Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy

Last updated
Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy
Top Hunter - Roddy & Cathy arcade flyer.jpg
Developer(s) SNK
Publisher(s) SNK
Producer(s) Eikichi Kawasaki
Designer(s) M. Matsuda
Y. Hashimoto
Yasumi Tozono
Programmer(s) Data Tada
Imasa.F
Sho Chan
Artist(s) Chikara Yamasaki
Eri Koujitani
Hirolin Hajime
Composer(s) Akihiro Uchida
Masahiko Hataya
Toshio Shimizu
Platform(s)
Release
  • Arcade
    • WW: 18 May 1994
    Neo Geo AES
    • JP: 24 June 1994
    • NA: 24 June 1994
    • EU: 24 June 1994
    Neo Geo CD
    • JP: 29 September 1994
    • NA: October 1996
Genre(s) Action, platform, beat 'em up
Mode(s)
Arcade system Neo Geo MVS

Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy [lower-alpha 1] is a side scrolling arcade beat 'em up platform game developed by SNK for the Neo Geo in 1994. [1] [2] [3] [4] It was also released on the Neo Geo CD, and the Wii Virtual Console. The game has been re-released as part of SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 , on May 1, 2008, and in the ACA Neo Geo series on PlayStation 4 on January 10, 2018. Its development team consisted of former Irem staff members. [5]

Contents

It was one of the few Neo Geo games to be dubbed "the 100 mega shock", due to the cartridge being just over 112 mebibits. This was large for the time, at over twice the size of the largest SNES cartridge ( Star Ocean , with 48 mebibits). Later cartridges would routinely top 100 megabits so the branding was dropped.[ citation needed ] This was also referred to as a precursor to Metal Slug because of the cartoonish graphics and the robotic vehicles, which are very similar to the Slugs.[ citation needed ]

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot. NEOGEO Top Hunter - Roddy & Cathy.png
Gameplay screenshot.

The gameplay style is similar to, and inspired by Double Dragon , The Combatribes , Joe & Mac and Spinmaster . The player, as Roddy (the second player plays as Cathy), must navigate through the area, collecting items, killing enemies, and defeating a boss at the end of each stage. [6] The characters can also execute special moves, done by moving the joystick in certain directions and pressing the attack button, similar to Street Fighter and The King of Fighters fame. Similar to Fatal Fury , Top Hunter features a plane-jumping system: the game field is divided in two lanes between the background and foreground, which the player can jump between at any time to attack enemies or avoid traps. The two fields are not always at the same elevation and one of them may be blocked off at certain points.

The game is split into four planets: Forest, Ice, Wind, and Fire. Depending on what stage is picked first, the layout of the stage will change. For example, if the player picks the Ice world before the Forest world, the Forest world's beginning layout will be different. After completing all 4 worlds, the player is taken to the final stage, where they must rematch with the four bosses and battle the game's antagonist, Captain Klapton.

Players can change various settings such as game difficulty, and also reproduce the atmosphere of arcade display settings at that time. Players can also compete against each other from all over the world with their high scores. [7]

Synopsis

The galaxy's top bounty hunters Roddy and Cathy are sent to put a stop to a colony of galactic pirates called the Klaptons who threaten and plunder the cosmos. Four high-ranking members of the Klaptons have taken control of four elemental planets. Big rewards are offered for the captures of Sly, Misty, Mr. Bigman and Dr. Burn. The top hunters battle their forces and destroy the commanders' war machines but they all get away. In the Last Hunt, Roddy and Cathy will have to battle in Captain Klapton's Mothership, defeat the four commanders again and take care of the captain once and for all.

Development

Release

"Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy" was initially launched as an arcade title in 1994, drawing attention from players for its cooperative gameplay and striking visuals. Following its success in arcades, SNK released the game for the Neo Geo console, allowing players to experience the adventure at home.

Over the years, "Top Hunter" has garnered a dedicated following among retro gaming enthusiasts and fans of classic arcade experiences. Its inclusion in various Neo Geo compilations and digital platforms has preserved its legacy, ensuring that players can continue to enjoy the game's unique charm and action-packed gameplay.

Reception

In North America, RePlay reported Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy to be the sixteenth most-popular arcade game at the time. [25] On release, [26] Famitsu scored the Neo Geo version of Top Hunter a 24 out of 40. [11] The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it a 7 out of 10 average. Two of the reviewers criticized that "the difficulty, even on the hardest setting, is still way too easy", allowing players to breeze through the game very quickly, and thus making it a poor value given the high price of Neo Geo cartridges. However, all four felt that the game was very enjoyable for its brief length due to its numerous techniques, outstanding graphics, bizarre bosses, orchestral music, and ability to move between the foreground and background. [10] Spanish magazine Superjuegos, in its 31st edition, scored the game with a score of 91 out of a maximum of 100, highlighting the graphic work especially with the level bosses and the two planes that the game has. [22]

Retrospective reviews

Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy has been met with mixed reception from retrospective reviewers.[ further explanation needed ]

In 2014, HobbyConsolas identified Top Hunter as one of the twenty best games for the Neo Geo AES. [33]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: トップ・ハンター ～ロディー & キャシー～, Hepburn: Toppu Hantā ~ Rodī& Kyashī ~, Top Hunter ~ Lodi & Kathy ~

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SNK</span> Japanese video game company

SNK Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. It is the successor to the company Shin Nihon Kikaku and presently owns the SNK video game brand and the Neo Geo video game platform, and electronics. SNK's predecessor Shin Nihon Kikaku Corporation was founded in 1978 by Eikichi Kawasaki. In 1981, the name was informally shortened to SNK Corporation, which became the company's official name in 1986.

<i>NAM-1975</i> 1990 video game

NAM-1975 is a war shooting gallery arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on April 26, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition to being the only title in the system that does not feature the Neo Geo boot screen in its attract mode, as well as one of the pack-in games for the AES.

<i>Aero Fighters 2</i> 1994 video game

Aero Fighters 2 is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game released in 1994 by Video System. It is developed by SNK and released in Japan, North America and Europe. It is the second part of the Aero Fighters series followed by the third part Aero Fighters 3 and a spin-off Aero Fighters Assault. It was initially released as a cabinet token base game.

<i>3 Count Bout</i> 1993 video game

3 Count Bout is a wrestling arcade game released by SNK in 1993.

<i>Windjammers</i> (video game) 1994 video game

Windjammers is a sports arcade game released by Data East on the Neo Geo arcade system in 1994. The game mechanics are essentially the same as Pong or air hockey, where players continuously shoot the disc at the goal zone of the opponent attempting to score. The game can be played against the computer or in a 2 player versus. Dotemu ported the game to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in August 2017, Nintendo Switch in October 2018, and iiRcade in February 2021. Dotemu would later develop and publish a sequel, Windjammers 2, which was released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and Google Stadia on January 20, 2022.

<i>Pulstar</i> (video game) 1995 video game

Pulstar is a horizontally scrolling shooter released for arcades by SNK in 1995. Players control a starship in its mission to eradicate the Solar System of a hostile race of aliens that threaten mankind. Its gameplay has been compared to the R-Type series for its similar premise and mechanics; players must complete each of the game's eight stages by destroying constantly-moving formations of enemies and avoiding their projectiles. There are power-ups that can be collected that provide additional abilities for the player. It runs on the Neo Geo MVS arcade system board.

<i>Street Slam</i> 1994 video game

Street Slam is a basketball video game developed by Data East for Neo Geo, released in 1994. The game features three-on-three basketball match-ups with a variety of different teams. Street Slam is the only basketball game released on the Neo Geo.

<i>Last Resort</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Last Resort is a horizontally scrolling shooter by SNK released as an arcade video game in 1992. It was also released for the Neo-Geo and Neo Geo CD systems, SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii, as well as ACA Neo-Geo for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

<i>Blues Journey</i> 1990 video game

Blue's Journey is a side-scrolling platform game released by Alpha Denshi in 1990 on SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade system and their AES home system. It was ported to the Neo Geo CD in 1994. It was rereleased on the Wii's Virtual Console in Europe on November 9, 2007, followed by North America on November 12, 2007.

<i>Thrash Rally</i> 1991 video game

Thrash Rally is a top-down perspective rally racing video game developed by ADK and released by SNK Corporation for the Neo Geo system. It was released by SNK on December 20, 1991 and would be followed by an spiritual successor in 1996, Over Top.

<i>Spinmaster</i> 1993 video game

Spinmaster is an arcade game developed and released by Data East in December, 1993 in North America, in Europe the same year and on February 18, 1994 in Japan. It is the first game Data East developed and released for the SNK Neo-Geo MVS hardware. Its character designs are almost identical to the ones in Data East's Sega Genesis game titled Dashin' Desperadoes; however, the rest of both games are completely different. Also, Spinmaster's gameplay, artwork style, animations of some characters and the styles of its weapons were heavily inspired by another arcade game by Data East titled Joe & Mac, according to the Japanese Miracle Adventure arcade flyer.

<i>Ghost Pilots</i> 1991 video game

Ghost Pilots is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade video game released in 1991 by SNK. It has elements similar to Capcom's 194X series, but the player controls a seaplane.

<i>League Bowling</i> 1990 video game

League Bowling is an arcade game released in 1990 by SNK for the Neo Geo console and arcade systems. The players controls characters with red and blue hair and can select balls from 8 to 15 pounds. It is the only bowling game released on the Neo Geo.

<i>Sengoku 2</i> 1993 video game

Sengoku 2 is a 1993 beat 'em up arcade game developed and published by SNK, and it is the second game of the Sengoku series. It was first released for the Neo Geo and Neo Geo CD consoles. In 2009 the series was compiled on a CD titled Sengoku Anthology for the PlayStation 2 and Windows. The Neo Geo version was re-released on the Virtual Console for the Wii in Japan on November 8, 2012, and in the PAL region on February 7, 2013. In 2017, the game was re-released as part of the ACA Neo Geo series for the Xbox One, followed by the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows PCs via Steam the following year.

<i>Robo Army</i> 1991 video game

Robo Army is a beat 'em up video game developed and published by SNK that was released for Neo Geo arcades and home consoles in 1991 and the Neo Geo CD in 1995.

<i>Football Frenzy</i> 1992 video game

Football Frenzy is an American football arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on January 31, 1992. It was the second football game created by SNK after 1987's Touch Down Fever, as well as the only football game released for the Neo Geo platform.

<i>ZuPaPa!</i> 2001 video game

ZuPaPa! is a platform arcade video game developed by Face and originally published by SNK on September 1, 2001. Starring the eponymous creature, players are tasked with travelling through nine stages, throwing small creatures called Zooks, jumping on and off platforms to navigate level obstacles while dodging and defeating monsters. Although first launched in arcades, the game has been re-released through download services for various consoles. The title has gained a cult following since its initial release.

<i>Super Sidekicks</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Super Sidekicks is a 1992 soccer arcade video game developed and published by SNK. It is the first installment in the eponymous series and the second soccer game released for Neo Geo MVS, succeeding Soccer Brawl (1991). Featuring an arcade-style approach to soccer compared to other games released at the time, the title allows players to choose any of the available game modes with AI-controlled opponents or other human players with the team of their choosing. Its gameplay uses a simplified two-button configuration.

<i>Super Sidekicks 2: The World Championship</i> 1994 video game

Super Sidekicks 2: The World Championship is a 1994 soccer arcade video game developed and published by SNK. It is the second installment in the Super Sidekicks series and the third soccer game released for Neo Geo MVS, preceding the original Super Sidekicks (1992). Featuring an arcade-style approach to soccer as its predecessor, the game allows players to choose any of the available game modes with AI-controlled opponents or other human players with the team of their choosing. Its gameplay uses a simplified three-button configuration.

<i>Super Sidekicks 3: The Next Glory</i> 1995 video game

Super Sidekicks 3: The Next Glory is a 1995 soccer arcade video game developed and published by SNK. It is the third installment in the Super Sidekicks series, succeeding Super Sidekicks 2: The World Championship (1994). Featuring an arcade-style approach to soccer like its predecessors, the game allows players to choose any of the available game modes to compete with AI-controlled rivals or other human players with their preferred team. Though first launched for the MVS hardware, the title was ported for Neo Geo AES and Neo Geo CD, in addition of being re-released through compilations and download services for various consoles. It proved popular among players and garnered positive reception from critics, however most reviewers noted that it felt more an update than a true successor to Super Sidekicks 2. It was followed by The Ultimate 11: SNK Football Championship in 1996.

References

  1. ↑ "Title Catalogue - NEOGEO MUSEUM". SNK Playmore. 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  2. ↑ Löwenstein, Richard (March 1994). "SNK Neo Geo - Neues Vom Neo Geo: Top Hunter". Megablast (in German). No. 5. Joker-Verlag. p. 59.
  3. ↑ "Neo•Geo - Nouvelles Du Front: Top Hunter - Roddy & Cathy". Joypad (in French). No. 30. Yellow Media. April 1994. p. 10.
  4. ↑ "Oh! Neo Geo Vol. 22 - トップハンター". Beep! MegaDrive (in Japanese). No. 57. SoftBank Creative. June 1994. p. 134.
  5. ↑ BackintoysTV (June 27, 2014). Metal Slug History PART 2 - Neo Geo - Retro Game Test - REVIEW fr vf. YouTube . Archived from the original on August 3, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  6. ↑ Vark, Aaron (May 4, 2017). "Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Buy ACA NEOGEO TOP HUNTER RODDY & CATHY | Xbox". www.xbox.com. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  8. ↑ "Top Hunter for NeoGeo". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-12-06. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  9. ↑ "Testscreen - Top Hunter (Neo-Geo)". Edge . No. 12. Future plc. September 1994. pp. 58–59. Archived from the original on 2019-01-18. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  10. 1 2 Semrad, Ed; Carpenter, Danyon; Manuel, Al; Williams, Ken (August 1994). "Review Crew - SNK / Neo•Geo - Top Hunter". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 61. Sendai Publications. p. 34. Archived from the original on 2019-01-13. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  11. 1 2 "NEO GEO GAMES CROSS REVIEW: トップハンター". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 332. ASCII. April 28, 1995. p. 21.
  12. ↑ Souibgui, Sami; Roure, Maxime (August 1994). "Neo Geo Review - Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy". Consoles + (in French). No. 34. M.E.R.7. pp. 144–145.
  13. ↑ Caravaca, Antonio (October 1994). "Lo Más Nuevo - Neo Geo: Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy – La Pareja Del Espacio". Hobby Consolas (in Spanish). No. 37. Hobby Press. pp. 120–121.
  14. ↑ "Reportaje - Clásicos en CD -- Titulos disponibles para el nuevo formato de SNK: Top Hunter". Hobby Hi-Tech (in Spanish). No. 1. Axel Springer SE. March 1995. p. 29.
  15. ↑ Nini, Nourdine; Morisse, Jean-François (July–August 1994). "Neo Geo (Version Française): Un Chasseur Sachant Chasser... – Top Hunter". Joypad (in French). No. 33. Yellow Media. pp. 138–139. Archived from the original on 2017-11-11. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  16. ↑ Zaborowski, Ingo (August 1994). "Spiele-Tests – NG: Top Hunter". MAN!AC (in German). No. 10. Cybermedia. p. 44.
  17. ↑ Löwenstein, Richard (April 1994). "SNK - Neo Geo: Top Hunter". Megablast (in German). No. 6. Joker-Verlag. p. 62.
  18. ↑ Schneider, Ulf; Noak, Philipp (August 1994). "Test Neo Geo: Top Hunter - Die R-Type-Programmierer schufen das bisher beste Jump'n Shoot für SNKs Nobelkonsole" (PDF). Mega Fun (in German). No. 23. CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. pp. 110–111.
  19. ↑ "NF編集部にまる - ネオジオゲームㇱインレビュー: トップハンター". Neo Geo Freak (in Japanese). No. 25. Geibunsha. June 1997. pp. 124–128.
  20. ↑ Schneider, Ulf (September 1994). "Neo Geo Review: Top Hunter - Der este "100-Mega-Shock" auf dem Neo Geo, der auch ohne die ewige Prügelei auskommt". Play Time (in German). No. 39. CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. p. 141.
  21. ↑ Delpierre, Christophe (July–August 1994). "Vite Vu – Neo Geo: Top Hunter". Player One (in French). No. 44. Média Système Édition. p. 118.
  22. 1 2 Sanz, Juan Carlos (November 1994). "Neo Geo - Review: La Pareja Del Espacio – Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy". Superjuegos (in Spanish). No. 31. Grupo Zeta. pp. 118–122.
  23. ↑ Karels, Ralph (August 1994). "Warpzone - Neo Geo: Segel setzen und Totenkopfflagge hissen, Piratenfreunde! SNK bläst zur Hatz auf die Space Pirates im neuesten 100-Mega-Shock – Top Hunter". Video Games (in German). No. 33. Future-Verlag. p. 40.
  24. ↑ Constant, Nikos (September 1994). "Reviews: Neo•Geo - Top Hunter". VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine . No. 68. L.F.P., Inc. p. 87.
  25. ↑ "Player's Choice - Top Games Now in Operation, Based on Earnings-Opinion Poll of Operators: Best Video Software". RePlay. Vol. 19, no. 11. RePlay Publishing, Inc. August 1994. p. 6.
  26. ↑ Rickards, Kelly (July 1994). "Quarter Crunchers - Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy". GameFan . Vol. 2, no. 8. DieHard Gamers Club. pp. 128–129.
  27. ↑ "ACA NeoGeo - Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy for Nintendo Switch". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-12-06. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  28. ↑ Whitehead, Dan (December 15, 2007). "Virtual Console Roundup - Pokémon Snap, Top Hunter and Mega Man 2". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on December 25, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  29. ↑ M. Thomas, Lucas (January 31, 2008). "Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy Review - A decent substitute for Metal Slug". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on May 4, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  30. ↑ van Duyn, Marcel (December 14, 2007). "Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy Review (Neo Geo) – Take on the role of either Roddy or Cathy, bounty hunters in this side-scrolling action game set far in the future when humans have colonized space". Nintendo Life . Nlife Media. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  31. ↑ Frear, Dave (December 23, 2017). "Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy Review (Switch eShop / Neo Geo) – An action-packed multi-plane adventure". Nintendo Life . Nlife Media. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  32. ↑ Steppberger, Ulrich (March 6, 2012). "Top Hunter – im Test (Wii)". MAN!AC (in German). Cybermedia. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  33. ↑ Alonso, Álvaro (February 12, 2014). "Reportaje: Los 20 mejores juegos de Neo Geo (AES)". HobbyConsolas (in Spanish). Axel Springer SE. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.