Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle (1996)
Alex Mr
SNK Corporation has just announced the second title to be released in the new Neo Geo Premium Selection series: Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle. The game is scheduled for release on Steam on October 12th, 2025.
https://www.snk-corp.co.jp/cn/press/2025/101204/ （Link of the announcement）
What makes Kizuna Encounter stand out from other fighting games like Street Fighter or Fatal Fury is its 2v2 tag battle system. Today, however, we're not focusing on the game's content or quality, but rather on how it operates on the original Neo Geo MVS (Multi Video System) hardware.
Hardware Deep Dive: Neo-FTC1B
The game was designed to work with the Neo-FTC1B, a JAMMA extension board developed in 1996. Once installed into a Neo Geo cabinet, this board also requires an additional connection to the 8-pin connector.
Combined with the Kizuna Encounter cartridge, the Neo-FTC1B enables a 4-player mode, allowing two teams of two to battle simultaneously. The gold fingers (edge connectors) on both sides of the cartridge facilitate dual display output, as well as input from two sets of joysticks and buttons per side, effectively allowing two full players per cabinet side.
Rare Configuration in Neo Geo History
This multi-cabinet configuration is extremely rare for Neo Geo titles, most of which were designed for up to two players using a single cabinet. For Kizuna Encounter, however, the game literally required custom hardware to unlock its full potential.
To fully run the 4-player mode, a minimum of two cabinets were required, with up to four cabinets being the ideal setup. Due to this complexity and cost, very few arcades at the time opted to install the full system.
Compatibility and BIOS Requirements
Additionally, the game (along with the Neo-FTC1B hardware) is only compatible with two specific MVS BIOS versions. Here’s a snippet from the MAME emulator's source code that confirms this setup. When configured correctly, the title screen displays "4-Way Battle Version", indicating that the extended hardware mode is functioning.
A Unique Multiplayer Mechanic
While I haven’t had the chance to test the Neo-FTC1B myself, its concept seems somewhat reminiscent of what Capcom and IGS/PGM were experimenting with at the time.
What sets Kizuna Encounter apart is its activation system: only the currently "activated" player on a team can control the character. This adds a layer of strategy to team coordination. It’s a brilliant example of hardware and software integration, and truly ahead of its time, especially considering this was back in 1996.
That’s all for now, folks!
Written by Youzhi, Project manager of Nova Blast series, Unico
upset customer
I recently purchased a 19" LCD monitor from Unico for use in a Bally Midway arcade game, and the experience has been nothing short of a complete disappointment.
The monitor was not compatible with my machine — a critical issue that should have been addressed before the sale. When I contacted Unico, a representative named Jay promised to overnight a wire to resolve the compatibility problem. That wire never arrived.
I followed up and spoke with Josh, who acknowledged the issue and told me he would escalate the matter to the CEO to see whether a return could be authorized. He never called me back.
Since then, Unico has stopped answering my calls entirely.
This is not a company that stands behind its products or its word. Customers are left with incompatible merchandise, broken promises, and no path to resolution. If you are considering purchasing from Unico — especially for specialty applications like arcade or vintage gaming hardware — I strongly urge you to look elsewhere. Their customer service is non-existent once they have your money.