Fighting games have tried for decades to create something that works well on portable consoles. SNK had lots of success with the ports of massive Neo-Geo fighters to the NeoGeo Pocket and Pocket Color on their journey to perfection. Each was unique and took the portables controls and power into consideration, creating something unique while still holding the core gameplay of the originals intact. The company finally reached that elusive mountaintop with the release of SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium, quite possibly the best portable fighter ever.
Capcom had been doing crossover games for some time by the time of this games release. They helped changed the landscape of the fighting game field and they had hit after hit, my favorite still being X-Men vs. Street Fighter. But when word came that Capcom and SNK were working on a series of games pitting their charcaters against each other ’90s kids around the world lost their damn minds. The two largest fighting game worlds were coming together and all our schoolyard fantasy matches were about to come true.
The arcade and console editions of these collaborations were all fantastic. SNK vs. Capcom Chaos was incredible to see in arcades and the Dreamcast releases that allowed you to choose your preferred play-style (SNK or Capcom) provided hours of fun. And while people were worried about portables ports of the endeavor, SNK was handling things and releasing SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium on its portable NeoGeo Pocket console, and they had years of experience of practice shrinking down some really big fighters.
SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium is peak portable fighter, the only other on its level being Street Fighter Alpha 3 on the GBA much later. The look and feel is darn near perfect. The colors pop and every character is striking and unique. The NeoGeo Pocket Color was no powerhouse, really just taking the original and adding color, but the game is probably the best looking game on the console. It rings out every color possible from the palatte and looks fantastic even today in 2021.
The team went all out with the content, something I have knocked other releases for lacking. This was a team that learned all the tricks and how to find every bit of power locked away inside the console. You get detailed and striking character profiles alongside a full storymode that features animated intros and some fairly extended cut-scenes. You have tons of modes to enjoy including a mix of gameplay styles. You can do classic 1v1 like all old-school fighters, a tag-team mode pulling from the Capcom Vs. series, and even a 3v3 mode taken from King of Fighters.
That is a lot of modes to enjoy and each can be experienced with a full storymode. On top of that, you can play the way you want with the choice of three gauge styles that each hearken to a specific popular series from each company. I stuck to the traditional Street Fighter Super, but if you are an SNK fan you can go that route. The fun part comes from trying each and expanding outside your comfort zone.
I’ve mentioned the full storymode earlier, but I need to dive into it a bit more. This might be one of the deepest modes of any portable fighter, even bigger than some console fighters at the time. Even play a single character or team can lead to various endings. You’ll eventually face you characters rival during the story and can either win or lose the match. You’ll continue the game no matter what, but whether you win or lose will dictate your end-game path. There is a true final boss and both good and bad endings depending on how well you perform.
It was pretty great playing the game with my preferred team and getting multiple endings each time I played. The rival system also encourages you you play with every character as the dialogue between characters is a real treat. If there is one NeoGeo Pocket release that I suggest you pick up, SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium is the one you want to get and the one I’ve been waiting for. The fighting is deep and satisfying for a portable, the characters are fun and pop, and unlockables and the story paths keep things fresh.
At the time, this was SNK reaching that mountaintop and probably releasing the best portable fighter in history. That said, the issues that have plagued other releases are still here. The Joy-Cons on the Switch are trash compared to the micro-switches of the Pocket, but there isn’t much one can do considering the Pocket had the greatest joystick in gaming history. SNK didn’t do anything here outside of an updated port so you won’t find move-lists and other features you are used to. You’ll have to do it like we used to do and open up that now digital manual and learn the old-fashioned way.
All that aside, SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium still holds up well and makes for a great time on the Nintendo Switch when on the go. You can easily run a bunch of matches on the bus or train and have a great time with the streamlined experience. As long as you know this is a port and not some modern remake you’ll love the experience.
Pros:
+ Streamlined gameplay is solid
+ Tons of characters
+ Lots of content
Cons:
– That damn Joy-Con
– Some balancing issues
Final Score:
*Review code provided by publisher*
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