Item: KING OF THE MONSTERS 2
Rating: 81
Author: Dinsun

Our Site Score

81/100

King of the Monsters 2: The Next Thing is a significant evolution over its predecessor, shifting from a wrestling-style game to a full-blown kaiju beat-'em-up. Playing as one of three giant monsters to stop an alien invasion is exactly as fun as it sounds. The sense of scale is fantastic; you aren't just fighting monsters, you're leveling entire cities in the process. The ACA NEOGEO port on mobile is remarkably fluid, handling the large, detailed sprites and heavy screen activity without any slowdown.

The game is fairly difficult, as it was designed to be an arcade quarter-sinker, but the 'infinite' continues and quick-save features of the mobile version make it much more accessible. The boss battles are massive and creative, requiring you to learn patterns rather than just button-mashing. While the lack of local 2-player co-op (unless you use external controllers and a second screen) is a slight bummer compared to the original arcade cabinet, the solo experience is still an absolute blast. It's a high-water mark for SNK's 90s action games.

Reviewed on: Sat Mar 09 2024

Dinsun Review

This is exactly what I want from a retro game. It’s loud, it’s big, and it’s completely ridiculous. Transitioning the series from a wrestling game to a beat 'em up was the best move SNK could have made. Destroying entire city blocks just because an alien bug looked at you funny never gets old.

The sprite work here is peak Neo Geo—the monsters are massive and dripping with personality. It’s hard as nails, designed to eat quarters like they were snacks, but with infinite credits on the mobile version, you can finally see the end. It’s not deep, it’s not balanced, and it’s certainly not fair, but it’s a blast to play for 30 minutes. If you have a friend and two controllers, it’s one of the best co-op experiences you can get on a phone.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

Incredible sprite animation and scale
Satisfying destruction mechanics
Great co-op play

Very short (about 45 minutes)
Infuriating boss patterns
Touch controls struggle with multi-button inputs

Technical Report

Performance: Runs perfectly; no lag even with giant sprites filling the screen.

Accessibility:

Save states
Difficulty scaling

Audience Fit

Buy if: You love Kaiju movies and high-quality 2D arcade action.

Skip if: You want a long game or hate 'cheap' arcade difficulty.

Similar Games:

Rampage
Final Fight

Reviewer Context

Reviewer: Dinsun, 40-year-old conservative expert reviewer
Hardware: iPad Pro with 8BitDo Controller
Playtime: 5 hours
Status: Finished with all 3 characters

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

6444757727

$3.99 13+★5 1 reviews

Author : SNK CORPORATION

Pubish Date : Invalid Date

Last Update Date : Invalid Date

Support Languages : English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish

Genres :

Version Invalid Date

NEOGEO's masterpiece games are now available in the app !!
And in recent years, SNK has partnered with Hamster Corporation to bring many of the classic games on the NEOGEO onto modern gaming environments through the ACA NEOGEO series. Now on smartphone, the difficulty and look NEOGEO games had back then can be reproduced through screen settings and options. Also, players can benefit from online features such as online ranking modes. More, it features quick save/load and virtual pad customization functions to support comfortable play within the app. Please take this opportunity to enjoy the masterpieces that are still supported to this day.
[Game introduction]
KING OF THE MONSTERS 2 is an action game released by SNK in 1992.
Choose 1 of 3 monsters to thrash aliens around the world and become the undisputed King of the Monsters!
Work together in a 2 player co-op mode, or duke it out in versus mode!
[Recommendation OS]
iOS 13 and above
©SNK CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Arcade Archives Series Produced by HAMSTER Co.
Requires iOS 11.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
NEOGEO's masterpiece games are now available in the app !!
And in recent years, SNK has partnered with Hamster Corporation to bring many of the classic games on the NEOGEO onto modern gaming environments through the ACA NEOGEO series. Now on smartphone, the difficulty and look NEOGEO games had back then can be reproduced through screen settings and options. Also, players can benefit from online features such as online ranking modes. More, it features quick save/load and virtual pad customization functions to support comfortable play within the app. Please take this opportunity to enjoy the masterpieces that are still supported to this day.
[Game introduction]
KING OF THE MONSTERS 2 is an action game released by SNK in 1992.
Choose 1 of 3 monsters to thrash aliens around the world and become the undisputed King of the Monsters!
Work together in a 2 player co-op mode, or duke it out in versus mode!
[Recommendation OS]
iOS 13 and above
©SNK CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Arcade Archives Series Produced by HAMSTER Co.

Ratings & Reviews

5 out of 5 with 1 Counts

★★★★★

Age Rating 13+

KING OF THE MONSTERS 2 is a legendary action game released by SNK in 1992. Choose one of three massive monsters to battle across the world against a destructive alien force. This ACA NEOGEO port brings the faithful MVS arcade version to mobile, allowing players to adjust game settings, use virtual pad customization, and compete in global high-score rankings.

Features

Giant Monster Beat-'Em-Up

Epic Boss Battles

Global Online Rankings

Customizable Virtual Pad

High-Fidelity Retro Sound

Tips

Monster Management

Each monster has a unique grab move. Use the buildings you destroy to find power-ups that increase your monster's level, which enhances your attack power and health for the final boss fights.

Promotion Videos

KING OF THE MONSTERS 2 (by SNK CORPORATION) IOS Gameplay Video (HD)

News on this game

Gameplays

City Destruction

Navigate through stages by defeating waves of enemies. Destruction of the environment is not just for show; it often clears the way for boss arenas and reveals hidden score bonuses.