SNK's E3 2004 Lineup @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on April 29, 2004

News: SNK lets loose with a lot of KoF and a lot of Metal Slug, I know I'm shocked.

After being rather quiet on the video game for a lot of years (except to die-hard SNK junkies), SNK is jumping back in with both feet. They've got a great E3 lineup lined up that shows off the strength of their arcade catalogue. Strangely, this release lists the King of Fighters and Metal Slug combination packs as coming to the Xbox as well as the PS2. SNK was very specific last week when they said the combination packs were only coming to the PS2, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

But they were kind enough to share their E3 list with us:

SNK: The Next Generation

Since its inception in 1994, THE KING OF FIGHTERS has been and continues to be one of the most popular fighting game series in video games. Now, KOF: MAXIMUM IMPACT will be one of the most revolutionary chapters in this franchise's storied history. The launch of KOF: MAXIMUM IMPACT represents, for the first time, a THE KING OF FIGHTERS game in 3D! KOF: MAXIMUM IMPACT will feature the most popular KOF characters such as Terry Bogard and Kyo Kusanagi all rendered in 3D. The game will also feature several characters brand new to the franchise and a wide assortment of detailed battlegrounds and fighting maneuvers. KOF: MAXIMUM IMPACT will be available September 2004.

SNK's Xbox Debut

Shipping later this month is SNK's first game for the Xbox, METAL SLUG 3. Featured exclusively in this month's issue of Official Xbox Magazine, METAL SLUG 3 is not only true to the arcade classic, it also has brand new features and original missions accessible once certain conditions have been cleared. Players can choose from over 10 new slug vehicles exclusive to METAL SLUG 3, including the Slug Copter and the very unusual Elephant Slug which comes complete with a trunk-spray weapon. METAL SLUG 3 also features Xbox Live leaderboards, allowing players to post their scores.

Coming Exclusively to the Xbox is SNK's most popular arcade fighter of all time, SNK VS. CAPCOM SVC CHAOS. SVC CHAOS is an incredible clash of 36 world famous fighters from both SNK and Capcom franchises such as THE KING OF FIGHTERS, FATAL FURY, SAMURAI SHODOWN, and Street Fighter. SVC CHAOS includes well-known characters including Mega-Man, Shiki, and Athena and more. SVC is also fully Xbox Live compatible and will be released late September 2004.

Bonus Combination DVD packs on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox

PlayStation 2 and Xbox owners can have an instant SNK arcade library in their home with the release of two SNK combination packs for the systems. The classic SNK franchises, METAL SLUG and THE KING OF FIGHTERS will be launched as special two-games-in-one packages during the second half of 2004 and the first half of 2005. METAL SLUG 4 & 5 Combo and THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 & 2003 will be available for a consumer-friendly $39.99 MSRP.

METAL SLUG Miniaturized and More!

SNK will debut their first title for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance at E3 2004. METAL SLUG ADVANCE will feature five, all-new, action-packed missions plus four mini game stages, and diverse areas and rugged terrain including subterranean dungeons, mysterious ruins, limestone caverns, and lava zones. As an added bonus, METAL SLUG ADVANCE will feature over a 100 different METAL SLUG E-cards to enhance player's abilities and assist them in the completion of their missions. METAL SLUG ADVANCE will be available in August 2004.

Additionally SAMURAI SHODOWN 5 and SAMURAI SHODOWN 5 SPECIAL are in development for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Arcade systems for both and a playable PlayStation 2 version will be on display at the SNK booth.