinkle Star Sprites
Alpha Mission II
Zed Blade
Aero Fighters 2
Aero Fighters 3
Last Resort
Prehistoric Isle II
Strikers 1945
Captain Tomaday
Iron Clad (NEO GEO CD only)

S-C: King of Fighters XII is going to be released some time this year for the arcade market (Taito Type X2 system) as confirmed by some SNK Executives in JP. In a previous interview, they commented that they would release this game on the Xbox 360 and/or the PS3, but sometime in 2009. Do you know if this timeline is still confirmed?

SNKP: As far as KOF XII. Spring of 2009 is more realistic, but it's tentative and there's nothing confirmed. [Rest of information is confidential....sorry].

S-C: Originally, SNK planned for an the original Metal Slug for the Game Boy Advance. An early version was shown at E3 2006, but we didn't hear anything after that? Whatever happened to that? Many fans were looking forward to this, but was a bit disappointed it never made it to the market.

SNKP: Besides being too big, it was too slow to come out to production so we had to kill it. [Part of the reason is the MS Anthology, so MS for GBA would be a moot point to release].

S-C: The playable version of Metal Slug 7 at GDC was simply stunning. The onscreen action was more than any other previous version, including Metal Slug 6, which was powered by the Atomiswave which was a 128-bit system. How far are we down the line for Metal Slug 7 for the Nintendo DS? On top of this, will this version support 2-player Wi-Fi simultaneous gameplay?

SNKP: As far as the DS version of MS7 it is a one player game.

S-C.com: Of for sure? 100%? [uhh!!] You're killing me!

SNKP: Yes, 100%. I'm not happy about that, but it is a one player game, so you can forget about the Wi-Fi part of it. As far as timing on it, the DS version will be part of this calendar year.

S-C: Is there any plans on a PSP version?

SNKP: From what I'm hearing when I ask the question, there was some discussion. I'm not going to rule it out, but I don't see the development schedule anywhere on-line right now that I could say. All I can confirm right now is the DS version. And the DS version will be well ahead of everything else in terms of timing.

S-C: The character licensing agreement between SNK and Capcom have expired. With Capcom making it's long awaited sequel to SF III, SF IV and SNK Playmore producing an all new KOF XII the friendly 'competition' between the two companies is much stronger than before, since SNK Playmore now has the hardware power to really show what their programmers are capable of. With this being said, would you like to see the licensing renewed to develop possibly, SVC Chaos 2?

SNKP: As far as us and Capcom, I don't have any knowledge of any new agreements.

S-C: No SVC Chaos 2?

SNKP: Our contract is done in terms of requirements for both parties, so there's nothing new coming out in terms of cross licensing.

Conversation and comments on GDC Show (San Francisco, CA) in February 2008

Timeline of SNK releases for 2008 Calendar year:

S-C: Speaking of Fatal Fury, there are fans that keep asking, the Japanese market has MOTW on PS2 and they are wondering if a US version will ever be released.

SNKP: Not at this time, but there should be some day. [As SNK Playmore JP explains] there is a future plan for new Last Blade and Mark of the Wolves that is into today's technology. Ikari Warriors, I think we need to eventually be re-released [with redrawn graphics].

S-C: There's no plans on any sports games from SNK?

SNKP: Baseball Stars original is available on Wii VC.

For me personally, if I had a pot of money, I'd ask SNK Playmore and ask them to let me do a Baseball Stars version on portable gaming, DS, PSP. But right now, we don't feel it's a title that is favored worldwide, but I'm hopeful that someday we can bring out a version of Baseball Stars.