Neo Geo
Arcade system board, video game console, handheld game console | |
Owner | SNK |
---|---|
Country | Japan |
Introduced | April 26, 1990 |
Discontinued | April 22, 2004 | (First run)
Markets | Worldwide |
Registered as a trademark in | Japan (1989–2001) |
Neo Geo
Both the MVS and AES were powerful for the time, and the Neo Geo MVS was successful with arcade operators worldwide. However, while the AES allows for fully authentic versions of games released for the MVS, the high price for both the AES console and its games prevented it from directly competing with its contemporaries, the
Years later, SNK released the
Regardless of the failure of later Neo Geo hardware, games for the original MVS and AES have been well received. The system spawned several long-running and critically acclaimed series, mostly 2D fighters, including Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Samurai Shodown, The Last Blade, World Heroes, and The King of Fighters, as well as popular games in other genres such as the Metal Slug, Twinkle Star Sprites and Baseball Stars series. In December 2012, SNK Playmore released a handheld console based on the original AES, the Neo Geo X.[1] As of March 1997,[update] the Neo Geo had sold 980,000 units worldwide.[2] The Neo Geo Pocket Color also has been given praise for multiple innovations, and a very substantial library, despite its short life.
Home arcades and consoles
Neo Geo MVS and AES
The AES was the first
Initially, the home system was only available for rent to commercial establishments, such as hotel chains, bars and restaurants, and other venues. When customer response indicated that some gamers were willing to buy a US$650 console, SNK expanded sales and marketing into the home console market. The Neo Geo console was officially launched on 31 January 1990 in Osaka, Japan.[4][unreliable source?] The AES is identical to its arcade counterpart, the MVS, so arcade games released for the home market are nearly identical conversions.
Neo Geo CD
The Neo Geo CD, released in 1994, was initially an upgrade from the original AES. This console uses
The Neo Geo CD was bundled with a control pad instead of a joystick like the AES. However, the original AES joystick can be used with all 3 Neo Geo CD models instead of the included control pads.
Hyper Neo Geo 64
The Hyper Neo Geo 64 is
Handhelds
The
Retro consoles
In December 2012, Tommo released the Neo Geo X handheld in North America and Europe, licensed by SNK Playmore. It is an open-source-based handheld like the Dingoo, but closed to emulate Neo Geo games, with 20 built-in games.[1] Effective October 2, 2013, citing violations of the license agreement, SNK Playmore decided to terminate the license given to Tommo and ordered to immediately cease sales of the Neo Geo X Arcade Stick.[5] SNK added that "decisive measures will be taken against all unapproved NEOGEO X products not subject to the License Agreement."[6]
Neo Geo Mini
This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2019) |
On June 9, 2018, SNK announced the Neo Geo Mini, a miniature sized semi-portable arcade cabinet (loosely resembling the appearance of a Japanese Neo Geo MVS) which features 40 built-in SNK titles, and was released on July 24, 2018, in Japan to celebrate SNK's 40th anniversary.
SNK also released an international version of the Neo Geo Mini, which was released outside Japan on October 15, 2018, and later in Japan on November 15, 2018. The international version contains the same features as the Japanese Neo Geo Mini but 14 out of the 40 titles are different (including all of the Metal Slug games) and a different interface. As such, both versions have 54 different SNK titles in total.
In December 2018, a limited edition Christmas themed Neo Geo Mini was released. A red Neo Geo Mini unit with two red control pads, power cable, an HDMI cable, two screen protectors, seven stickers and an anti slip cushion. This edition has 48 games, nine of which were previously unreleased on the other two versions, as well as a mixture of games from both the existing releases.
On June 27, 2019, a limited edition called "Samurai Shodown" was released, in three colors; white, red, and blue, with a black edition being released later on. This edition has 40 games, featuring all of the Samurai Shodown games, including three new games that have never been included in prior versions. These also included two controllers, a USB cable, an HDMI cable, an anti slip cushion and a collectable character card.
On July 19, 2019, SNK announced the discontinuation of the original Neo Geo Mini and the international version.[8]
On September 30, 2019, a limited edition called "Samurai Spirits Kuroko" was released. This edition has 48 games. 40 of them are exactly the same as the previous "Samurai Shodown" and "Samurai Spirits" editions, and the other 8 were all available previously in other editions (no new games are included). This version was released exclusively for Japan. This edition also has a gold trim on the box, instead of a silver one present on the international "Samurai Shodown Kuroko" edition, which only has the same 40 games as the other Samurai Shodown editions. The other Samurai Spirits versions from Japan are also the same as the international versions with the same 40 games on each.
Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro
In September 2019, SNK announced the release of the Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro. Resembling a large white arcade stick complete with joystick and 8 buttons, it has 20 built-in games, with the possibility of future games being added to it later, as well as HDMI output for TVs. It can also be used on any of the Neo Geo Mini units via an included adapter and is also backwards compatible with the game pads released for the Mini.
The initial 20 in built games are all fighting games:[9]
- Art of Fighting
- Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory
- Fatal Fury Special
- Garou: Mark of the Wolves
- The King of Fighters '95
- The King of Fighters '97
- The King of Fighters '98
- The King of Fighters '99
- The King of Fighters 2000
- The King of Fighters 2002
- Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle
- The Last Blade 2
- Ninja Master's
- Samurai Shodown II
- Samurai Shodown III
- Samurai Shodown IV
- Samurai Shodown V Special
- World Heroes 2
- World Heroes 2 Jet
- World Heroes Perfect
Over the course of the year 2020, SNK planned to release updates to unlock more games to the Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro, two additional games per month, bringing the total to 40 games. However, hackers have been able to expose what the titles are without having to wait until the end of the year to obtain all the games. The unlockable games were revealed to be:
- Art of Fighting 3: The Path of the Warrior
- Fatal Fury 2
- Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
- The Last Blade
- League Bowling
- Metal Slug
- Metal Slug 2
- Metal Slug 3
- Metal Slug 4
- Metal Slug 5
- Metal Slug X
- Ninja Combat
- Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
- Samurai Shodown
- Savage Reign
- Shock Troopers
- Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad
- Soccer Brawl
- Super Sidekicks
- The Super Spy
In November 2020, a special limited Christmas edition of the Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro was released. The package includes a Neo Geo CD style control pad, a cover for the arcade stick, an arcade stick ball cover, a sticker sheet and a Neo Geo 30th anniversary artbook. All 40 games are included, unlocked from the start.[10]
Neo Geo MVSX
In August 2020, the company Unico announced the Neo Geo MVSX, an arcade table top system capable of playing MVS and AES titles that are pre-installed on the system itself, with 2 player support with a 17-inch screen. It comes pre-loaded with 50 games; The King of Fighters 94-2003, Metal Slug 1–5 and X, Samurai Shodown 1–5 and 5 Special, all eight Fatal Fury series games including Garou: Mark of the Wolves, the Sengoku trilogy, all four World Heroes games, The Last Blade 1 and 2, Savage Reign and its sequel Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle, Shock Troopers, Football Frenzy, Super Sidekicks, Magician Lord, 3 Count Bout, Top Player's Golf, Baseball Stars Professional, Art of Fighting and Art of Fighting 3: The Path of the Warrior (but it does not include Art of Fighting 2). Also available is a 32-inch stand to allow it to work as a free-standing unit resembling a vintage MVS cabinet. It also has a USB connector that can be used for future firmware updates. The machine itself and the 32-inch base were released in November 2020 in North America.[11]
See also
Explanatory notes
- ^ In Japanese: Neo Jio (ネオジオ). Stylised as NEO・GEO and also written as NEOGEO
References
- ^ a b "New console out today as NEO GEO X hits EU/US". Games Radar. Future Publishing. December 18, 2012. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- better source needed]https://web.archive.org/web/20210810132855/https://i.imgur.com/wQPBhdL.jpeg
- ^ "ADK". www.neo-geo.com. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
- ^ "Retrieved on 2010-03-39". Mortal.shang.free.fr. Archived from the original on 2018-02-26. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
- ^ "SNK Terminates License Agreement With Tommo; All Neo Geo X Consoles & Software Discontinued". Retro Game Network | The One-Stop Retro Gaming Community. 2013-10-05. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
- ^ Good, Owen. "SNK Orders NeoGeo X Maker to End Production and Stop Selling It". Kotaku. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
- ^ "SNK Officially Announces The Neo Geo Mini, An Adorable Arcade Throwback". Nintendo Life. Dom Reseigh-Lincoln. May 10, 2018. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
- ^ "SNKブランド40周年を記念したゲーム機 「NEOGEO mini」、「NEOGEO mini INTERNATIONAL Ver.」を生産終了。|ニュース|株式会社SNK". www.snk-corp.co.jp. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 2019-08-24.
- ^ ""NEOGEO Arcade Stick Pro" pre-installed titles and product features announced! Check it out!|NEWS RELEASE|SNK USA". www.snk-corp.co.jp. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "The Special Christmas Edition of the NEOGEO Arcade Stick Pro is almost here!". PressReleaseJapan.net. 19 October 2020. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "Official MVSX website". Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
External links
- Neo-Geo Museum: Official website featuring all releases.
- NeoGeoSoft.com: A complete software and artwork resource for the Neo Geo.
- Video of Neo Geo AVS hardware and features from FamicomDojo.TV