Best ACA NEOGEO Games
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Much like Hamster's Arcade Archives series, the company's line of Neo Geo titles - which goes by the bespoke title 'ACA NEOGEO' to separate it from the rest - has been a regular fixture of the weekly Nintendo Switch eShop download lists. With over a hundred releases under the ACA banner, Hamster has done sterling work getting these games on Switch and into the hands of fans who may never have experienced them before.

SNK's Neo Geo was a beautiful system that fused arcade and home console hardware, but at a cost. The significant financial outlay require for Neo Geo ownership meant it was out of reach of the average gamer back in the day. Fortunately, the games below will cost you a fraction of what they originally sold for and come with a multitude of presentation options to tailor the experience to your liking on Switch.

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Below we've listed every ACA Neo Geo release available on Switch eShop to date and it will be updated as new titles are released. The games are displayed in alphabetical order, although you can go to our games database and sort by Release Date or User Rating.

Please note that the Arcade Archive releases are NOT included here - check out our separate guide for Arcade Archive games on Switch for more info on Hamster's non-Neo Geo Switch gems. And if this huge list is overwhelming, you'll find our picks of the best ACA Neo Geo games on Switch at the bottom. No prizes for guessing it contains a lot of fighters!

ACA Neo Geo Switch eShop releases - Complete list

Looking at that list and don't know where to start? Then check out our picks of the best ACA NEOGEO games - in no particular order - to get you off on the right foot.

The best Switch ACA Neo Geo games...

Garou: Mark of the Wolves (Neo Geo)

The first fighter in our picks of Switch's finiest ACA Neo Geo offerings, and it certainly won't be the last. Garou: Mark of the Wolves is a classic of the genre; the perfect fusion of depth and beauty that will appeal to hardened veterans of 2D fighters and button-mashing newbies alike. By 1999 the Neo Geo hardware was nearly a decade old and SNK's mastery of it is in full evidence here. It's one of very few games we'd recommend everybody buy, even those who actively dislike fighters (yes, apparently they exist). This game is just too pretty to miss. We could sit and watch animated gifs of Garou's backgrounds for hours. Essential.

Sengoku 3 (Neo Geo)

A side-scrolling beat 'em up in the classic mould, Sengoku 3 is a straightforward and satisfying example of a genre that needs little explaining to begin with. With plenty of variety and attacking options, it's a fun blast whether you're playing solo or you've enlisted a friend for the ride. We put it on our list of the best beat 'em ups on Switch, so its inclusion here should be no surprise.

The Last Blade 2 (Neo Geo)

As with many of the best fighters, seemingly simple mechanics hide a lot of depth and The Last Blade 2 is a fine example. An extremely enjoyable game with fantastic presentation and a host of fighting modes to get stuck into, the balancing of the first entry is arguably better, although the sequel has more characters and options available. Whichever one you go for, you'll be guaranteed a fine-looking fighter with plenty of personality, so you can't really go wrong.

Metal Slug (Neo Geo)

If you're looking for an old-school shot of satisfying gameplay without endless options and upgrade systems and RPG-like progression, Metal Slug is the no-nonsense antidote to modern-day complications. It might feel a little too simplistic by modern standards, but there's something about the purity of its approach which makes it an absolute blast and a lovely palette cleansers before diving into something more faceted on Switch. Nazca Corporation's run-and-gun may have debuted in 1996, but it's got the beating heart of an '80s action icon (and a brain to match). Fabulous.

The King of Fighters '98 (Neo Geo)

If you're into King of Fighter games, you'll find a whole bunch available on Switch. If we were pushed, The King of Fighters '98 would probably be our pick of the bunch. It's got a huge cast, the same tight, deep gameplay you've come to expect from SNK and is still regarded one of the best fighters ever made well over 20 years since release. Similarly to Garou, we'd buy it just to ogle its visual loveliness.

Waku Waku 7 (Neo Geo)

You like fighters, right? If you're reading this list we sure hope so. If you're after something a little unusual, Waku Waku 7 serves up a 2D scrapper decidedly different from umpteen KoFs and Fatal Furies - a welcome break even given the quality of those series. This, too, is a sequel, to 1995's underwhelming Galaxy Fight, but despite a small roster Sunsoft packed this game with spectacularly colourful cartoon visuals and a bunch of in-jokes and irreverent parodies to make it feel fresh and unique in a system library overflowing with quality games in this genre. This was the first game ACA Neo Geo game Hamster brought to Switch and a lovely breath of fresh air.

Blazing Star (Neo Geo)

There was a time when Blazing Star was beyond the reach of all but the most affluent gamer, but now anyone with a Switch can download and enjoy this brilliant shmup for the price of a (pricey) pint. The thrill of owning something that was once so inaccessible shouldn't overshadow just how good this game is, though. The difficulty ramps right up towards the end, but if you're a fan of shoot 'em ups, this is a treasure you won't want to be without.

Magical Drop III (Neo Geo)

What's this? A Neo Geo game that isn't a fighter? Yes, you might not have expected a puzzle game on this list but despite the shared genres of several entries here, Magical Drop III is a fantastic balloon-firing puzzler that you should definitely investigate. It mde our list of the best puzzle games on Switch and shows that there was more to the Neo Geo library than an endless parade of gorgeous 2D fighters. Puzzle fans should definitely check this out.

Aero Fighters 2 (Neo Geo)

A vertical shooter (you know, for variety), Aero Fighters 2 is an easy recommendation thanks to its varied locales, multiple piloting options, large roster of enemies entertaining boss battles and multiple endings. Throw in 2-player and the usual Hi-Score and Caravan modes and what's not to like? The sequel is also available, although with its fixed-pairings for 2-player mode we'd download Aero Fighters 2 first and go from there.

Samurai Shodown II (Neo Geo)

Still one of the best fighters available on the console (and there are a fair few to choose from now, if the list above has whetted your appetite), Samurai Shodown II improved on the original with new fighters and tweaks and fine-tuning to the mechanics to accompany the already stonkingly lovely sprite work. This should be in your library, whether you life fighters or not. Yes, we realise that's the third time we've recommended a fighting game to non-fighting fans. They're just so purdy!

Ah, how we love that SNK artwork; all those grins and round chins! Thank you for scrolling to the very bottom. With so many games to choose from we're just scratching the surface with the games above. Let us know which of Hamster's ACA Neo Geo games you've most enjoyed--and which ones you'd avoid--with a cheeky comment below.

This article is one of our Switch Essentials guides which cover a wide variety of genres, including the Best Switch FPS Games, the Best Switch RPGs, the Best Switch Games For Kids, the Best Switch Couch Co-Op Games and the Best Switch Fitness and Exercise Games. We can also help out hunting down the Best Switch Horror Games, the Best Switch Racing Games, the Best Switch Action-RPGs, the Best Nintendo Switch Roguelikes, Roguelites and Run-Based Games, the Best Free Switch Games, the Best Remakes And Remasters, the Best Switch Music And Rhythm Games, Best Feel-Good Switch Games, Best Switch Open-World Games, Best Switch Soulslike Games, Best LGBTQ+ Switch Games, and even Games to Play After You've Finished Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Whatever your favourite genre, we've got you covered: Strategy Games, Metroidvanias, Puzzle Games, Party Games, Online Multiplayer Games, Local Wireless Multiplayer Games, Shmups, Twin-Stick Shooters, Visual Novels, Kart Racers, Fighting Games, Football Games, Funny Games, Golf Games, 'Walking Sims' And Narrative Games, Switch Games For Lovers And Lonely Hearts, Detective Games, Hidden Gems, 2D Platformers, 3D Platformers, Puzzle Platformers, Tabletop Mode Games, Run and Gun Games, LEGO Games, Sports Games, Survival Games, Beat 'Em Ups, Camera Games, Chill Games, Family Games, Retro-Inspired Games, Short Games, Card Games and Deck-Builders, and Life Sims And Farming Games.

Still hungry for more? Elsewhere we look at Wholesome Games, TATE Mode Games, Flight Sim and Space Combat, Point and Click Adventure Games, and the Best Switch Exclusives, as well as Every Arcade Archives Game, Every ACA Neo Geo Game, Every SEGA AGES Game On Switch, plus the Best Switch Ports, Best Wii U-To-Switch Ports, Best Switch Collections And Compilations, Best Cheap Switch Games, Best Switch Demos, Games That Are Better On Switch OLED, Switch Games Under $10, $20, $50, and Switch games with the Best Soundtracks and the Best Graphics. Phew!

If you're looking for the best Switch games regardless of genre, our reader-voted selection of the Best Nintendo Switch Games Ever should help you out, and you can also find the Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. And finally, if you're interested in other Nintendo consoles and retro games, check out the Best Game Boy Games, Best GBC Games, Best GBA Games, Best Nintendo DS Games, Best Nintendo 3DS Games, Best NES Games, Best SNES Games, Best N64 Games, Best GameCube Games, and Best Wii Games, and Best Wii U Games, as well as Every Available Nintendo Switch Online Retro Game, and ranked lists of Every Nintendo Switch Online NES, SNES, N64 and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Game.