Systems

Neo Geo

Arcade perfection at home

SNK's Neo Geo delivered arcade-identical gaming at home for the price of a used car, creating the ultimate enthusiast platform.

consolesarcadejapanese 1990–2004

Overview

The Neo Geo wasn’t for normal people. At $649 for the console and $200+ per game, it cost more than competitors combined. But it delivered something nothing else could: actual arcade games at home. Not ports, not conversions—the same hardware, the same games. For fighting game enthusiasts, nothing else compared.

Fast facts

  • Manufacturer: SNK Corporation.
  • Released: April 1990 (Japan), August 1990 (NA).
  • CPU: Motorola 68000 at 12 MHz.
  • Secondary CPU: Zilog Z80 at 4 MHz.
  • Graphics: Custom chipset, 320×224 resolution.
  • Colours: 4,096 on screen from 65,536.
  • Sprites: 380 on screen, massive sizes.
  • Sound: Yamaha YM2610, 15 channels.
  • Price: $649 console, $200-$600 per game.

The MVS connection

Neo Geo’s secret was shared hardware:

  • MVS: Multi Video System arcade boards.
  • AES: Advanced Entertainment System home console.
  • Same games: Identical cartridges (with adapters).
  • Cost sharing: Development served both markets.

Why so expensive?

The price reflected reality:

  • Cartridge size: Up to 716 Mbit (89.5 MB).
  • Arcade hardware: No cost-reduction compromises.
  • Memory: More RAM than home computers.
  • Quality: Games looked identical to arcade.

Fighting game dominance

Neo Geo became the fighting game platform:

  • Fatal Fury series: SNK’s Street Fighter competitor.
  • Art of Fighting: Zooming characters, dramatic style.
  • Samurai Shodown: Weapon-based combat.
  • The King of Fighters: Dream match crossovers.

The competitive fighting game community embraced Neo Geo.

The game library

SNK’s output was prolific:

  • Fighters: Fatal Fury, KOF, Samurai Shodown, Last Blade.
  • Shooters: Pulstar, Blazing Star, Last Resort.
  • Action: Metal Slug series (later).
  • Sports: Neo Geo Cup, Baseball Stars.

Metal Slug

The franchise defined Neo Geo’s later years:

  • Run-and-gun perfection: Smooth animation, tight controls.
  • Visual spectacle: Hand-drawn animation masterpiece.
  • Humour: Personality rare in action games.
  • Series: Six mainline entries, multiple spin-offs.

The Neo Geo CD

Cost reduction attempt (1994):

  • CD-ROM drive instead of cartridges.
  • Games at $50-80 instead of $200+.
  • Brutal loading times (sometimes minutes).
  • Undermined the platform’s appeal.

Enthusiast culture

Neo Geo created dedicated communities:

  • Import scene: Japanese games brought West.
  • Converters: MVS-to-AES adapters for cheaper games.
  • Collectors: Rare cartridges worth thousands.
  • Tournaments: Fighting game competitive scene.

Legacy

The Neo Geo proved a market existed for premium gaming—and defined its limits. The enthusiast audience was real but small. SNK couldn’t sustain the business and eventually went bankrupt (2001), though the brand and games continue under new ownership. The Neo Geo remains the pinnacle of 2D gaming hardware.

See also