History Creator / SNK

** Aside of a few one-offs (such as ''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'' being a loose sequel to ''VideoGame/{{Athena}}'' by virtue of [[Characters/{{Athena}} its protagonist]]), SNK seems very keen on linking various series to the Southtown setting introduced in ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' in one way or another (the list includes ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''3 Count Bout'', ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'', ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter]]'', and ''VideoGame/BurikiOne''), though AlternateTimeline[=/=]AlternateContinuity is sometimes in play.

* ''Cool Cool Toon'' (2000)

** ''VideoGame/FatalFuryCityOfTheWolves'' (TBA)

[[http://snk-corp.co.jp/us SNK]], an acronym for ''Shin Nihon Kikaku'' 『新日本企画』 (Japanese for "New Japan Project"), is one of the better known video game companies headquartered in Suita, Osaka, Japan. Besides developing arcade games dating back to 1978 (its very first game, ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozma_Wars Ozma Wars]]'', was programmed on a reverse-engineered ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders'' board), SNK is also responsible for the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo home console, as well as the short-lived Hyper Neo Geo 64 and portable UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986. It also possesses a unique story of collapse and rebirth: After things started to look bad in the beginning of 2000, SNK [[DarkestHour was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2001 and sold many of its rights to various companies]]. Eventually, with hard work and effort, its CEO, Eikichi Kawasaki, eventually [[PuttingTheBandBackTogether gathered up many of its former rights and employees]] and [[HesBack rebuilt SNK, now named SNK Playmore]]. Though SNK Playmore focused on revitalizing several of its flagship series during this time (particularly ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'', ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'', and ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown''), the period also marked a transition to the company's focus on pachinko machines, both original and based on pre-existing [=IPs=].[[labelnote:*]]A mostly complete listing of said titles [[https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Pachinko can be found here.]][[/labelnote]] Kawasaki was the company's largest shareholder until August 2015, when his shares (along with his wife's) were bought by a Chinese joint venture. In April 2016, SNK Playmore announced that they were changing their name back to SNK, and brought back their old motto as shown above. On December 1, 2016, they changed their legal name from "SNK Playmore Corporation" to "SNK Corporation" to complete the change and rang it in with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzBt6Raq4P8 a fresh new]] VanityPlate with a familiar jingle.

Also of note is SNK's close relationship with Creator/{{ADK}} (also known as Alpha Denshi), a fellow video game company that would become a third-party developer for SNK from the late 80s onward, having many of their titles published by SNK -- often exclusively for their various Neo Geo platforms. After ADK declared bankruptcy in 2003, SNK would buy the rights to their properties and either continue ADK's work, such as with ''VideoGame/TwinkleStarSprites'', or begin integrating them into their own [=IPs=], as seen with the presence of ''VideoGame/WorldHeroes'' and ''VideoGame/AggressorsOfDarkKombat'' characters in ''VideoGame/NeoGeoBattleColiseum'' or the former's Jeanne D'Arc appearing as a [[DownloadableContent DLC]] GuestFighter in ''VideoGame/SNKHeroinesTagTeamFrenzy''. A similar relationship existed with that of [[https://www.igdb.com/companies/saurus Saurus]], [[https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Saurus a company established in 1994 as a second-party subsidiary of SNK]]; though Saurus [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Saurus_games developed multiple games of their own]] for the various Neo Geo consoles up until their dissolvement in 2000 (such as ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnagard Ragnagard]]'' and the ''VideoGame/ShockTroopers'' series), they also assisted in the development of several other SNK titles and even were responsible for publishing the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] ports of ''World Heroes 2'' and ''[[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Art of Fighting 2]]'' (the latter being [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]]).

* UsefulNotes/NeoGeo (1990–2004)

* UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket (1998–1999)

** A lot of SNK's early UsefulNotes/NeoGeo non-fighting games, particularly the [[BeatEmUp beat 'em ups]], liked to make the player fight most (sometimes all) of the previous bosses and midbosses throughout the final level. Games that did this include ''VideoGame/BurningFight'', ''VideoGame/CyberLip'', ''VideoGame/RoboArmy'', ''VideoGame/MutationNation'', ''VideoGame/KingOfTheMonsters 2'', etc. Some were more creative about it than others.

** Additionally, the UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket had its own, separate mascot in [[VideoGame/GanbareNeoPokeKun Neo Poke-Kun]].

* ''VideoGame/EighthMan1991''

* ''[[VideoGame/EighthMan Eight Man]]'' (1991)

SNK is mostly known for its {{fighting game}}s and was once the biggest rival of Creator/{{Capcom}} in that field; this rivalry was embodied in the ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcom'' crossover series. Their fighting game bosses have a reputation for being ''extremely'' harder than their rival companies' counterparts, thus making them the {{Trope Namer|s}} for SNKBoss. To casual observers, SNK's 2D fighters were [[FollowTheLeader mere imitators]] of the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series, but this is not the case. The combat systems are totally different, with SNK's ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'' series introducing the whole concept of the [[LimitBreak super special move]] that would go onto to become a fighting game staple. Also, although both employed [[SugarWiki/AwesomeArt luxuriously rich, detailed 2D visuals]], SNK's backgrounds [[SceneryPorn were more expressive]], and often filled with comic touches. It's also worth pointing out that staff have switched between the Capcom and SNK camps over the years, with original ''Street Fighter'' creators Creator/TakashiNishiyama and Creator/HiroshiMatsumoto going onto to work at SNK, notably creating the ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' and ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' series, while famed illustrator Creator/{{Shinkiro}} as well as lesser-known Senri Kita[[labelnote:*]]perhaps best known for her work on various ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' titles (''64'', ''Warrior's Rage'', ''[[VisualNovel/NakoruruAnoHitoKaraNoOkurimono Nakoruru ADV]]'', and ''Sen/Edge of Destiny''); fans of ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' may recognize her art style in the Tellius duology of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn''[[/labelnote]] started at SNK but now work for Capcom.

Also of note is SNK's close relationship with Creator/{{ADK}} (also known as Alpha Denshi), a fellow video game company that would become a third-party developer for SNK from the late 80s onward, having many of their titles published by SNK -- often exclusively for their various Neo Geo platforms. After ADK declared bankruptcy in 2003, SNK would buy the rights to their properties and either continue ADK's work, such as with ''VideoGame/TwinkleStarSprites'', or begin integrating them into their own [=IPs=], as seen with the presence of ''VideoGame/WorldHeroes'' and ''VideoGame/AggressorsOfDarkKombat'' characters in ''VideoGame/NeoGeoBattleColiseum'' or the former's Jeanne D'Arc appearing as a [[DownloadableContent DLC]] GuestFighter in ''VideoGame/SNKHeroinesTagTeamFrenzy''. A similar relationship existed with that of [[https://www.igdb.com/companies/saurus Saurus]], [[https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Saurus a video game company established in 1994 as a second-party subsidiary of SNK]]; though Saurus [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Saurus_games developed multiple games of their own]] for the various Neo Geo consoles up until the company's dissolvement in 2000 (such as ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnagard Ragnagard]]'' and the ''VideoGame/ShockTroopers'' series), they also assisted in the development of several other SNK titles and even were responsible for publishing the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] ports of ''World Heroes 2'' and ''[[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Art of Fighting 2]]'' (the latter being [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]]).

** ''VideoGame/FatalFurySpecial'' (1993)

Also of note is SNK's close relationship with Creator/{{ADK}} (also known as Alpha Denshi), a fellow video game company that would become a third-party developer for SNK from the late 80s onward, having many of their titles published by SNK -- often exclusively for their various Neo Geo platforms. After ADK declared bankruptcy in 2003, SNK would buy the rights to their properties and either continue ADK's work, such as with ''VideoGame/TwinkleStarSprites'', or begin integrating them into their own [=IPs=], as seen with the presence of ''VideoGame/WorldHeroes'' and ''VideoGame/AggressorsOfDarkKombat'' characters in ''VideoGame/NeoGeoBattleColiseum'' or the former's Jeanne D'Arc appearing as a [[DownloadableContent DLC]] GuestFighter in ''VideoGame/SNKHeroinesTagTeamFrenzy''.

* ''Blue's Journey'' (1990) [[note]]developed by ADK[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/CrossedSwords'' (1991) [[note]]developed by ADK, who would self-publish the 1995 sequel as an exclusive for the Neo Geo CD[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/GangWars'' (1989) [[note]]developed by ADK[[/note]]

* ''[[VideoGame/IrritatingMaze The Irritating Maze]]'' (1997)

* ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' series (1996–present) [[note]]first game developed by Nazca Corporation, which would be acquired by SNK in 1996[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/NinjaCombat'' (1990) [[note]]developed by ADK[[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/NinjaCommando'' (1992) [[note]]developed by ADK[[/note]]

** ''VideoGame/ShockTroopersSecondSquad'' (1998)

* ''VideoGame/TroubleWitches NEO!'' (2011) [[note]]developed by Studio [=SiestA=][[/note]]

* ''[=ZuPaPa!=]'' (2001) [[note]]developed by Face[[/note]]

** ''Dragon [=GaL=] ~Shura no Yabou~'' (2013)
** ''Dragon [=GaL=] ~Souda no Tatakai~'' (2015)

** ''Prehistoric Isle'' (1989)

* ''[[Franchise/TheKingOfFighters The Rhythm of Fighters]] (2014)

[[http://snk-corp.co.jp/us SNK]], an acronym for ''Shin Nihon Kikaku'' 『新日本企画』 (Japanese for "New Japan Project"), is one of the better known video game companies headquartered in Suita, Osaka, Japan. Besides developing arcade games dating back to 1978 (its very first game, ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozma_Wars Ozma Wars]]'', was programmed on a reverse-engineered ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders'' board), SNK is also responsible for the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo home console, as well as the short-lived Hyper Neo Geo 64 and portable UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986. It also possesses a unique story of collapse and rebirth: After things started to look bad in the beginning of 2000, SNK [[DarkestHour was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2001 and sold many of its rights to various companies]]. Eventually, with hard work and effort, its CEO, Eikichi Kawasaki, eventually [[PuttingTheBandBackTogether gathered up many of its former rights and employees]] and [[HesBack rebuilt SNK, now named SNK Playmore]]. Kawasaki was the company's largest shareholder until August 2015, when his shares (along with his wife's) were bought by a Chinese joint venture. In April 2016, SNK Playmore announced that they were changing their name back to SNK, and brought back their old motto as shown above. On December 1, 2016, they changed their legal name from "SNK Playmore Corporation" to "SNK Corporation" to complete the change and rang it in with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzBt6Raq4P8 a fresh new]] VanityPlate with a familiar jingle.

SNK is mostly known for its {{fighting game}}s and was once the biggest rival of Creator/{{Capcom}} in that field; this rivalry was embodied in the ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcom'' crossover series. Their fighting game bosses have a reputation for being ''extremely'' harder than their rival companies' counterparts, thus making them the {{Trope Namer|s}} for SNKBoss. To casual observers, SNK's 2D fighters were [[FollowTheLeader mere imitators]] of the ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' series, but this is not the case. The combat systems are totally different, with SNK's ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'' series introducing the whole concept of the [[LimitBreak super special move]] that would go onto to become a fighting game staple. Also, although both employed [[SugarWiki/AwesomeArt luxuriously rich, detailed 2D visuals]], SNK's backgrounds [[SceneryPorn were more expressive]], and often filled with comic touches. It's also worth pointing out that staff have switched between the Capcom and SNK camps over the years, with original ''Street Fighter'' creators Creator/TakashiNishiyama and Creator/HiroshiMatsumoto going onto to work at SNK, notably creating the ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' and ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' series, while famed illustrator Creator/{{Shinkiro}} as well as lesser known Senri Kita [[note]]perhaps best known for her work on various ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' titles (''64'', ''Warrior's Rage'', ''[[VisualNovel/NakoruruAnoHitoKaraNoOkurimono Nakoruru ADV]]'', and ''Sen''); fans of ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' may recognize her art style in the Tellius duology of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn''[[/note]] started at SNK but now work for Capcom.

Has nothing to do with ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'' (which has the Japanese name of ''Shingeki no Kyojin''), despite sharing the same initials. Fans of the video game company have taken to using the company's new names (SNK Playmore, then SNK Corporation/SNK Entertainment) because of the potential confusion.

* ''VideoGame/WorldHeroes'' series (1992-1995, co-developed with Creator/{{ADK}})

* ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' series (1993–1998, 2003-present)
** ''VisualNovel/NakoruruAnoHitoKaraNoOkurimono''
* ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' series (1994-present)

* ''VideoGame/SNKGalsFighters'' (2000)

** ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomCardFightersClash'' series

** ''Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting''

* ''VideoGame/EighthMan''
* ''Alpha Mission'' series
* ''VideoGame/{{Athena}}'' series
** ''VideoGame/AthenaAwakeningFromTheOrdinaryLife''
* ''Baseball Stars''
* ''VideoGame/BeastBusters'' series
* ''VideoGame/BurningFight''
* ''Cool Cool Town''
* ''VideoGame/CrossedSwords''
* ''VideoGame/{{Crystalis}}''
* ''VideoGame/CyberLip''
* ''Days of Memories'' series
* ''Dragon Gal''
* ''VideoGame/GangWars''
* ''VideoGame/GuerrillaWar''
* ''VideoGame/IkariWarriors'' series
* ''VideoGame/IrritatingMaze''
* ''Kimi no Yusha''
* ''VideoGame/KingOfTheMonsters'' series
* ''Last Resort''
* ''VideoGame/MechanizedAttack''
* ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' series
** ''VideoGame/MetalSlugDefense''
** ''VideoGame/MetalSlugAttack''
** ''VideoGame/MetalSlugCodeJ'' -- the 2021 remake, in collaboration with Creator/TencentGames
* ''VideoGame/MutationNation''
* ''VideoGame/NAM1975''
* ''VideoGame/NinjaCombat''
* ''VideoGame/NinjaCommando''
* ''Ozma Wars''
* ''VideoGame/PrehistoricIsle'' series
* ''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier''
* ''Puzzled''
* ''VideoGame/RoboArmy''
* ''VideoGame/SARSearchAndRescue''
* ''VideoGame/{{Sengoku|SNK}}'' series
* ''VideoGame/ShockTroopers''
** ''VideoGame/ShockTroopers1997''
** ''VideoGame/ShockTroopersSecondSquad''
* ''Sky Love'' series
* ''VideoGame/SonicPocketAdventure''
* ''Super Sidekicks'' series
* ''VideoGame/TheSuperSpy''
* ''VideoGame/TopHunterRoddyAndCathy''
* ''VideoGame/TwinkleStarSprites'' series[[note]]Continuing Creator/{{ADK}}'s work after they bought the company[[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/TroubleWitches NEO!''
* ''VideoGame/{{Vanguard}}'' series
* ''Zupapa!''

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: Compare the American box art and flyers of some earlier releases to their Japanese counterparts. Check out the artworks for ''[[https://hg101.kontek.net/athena/athenaad.jpg Athena]]'' and ''[[https://hg101.kontek.net/athena/psychosoldier.jpg Psycho Soldier]]'', for example.

* BittersweetEnding: A number of SNK's arcade games, particularly from the late [=80s=], ended on a rather dour note:

** A lot of SNK's early UsefulNotes/NeoGeo non-fighting games, particularly the [[BeatEmUp beat 'em ups]], liked to make the player fight most (sometimes all) of the previous bosses and midbosses throughout the final level. Games that did this include ''Burning Fight'', ''Cyber-Lip'', ''Robo Army'', ''Mutation Nation'', ''VideoGame/KingOfTheMonsters II'', etc. Some were more creative about it than others.

** In ''Top Hunter'', the bosses of the final section, sans the first one, are [[BossBonanza brand new]].

* {{Mascot}}:
** Officially, it's between [[VideoGame/FatalFury Terry Bogard]], [[VideoGame/PsychoSoldier Athena Asamiya]] and [[VideoGame/SamuraiShodown Nakoruru]].
** There were also older SNK mascots G-Mantle and [[VideoGame/{{Athena}} Princess Athena]] in TheEighties. And [[VideoGame/GanbareNeoPokeKun Neo Poke-Kun]] for the UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket.
** Enta Girl is SNK's mascot after the name change to SNK Entertainment.

** Aside of a few one-offs (such as ''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'' being a loose sequel to ''VideoGame/{{Athena}}'' by virtue of [[Characters/{{Athena}} its protagonist]]), SNK seems very keen on linking various series to the Southtown setting introduced in ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' in one way or another (the list includes ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''3 Count Bout'', ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'', ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter]]'', and ''VideoGame/BurikiOne''), though AlternateContinuity is sometimes in play.

** G-Mantle was a former mascot of SNK before Terry Bogard that only appeared in SNK's old ads and in-game in ''Blue's Journey''. Cameos are seen in multiple games like ''Art of Fighting'', ''Fatal Fury'', ''The King of Fighters'' (as an AssistCharacter in ''KOF 2000'') and even having his own card in the ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomCardFightersClash'' series as well as being the default announcer for ''VideoGame/SNKHeroinesTagTeamFrenzy''.
* SNKBoss: It's not coincidental that this company named the trope, to the point that [[SNKBoss/{{SNK}} there is an entire page on this wiki dedicated to the monstrosities brought to life by SNK]]. It extends beyond fighting games too, as [[VideoGame/{{NAM1975}} Dr. Muckly]] and [[VideoGame/MetalSlug Lieu]] can attest.
* SuperSpecialMove: As a company that for a long time produced sprite-based fighting games, used these types of specials to their full effect. Examples include ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', and ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters''.

** ''Prehistoric Isle in 1930'': The protagonists manage to escape from the titular island and land on a cargo plane, which is destroyed by pterodactyls shortly after.
** ''SAR: Search And Rescue'': The protagonists find no survivors on the ship and are ordered by their superior to destroy all evidences of the events, estimating that the colonist [[GoMadFromTheRevelation cannot handle the truth]].
** ''Beast Busters'': After destroying what seems to be the source of the zombie outbreak, the protagonists see a [[BolivianArmyEnding gigantic alien ship in the skies...]]
** ''NAM-1975'': The BigBad's plan is foiled, but the hero bitterly notes that while he managed to get out of Vietnam, "[[ShellShockedVeteran the hell continues]]."
** ''The Super Spy'': After being defeated, the final boss ominously warns that even if he dies, many others will take his place. The player character then launches a monologue about the increase in power of terrorism, while the World Trade Center is visible in the background.
** ''Cyber-Lip'': The heroes are revealed to have been the pawns of an hostile alien race, who engineered the events of the game to get rid of Earth's last line of defense.
** ''The King of Fighters 2000'': Southtown is destroyed by NESTS's KillSat. Every team's ending deals with the aftermath of Southtown's destruction.

** Haohmaru in ''VideoGame/SoulCaliburVI''.

** There were also older SNK mascots G-Mantle and Princess Athena in TheEighties. And [[VideoGame/GanbareNeoPokeKun Neo Poke-Kun]] for the UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket.

** Aside of a few one-offs (such as ''VideoGame/PsychoSoldier'' being a loose sequel to ''VideoGame/{{Athena}}'' by virtue of its protagonist), SNK seems very keen on linking various series to the Southtown setting introduced in ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' in one way or another (the list includes ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'', ''3 Count Bout'', ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'', ''[[VideoGame/FuunSeries Savage Reign/Kizuna Encounter]]'', and ''VideoGame/BurikiOne''), though AlternateContinuity is sometimes in play.
** ''KOF'' technically qualifies on its own, due to [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover incorporating aspects of several other titles]] and--as of ''XIV''--implying the entirety of SNK's library may exist within [[TheMultiverse a multiverse]].

* SNKBoss: It's not coincidental that this company named the trope, to the point that [[SNKBoss/SNKPlaymore there is an entire page on this wiki dedicated to the monstrosities brought to life by SNK]]. It extends beyond fighting games too, as [[VideoGame/{{NAM1975}} Dr. Muckly]] and [[VideoGame/MetalSlug Lieu]] can attest.

Relatedly, and contrary to [[CommonKnowledge the oft-circulated rumor]] (due to a "Daisuke" being credited among the developers), Creator/DaisukeIshiwatari of Creator/ArcSystemWorks did ''not'' work as a designer and programmer on ''VideoGame/TheLastBlade''; he was already working for [=ArcSys=] as early as 1995 ([[https://www.mobygames.com/game/exector credited as]] a designer for a top-down [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation PS1]] shooter titled ''Exector''), two years before the first ''Last Blade'' installment saw release. That Hakumen's playstyle in ''Franchise/BlazBlue'' bears many similarities to that of a Power-type character, along with several ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' characters having cameos in [[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Axl Low's]] ''[=GG1=]'' stage, only adds to the misconception.

* BittersweetEnding[=/=]DownerEnding: A number of SNK's arcade games, particularly from the late [=80s=], ended on a rather dour note:

* DatingSim: The ''Days of Memories'' series, made in an AlternateUniverse where you can date all the girls from SNK (or boys in the ''Girl's Side''). Also, the games starred by [[VideoGame/SamuraiShodown Iroha]] (''Maid by Iroha'' and ''Koi no Iroha'').
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Those who know SNK only for their fighting games in the '90s and '00s would be surprised to know that SNK originally dabbled in a wide variety of genres. This is most evident while playing ''SNK 40th Anniversary Collection''.
* {{Fanservice}}:
** From [[http://images.wikia.com/snk/images/d/d8/Mai94.gif full]] to [[http://images.wikia.com/snk/images/0/00/King95.gif none]] and everything in between. [[http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab136/0-yami/5Bsmall5D5BAnimePaper5Dscans_King-o.jpg Also]] [[http://www.creativeuncut.com/gallery-05/kof11-shen-woo.html a]] [[http://images.wikia.com/snk/images/5/5e/K-XIII.jpg pioneer]] of fighting game [[MrFanservice manservice]].
** They've got the non-sexual fanservice covered just as well, if not even better.
* {{Foil}}: Usually to Creator/{{Capcom}}, but around 2015-2016, they became this to Creator/{{Konami}}. SNK was known for its shaky history, including its bankruptcy and rebirth as SNK Playmore, while Konami was a steadier company with a lot of A-games. However, around that year, Konami came under fire by fans and other developers alike due to controversial decisions and the move to the pachinko business, abandoning their A-grade video game industry. On the contrary, SNK Playmore instead abandoned their pachinko venture and made a full return to video game development to the point of returning to their old name (just SNK) and logo, and continued to improve ''The King of Fighters XIV'', which suffered lackluster reception on its earlier graphics showcase. Since then, it's considered to be a major improvement compared to the initial build and could even prove a match for Capcom's fighting game juggernaut ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV''. SNK has been considered by some as "Anti-Konami" this way.

* GratuitousEnglish:
** Especially in the ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'' games.
** Special mention goes to Terry Bogard, whose extensive use of questionably accented English and American colloquialisms are considered a charm point -- to memetic levels.
* GuestFighter: As of TheNewTens and TheNewTwenties, SNK is well known for making it very easy for other companies to use SNK characters in their games, resulting in constant crossovers from all of their series. So far, they are:

** SNK have even done it with themselves, adding in Hibiki Takane from ''VideoGame/TheLastBlade'' into ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown 2019'', and earlier with Nakoruru and Iori in the Game Boy versions of ''KOF '95'' and ''Real Bout Special'' respectively.
** In exchange for those, SNK would receive guest fighters from other companies in some of their games too, such as [[Anime/MillionArthur Thief Arthur]] and [[VideoGame/FightingEXLayer Skullomania]] in ''VideoGame/SNKHeroinesTagTeamFrenzy'' and [[VideoGame/ForHonor Warden]], [[VideoGame/HonorOfKings Gongsun Li]] and [[VideoGame/GuiltyGear Baiken]] in ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown 2019'' alongside Hibiki. And predating them all is [[VideoGame/FightersHistory Makoto Mizoguchi]] in ''KOF Maximum Impact Regulation A''.

** Three, in fact. It's not Kyo Kusanagi despite being the main face of [[Franchise/TheKingOfFighters their flagship series]], but it's between [[VideoGame/FatalFury Terry Bogard]], [[VideoGame/PsychoSoldier Athena Asamiya]] and [[VideoGame/SamuraiShodown Nakoruru]]. All three are in ''The King of Fighters XIV'' curiously.
** Not to mention the old SNK mascots G-Mantle and Princess Athena in TheEighties. And [[VideoGame/GanbareNeoPokeKun Neo Poke-Kun]] for the UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket.
** [[http://snk.wikia.com/wiki/Enta_Girl Enta Girl]] is SNK's mascot after the name change to SNK Entertainment.
* NintendoHard: These guys are probably outdone only by Creator/{{Nintendo}} themselves and Creator/{{Atlus}} (and if you're willing to stretch the lines, ''maybe'' Capcom). Oftentimes they have to up the ante with their signature [[SNKBoss nasty bosses]].
* RougeAnglesOfSatin: The game ''Mutation Nation'' has the BigBad saying "How dare you beat me! Hear [sic] is your graveyard."
* RuleOfSymbolism:
** SNK's first notable fighting game, ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', introduces the city of Southtown. The bulk of the ''VideoGame/FatalFury'' and ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting'' series take place in Southtown, detailing and developing it, [[ShownTheirWork pretty damn believably at that]]. The final game of the original SNK, ''The King of Fighters 2000'', ends with Southtown being [[NukeEm blown up]].
** And in ''2003'', Southtown was shown to have recovered from the Zero Cannon's attack, symbolic of SNK's resurrection as SNK Playmore. The ''[[VideoGame3DLeap Maximum]] [[AlternateContinuity Impact]]'' SpinOff series also takes place in the resurrected Southtown.
** With the exception of ''KOF '99'', Kyo (with or without the rest of the Japan Team) [[ThemeNaming always had a theme with the word "Esaka" in it]] during ''KOF'''s pre-bankruptcy run. Esaka is a train station in Osaka near the site where SNK's headquarters resided (technical first stop of the Midosuji line that hits all the major stops in the city), and when SNK went bankrupt, they moved out of the building. Thus, Esaka was interchangeable with SNK to their fans. In ''2000'', the swan song of the old SNK, Kyo receives a heartful, emotional ballad known as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgI3q3LL5u8 "Goodbye Esaka."]] They might as well just called it "Goodbye SNK" for all it's worth. (For an added measure of tragic irony, that theme had been preceded only ''three'' games earlier with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aL8KiPsrvU "Esaka Forever"]] in ''KOF '97'')

* ''The Super Spy''

* ''Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy''

* ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomCardFightersClash'' series

* ''VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomCardFightersClash'' series

* ''VideoGame/SNKHeroinesTagTeamFrenzy'' (2018)

** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters94''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters95''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters96''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters97''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters98''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters99''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters2000''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters2001''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters2002''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters2003''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXI''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXII''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXIII''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXIV''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersXV''
** ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFightersAllStar''
** ''The King of Fighters: Sky Stage''

* ''VideoGame/BurningFight'' (1991)

* ''VideoGame/SARSearchAndRescue''

* ''Burning Fight''

* ''SAR: Search And Rescue''