Buried in the Neo Geo Pocket Color's collection of games is SNK Gals' Fighters, a game that takes the various female characters of SNK's library of work and pits them together in a fighting game. The game features a cast of all women, plus King of Fighters' Iori Yagami crossdressing. The game is a surprisingly fluid and beautiful fighting game for a handheld console, featuring a ton of lively colors and cute character designs.
While SNK would eventually revisit the concept of an all-girls fighter in 2018's SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy, the concept seems too great for other companies not to follow suit -- specifically the king of crossover fighting games, Capcom. SNK and Capcom have introduced some of the most widely loved women in gaming culture, and they've crossed over before on another Neo Geo Pocket Color game. So why not cross over again?
The Various Women of SNK Gals' Fighters
SNK Gals' Fighters features a roster of incredible characters from throughout SNK's history. However, while the first game has an eclectic crew, it mainly pulls from a few common series. It includes Mai Shiranui (Fatal Fury and King of Fighters), Athena Asamiya (Psycho Soldier and King of Fighters), Yuri Sakazaki (Art of Fighting and King of Fighters), Nakoruru (Samurai Shodown), Akari Ichijou (The Last Blade) and Yuki Kushinada (King of Fighters). There is also Miss X -- AKA Iori Yagami, whose main claim to fame is, shockingly, King of Fighters.
The follow-up, SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy, would add a few more characters to the mix, including Kula Diamond (King of Fighters), Love Heart (Sky Love, King of Fighters), Mui Mui (Dragon Gal), Jean D'Arc (World Heroes) and female Terry Bogard (Fatal Fury, King of Fighters). Additionally, crossover characters SNK didn't own appeared in SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy: Thief Arthur (Million Arthur) and Skullomania (Akira).
All of this makes clear that the SNK Gals' Fighters series draws heavily from King of Fighters, and SNK is willing to cross over with other companies when assembling their roster of ladies. While both games feature some great characters worthy of celebration, there is one undeniable fact: Capcom can add a lot more variety.
The Variety of Capcom's Ladies
Capcom has launched a ton of franchises over the years, many of which have some incredible female characters. When SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium came out, Capcom essentially intersected Street Fighter and Darkstalkers with King of Fighters. Obvious candidates for an SNK/Capcom crossover from Street Fighter include Chun-Li, Cammy White, Sakura Kasugano and Juri Han. Darkstalkers can also incorporate iconic women like Morrigan Aensland, Felicia, Hsien-Ko, B.B. Hood and Lilith. However, Capcom has far more women to bring to an all-girls crossover fighter.
Other candidates include Final Fight alumnus Poison, who has starred in plenty of Street Fighter and other competitive fighters. Resident Evil introduced players to Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield and Ada Wong, as well as the recent addition of Lady Dimitrescu. Devil May Cry brought out Lady and Trish, and Mega Man has Tron Bonne and Roll. Other characters include Ton Pooh (Strider), Saki (Quiz Nanairo Dreams) and Maya Fey (Phoenix Wright).
The variety of characters can offer a necessary contrast between SNK and Capcom's universes. While many of the characters would be originals from fighting games, others would add different, distinct flavors to the roster. The two companies have worked together before, and collaborating on a game that celebrates the many women they have created over the decades could result in something really special.
Why Doesn't It Exist Yet?
So all of this begs the question: Why doesn't this exist yet? There is no clear answer, but one possibility is that there is no apparent demand for it. SNK has made two female-centric fighters, one of which is SNK Gals' Fighters. That game was only released on the Neo Geo Pocket Color, a console that failed to ever reach a large audience. SNK Gals' Fighters has only just been re-released on the Switch, offering players a new chance to play it.
On the other hand, Capcom has had several high-profile failures in the crossover market the last several years. Street Fighter x Tekken and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite did not light the world on fire. They floundered without a central voice and sloppy mechanics, and players didn't gravitate to them. Why would they take a risk on an SNK female-centric game if there is no guarantee of a return?
However, this game should definitely be made, and it would stand out from the market. It offers players something distinct and unique that only SNK has explored thus far. Besides, Capcom and SNK have crossed over before and should do so again. A female-centric SNK vs. Capcom game could be something distinct and incredible that ought to be made.