This.
.....and to the OP of this thread: 2 is the epitome of the Neo Geo as well as the era both in 90's 2D fighting games & arcade games in general. It is arguably one of the finest video games ever made & commands it's place as such.
SS3 is a stellar entry as well, although a bit of a divisive one due to it's darker tone. It's one of the prettiest games on the Neo & one of my personal favorites.
I think you should shun much of what you are being told by skipping the first installment. It is a great game in it's own right & I would say that is where you should start. A true Neo Geo fan will start with SS1 & then work their way up.
If you are interested in english home carts I would recommend that you shun that for now & go the route of Jap home carts, MVS carts or Neo CD's as the Sam sho series (well the first 3) on CD are tops (while SS3 CD is regarded as amazing).
SS4 was a botched mess, SS5/Special is kinda mugen like but liked by competitive players due to the maxed out roster.....and SS6 is best forgotten.