Windjammers 2 shows a great way to update a Neo Geo classic

For the past decade or so, I’ve run into a consistent problem revisiting classic Neo Geo games. It always starts with something exciting — typically, an announcement that a game I loved growing up is being ported to a new console. It almost always ends with disappointment. The memory of the experience is more important than the actual game.

Before I get too far into this, let’s caveat a couple things. For one, this doesn’t apply to all Neo Geo games. A handful — generally, those that go heavy on animation, like the Metal Slug series and Garou: Marks of the Wolves — hold up beautifully. For another, I still consider a good amount of the system’s library to be some of the best artistic achievements of the ’90s.

However, when I look back at a good portion of Neo Geo’s early lineup, it becomes clear how important the spectacle was back then. Now that we’re 20 — or, in some cases, 30 — years out, putting big characters on the screen isn’t as impressive as it once was. So I’ve been itching to see some of these games remade, or to see sequels that update their visuals along the lines of the direction SNK went with King of Fighters 12 13Instead of the current 3D approach,

With Windjammers 2Dotemu, a developer from Brazil is trying to scratch that itch. Using a sharp yet simple art style that’s similar to that of games like Streets of Rage 4. Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, Windjammers 2It strikes the perfect balance between updating and maintaining a high level of quality. WindjammersIt is modern enough to look a lot like the original 1994 version. I suppose the characters and effects could use a bit more detail, but this is a great template that I’d love to see applied to much of the early Neo Geo lineup.

Additionally, while Windjammers 2 is a sequel, it doesn’t change too much. It was a very old game, and crammed fighting mechanics into an extremely competitive game. PongThis concept is a favorite of many and has gained a loyal following through the years. Windjammers 2 feels like a respectful extension of that concept — it has some new characters and moves, though in some ways, it almost feels more like a remake than a sequel. I suppose you could argue that the expectations for a sequel weren’t quite as high back in the mid-’90s.

It all works! Windjammers 2’s favor, because the result is a game that brings back the feeling of the original game without some of the baggage of the mid-’90s. With any luck, hopefully we’ll see the same treatment given to other classic Neo Geo games as well.