Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy

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]

Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy
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
Genre(s)Action, platform, beat 'em up
Mode(s)
Arcade systemNeo Geo MVS

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. 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.

Gameplay
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.

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.

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 ~

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. 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. "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. 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.
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