Need advice on obtaining a Neo Geo AES system

[psx95]

I would like to obtain a Neo Geo system and was wondering what the best route is to find one. I have looked on Ebay before, but they were all Japanese units. I would like to have a US model. Are the US models rarer than the Japanese models? How many were sold in the US? Is there a better site online to get a Neo Geo?

I also know there was the AES and the CD version. Which one would you recommend? Are the CD games cheaper or easier to find than the cartridges, or is it the other way around? I would appreciate any help on this subject!

[Videogamerdaryll]

I would like to obtain a Neo Geo system and was wondering what the best route is to find one. I have looked on Ebay before, but they were all Japanese units. I would like to have a US model. Are the US models rarer than the Japanese models? How many were sold in the US? Is there a better site online to get a Neo Geo?

I also know there was the AES and the CD version. Which one would you recommend? Are the CD games cheaper or easier to find than the cartridges, or is it the other way around? I would appreciate any help on this subject!


Where are you located..?

Check with Joe at>>>

Digital Press Videogames Store
387 Piaget Ave (Route 46 E), Clifton, NJ 07011 (973) 772-1111


I think Joe had a boxed US Neo Geo AES system in the store..

.........

I sold the store a used AES system once...not sure if it's been sold..
I still have my own US AES ..Nice System to own...

[Rickstilwell1]

I know I've never seen a Neo Geo CD unit with the bios set to USA. I don't know if they came like that or if I just kept getting sellers who lied when they said they bought it new in the USA.

As far as the AES goes, yeah it's more expensive to get a US version but worth it if you are going to play it a whole lot. If you generally like arcade games from this era and find yourself playing the same games hundreds of times you will eventually get your money out of it. If you buy the Japanese version you won't notice much difference though because they don't use Kanji very much in video games unless there are dialogue boxes.

Paying $100 a cartridge is cheaper than playing the original Arcade machine in public if you play the game 100 times. It only makes sense. Pay a buck in quarters or more each time you play, or get the system yourself and play it as many times as you like. And if you buy the memory card, you can continue where you left off when you die in some games that only have a limited number of lives (such as Blue's Journey). Amazon.com might still have more US AES systems left if you want to pay $500 with games like I did.

Once you get an AES you can hunt down an MVS converter and buy the arcade cabinet cartirdges cheaper than the AES cartridges themselves if you want to. I haven't made it to that point yet. I'm still stuck at 3 Neo Geo AES games that came with my system and probably will be for a long time.

Either way, Neo Geo is expensive unless you get the CD version.

[Bojay1997]

I know I've never seen a Neo Geo CD unit with the bios set to USA. I don't know if they came like that or if I just kept getting sellers who lied when they said they bought it new in the USA.

As far as the AES goes, yeah it's more expensive to get a US version but worth it if you are going to play it a whole lot. If you generally like arcade games from this era and find yourself playing the same games hundreds of times you will eventually get your money out of it. If you buy the Japanese version you won't notice much difference though because they don't use Kanji very much in video games unless there are dialogue boxes.

Paying $100 a cartridge is cheaper than playing the original Arcade machine in public if you play the game 100 times. It only makes sense. Pay a buck in quarters or more each time you play, or get the system yourself and play it as many times as you like. And if you buy the memory card, you can continue where you left off when you die in some games that only have a limited number of lives (such as Blue's Journey). Amazon.com might still have more US AES systems left if you want to pay $500 with games like I did.

Once you get an AES you can hunt down an MVS converter and buy the arcade cabinet cartirdges cheaper than the AES cartridges themselves if you want to. I haven't made it to that point yet. I'm still stuck at 3 Neo Geo AES games that came with my system and probably will be for a long time.

Either way, Neo Geo is expensive unless you get the CD version.

A lot of misinformation here. Both the AES and the CD were sold in US versions by SNK. I have a Neo Geo CD system that came directly from SNK USA and I know for a fact they sold them through authorized dealers throughout the US. You don't need to buy a US version AES to play games in English. You can buy a Japanese system with a BIOS switch modification that allows the best of both worlds since you can switch language/region settings and make adjustments to things like blood, etc...

$500 for an AES and games is outrageously expensive. Spend some time on neo-geo.com in the marketplace section and you will find a nice system and a few games for probably $250 or less. Many of the common early cartridge games go for $20-$30 used and slightly more factory sealed.

I wouldn't recommend the Neo Geo CD. The loading times are really bad and frankly, the same games which are expensive on the AES tend to be expensive on the CD, even if it is relatively so. If you are specifically wanting to play the rarer stuff like the Metal Slug series, I would suggest buying either an MVS converter for the AES or buying an inexpensive arcade cabinet or Jamma gun and an MVS system which can be had for around $100 nowadays. MVS carts typically run $20-$50 loose depending on the title or $50-$300 for a complete kit.

[aclbandit]

As mentioned by others, the MVS converter is pretty much a "must" if you don't have truckloads of money lying around.

If you're a Metal Slug fan, it's even more important: the first game is something silly like $1500 for a complete copy for AES; the MVS game can be had pretty cheap. I think I got mine from eBay (where things are often too expensive) for something like $60, and that one came with the mini marquee, DIP settings sheet, and original flyers as well as the cart.

Neo-geo.com is something I discovered later as a great source of both info and loot. The marketplace there is great.

If you do pick one up, enjoy: it's one of my favorite systems now.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

i've been in the market for an aes system for about 2 years now with the same problem as the op, not enough money to really get the games i want, i'd probably shell out a few hundred for the kof games and other fighters, but what i really really want are the metal slug games, i think da cheapest one in the series was like $400 US, jesus christ lol, i know in my heart if i bought a aes system, i'd probably be stuck playin the same games that came with the system at purchase for a couple of years :(



one question i do have, which would probably become the deciding factor for me in pushing me over the edge and outright saying "fuck it" and buying it are the arcade controllers, i've seen some out there with light up buttons like the mods some ppl do to xbox controllers, what i want to know is if these came like there, were a limited release, or just a custom job, if the latter then how much?

i dont know why, but that is just the sickest thing i've ever seen lol, if i can get those bundled in, i'd be worth having just for the sake of posterity, a conversation piece for years to come until i scrounged the money necessary for the metal slug games :(

anyone have any info???



also, in case i go the supergun route, are there any out there, or any members here who's made them personally, and had them looking halfway decent and not just like a ugly ass box wit a slot and controller ports???

[savageone]

Yes, the US systems are considerably harder to find than the Japanese systems. That is sort of the way it is with everything Neo Geo, english versions are always harder to find and more expensive.

I happen to have a US system I will be selling off soon that I just don't use any more, I made an offer to a fellow here a few weeks back but haven't heard back. It's low serial (~6k) original board revision with best possible native RGB output. There isn't a box or anything, just the system + wiring + old style controller. Send me a PM if you want it, if not I'll either toss it on the marketplace here or eBay shortly.


one question i do have, which would probably become the deciding factor for me in pushing me over the edge and outright saying "fuck it" and buying it are the arcade controllers, i've seen some out there with light up buttons like the mods some ppl do to xbox controllers, what i want to know is if these came like there, were a limited release, or just a custom job, if the latter then how much?

Those are custom jobs, the buttons on the old style sticks lend themselves pretty well to having LEDs glued under them. They also can be modded with Sanwa sticks/buttons, I honestly don't think the Sanwa parts are necessary though.. IMO old style AES sticks are the best arcade type controllers ever made for home use. Somehow they managed to downgrade the quality with the new style/"kidney" stick though.. Thankfully they went back to the original design for the PS2/Wii/PS3 Neo Geo sticks. :)

[nhm]

Another option is to buy a consolized MVS system. There is a very basic one here for $150:
http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205639
If you keep an eye out, you can eventually find a good CMVS for $200-300. An AES with converter is going to cost you about $450 total. There are also MVS multicarts that have over 100 games on them for around $100. They usually have all of the popular games that you would want.

I picked up a good CMVS for $190 on craigslist with 4 common games and one old style controller.

[Insaneclown]

Go to www.neo-geo.com make an account and go to the wanted section and ask for a US Neo Geo AES system that your looking for. There is around I believe 330,000 US units. There has been some US AES units on ebay there as I just picked one up like 2 weeks ago. The US ones are not as rare it's just everyone is holding on to them. All the AES systems are region free. The JPN AES systems have blood but the US AES systems dont unless you mod it.

Well if you cant afford it then dont go the AES route. Some AES carts are so expensive. Either go the MVS route or CD route as they are alot cheaper.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'd go with a JPN system (not that it matters, but I went with JPN games as well). I've got an old boxed US Gold system that I probably ought to get rid of.

I can't imagine actually playing on the thing without getting it modified for better video and sound output. Near RF-quality composite, the worst you've ever seen because all the Neo Geo's spectacular colors wither and die in composite. Mono sound, too.

Whatever you decide, take a look at this page, (http://nfggames.com/games/neorgb/) then ask yourself if the pretty boxes are really worth the upgrades. Granted, the MVS route either will take up lots of space (dedicated cab) or likely be more expensive (getting a consolized MVS or getting a MVS harness for a supergun; if you already have that it'd be best to go that route).


The JPN AES systems have blood but the US AES systems dont unless you mod it.
Don't forget extra animation around female characters' chest areas in some games!

Of course, you can also modify a US AES with a universal (switchable) BIOS for those times you want to play with the SUPER REAL ORIGINAL SNK-GLISH. Seems like a lot of hassle for little purpose though.

[psx95]

Thanks for all the information! I have a couple more questions. Does a Japanese system need a converter to run on a US power outlet? I don't know the exact differences between Japan's power ratings and those in the US. Will a Japanese cartridge play on a US system? If so, what language would be displayed? What kind of audio/video outputs does an original, unmodded system have? Thanks again!

[Bojay1997]

Thanks for all the information! I have a couple more questions. Does a Japanese system need a converter to run on a US power outlet? I don't know the exact differences between Japan's power ratings and those in the US. Will a Japanese cartridge play on a US system? If so, what language would be displayed? What kind of audio/video outputs does an original, unmodded system have? Thanks again!

The Japanese power supply for the Japanese AES is close enough to US power requirements to not require a converter. Some very anal people still use one, but it's not necessary. A Japanese cartridge will play in a US system in English. Similarly, an English cartridge will play in Japanese on a Japanese system. The region coding is handled by the system, not the cartridge and most Neo Geo AES games have both a Japanese version and an English version on the same cartridge.

[Aussie2B]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the best way to go is a consolized MVS with universe bios which will allow you to play MVS carts in MVS or home mode, in any region, and it really doesn't take that much know-how to consolize one yourself. It's just a matter of buying all the parts you need, and doing a little bit of soldering, maybe drilling too. If you want to pay out the wazoo for something really slick and professional looking, you're more than welcome to, but if you want something that's decent looking, relatively affordable, and, most importantly, functional, then you can't beat my route. Or if you want to play with crappy video and sound output with an AES, short of paying even more for a modification, you're welcome to that too. :P

[Rickstilwell1]

So the people who sold me Neo Geo CD systems didn't know what they were talking about when they said they were US systems. Both of mine were Japanese. I guess that means I need to go hunting somewhere I am guaranteed to get the right version. Maybe on the Neo Geo forum I'll find someone with a true US released Neo Geo CD that displays in English on the startup screen, not Japanese.

Of course I'd keep my Japanese one to see the graphical action.

[Richter Belmount]

extra animation around female characters' chest areas in some games!


Thats the most importat part.......... NO CENSORSHIP IN GAMES

[savageone]

Go to www.neo-geo.com make an account and go to the wanted section and ask for a US Neo Geo AES system that your looking for. There is around I believe 330,000 US units. There has been some US AES units on ebay there as I just picked one up like 2 weeks ago. The US ones are not as rare it's just everyone is holding on to them. All the AES systems are region free. The JPN AES systems have blood but the US AES systems dont unless you mod it.

Well if you cant afford it then dont go the AES route. Some AES carts are so expensive. Either go the MVS route or CD route as they are alot cheaper.

Where did you hear that there are 330k US units? That seems pretty high to me and I've only seen Japanese units with serials that high. For US systems I think the highest I ever saw was in the 40k range.

[Insaneclown]

So the people who sold me Neo Geo CD systems didn't know what they were talking about when they said they were US systems. Both of mine were Japanese. I guess that means I need to go hunting somewhere I am guaranteed to get the right version. Maybe on the Neo Geo forum I'll find someone with a true US released Neo Geo CD that displays in English on the startup screen, not Japanese.

Of course I'd keep my Japanese one to see the graphical action.

Finding a US Neo Geo CD system...is going to be tough man. Good Luck with your search. Your best hope is on the forums and they are costly. Im there but I rarely see them show up. Just ask in the Wanted section and who knows maybe you could get lucky.

[Insaneclown]

Where did you hear that there are 330k US units? That seems pretty high to me and I've only seen Japanese units with serials that high. For US systems I think the highest I ever saw was in the 40k range.

Actually...whoops...lol. I meant what you said...330k JPN systems. I have no clue why I said that...either I was tired or sleep typing. lol I still have no clue how many US systems they made. I have not seen a high number myself.