Shock Troopers

Shock Troopers is a classic that will resonate with the players who have a big case of nostalgia for this game. It keeps up with the test of time when played on its two-player mode but beyond that, some of its gameplay feels anachronistic and stands in the way of making it a more enjoyable classic to most players beyond the circle of connoisseurs who know what they are getting.

Unfortunately, the game’s high difficulty and unavoidable bullet patterns make it a hard sell for modern players. The game’s multiple pathways and variety of characters don’t hide the extremely simple gameplay at the core – gameplay which wears thin after a few too many cheap deaths. Unless you’ve got a nostalgic soft spot for this one, you won’t miss out on much by avoiding it.

ACA NeoGeo: Shock Troopers is an ideal game to add to anyone's Nintendo Switch library for playing while commuting, dropping into tabletop mode for some local co-operative action at a friend's house, or even diving into at home on the big screen to try and top the online leaderboards for that strong feeling of satisfaction. It may have a short playtime, but it is extremely enjoyable to go back to it again and again - a truly excellent dose of arcade fun.