 | |
  Neo Geo AES console (top) and 4-slot MVS arcade cabinet (bottom) | |
| Manufacturer | SNK Corporation |
|---|---|
| Type | Arcade system board Home video game console |
| Generation | Fourth |
| Release date | April 26, 1990
|
| Introductory price | US$649.99 |
| Discontinued | 1997[3] |
| Units sold | 1.18 million[a] |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| CPU | Motorola 68000 @ 12 MHz ZilogZ80A @ 4 MHz |
| Memory | 64 KBRAM, 84 KBVRAM, 2 KB sound memory |
| Storage | Memory card |
| Display | 320×224 resolution, 3840 on-screen colors out of a palette of 65536 |
| Sound | YamahaYM2610 |
| Power | 8 W older systems 5 W newer systems |
| Dimensions | 325 × 237 × 60 mm |
| Best-selling game | Samurai Shodown |
| Successor | Neo Star (cancelled) Hyper Neo Geo 64 |
TheNeo Geo[b] (Greek for 'New World'),[6] stylized asNEO•GEO, is a video game platform released in 1990 by Japanese game companySNK Corporation. It was initially released in twoROM cartridge-based formats: anarcade system board (Multi Video System; MVS) and ahome video game console (Advanced Entertainment System; AES). ACD-ROM-based home console iteration, theNeo Geo CD, was released in 1994. The arcade system can hold multiple cartridges that can be exchanged out, a unique feature that contrasted to the dedicated single-gamearcade cabinets of its time, making it popular with arcade operators.[7]
The Neo Geo was marketed as the first24-bit system; itsCPU is actually a16/32-bit68000 with an 8-bitZ80coprocessor, while itsGPU chipset has a 24-bit graphics databus. It was a very powerful system when released, more so than any video game console at the time, and many arcade systems such as rivalCapcom'sCPS, which did not surpass it until theCP System II in 1993.[8]
The Neo Geo AES was originally released solely as arental console for video game stores in Japan called theNeo Geo Rental System, with its high manufacturing costs causing SNK not to release it for retail sale. This was later reversed due to high demand and it was released at retail as a luxury console. Adjusted for inflation, it was the most expensive home video game console ever released, costingUS$649.99 (equivalent to $1,500 in 2024).[9] The AES had identical hardware to the MVS, allowing home users to play the games exactly as they were in the arcades;[10] however, cartridges are not inter-compatible due to different physical sizes, meaning that software releases differed for the two systems.
The Neo Geo MVS was a success during the 1990s due to the cabinet's low cost, multiple cartridge slots, and compact size. Several successful video game series were released for the platform, such asFatal Fury,Art of Fighting,Samurai Shodown,World Heroes,The King of Fighters,Twinkle Star Sprites andMetal Slug; game software production lasted until 2004,[11] making Neo Geo the longest-supported arcade system of all time.[12] The AES had a very niche market in Japan, though sales were very low in the U.S. due to its high price for both the hardware and software, but it has since gained acult following and is now considered acollectable. Worldwide, one million Neo Geo MVS units have been shipped[c][13] and 980,000 Neo Geo AES and CD units combined.[d][14]
The Neo Geo hardware was an evolution of an older SNK/Alpha Denshi M68000 arcade platform that was used inTime Soldiers in 1987, further developed in the SNK M68000 hardware platform as used forP.O.W.: Prisoners of War in 1988. Contrary to other popular arcade hardware of the time, the SNK/Alpha Denshi hardware usedsprite strips instead of the more commontilemap-based backgrounds.[15] The Neo Geo hardware was essentially developed byAlpha Denshi's Eiji Fukatsu, adding sprite scaling through the use of scaling tables stored in ROM as well as support for a much higher amount of data on cartridges and better sound hardware.[16][17][18] The system's hardware specifications were finalized in December 1989.[1]
Takashi Nishiyama leftCapcom, where he had created thefighting gameStreet Fighter (1987), to join SNK after they invited him to join the company. There, he was involved in developing the Neo Geo. He proposed the concept of an arcade system that usesROM cartridges like agame console, and also proposed ahome console version of the system. His reasons for these proposals were to make the system cheaper for markets such asChina,Hong Kong,Taiwan,Southeast Asia,Central America, andSouth America, where it was difficult to sell dedicated arcade gamesdue to piracy. Nishiyama also created theFatal Fury fighting game franchise, as a spiritual successor to the originalStreet Fighter. He also worked on the fighting game franchisesArt of Fighting andThe King of Fighters, as well as therun and gun video game seriesMetal Slug.[19]
The Neo Geo was announced and demonstrated on January 31, 1990, inOsaka,Japan.[20][21][22] SNK exhibited several Neo Geo games at Japan's Amusement Machine Operators' Union (AOU) show in February 1990, includingNAM-1975,Magician Lord,Baseball Stars Professional,Top Player's Golf andRiding Hero.[23] The Neo Geo then made its overseas debut atChicago's American Coin Machine Exposition (ACME) in March 1990, with several games demonstrated.[24][25][22] The system was then released in Japan on April 26, 1990.[26] Initially, the AES home system was only available forrent to commercial establishments,[27] such ashotel chains, bars and restaurants. When customer response indicated that some gamers were willing to buy aUS$650 console, SNK expanded sales and marketing into the home console market in 1991.
The Neo Geo's graphics and sound are largely superior to other contemporary home consoles, computers (such as theX68000) and even some arcade systems. Unlike earlier systems, the Neo Geo AES was intended to reproduce the same quality of the game as the arcade MVS system. The MVS was one of the most powerful arcade units at the time, allowing the gameROM to be loaded from interchangeablecartridges instead of using custom, dedicated hardware for each game.[28]
In theUnited States, the console's debut price was planned to beUS$599 and included twojoystick controllers and a game: eitherBaseball Stars Professional orNAM-1975. However, the price was raised and its American launch debuted as the Gold System atUS$649.99 (equivalent to $1,501 in 2024). Later, the Gold System was bundled withMagician Lord andFatal Fury. The Silver System package, launched atUS$399.99, included one joystick controller and no pack-in game. Other games were launched at aboutUS$200 and up. At double or quadruple the price of the competition, the console and its games were accessible only to aniche market.[29] However, its full compatibility meant that no additional money was being spent on porting or marketing for the AES, since the MVS' success was automatically feeding the AES, making the console profitable for SNK.[citation needed]
In January 1991,Romstar released anarcade conversion kit version of the Neo Geo in the United States, allowing the conversion of anarcade cabinet into a Neo Geo system.[30] The same month, the Neo Geo home console version made its North American debut at theConsumer Electronics Show (CES). SNK also announced that there would generally be a roughly six-month gap between the arcade and home releases of Neo Geo games.[31]
When real-time3D graphics became the norm in the arcade industry, the Neo Geo's 2D hardware was unable to produce them. Despite this, Neo Geo arcade games retained profitability through the mid-1990s,[32] and the system was one of three 1995 recipients of theAmerican Amusement Machine Association's Diamond Awards (which are based strictly on sales achievements).[33] SNK developed a new home console in 1994, called theNeo Geo CD. A new arcade system was also made in 1997, calledHyper Neo Geo 64. However, these two systems had low popularity and only a few games.
While it ceased manufacturing home consoles by the end of 1997,[citation needed] SNK continued making software for the original 2D Neo Geo. Despite being very aged by the end of the decade, the Neo Geo continued getting popular releases, such as the critically acclaimedThe King of Fighters 2002. The last official game by SNK for the Neo Geo system,Samurai Shodown V Special, was released in 2004, 14 years after the system's introduction.
On August 31, 2007, SNK stopped offering maintenance and repairs to Neo Geo home consoles, handhelds, and games.[3][34]
Each joystick controller is 280 mm (width) × 190 mm (depth) × 95 mm (height) (11 × 8 × 2.5 in.) and contains the same four-button layout as the arcade MVScabinet.
The arcade machines have amemory card system by which a player could save a game to return to at a later time and could also be used to continue play on the SNK home console of the same name.[35]
The arcade version of thevideo game hardware is often referred to as the "MVS", or Multi Video System (available in 1-slot, 2-slot, 4-slot, and 6-slot variations, differing in the amount of game cartridges loaded into the machine at the time), with its console counterpart referred to as the "AES", or Advanced Entertainment System. Early motherboard revisions containdaughterboards, used to enhance the clarity of the video output.
The MVS and AES hardware can execute identical machine code. Owners can moveEPROMs from one type to the other, and the game will still run. The program specifics for both MVS and AES game options are contained on every game ROM, whether the cartridge is intended for home or arcade use. However, the arcade and home cartridges do have a differentpinout. They were designed this way to prevent arcade operators from buying the cheaper home carts and then using them in arcades. In a few home version games,[which?] the arcade version of the game can be unlocked by inputting a special code.[which?][citation needed]
The original specification for ROM size is up to 330megabits, hence the system displaying "Max 330 Mega Pro-Gear Spec" upon startup. While no technical advances were required to achieve it, some games over 100 megabits, such asTop Hunter, followed this screen by displaying an animation proclaiming "The 100Mega Shock!". The original ROM size specification was later enhanced on cartridges withbank switching memory technology, increasing the maximum cartridge size to around 716 megabits. These new cartridges also cause the system to display "Giga Power Pro-Gear Spec" upon startup or duringattract mode, indicating this enhancement.
The system uses seven different specialistprocessors, which divide the workload for the visuals, audio and gameplay.[36]
The SNK custom video chipset allows the system to drawsprites in vertical strips of tiles (blocks of 16x16 pixels) that can be 32 tiles tall (total of 512 pixels); it can draw up to 380 sprites on the screen at a time, with the limitation of 96 sprites per scanline. Each tile can be assigned a palette, which defines 15 colors (+ transparency). Allowing up to 256 palettes at the same time, the system can display 3840 colors simultaneously. Unlike most other video game consoles of its time, the Neo Geo does not use scrollingtilemap background layers. Instead, it has a single non-scrolling tilemap layer called the fix layer, while any scrolling layers rely exclusively on drawing sprites to create the scrolling backgrounds (like theSega Y Board). By laying multiple sprites side by side, the system can simulate a tilemap background layer. The Neo Geo sprite system represents a step between conventional sprites and tilemaps.[38]
The onboardYamaha YM2610sound chip provides 14 channels of sound.
The Neo Geo MVS was a worldwide commercial success upon release in arcades, becoming one of the highest-earning machines at various arcades across markets such as North America and Australia in 1990.[2] In North America, three Neo Geo games were later among the ten top-grossing arcade software conversion kits in December 1992:Art of Fighting at number one,World Heroes at number two, andKing of the Monsters 2 at number ten.[47][48] The Neo Geo MVS received Diamond awards from the American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA) two years in a row, for being among America's top four best-sellingarcade machines of 1992 (withStreet Fighter II: Champion Edition,Mortal Kombat andTerminator 2)[49] and1993.[50]In 1994, the Neo Geo MVS was best-selling arcadeprinted circuit board (PCB) worldwide.[51]
In the 1990Gamest Awards, the Neo Geo received the Special Award.[52] At the 1991 AMOA Awards held by the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA), the Neo Geo won the "Most Innovative New Technology" award.[53]
In a 1993 review,GamePro gave the Neo Geo a "thumbs up". Though they voiced several criticisms, noting that the system was not as powerful as the soon-to-launch3DO and had few releases which were notfighting games, they generally praised both the hardware and games library and recommended that gamers who could not afford the console (which was still priced at $649.99) play the games in the arcade.[54]
The Neo Geo is the first home game console to feature a removable memory card forsaved games.[55]
TheGameTap subscription service has included a Neo Geoemulator and a small library of Neo Geo games. In 2007,Nintendo announced that Neo Geo games would appear on theWii'sVirtual Console, in partnership withD4 Enterprise,[56][57][58][59] starting withFatal Fury: King of Fighters,Art of Fighting,The King of Fighters '94, andWorld Heroes. Neo Geo games were released throughXbox Live Arcade andPlayStation Network (for thePlayStation 3, the service was calledNEOGEO Station), includingFatal Fury Special,Samurai Shodown II,Metal Slug 3,Garou: Mark of the Wolves andThe King of Fighters '98. Many Neo Geo games were released on thePlayStation 4,Xbox One,Windows, andNintendo Switch through theArcade Archives service under theACA Neo Geo label. In 2019,Antstream Arcade also runs Neo Geo games during the gaming platform's early lifespan.
Homebrew activity began after the console's discontinuation, both by noncommercial hobbyists and commercially.[60]
The Neo Geo has a community of collectors. Because of the limited production runs received by cartridges amongst the sizable available arcade library, some of the rarest Neo Geo games can sell for well over $1,000. The most valuable game is the European AES version ofKizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle. The MVS market provides a cheaper alternative to the expensive and rare home cartridges, and complete arcade kits are priced at a premium.[61] It is also possible to play the MVS cartridges, which generally cost much less, on the AES home system through the use of adapters.
In 2009, the Neo Geo was ranked 19th out of the 25 best video game consoles of all time by video game websiteIGN.[62]
Since the 2010s, SNK have revived the Neo Geo in new form factors with built-in games, created both by themselves and by officially licensed third-parties.
TheNeo Geo X, an officially licensed device with a collection of Neo Geo games pre-installed,[63] was first released in 2012 byTOMMO Inc. After just one year and a lukewarm reception due to its price and poor quality of the emulation, on October 2, 2013, SNK Playmore terminated the license agreement and demanded an immediate cease and desist of distribution and sales of all licensed products.[64][65][66]
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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.[67][68] The games on the system are the AES home console versions with limitedcontinues; however, the Neo Geo Mini features a save/load state system which allows players to save and load the game at any time to continue the game and has up to four save files per game. In addition to its 320x224 pixel display, it can be connected to a TV via anHDMI cable and it has two ports for external Neo Geo Mini control pads based on theNeo Geo CD controllers.[69]
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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 theMetal Slug games) and a different interface. As such, both versions have 54 different SNK titles in total.[69] On July 19, 2019, SNK announced the discontinuation of the original Neo Geo Mini and the international version.[70]
In December 2018, a limited editionChristmas themed Neo Geo Mini was released, featuring nine games previously unreleased on the other two versions.[71] 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 theSamurai Shodown games, including three new games that have never been included in prior versions. Another limited edition was released exclusively in Japan on September 30, 2019, called "Samurai Spirits Kuroko", with 48 games.[72]
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 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.[73][74] The initial 20 built-in games were all fighting games,[75] but more games were added by SNK through software updates to make a total of 40.
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.[76]
In August 2020, the company Unico announced the Neo Geo MVSX, an arcadetable 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, and pre-loaded with 50 games. Also available is a 32-inch stand to allow it to work as a free-standing unit resembling a vintage MVS cabinet. It was released in November 2020 in North America.[77][78][79]
In late 2023, Unico released another Neo Geo Mini, this one in the style of an MVS arcade cabinet. It could be purchased with or without an additional Unico red controller, modelled the same way as the pre-existing Neo Geo Mini controllers and an HDMI cable. It comes pre-loaded with 45 games, most of them are the same as those found on the MVSX, but with five games removed from the line up.[80]
The original Neo-Geo home system basically brought the exact same arcade experience home. Cartridges, however, cost upward of $200, which relegated the system to a very select market.
Basically, SNK's Neo Geo system has proved the existence of a die-hard market for lower-cost videogames in arcades ...
