SNK Neo Geo
Summary
SNK designs the Neo Geo as a game hall hardware that allows exhibitors to exchange games without having to buy a new cabinet each time. In parallel, you offer a version that can be borrowed in video game stores. The great demand convinces SNK to bring this home version into the trade the following year.
The console is not commercially successful, but that is not SNK’s intention either. The Neo Geo is marketed as a luxury device and with prices of (in Germany) about 1000 DM for the basic device and 300 to 400 DM per game beyond what average players would be willing to pay. For these sums, which are three to ten times higher than for other consoles, the few enthusiasts get a game experience equivalent to that from the arcade. The technique of Neo Geo is so outstanding that new games will be released until 2004 – 14 years after the introduction.
Detailed description
The Neo Geo is a console that is mainly found in arcades and is also called MVS (Multi Video System). It comes from the Japanese company SNK Electronics Corp., where “SNK” stands for “Shin Nihon Kikaku”, translated “New Japanese Project”. The games are delivered in powerful modules, which is a great advantage for arcades, because the titles can be easily replaced with modules and up to six modules can also be brought together on one board. In addition to the game hall version, Neo Geo has a home version of Neo Geo MVS, Neo Geo AES (for Advanced Entertainment System). However, the Neo Geo AES is not really cheap: the price of 600 USD deters many buyers, even if many games are great.
The games for the Neo Geo AES are also quite expensive and the modules have a different format, so they cannot be exchanged between MVS and AES, although they look the same inside. Most game producers spend modules on the MVS and AES, but nothing is produced for the AES today. There are over 150 MVS games and 117 for the Neo Geo AES. With adapters such as the Phantom-1 you can also use MVS modules. The use of the pins in the arcade version is defined by the JAMMA standard (“Japanese amusement machine manufacturers association”) and the standard was already available before the introduction of the Neo Geo, and the MVS board is JAMMA compatible. For private use, there are converted MVS boards called Neo Geo MVS 1 Slot Consolized. On them all (favourable and available) Neo Geo MVS games run on the usual TV, whether from Japan, the USA or Europe.
Due to the arcade roots of the Neo Geo, most published titles are very action-oriented and above-average challenging. Due to the hardware power of Neo Geo, they often set new technical standards, at least at the time of their release. Typical and successful Neo Geo titles are the Beat’em-Up series King of Fighters and Samurai Showdown. Even challenging shooter series such as Shock Troopers and Metal Slug are among the typical and high-quality titles of the Neo Geo game library.
Family tree
- This objectNeo Geo
- SuccessorHyper Neo Geo 64
Sources and further links
Connections in the collection
Software in the collection
- SNK (Neo Geo) software and modules · 14 titles
In the exhibition concept
- The Neo Geo · Area Konsolen 2, Section 7
Mentioned in
Keywords
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