Better Than An Arcade??
The Neo Geo was an extremely powerful system that was released by SNK for both arcade and home video games. For most, the console was just not worth the purchase. However, those with a love of video games (and sufficiently deep pockets) were able to enjoy the exact games they played in arcades. Though the home version was at first only available for rent or to be used in places like hotels, SNK realized that consumers were willing to spend the money to own one. After this, SNK began to sell the console in stores. The home version is known as the Advanced Entertainment System (AES) and the arcade version is known as the Multi Video System (MVS).
Compared to other systems released at the time, the Neo Geo was extremely powerful. Compared to the Sega Genesis, for instance, the CPU is almost 50% faster. The coprocessor also contributed to the system’s power. Not only that, the Neo Geo had specialized audio and video chipsets. The video chipset allowed the console to display an enormous amount of sprites simultaneously. The Genesis’s paltry 80 sprites doesn’t even compare to the 380 that the Neo Geo is capable of. And then there was the sound. The Neo Geo supported up to 15 channels of the clearest voice synthesis and superb electronic music in pre-CD audio terms.
A System Worth Collecting
The Neo Geo is by no means a console for the casual gamer. In fact, it was marketed towards ‘ultra high-end’ gamers. The console originally retailed for around $600 (approximately ?300), and the games weren’t cheap either. Most of the games retailed for around $200 (approximately ?100) and some of the games cost much more than that.
Neo Geo AES systems can still be found for sale on sites such as eBay, with the American systems costing a good deal more than the nearly identical Japanese systems, due to being much rarer. A large number of people have recently taken to buying a modded Japanese Neo Geo. These usually include S-video output, as well as the ability to switch between American and Japanese modes. Although, this can be somewhat annoying as it needs to be done at the start of every game you play.
The Massive, Massive Games
The cartridges the games came on were huge! They were extremely bulky, especially when compared to other cartridges like those of the SNES and especially the Genesis. They weighed nearly a pound! Another definite plus, though, is that region locked games are non-existent in the Neo Geo library.
If you’re a fighting game fan, especially of 2D fighters, then you’ll likely be in heaven when you realize the number of games there are for you. With series like Fatal Fury, World Heroes, Samurai Shodown, and last, but not least, King of Fighters. A very large number of these games had at least one sequel, so 2D fighters make up a rather large percentage of the Neo Geo’s library.
Another popular genre on the Neo Geo is the shooters, including Metal Slug, NAM 1974, and Aero Fighters. Arguably, the most well known of these was Metal Slug. Notable for its sense of humor and excellent hand drawn animation, Metal Slug started a series that would span six titles in the main series, with five of those on the Neo Geo, and a number of other related titles.
Official SNK support of the console continued up until 2004 with the release of SNK’s last game, Samurai Spirits Zero Special, on October 19. However, production of the home consoles ended around the end of 1997. It had ended due to a very large amount of game piracy, which SNK also blames for their bankruptcy in 2000. The Neo Geo became the second longest lived arcade or home console with a span of about fourteen years. The only system to last longer was the Atari 2600, which continued to receive support for almost fifteen years.
Much, Much Better Than an Arcade
Even though the Neo Geo is nearly 17 years old it is still able to hold up to today’s consoles in its realm, 2D. While the Neo Geo was incapable of displaying 3D graphics, it only contributed to the greatness of its 2D graphics, as the developers of the games, especially towards the end of the console’s life, were masters of the hardware.
Despite the lack of official support, however, third party developers are still creating games for the Neo Geo. One of the most recent games, Last Hope, was released in 2006. The game is still considered to be impressive even though it has been sixteen years since the debut of the Neo Geo. This leaves great hope to those who still treasure their Neo Geo consoles. To prospective buyers of the Neo Geo, this means you won’t have to worry about a limited library.
