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MYSTERY SOFTWARE ANALYSIS:
Software product numbers NGM-013 and NGM-015 remain to this day as completely unknown.
They are very early unused software product numbers. Deductive reasoning tells us that the
games would most likely have been developed by SNK or Alpha in 1990/91 since the system did
not have official third party support until late 1991.
ALPHA: Even before the NEOGEO, SNK distributed several Alpha developed games. Sky Adventure,
Gang Wars, and Sky Soldiers are some examples. Perhaps some early NEOGEO software ideas may have
been ports, enhancements, or sequels of these games? As an example, Ninja Combat began development
as a sequel to Gang Wars.
SNK: Baseball Stars and Alpha Mission were popular SNK games for the Nintendo NES, that were
rebooted by SNK for the NEOGEO hardware. Perhaps some of their other hit games, such as Athena,
Iron Tank, and Ikari Warriors were also considered?
One theory has NGM-008 as an RPG game, (Crystalis 2/ Athena 2), and NGM-013 as a military war
game, (Ikari 4 / Iron Tank 2 / Guerilla War 2 / P.O.W. 2), and NGM-015 as a 3-D airplane game,
(Biplane, Sky Adventure 3)
Although not as interesting or exciting as the prospect of these numbers having been assigned
to a completely unknown title, (such as a rumored RPG game) it is important to remember that these
numbers could have been assigned to earlier beta versions of later released games that were reworked
and abandoned. (such as Alpha's Sunshine/Block Paradise/Fun Fun Brothers)
Lastly, it is important to keep in mind that the launch of the neogeo system was not without
the typical game industry delays and problems which always plague new hardware and software. So
many titles that were intended for 1990 and display c.1990 on their title screens (like Blue's
Journey) did not actually come to market until 1991. And many early NGH numbers (like NGM-007
Alpha Mission 2) were released after higher numbers. (like NGH-020 Ghost Pilots)
INFORMATION TIMELINE:
-- 1989 -- The NEOGEO hardware and early software is developed by Alpha Denshi and SNK.
-- January 31, 1990 -- The upcoming NEOGEO game system is officially announced by SNK.
-- April 26, 1990 -- The NEOGEO MVS system is released for the coin op industry.
-- June 18, 1991 -- The NEOGEO HOME system is released for the game console market.
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