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Neo Geo (console)
Encyclopedia
The is a cartridge
-based arcade
and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japan
ese game company SNK
. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming
, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family
, which only lived through the 1990s. The hardware featured comparatively colourful 2D
graphics
.
The MVS (Multi Video System), as the Neo Geo was known to the coin-op industry, offered arcade operators the ability to put up to 6 different arcade titles into a single cabinet, a key economic consideration for operators with limited floorspace. With its games stored on self-contained cartridges, a game-cabinet could be exchanged for a different game-title by swapping the game's ROM-cartridge
and cabinet artwork. Several popular franchise-series, including Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters, Metal Slug and Samurai Shodown, were released for the platform.
The Neo Geo system was also marketed as a very costly home console
, commonly referred to today as the AES (Advanced Entertainment System). The Neo Geo was marketed as 24-bit
, though it was technically a parallel processing 16-bit
system with an 8-bit
Zilog
Z80
as coprocessor
. The coprocessor was used as a CPU, and for sound processing. The Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis also had similar co-processors, with neither Sega nor Nintendo claiming they were 24-bit.
The Neo Geo was ranked 19th out of the 25 best video game consoles of all time by the video game website IGN
in 2009.
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 $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
. Compared to the other 16-bit consoles of the time, Neo Geo's graphics and sound were vastly superior. The MVS was one of the most powerful arcade units at the time. Furthermore, since the AES was identical to its arcade counterpart, the MVS, arcade titles released for the home market were perfect translations. Although its high price tag kept it out of the mainstream gaming market, a strong game lineup likely contributed to the cult status of the Neo Geo, enabling it to outlast the more popular Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
In the United States
, the console was planned to debut at $599 USD
and included two joystick
controllers and a game, either Baseball Stars Professional
or NAM-1975
. However, the price was raised and its American launch debuted at $649.99. This package was known as the "Gold System." Later, the "Gold System" was bundled with Magician Lord and Fatal Fury. The system was also released in a "Silver System" package for $399.99, which included one joystick controller and did not include a game. Other games were priced at about $200 (and up). With these "premium" prices, though, most gamers weren't able to afford the system, so the console was only accessible to a niche market.
The home system featured two CPUs
: the 16-bit Motorola 68000
main processor
running at 12 MHz and the 8-bit
Zilog
Z80
coprocessor running at 4 MHz. A custom video chipset allowed the system to display 4,096 colors and 380 individual sprites
onscreen simultaneously, while the onboard Yamaha YM2610
sound chip
gave the system 15 channels of sound with seven channels reserved specifically for digital sound effects.
When realtime 3D graphics
stormed the arcade industry, the Neo Geo's hardware was unable to follow along. The longevity of Neo Geo games kept it alive in arcades, particularly in Japan
, where the newest installment of its flagship franchise, The King of Fighters, caused a stir with every new release.
The last official game by SNK for the Neo Geo system, Samurai Shodown V Special
, was released in 2004. SNK decided to abandon the hardware
business due to the rampant piracy
of game-cartridges, which SNK believed was partially responsible for its bankruptcy in 2001. SNK ceased to manufacture home consoles by the end of 1997, but continued to release games for both arcade and home for another 8 years.
Measured from the introduction of the arcade hardware in 1990 to the release of the last official home cartridge in 2004, the Neo Geo enjoyed a market lifespan of fourteen years, making it the second longest-lived arcade or home console system ever produced (after Atari 2600
). On August 31, 2007, SNK stopped offering maintenance and repairs to Neo Geo home consoles, handhelds, and games. However, they will continue to repair their MVS arcade hardware.
subscription service currently includes a Neo Geo emulator
and a small library of Neo Geo games.
In February 2007, Nintendo
announced on their Japanese website that Neo Geo games would appear on the Wii
's Virtual Console
in Japan; announcements in April and July confirmed placement on the North American Virtual Console, and on October 1, a similar announcement was made for the European Virtual Console. NeoGeo games were made available on the Australian and European Virtual Console on October 5, and North American Virtual Console on October 8. The first three games released were Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
, Art of Fighting
, and World Heroes
.
NeoGeo games released on the Virtual Console cost 900 Nintendo Points in all regions which is currently $9.00 USD.
NeoGeo games are also available through Xbox Live Arcade
and Playstation Network . As of July 2009, Fatal Fury Special
, Samurai Shodown II
, Metal Slug 3
, Garou: Mark of the Wolves
and The King of Fighters '98
have been released.
.
The arcade machines had a memory 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.
The arcade version of the hardware
is often referred to as the "MVS," or Multi Video System (available in 1-slot, 2-slot, 4-slot, and 6-slot variations, the latter being capable of up to six cartridges loaded into one machine), with its console counterpart referred to as the "AES", or Advanced Entertainment System (most likely to distinguish it from the Nintendo Entertainment System
, the dominating console on the market at the time).
The MVS and AES hardware could execute identical machine code. Owners could move EPROM
s from one type to the other, and the game would still run. The program specifics for both MVS and AES game options were contained on every game ROM, whether the cartridge was intended for home or arcade use. However, the arcade and home cartridges do have a different pinout
. They were designed this way to prevent arcade operators from buying the cheaper home carts and then using them in arcades. It has been found that in a few home version games, one could unlock the arcade version of the game by inputting a special code.
memory technology, increasing the maximum cartridge size to around 716 Mbit. These new cartridges also caused the system to display "GIGA POWER PRO-GEAR SPEC" upon startup, indicating this enhancement.
's scene for the Neo Geo home systems, especially the original AES home console. This is mainly because of the limited runs received by cartridges, the massive arcade library available, and the system's reputation as a 2D powerhouse. It is still common even to this day for both Neo Geo consoles and cartridges to fetch extremely high prices on eBay
and other auction websites, particularly English versions of cartridges as these were produced in lower quantities. A handful of the rarest Neo Geo games can sell for well over $1,000 on eBay. This gives the system an almost cult following, as owners see the system as more of an "investment" rather than an ordinary videogame console. This leads to high resale value on most Neo Geo systems and games and makes the console a "must-have" for a number of video game collectors
. The most expensive cartridge for the Neo Geo home system is the European-localized version of Kizuna Encounter
: There are only five known copies of the game, with the most recently sold copy selling for about $12,000 USD.
For those interested primarily in lower prices on rare home games, MVS carts, particularly loose carts or incomplete kits, can offer a cost effective alternative. Most MVS cartridges cost substantially less than their home counterparts. This lower price can be associated with their lack of decoration as most were designed to be installed inside arcade cabinets and lack cartridge artwork or box artwork, the high set-up cost of purchasing the MVS system, and the prevalence of bootleg cartridges. Many of the most common MVS games go for prices between $10–$150.
However, in recent years a growing market has emerged for complete MVS arcade kits. These consist of all the materials that would be initially sent to an arcade operator, including the brown cardboard shipping box (with label), the insert materials to decorate the marqee and arcade cabinet (including separate move lists), warning information, dipswitch settings, in some cases even posters and/or any packing materials. Because many of the items in an MVS kit were designed to be discarded by arcade operators, finding complete arcade kits can be difficult and thus the prices for some complete MVS kits can be quite high.
Because of the conflicting requirements and desires of the two MVS sub-groups, they rarely compete with each other for games.
Counterfeit or bootleg
software is regarded in the collectors community as having zero value or very low value. Such software has a reputation for audio and video flaws, and is generally disparaged by fans of the Neo Geo systems. This software is identifiable by visual inspection of the game PCBs
, or by comparison of ROM CRC values using a specially designed BIOS
.
One of the pack-in game
s with the original Japanese release was NAM-1975
, a side-scrolling shooting game that featured multi-layer scrolling backgrounds. However, the initial Neo Geo games were, graphically speaking, a little less polished than SNK's non-Neo Geo games. By 1991, games like King of the Monsters
demonstrated the Neo Geo's ability to produce graphic detail that matched or surpassed contemporary arcade games from the period.
In 1992, SNK's Art of Fighting
marked the beginning of a series of 2-D fighting game innovations. This landmark game brought visual graphic damage to the characters' faces when hit, as well as large character sprites in combination with zoom effects to intensify the action. This zoom feature was also used in the following year's Samurai Shodown
, whose even more elaborate graphics and gameplay won it Electronic Gaming Monthly
's award as the 1993 Game of the Year and launched a successful franchise. The Neo Geo also became known for its shooters, with the first successful title coming with 1994's Aero Fighters 2
. The following year's Pulstar
managed to up the ante on both graphics and gameplay.
Top Hunter, released in 1994 featured extremely fluid and crisp graphics, such as the trees on the wind stage of the game. Fatal Fury 2
also featured fluid and detailed graphics for the time. Top Hunter, and Fatal Fury 2 do contain some slowdown, but later games largely avoided slowdown issues (with the exception of Metal Slug 2
, which is quite notorious for its copious amounts of slowdown).
By the mid-1990s, SNK was trying to move onto a new platform, notably the Hyper-64. When the new 3-D system failed to take off, however, SNK found itself still developing games for its old 2-D engine. This led programmers to come up with ways to increase the limits of what was initially thought possible for the system.
Six years after the Neo Geo's initial launch, Nazca Corporation
surprised the video game industry with Metal Slug
. A take from the Contra series
, Metal Slug is a run and gun game that featured cartoonish, hyper-active graphics and gameplay that also launched a very successful franchise. Since the Neo Geo was unable to produce the 3-D games that began dominating arcades in the 1990s, SNK focused on mastering the realm of 2-D. With the launch of The Last Blade
in 1997, SNK programmers demonstrated that the Neo Geo was still capable of producing artistically rendered graphics to match the gameplay.
While the system became primarily known for its fighting games in the late-1990s, notably the King of Fighters series, 1998's Blazing Star
updated the previous Pulstar with more detail. This trend of adding more detail to 2-D environments reached a plateau with 1999's Garou: Mark of the Wolves
, an update of the Fatal Fury series, as well as 2000's Metal Slug 3
.
ROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
-based arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese game company SNK
SNK Playmore
SNK Playmore Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. SNK is an acronym of , which was SNK's original name. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986....
. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming
History of video game consoles (fourth generation)
In the history of computer and video games, the fourth generation began on October 30, 1987 with the Japanese release of Nippon Electric Company's PC Engine...
, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family
Neo Geo
was a family of video game hardware developed by SNK from 1990 to 1999, and fully discontinued in 2004.-Neo Geo MVS :The Neo Geo Multi Video System , is an arcade system board, being the first product in the Neo Geo family, and released in 1990...
, which only lived through the 1990s. The hardware featured comparatively colourful 2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
.
The MVS (Multi Video System), as the Neo Geo was known to the coin-op industry, offered arcade operators the ability to put up to 6 different arcade titles into a single cabinet, a key economic consideration for operators with limited floorspace. With its games stored on self-contained cartridges, a game-cabinet could be exchanged for a different game-title by swapping the game's ROM-cartridge
ROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
and cabinet artwork. Several popular franchise-series, including Fatal Fury, The King of Fighters, Metal Slug and Samurai Shodown, were released for the platform.
The Neo Geo system was also marketed as a very costly home console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
, commonly referred to today as the AES (Advanced Entertainment System). The Neo Geo was marketed as 24-bit
24-bit
Notable 24-bit machines include the ICT 1900 series and the Harris H series.The IBM System/360, announced in 1964, was a popular computer system with 24-bit addressing and 32-bit general registers and arithmetic...
, though it was technically a parallel processing 16-bit
16-bit
-16-bit architecture:The HP BPC, introduced in 1975, was the world's first 16-bit microprocessor. Prominent 16-bit processors include the PDP-11, Intel 8086, Intel 80286 and the WDC 65C816. The Intel 8088 was program-compatible with the Intel 8086, and was 16-bit in that its registers were 16...
system with an 8-bit
8-bit
The first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...
Zilog
Zilog
Zilog, Inc., previously known as ZiLOG , is a manufacturer of 8-bit and 24-bit microcontrollers, and is most famous for its Intel 8080-compatible Z80 series.-History:...
Z80
Zilog Z80
The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
as coprocessor
Coprocessor
A coprocessor is a computer processor used to supplement the functions of the primary processor . Operations performed by the coprocessor may be floating point arithmetic, graphics, signal processing, string processing, or encryption. By offloading processor-intensive tasks from the main processor,...
. The coprocessor was used as a CPU, and for sound processing. The Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis also had similar co-processors, with neither Sega nor Nintendo claiming they were 24-bit.
The Neo Geo was ranked 19th out of the 25 best video game consoles of all time by the video game website IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
in 2009.
History
Initially, the (AES) home system was only available for rentRenting
Renting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership from landowners...
to commercial establishments, such as hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
chains, bars and restaurants, and other venues. When customer response indicated that some gamers were willing to buy a $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
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Compared to the other 16-bit consoles of the time, Neo Geo's graphics and sound were vastly superior. The MVS was one of the most powerful arcade units at the time. Furthermore, since the AES was identical to its arcade counterpart, the MVS, arcade titles released for the home market were perfect translations. Although its high price tag kept it out of the mainstream gaming market, a strong game lineup likely contributed to the cult status of the Neo Geo, enabling it to outlast the more popular Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the console was planned to debut at $599 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
and included two joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
controllers and a game, either Baseball Stars Professional
Baseball Stars Professional
Baseball Stars Professional is a 2-player baseball arcade game released by SNK in 1990.-Series:*1. Baseball Stars *2. Baseball Stars Professional *3. Baseball Stars 2 -External links:* at...
or NAM-1975
NAM-1975
NAM-1975 is a 1990 war-themed action shooting game released by SNK. It was the first game released for Neo Geo arcade and home platform, and the only title to not feature the Neo Geo logo in its attract mode.-Plot:...
. However, the price was raised and its American launch debuted at $649.99. This package was known as the "Gold System." Later, the "Gold System" was bundled with Magician Lord and Fatal Fury. The system was also released in a "Silver System" package for $399.99, which included one joystick controller and did not include a game. Other games were priced at about $200 (and up). With these "premium" prices, though, most gamers weren't able to afford the system, so the console was only accessible to a niche market.
The home system featured two CPUs
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
: the 16-bit Motorola 68000
Motorola 68000
The Motorola 68000 is a 16/32-bit CISC microprocessor core designed and marketed by Freescale Semiconductor...
main processor
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
running at 12 MHz and the 8-bit
8-bit
The first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...
Zilog
Zilog
Zilog, Inc., previously known as ZiLOG , is a manufacturer of 8-bit and 24-bit microcontrollers, and is most famous for its Intel 8080-compatible Z80 series.-History:...
Z80
Zilog Z80
The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
coprocessor running at 4 MHz. A custom video chipset allowed the system to display 4,096 colors and 380 individual sprites
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
onscreen simultaneously, while the onboard Yamaha YM2610
Yamaha YM2610
YM2610, aka OPNB, is a fifteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and related to the YM2608...
sound chip
Sound chip
A sound chip is an integrated circuit designed to produce sound . It might be doing this through digital, analog or mixed-mode electronics...
gave the system 15 channels of sound with seven channels reserved specifically for digital sound effects.
When realtime 3D graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
stormed the arcade industry, the Neo Geo's hardware was unable to follow along. The longevity of Neo Geo games kept it alive in arcades, particularly in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where the newest installment of its flagship franchise, The King of Fighters, caused a stir with every new release.
The last official game by SNK for the Neo Geo system, Samurai Shodown V Special
Samurai Shodown V Special
Samurai Shodown V Special, known as in Japan, is the ninth game in SNK's Samurai Shodown/Samurai Spirits series of fighting games. This game is an upgraded version of the game titled Samurai Shodown V, and is the last official game for the Neo Geo platform...
, was released in 2004. SNK decided to abandon the hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
business due to the rampant piracy
Copyright infringement of software
Copyright infringement of software=The copyright infringement of software refers to several practices which involve the unauthorized copying of computer software. Copyright infringement of this kind varies globally...
of game-cartridges, which SNK believed was partially responsible for its bankruptcy in 2001. SNK ceased to manufacture home consoles by the end of 1997, but continued to release games for both arcade and home for another 8 years.
Measured from the introduction of the arcade hardware in 1990 to the release of the last official home cartridge in 2004, the Neo Geo enjoyed a market lifespan of fourteen years, making it the second longest-lived arcade or home console system ever produced (after Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
). On August 31, 2007, SNK stopped offering maintenance and repairs to Neo Geo home consoles, handhelds, and games. However, they will continue to repair their MVS arcade hardware.
Game ports
The GameTapGameTap
GameTap is an American online video game service established by Turner Broadcasting System . Dubbed by TBS as a "first of its kind broadband gaming network", the service provides users with classic arcade video games and game-related video content...
subscription service currently includes a Neo Geo emulator
Video game console emulator
A video game console emulator is a program that allows a computer or modern console to emulate a different video game console's behavior. Emulators are most often used to play older video games on personal computers and modern video game consoles, but they are also used to play games translated...
and a small library of Neo Geo games.
In February 2007, Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
announced on their Japanese website that Neo Geo games would appear on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in Japan; announcements in April and July confirmed placement on the North American Virtual Console, and on October 1, a similar announcement was made for the European Virtual Console. NeoGeo games were made available on the Australian and European Virtual Console on October 5, and North American Virtual Console on October 8. The first three games released were Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
is a 1991 head-to-head fighting game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. Fatal Fury was SNK's first fighting game for the Neo Geo system and served as the inaugural game in their Fatal Fury series, as well as the first game to depict the fictional "King of Fighters" tournament...
, Art of Fighting
Art of Fighting
is a trilogy of competitive fighting game titles that were released for the Neo Geo platform in the early 1990s. It was the second fighting game franchise created by SNK, following the Fatal Fury series and is set in the same fictional universe...
, and World Heroes
World Heroes
is a series of fighting games created by ADK originally created for the Neo Geo MVS arcade cabinets with the assistance of SNK, though some of the games in the series were also ported to the Neo Geo AES and Neo-Geo CD platforms, as well as some non-SNK platforms such as the Super NES and the Sega...
.
NeoGeo games released on the Virtual Console cost 900 Nintendo Points in all regions which is currently $9.00 USD.
NeoGeo games are also available through Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
and Playstation Network . As of July 2009, Fatal Fury Special
Fatal Fury Special
is a 1993 head-to-head fighting game produced by SNK originally released for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It is an updated version of Fatal Fury 2, introducing several changes to the gameplay system while expanding the available character roster....
, Samurai Shodown II
Samurai Shodown II
, is the second game in SNK's popular Samurai Shodown series of versus fighting games. This game has been released on the Wii's Virtual Console in Europe on August 8, 2008 and in North America on August 25, 2008 at a cost of 900 Wii Points...
, Metal Slug 3
Metal Slug 3
-External links:*Metal Slug 3 at...
, Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
, known as Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves on Dreamcast, is a 1999 fighting game produced by SNK, originally for the Neo Geo system. It is the ninth and final game in the Fatal Fury series, set ten years after the death of Geese Howard in Real Bout Fatal Fury...
and The King of Fighters '98
The King of Fighters '98
The King of Fighters '98 is a fighting game released by SNK released for the Neo Geo arcade and home console. It is the fifth game in The King of Fighters series...
have been released.
Technical aspects
Each joystick controller was 280mm (width) × 190mm (depth) × 95mm (height) ( 11 × 8 × 2.5 in.) and contained the same four-button layout as the arcade MVS cabinetArcade cabinet
A video game arcade cabinet, also known as a video arcade machine or video coin-op, is the housing within which a video arcade game's hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the JAMMA wiring standard...
.
The arcade machines had a memory card
Memory card
A memory card or flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information. They are commonly used in many electronic devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, and video game consoles...
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.
The arcade version of the hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
is often referred to as the "MVS," or Multi Video System (available in 1-slot, 2-slot, 4-slot, and 6-slot variations, the latter being capable of up to six cartridges loaded into one machine), with its console counterpart referred to as the "AES", or Advanced Entertainment System (most likely to distinguish it from the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, the dominating console on the market at the time).
EPROM
An EPROM , or erasable programmable read only memory, is a type of memory chip that retains its data when its power supply is switched off. In other words, it is non-volatile. It is an array of floating-gate transistors individually programmed by an electronic device that supplies higher voltages...
s from one type to the other, and the game would still run. The program specifics for both MVS and AES game options were contained on every game ROM, whether the cartridge was intended for home or arcade use. However, the arcade and home cartridges do have a different pinout
Pinout
In electronics, a pinout is a cross-reference between the contacts, or pins, of an electrical connector or electronic component, and their functions.- Purpose :...
. They were designed this way to prevent arcade operators from buying the cheaper home carts and then using them in arcades. It has been found that in a few home version games, one could unlock the arcade version of the game by inputting a special code.
ROM sizes and startup screens
Specification for ROM size was up to 330 megabits, 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 as Top Hunter, followed this screen by displaying an animation proclaiming "THE 100MEGA SHOCK!". The original ROM size spec was later enhanced on cartridges with bank switchingBank switching
Bank switching is a technique to increase the amount of usable memory beyond the amount directly addressable by the processor. It can be used to configure a system differently at different times; for example, a ROM required to start a system from diskette could be switched out when no longer...
memory technology, increasing the maximum cartridge size to around 716 Mbit. These new cartridges also caused the system to display "GIGA POWER PRO-GEAR SPEC" upon startup, indicating this enhancement.
Graphics
Unlike most other video game consoles of its time, the Neo Geo did not use tilemap background layers. Instead, it relied exclusively on drawing sprites to create the background. Sprites are vertical strips which are 16 pixels wide, and can be 16 to 512 pixels tall. By laying multiple sprites side by side, the system can simulate a background layer. The system can draw up to 384 sprites on the screen at a time, and up to 96 per scanline.Specifications
Processor
- Main processor: Motorola 68000Motorola 68000The Motorola 68000 is a 16/32-bit CISC microprocessor core designed and marketed by Freescale Semiconductor...
, often produced by another manufacturerSecond sourceIn the electronics industry, a second source is a company that is licensed to manufacture and sell components originally designed by another company ....
, running at 12 MHz - Co-processor: ZilogZilogZilog, Inc., previously known as ZiLOG , is a manufacturer of 8-bit and 24-bit microcontrollers, and is most famous for its Intel 8080-compatible Z80 series.-History:...
Z80 running at 4 MHz. This is also used as an audio controller.
Memory
- Main memory (used directly by 68000): 64 KBKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
- Main video memory : 84 KB
- Video memory: 64 KB (32 KB x2)
- Palette memory : 16 KB (8 KB x 2)
- Fast video RAM : 4 KB (2 KB x 2)
- Sound memory (used directly by Z80): 2 KB
Display
- Display resolutionDisplay resolutionThe display resolution of a digital television or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is controlled by all different factors in cathode ray tube , flat panel or projection...
: 320×224 (many games only used the centermost 304 pixels) - Color palettePalette (computing)In computer graphics, a palette is either a given, finite set of colors for the management of digital images , or a small on-screen graphical element for choosing from a limited set of choices, not necessarily colors .Depending on the context In computer graphics, a palette is either a given,...
: 65,536 (16-bit) (Not RGB565, but RGB666, where the lowest bit of each channel is shared with one bit) - Maximum colors on screen: 4,096 (12-bit)
- Maximum sprites on screen: 381
- Minimum sprite size: 1×2
- Maximum sprite size: 16×512
- Maximum sprites per scanline: 96
- Background layers: 0
- Aspect ratio: 4:3
- A/V output: RF, composite videoComposite videoComposite video is the format of an analog television signal before it is combined with a sound signal and modulated onto an RF carrier. In contrast to component video it contains all required video information, including colors in a single line-level signal...
, RGB (with separate 21 pin RGB cable FCG-9).
Sound
- Sound chipSound chipA sound chip is an integrated circuit designed to produce sound . It might be doing this through digital, analog or mixed-mode electronics...
: Yamaha YM2610Yamaha YM2610YM2610, aka OPNB, is a fifteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and related to the YM2608... - 4 FM channels, 4 operators per channel
- 3 SSGGeneral Instrument AY-3-8910The AY-3-8910 is a 3-voice Programmable Sound Generator designed by General Instrument, initially for use with their 16-bit CP1610 or one of the PIC1650 series of 8-bit microcomputers...
channels - 1 Noise channel
- 7 ADPCM channels
- Work RAM (sound): 2KB
- Sound ROM 128KB on-board (only less than 32KB used)
- up to 512KB sound ROM on cartridges
Power
- Source: separate DC 5 VVoltThe volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
(older systems) and DC 9 VVoltThe volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
adapter (newer systems). - Consumption: 8 WWattThe watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
older Systems, 5 WWattThe watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
newer Systems
Dimensions
- Console: 325 mm (width) × 237 mm (depth) × 60 mm (height).
- Controller: 280 mm (width) × 190 mm (depth) × 95 mm (height).
Storage
- Removable memory card: 2KB or 68-pin JEIDAJEIDA memory cardThe JEIDA memory card standard was a popular memory card standard at the beginning of memory cards appearing on portable computers. JEIDA cards could be used to expand system memory or as a solid-state storage drive...
ver. 3 spec memory- Any 68-pin memory that fits the JEIDA ver. 3 spec will work
Home cartridges
There is a thriving collectorCollecting
The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever items are of interest to the individual collector. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating merchandise, or stamps from all countries of the world...
's scene for the Neo Geo home systems, especially the original AES home console. This is mainly because of the limited runs received by cartridges, the massive arcade library available, and the system's reputation as a 2D powerhouse. It is still common even to this day for both Neo Geo consoles and cartridges to fetch extremely high prices on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
and other auction websites, particularly English versions of cartridges as these were produced in lower quantities. A handful of the rarest Neo Geo games can sell for well over $1,000 on eBay. This gives the system an almost cult following, as owners see the system as more of an "investment" rather than an ordinary videogame console. This leads to high resale value on most Neo Geo systems and games and makes the console a "must-have" for a number of video game collectors
Video game collecting
Video game collecting is the hobby of collecting video games and related memorabilia. Collectors may focus on a particular area of interest, such as retro consoles like the Atari 2600 and NES. There may also be some overlap with animation, anime, manga, comic books, or other media...
. The most expensive cartridge for the Neo Geo home system is the European-localized version of Kizuna Encounter
Kizuna Encounter
is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It is the sequel to Savage Reign. Like its predecessor, it was ported to the Neo-Geo CD and also included in the Fūun Super Combo for the PlayStation 2...
: There are only five known copies of the game, with the most recently sold copy selling for about $12,000 USD.
Arcade cartridges
Another sub-scene within the Neo Geo collector's market involves the MVS cartridges. Although these were initially designed for arcade use, a strong market has developed around collecting this particular format. The MVS market can be divided into two distinct groups: those who are looking for cheaper alternatives to the expensive rare home carts, and those who are interested in paying premium prices for complete arcade kits.For those interested primarily in lower prices on rare home games, MVS carts, particularly loose carts or incomplete kits, can offer a cost effective alternative. Most MVS cartridges cost substantially less than their home counterparts. This lower price can be associated with their lack of decoration as most were designed to be installed inside arcade cabinets and lack cartridge artwork or box artwork, the high set-up cost of purchasing the MVS system, and the prevalence of bootleg cartridges. Many of the most common MVS games go for prices between $10–$150.
However, in recent years a growing market has emerged for complete MVS arcade kits. These consist of all the materials that would be initially sent to an arcade operator, including the brown cardboard shipping box (with label), the insert materials to decorate the marqee and arcade cabinet (including separate move lists), warning information, dipswitch settings, in some cases even posters and/or any packing materials. Because many of the items in an MVS kit were designed to be discarded by arcade operators, finding complete arcade kits can be difficult and thus the prices for some complete MVS kits can be quite high.
Because of the conflicting requirements and desires of the two MVS sub-groups, they rarely compete with each other for games.
Counterfeit or bootleg
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
software is regarded in the collectors community as having zero value or very low value. Such software has a reputation for audio and video flaws, and is generally disparaged by fans of the Neo Geo systems. This software is identifiable by visual inspection of the game PCBs
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
, or by comparison of ROM CRC values using a specially designed BIOS
BIOS
In IBM PC compatible computers, the basic input/output system , also known as the System BIOS or ROM BIOS , is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface....
.
Other Neo Geo systems
Several home console systems were created based on the same hardware as the arcade games, as well as two handheld systems under the name Neo Geo Pocket.- Hyper Neo Geo 64Hyper Neo Geo 64The Hyper Neo Geo 64 was an arcade system created by SNK, and released in September 1997, being the first and only "Neo Geo" branded arcade system of the Neo Geo family....
(new hardware, arcade only, dropped) - Neo Geo CDNeo Geo CDis a game console from SNK that was released in 1994, four years after its cartridge-based equivalent, in an effort to reduce manufacturing costs. It is the second console of the Neo Geo family. The system was originally priced at US$300 new. The unit's 1X CD-ROM drive was slow, making loading...
- Neo Geo PocketNeo Geo PocketThe Neo Geo Pocket was SNK's first hand held video game system, released in Japan in late 1998; however, lower than expected sales resulted in its discontinuation in 1999, and was immediately succeeded by the Neo Geo Pocket Color. The system only had a retail release within the Japan and Hong Kong...
- Neo Geo Pocket ColorNeo Geo Pocket ColorThe Neo Geo Pocket Color , is a 16-bit colour handheld game console by SNK. It was the last console they produced in the Neo Geo family...
Graphical development
The Neo Geo was particularly notable for its ability to bring arcade-quality graphics directly into the home. As time went on, programmers were able to further tune the games to produce higher quality graphics than previous years and eventually beyond what was initially thought possible for the system.One of the pack-in game
Pack-in game
- Characteristics :Pack-in games are intended to be system-selling games that make good use of the positive features of a given system. Sometimes a pack-in game will be changed to a more popular game, or another game will be added, along with the original pack-in, if it is perceived that a newer...
s with the original Japanese release was NAM-1975
NAM-1975
NAM-1975 is a 1990 war-themed action shooting game released by SNK. It was the first game released for Neo Geo arcade and home platform, and the only title to not feature the Neo Geo logo in its attract mode.-Plot:...
, a side-scrolling shooting game that featured multi-layer scrolling backgrounds. However, the initial Neo Geo games were, graphically speaking, a little less polished than SNK's non-Neo Geo games. By 1991, games like King of the Monsters
King of the Monsters
King of the Monsters is a series of video games created by SNK Corporation for the Neo-Geo, featuring giant monsters reminiscent of kaiju and tokusatsu.-King of the Monsters:...
demonstrated the Neo Geo's ability to produce graphic detail that matched or surpassed contemporary arcade games from the period.
In 1992, SNK's Art of Fighting
Art of Fighting
is a trilogy of competitive fighting game titles that were released for the Neo Geo platform in the early 1990s. It was the second fighting game franchise created by SNK, following the Fatal Fury series and is set in the same fictional universe...
marked the beginning of a series of 2-D fighting game innovations. This landmark game brought visual graphic damage to the characters' faces when hit, as well as large character sprites in combination with zoom effects to intensify the action. This zoom feature was also used in the following year's Samurai Shodown
Samurai Shodown
Samurai Shodown, known as in Japan, is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for their Neo Geo arcade and home platform. In contrast to other fighting games at the time which were set in modern times and focused primarily on hand-to-hand combat, Samurai Shodown is set in feudal-era Japan ...
, whose even more elaborate graphics and gameplay won it Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
's award as the 1993 Game of the Year and launched a successful franchise. The Neo Geo also became known for its shooters, with the first successful title coming with 1994's Aero Fighters 2
Aero Fighters 2
Aero Fighters 2 is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game released in 1994 by Video System.-Gameplay:The game is played with two buttons, with the A button firing bullets from the plane and the B button launching a special bomb attack which uses a bomb from a limited stock of bombs. Power...
. The following year's Pulstar
Pulstar (video game)
is a shoot 'em up developed by now defunct Aicom Co. Ltd and published by SNK for the Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD and arcade; it is the prequel of Blazing Star. Pulstar, as well as its sequel, are often regarded as among the best-looking shoot 'em up games for the Neo Geo.-Story:In the year 2248, the first...
managed to up the ante on both graphics and gameplay.
Top Hunter, released in 1994 featured extremely fluid and crisp graphics, such as the trees on the wind stage of the game. Fatal Fury 2
Fatal Fury 2
is a 1992 fighting video game released by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platforms. It is the sequel to Fatal Fury: King of Fighters and the second game in the Fatal Fury franchise.-Gameplay:...
also featured fluid and detailed graphics for the time. Top Hunter, and Fatal Fury 2 do contain some slowdown, but later games largely avoided slowdown issues (with the exception of Metal Slug 2
Metal Slug 2
is a run and gun video game for the Neo-Geo console/arcade platform created by SNK. It was released in 1998 for the MVS arcade platform and is the sequel to the popular Metal Slug. It is the second title in the Metal Slug series. The game was later re-released in a slightly modified/remixed form as...
, which is quite notorious for its copious amounts of slowdown).
By the mid-1990s, SNK was trying to move onto a new platform, notably the Hyper-64. When the new 3-D system failed to take off, however, SNK found itself still developing games for its old 2-D engine. This led programmers to come up with ways to increase the limits of what was initially thought possible for the system.
Six years after the Neo Geo's initial launch, Nazca Corporation
Nazca Corporation
was a Japanese video game company that developed video games for the Neo Geo. The company was formed in 1994 by a group of employees from Irem who were tired of the company's inactivity...
surprised the video game industry with Metal Slug
Metal Slug
is a run and gun video game for the Neo-Geo console/arcade platform developed by Nazca Corporation and published by SNK. It was originally released in 1996 for the MVS arcade platform. The game is widely known for its sense of humor, fluid hand-drawn animation, and fast paced two-player action...
. A take from the Contra series
Contra series
is a video game series produced by Konami composed primarily of run and gun-style shoot-'em-ups. The series debuted in as a coin-operated arcade game simply titled Contra, which was followed by the release of Super Contra in and several sequels produced for various home platforms.The in-universe...
, Metal Slug is a run and gun game that featured cartoonish, hyper-active graphics and gameplay that also launched a very successful franchise. Since the Neo Geo was unable to produce the 3-D games that began dominating arcades in the 1990s, SNK focused on mastering the realm of 2-D. With the launch of The Last Blade
The Last Blade
, is a fighting game series created by SNK for the Neo Geo system. The Korean version of the game is known as "The Last Soldier". The Last Blade and its sequel are widely considered to be two of the most accomplished games available for the Neo Geo system, with fan opinion divided as to which is...
in 1997, SNK programmers demonstrated that the Neo Geo was still capable of producing artistically rendered graphics to match the gameplay.
While the system became primarily known for its fighting games in the late-1990s, notably the King of Fighters series, 1998's Blazing Star
Blazing Star
is a scrolling shooter video game for the Neo Geo home game system. It is the sequel to the acclaimed Neo Geo shooter Pulstar, which was itself a close cousin to the R-Type franchise...
updated the previous Pulstar with more detail. This trend of adding more detail to 2-D environments reached a plateau with 1999's Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
, known as Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves on Dreamcast, is a 1999 fighting game produced by SNK, originally for the Neo Geo system. It is the ninth and final game in the Fatal Fury series, set ten years after the death of Geese Howard in Real Bout Fatal Fury...
, an update of the Fatal Fury series, as well as 2000's Metal Slug 3
Metal Slug 3
-External links:*Metal Slug 3 at...
.
External links
- SNK Playmore Official Web Site
- SNK Playmore USA official web site: Though no longer producing Neo Geo consoles or games, SNK Playmore still produces newer versions of Neo Geo games for current consoles and handhelds.
- Official Neo Geo Web Site
- www.neo-geo.com
- Neo Geo Development wiki
- NeoGeoForLife.com: Neo Geo Game review database & information on the console
- SpooNMan's Neo-Geo Archives: One of the original Neo-Geo fan sites from the 90's. Includes high quality box scans, articles, as well as other media that is 100% Neo-Geo.
- NeoGeo Master List: a comprehensive listing of all Neo Geo games, int'l release dates, formats, meg sizes and other information (English)
- NeoGeoSoft.com: A complete software and artwork resource for the Neo Geo.
- Neo-Geo MVS list: an alternate listing, classed by official SNK ID number
- Statistics on the releases and sizes of Neo Geo games (French)
- A wealth of information on the various Neo Geo consoles
- Neo-Geo.us
- Neogeospain.com - Spanish Neo-Geo WebSite
- Mercafriki.com - Neo-Geo Games & Consoles for Sell
- Ultimate-Arcade-Station - Build a Home Neo-Geo Cabinet with a Sega Megalo and a Euro40 Gevin