Neo-Geo
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- NeoGeo is also a style of contemporary art, engendered in the East Village in the 1980s.
Template:CVG system Neo-Geo is the name of a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released in 1990 by Japanese game company SNK. The system was years ahead of other home systems of its time, offering huge, colorful 2D graphics, and high-quality sound. A major platform for arcade games at the time, the system was also available as a costly home console. The two versions of the system were known as the AES (Advanced Entertainment System) and the MVS (Multi Video System).
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History
Initially, the home system was only available for rent or for use in hotel settings, but SNK quickly began selling the system through stores when customer response indicated that people were willing to spend the money. Compared to the other consoles of the time, the NeoGeo AES was incredibly powerful, thanks to its high-end graphics and sound chipsets. The home system featured two CPUs: a 16-bit Motorola 68000 main processor running at 12 MHz and a 8-bit ZiLOG Z-80A coprocessor running at 4 MHz. The system's main CPU was 50 percent faster than the 68000 processor found in Sega's Genesis console. The NeoGeo AES also had the benefit of it's specialized audio and video chipsets. A custom video chipset allowed the system to display a whopping 4,096 colors and 380 individual sprites onscreen simultaneously (compared to 64 simultaneous colors and 80 individual sprites for the Genesis), while the onboard Yamaha 2610 sound chip gave the system 15 channels of CD-quality sound with seven channels reserved specifically for digital sound effects. Surround-Sound was also built into many games for a truly state-of-the-art sound experience.
Nonetheless, this type of power carried a large price tag; the console was planned to debut at $599 USD and included two joystick controllers and a game (either Baseball Stars or NAM-1975). However, this plan was quickly scrapped and when the system had its national launch it debuted at $649.99 with two joysticks, a memory card, and a single pack-in game, Magician Lord (the early Neo Geo boxes had a gold sticker announcing the inclusion of Magician Lord over the initially planned choice of two games), this package was known as the "Gold System". The system was also released in a "Silver System" package, which included one joystick controller and did not include a game or memory card. Other games cost $200 and up — each. With these "premium" prices though, most gamers weren't able to afford the system and so the console was only accessible to a niche market. Image:Mvs scandinavia-flyer.jpg The Neo-Geo was only to be driven further into cult status by changing mainstream tastes which soon demanded flashy, 3D graphics. Yet, the quality of Neo-Geo games kept it alive in arcades, particularly in Japan, where the newest installment of the flagship King of Fighters was certain to cause a stir with each release.
The last game for the Neo-Geo system, Samurai Spirits Zero Special, was released on October 19, 2004. SNK ceased to manufacture home consoles by the end of 1997, but software for both formats and arcade hardware was produced for many years after. Measured from the introduction of the arcade hardware in 1990 to the release of the last home cartridge in 2004, the Neo-Geo's 14-year span of support from its manufacturer makes it the longest-lived arcade or home system, significantly longer-lived than either the Sega Naomi or the Capcom Play System 2.
Technical aspects
Each joystick controller was a full 2½ inches tall, measured 11 inches long by 8 inches across, and contained the same four-button layout as the arcade MVS cabinet.
The arcade machines had a memory card system by which a player could save a game to return to at a later time, and remarkably, to 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 programming code is the same on both the MVS and AES hardware. In fact, owners could move EPROMs 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.
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 changes were required to achieve it, some games over 100 megabits followed this screen by displaying an animation touting "The 100 Mega Shock". The original ROM size spec was later enhanced on cartridges with bank switching memory technology, increasing the maximum cartridge size to around 1 gigabit. These new cartridges also caused the system to display "GIGA POWER" upon startup, indicating this enhancement.
 Original |
 100 Mega Shock |
 Giga-Power |
Specifications
- Processors: Motorola 68000 (12 MHz), Zilog Z80 (4 MHz)
- Sound chip: Yamaha YM2610 15 Sound Channels (7 Digital, 4 FM synthesis, 3 PSG, 1 Noise Channel)
Display
- Display resolution: 320x224
- Color Palette: 65,536
- Maximum Colors On-Screen: 4,096
- Maximum Sprites On-Screen: 380
- Minimum Sprite Size: 1x2
- Maximum Sprite Size: 16x512
- Maximum Planes: 3
- Aspect ratio: 4:3
Storage
- Internal RAM: Work RAM: 64 KB, Video RAM: 68 KB, Z80 RAM: 2 KB
- Removable Memory Card: 8kb or 68-pin JEIDA ver.3 spec memory
- Any 68-pin memory that fits the JEIDA ver.3 spec will work
Collecting
There is a thriving collectors' 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. Some rare 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 any collector.
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 64 (arcade game system)
- Neo Geo CD
- Neo Geo CDZ
- Neo Geo Pocket
- Neo Geo Pocket Color
Screenshot gallery
 Fatal Fury |
 King of the Monsters |
 Art of Fighting |
|
 Baseball Stars 2 |
 Puzzle Bobble |
 Samurai Shodown |
 Sonic Wings 2 |
 Metal Slug |
 The Last Blade |
 Shock Troopers |
See also
Template:Dedicated video game consoles
- List of Neo-Geo games
- SNK, original creators of the Neo-Geo, were bought by Playmore corporation and are now known as SNK Playmore.
External links
Reference
- NeoGeo Master List: a comprehensive listing of all Neo Geo games, int'l release dates, formats, meg sizes and other information (English)
- Statistics on the releases and sizes of Neo-Geo games (French)
Official
- SNK Playmore USA official web site: Through no longer producing Neo-Geo consoles or games, still produces newer versions of Neo-Geo games for current consoles and handhelds.
- Neo Store: comprehensive source and exclusive U.S. distributor of official SNK Playmore English releases for the Neo-Geo home system
Stores
- Arcade Shock: source of SNK and Capcom games, with an emphasis on arcade format
- Universe Bios: Unofficial homebrew alternative bios for Neo Geo systems that allows you to unlock arcade and home options on any system, as well as cheats and a jukebox player.
- Neobitz: source for Neo-Geo system modifications, offering Component Video, SVideo, Digital Audio, etc.
Fan Sites
- Neo-Geo.com: "The Net's Largest Neo-Geo Base", a popular site with information on Neo-Geo collecting. Also housing the largest community of Neo-Geo fans.
- SNK-Capcom: Large fan site with forum, chat, reviews, etc
- HardMVS: MVS-related site with pics, reviews, and tech diys
- Daddelkingz: German NeoGeo community & NeoGeo review archive
- NeoGeoForLife: UK-based Neo-Geo and SNK fan site, with a large database of SNK reviews and other material
- Neo-Alec's Unofficial Neo Geo Page: Older fan site that used to be one of the largest, and housed one of the biggest online Neo Geo communities on its message boards for a time before Neo-Geo.com.de:Neo Geo
es:Neo-Geo fr:Neo-Geo it:Neo Geo nl:Neo-Geo ja:ネオジオ pt:Neo-Geo sv:Neo-Geo zh:NEOGEO