World Heroes collection for PS2 coming next spring

World Heroes is certainly not SNK's crown jewel, nor is it the most polished among 2D fighting games, but the series, which includes over the top historical fighters based on historical figures, is not without its charms. Sometimes a dragon punch just can't scratch our itch, and when that happens Rasputin's mammoth hands (and feet) fit the bill.

Now SNK has confirmed that it is bundling all four games in the franchise, including World Heroes, World Heroes 2, World Heroes 2 Jet, and World Heroes Perfect, together in a new compilation for the PlayStation 2. The collection, released last month in Japan as World Heroes Gorgeous, will be released in the U.S. in spring 2008 under the much less interesting name of World Heroes Anthology. With the PS2 on its way out, we can't help but admire SNK's efforts to keep the old girl on life support, while simultaneously frustrating those of us who forked over the geld to import the game originally thinking it wouldn't make an appearance stateside. Patience, it would seem, is a virtue.