![]()
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
The original Crossed Swords was classified as a real action RPG adventure quest game.
Alpha Denshi put quite a bit of effort into trying to diversify the NEOGEO game library
by implementing several original ideas for their game concepts. The vast majority of the
NEOGEO games with unique genres came early on in the systems lifespan. Crossed Swords 2
expanded on the story from the first game with improved graphics and sounds.
Although Crossed Swords 2 was originally intended to be released on cartridge format in 1992,
by the time it was ready for market, SNK had found their niche in the one-on-one fighting game genre.
That genre became SNK's cash cow for the remainder of the NEO-GEO's lifespan. The software design for
the CARTRIDGE based system was re-directed and almost completely influenced by the revenue trends of
the arcade industry. This fact sadly led to the immediate cancelation of Crossed Swords 2.
However, all was not lost because as luck would have it, later down the road in 1995,
SNK tried to re-market the NEO-GEO platform to the home console video game market with a
less expensive CD ROM based system. And to help generate interest in this new format,
Crossed Swords 2 was resurrected from the dead and officially released as an exclusive
game for the new system.
INFORMATION TIMELINE:
-- September 1992 -- an MVS cartridge is location tested at Hi-Tec arcade in Jinbocho, Japan.
-- December 1992 -- ADK scrambles to produce World Heroes 2 in record time and cancels CS2.
-- September 1994 -- SNK releases the NEOGEO CD game system.
-- May 1995 -- Crossed Swords 2 is resurrected for release on the NEOGEO CD home system.
-- June 1995 -- ADK announces Crossed Swords 2 for the NEOGEO CD system.
-- June 1995 -- SNK highlights Crossed Swords 2 with this early NEOGEO CD advertisement.
-- August 2015 -- Crossed Swords 2 is converted to ROM cartridge format and made available.
(however the rom build does not contain CS2 music tracks, rather they are taken from CS1)
-- (?) -- A French team begins a project to add music to the ROM cartridge build..
-- (NOTE: It is logical to assume that SNK still has the ROM cartridge version in their archives).
CURRENT STATUS: RELEASED
|
