NEOGEO AES+ Cartridges: Metal Slug, Pulstar, and More

Compare four standout NEOGEO AES+ cartridges—Metal Slug, Pulstar, Big Tournament Golf, and The King of Fighters 2002—with honest trade-offs to help you choose the right retro game for your collection.

Publishing teamXI LANGS Editorial

PublishedOct 24, 2026

Page updatedOct 28, 2026

Reading time3 minutes

NEOGEO AES+ Cartridges: Metal Slug, Pulstar, and More

Quick answer

Each NEOGEO AES+ cartridge serves a different arcade genre—choose Metal Slug for run-and-gun, Pulstar for shoot-em-up, Big Tournament Golf for sports, or The King of Fighters 2002 for fighting fans.

Why genre matters more than price

All four cartridges are priced similarly (around $42–$51), so your decision should hinge on what kind of action you want. Metal Slug delivers frantic run-and-gun with hand-drawn animation; Pulstar offers methodical side-scrolling shoot-em-up with pre-rendered visuals. Big Tournament Golf is a deep arcade sports sim, while The King of Fighters 2002 is a balanced 3-on-3 fighting game. None is universally “better”—each excels in its own lane.

Single-player vs. multiplayer focus

If you mostly play solo, Metal Slug and Pulstar are strong picks—both are built around single-player campaigns with high replay value. For couch multiplayer, The King of Fighters 2002 shines with its massive roster and team battles, and Big Tournament Golf supports competitive head-to-head rounds. Consider who you’ll be playing with before committing.

Trade-offs at a glance

Metal Slug: Fast-paced run-and-gun with hand-drawn animation. Best for solo arcade action, but limited multiplayer appeal. Choose this if you want pure, nostalgic shooting with high replayability.
Pulstar: Methodical side-scrolling shoot-em-up with pre-rendered visuals. Rewards precision but can feel slower than Metal Slug. Pick this for a more tactical, visually impressive shooter experience.
Big Tournament Golf: Accessible arcade golf with surprising depth. Great for sports fans, but not for those seeking action or fighting gameplay. Ideal if you want a relaxed competitive game for solo or multiplayer sessions.
The King of Fighters 2002: Balanced 3-on-3 fighting game with a huge roster. Excels in multiplayer but requires practice to master. Best for fighting game enthusiasts who want deep competitive play.

Product facts at a glance

Metal Slug (NEOGEO AES+): Metal Slug brings the legendary 1996 arcade classic home with stunning hand-drawn animation, tight controls, and non-stop action. You get authentic arcade run-and-gun gameplay that rewards quick reflexes and pattern memorization—ideal for fans of the genre.

Metal Slug (NEOGEO AES+)
Pulstar (NEOGEO AES+): Pulstar pushes the NEOGEO AES+ hardware to its limits with breathtaking pre-rendered visuals and methodical side-scrolling shoot-em-up gameplay. It offers a more deliberate, precision-based challenge than Metal Slug, perfect for players who enjoy mastering enemy patterns.

Pulstar (NEOGEO AES+)
Big Tournament Golf (NEOGEO AES+): Big Tournament Golf delivers fast, accessible gameplay blended with surprising depth across courses set in the USA, Japan, Germany, and Australia. It’s a rare arcade sports title that balances pick-up-and-play fun with enough strategy to keep solo and multiplayer sessions engaging.
The King of Fighters 2002 (NEOGEO AES+): The King of Fighters 2002 refines the series’ signature 3-on-3 team battle system with a massive roster of classic characters. It’s one of the most competitively balanced entries in the series, making it a top choice for fighting game enthusiasts and local tournaments.