Impressive: Very faithful to the feel of the Neo Geo games. GBA's combination of GB PSG and in-software DAC are very similar to the original's sample-based music and arpeggiated sound effects: The returning tracks sound almost identical and most of the new tunes would be right at home vice versa.

The scaled back screen inhibits the viewport size but they design pretty well around it. Fewer 'hordes' of enemies and a lot more point guards that require strategic approaches. The quarter-munching of the Neo Geo sequels feels toned down here, with exception to the last stage.

I guess the struggling point is it's just boring relative to the other games. The lack of major characters from the originals hurts its identity, as does the variety of locales and lack of alien & monster enemies. Arcade MS can be button-mashy, but its personality and visual expertise helps it shine in spite of that.

Also, having to beat a stage without dying to record your collected cards and POW's is stupid. I get that's how the arcade game works, but those are point bonuses in a genre built around replayability and route perfection. If I'm putting in the time to find collectibles, I shouldn't have to perfect my run to keep them. That really felt like padding to me.