Neo Geo Inquiry

[allyourbase]

I've been playing alot of Neo-Geo/SNK arcade emulations lately and have really enjoyed them. I know that being in the US i'd have to import any of these games if i wanted to play them on a home console. The problem is, I understand that there are multiple Neo-Geo consoles out there (mvs, etc.) and they can get pretty expensive. Can anyone let me know from a collector/player standpoint which neo-geo console is best to go after and buy? Secondly, what is the difference between these consoles.
-Plus, if you guys can recommend any titles that would be great! I've gotten a kick out of Shock Troopers, Metal Slug, Mutation Nation so far.

please keep in mind price, game library, ease of finding software, etc.

thanks!

[Marriott_Guy]

In general, MVS versions of the games are much cheaper than their AES counterparts. I have the US Gold AES version of this system and have been very happy with it. It is not modded, but that is the way I want it (I am kind of a purist in this area). If you can score a custom MVS-infused console (I don't think one was ever released), then this is the way to go to save some cash on the games. You will sacrifice the awesome packaging of the AES games, but you will not sacrifice game play.

Just my two thoughts - Neo-Geo.com is a great resource as well. Hope this helps.

[bust3dstr8]

For price and playablity nothing beats MVS. Now the hard part is finding what
hardware will work best for you, Consolized, Supergun, Cab, AES with converter.

I have found dozens of great MVS games in the $10-$30 range very easily.
Some of the better games will cost $50+ .....but thats because they are
worth it, Metal Slug 3, Neo Turf Masters, Blazing Star, etc.

[c0ldb33r]

You could also just stick with their collection releases, which are pretty decent.

SNK Arcade Collection, vol. 1, Fatal Fury Battle Archive, World Heroes Anthology, Art of Fighting Collection are all pretty decent and can be had for about $10.00 new., then top it up with individual titles which were released on other systems, e.g. metal slug releases on the xbox, king of fighters on the Dreamcast, etc...

[DeputyMoniker]

Both the MVS and AES had stateside releases. The AES is the home console and it will play any AES game, regardless of the system or games Japanese/American origin or original language. There is no regional lockout. As for the MVS, that is the arcade motherboard. People have taken those arcade motherboards and given them the ability to be hooked up to a television and regular AES controllers. That's where you hear about "consolized MVS" and Superguns. Both the AES and MVS play cartridge games...but the two are not compatible with one another. You can't play an AES game on an MVS board. MVS games are cheaper because they're more common...but in general, there is no gameplay/visual difference between the AES and MVS version of the game...that's why the Neo Geo console games were way expensive. So, you can either get into the AES for under $200 and pay a high price for a lot of the games, or get into a consolized MVS for $200++ and pay less for the games. Hope that helps.

EDIT: Regarding what you said about multiple console releases...that really isn't the case. Depending on what you care about, (Google the issue) you may want to look for the earlier AES consoles...but there is really only one model of it. (Relative to the multiple PS3 & 360 models.) On the other hand, there is the Neo Geo CD system, which used CD media instead of cartridge. But that, in my opinion, is prohibitively slow. Between rounds of Samurai Shodown, my friend used to go to the store to buy a snack. Concerning the MVS boards, yeah, there are a few of them. Google the issue and you will find the differences between them and you can choose the one you want...or at least you'll know what you're getting if you decide to buy one.

EDIT2: One more thing. Believe it or not, DP isn't really the best source of Neo Geo information. Head over to Neo-Geo.com forums and you'll find everything you need to know. (Including a "For Sale" area.)

[Kitsune Sniper]

SNK Arcade Collection, vol. 1

AVOID THIS PIECE OF CRAP. Unless, of course, you enjoy playing games at half speed and with tons of missing sound effects.

[c0ldb33r]

AVOID THIS PIECE OF CRAP. Unless, of course, you enjoy playing games at half speed and with tons of missing sound effects.

Did you try the PS2 or the Wii version? I heard that the PS2 version is slow, clunky shit. The Wii version is supposed to be faster. I never understood why the PS2 was shit, the SNK fighting game collections which were also on the PS2 were decent.

I've got the Wii version of SNK Arcade Collection and quite like it

[eugenek]

I've been playing alot of Neo-Geo/SNK arcade emulations lately and have really enjoyed them. I know that being in the US i'd have to import any of these games if i wanted to play them on a home console. The problem is, I understand that there are multiple Neo-Geo consoles out there (mvs, etc.) and they can get pretty expensive. Can anyone let me know from a collector/player standpoint which neo-geo console is best to go after and buy? Secondly, what is the difference between these consoles.
-Plus, if you guys can recommend any titles that would be great! I've gotten a kick out of Shock Troopers, Metal Slug, Mutation Nation so far.

please keep in mind price, game library, ease of finding software, etc.

thanks!

All things considered, I think in the long run it's best to find a consolized MVS. They're a little pricey from the start, I know. But AES games are also ridiculously expensive (especially most of the good games, Metal Slug still costs like $2000), and while there are MVS adapters you can plug into your AES, they're like 250 bucks alone.

Eh, on second thought, just stick to emulation.

[Aussie2B]

Honestly, I don't see any reason to own an AES short of collecting purposes. Almost every game for AES is massively expensive, besides the very early releases, and, personally, I'd prefer to play more than just Art of Fighting and Samurai Shodown. The system is expensive too, and unless you get it modified, the audio and video suck.

With the MVS, it can be a little expensive to get started, but if you do the consolizing yourself (heck, the system is half way there with controller ports already built in), which seriously isn't that hard, you will save considerable money over buying an AES. And once you start buying games, it's a WORLD of a difference. Hardly anything costs more than a hundred bucks, and you can build an awesome collection just with games in the $10-$50 range, including games that are virtually impossible to get for AES like Metal Slug and Neo Turf Masters (and who wants to do without awesome games like those?). And with universal bios, you'll be able to play all your games in home or arcade mode, giving you all the functionality of an AES. Also, there are games that came out for MVS that were never released in AES form.

[otaku]

I've got into the aes recently but really should get a converter for it so I can play the mvs releases on the cheap. What I really want (and financially it would make more sense) is an MVS cab I just don't have the space or the people willing to put up with/allow it

[allyourbase]

thanks a million for the responses so far, I have a much clearer picture now of how I should go about this. Feel free to continue the thread though, much appreciated so far!

[XYXZYZ]

Also, consider a full sized arcade machine.(MVS) They're quite common and not too expensive, and can often be had for the same price you'd pay for a consolized MVS or an AES with a converter. Check eBay, maybe you'll find something local.

[Tron 2.0]

For price and playablity nothing beats MVS. Now the hard part is finding what
hardware will work best for you, Consolized, Supergun, Cab, AES with converter.

I have found dozens of great MVS games in the $10-$30 range very easily.
Some of the better games will cost $50+ .....but thats because they are
worth it, Metal Slug 3, Neo Turf Masters, Blazing Star, etc.

Agreed i put in some advice being a consolized mvs owner myself,but most have answer your questions all ready allyourbase.

[savageone]

NGCD: Only 50-60% of all games are on it (with nothing after 1999 or so) but it is THE cheapest way to go. If you really want to play fighting games then skip this, that is where slow loading really gets in the way. You get nice CD audio, and many games even have small bonuses. There are also a handful of NGCD exclusives. There are 3 different models to choose from, CDZ loads fastest and the original front loader arguably looks the best.

Arcade machine: Tough to find in good condition (may require restoration) and requires some extra space. The prices on the games are reasonable for the most part, a lot of people will tell you how cheap the MVS is but in reality this is only when compared to the AES. Biggest draw back is you'll have to make inserts ($$) and buy shock boxes ($$$) if you want anything that looks close to attractive on the shelf. There is also the case of the MVS market being horrifically flooded with bootlegs, but that is only if you care.

Consolized MVS: Usually look more like monstrosities of metal with spray paint on them, but they get the job done well. You get all the MVS benefits. you can sit on your couch, and the fire hazard is FREE. Swanky!

AES: Very well designed system. The prices are the way they are for a reason, it's pure sexy from top to bottom. Games you really want could take months to find and cost you a small fortune (or big one if you're partially insane). Game you want is too pricey on AES (or not even on AES)? Get the MVS to AES converter, but that will cost you. Or get it converted, now that will really cost you. IT ALL WILL COST YOU BWAAHAHA!! AES!!!!!!!!!11 Oh.. sorry. Hey, did you know SNK was working on a successor to the AES that was slated to have some online banking features _BUILT IN_? At that time that sort of thing was very popular in Japan, but how ironic is that retrospect?

In the end though, there really is no wrong option. Just enjoy the huge library of great titles.

[DeputyMoniker]

...a lot of people will tell you how cheap the MVS is but in reality this is only when compared to the AES...

A bit overly simplified but, yeah, that's something to consider.

[Trebuken]

Emulation is generally not the way I'd go for video games, but the cost of Neo Geo games makes considering buying or building a MAME cabinet very worthwhile. I have not done it yet, but I very much want to...

[smork]

OK, I own an AES (two, actually, but one's for sale), an MVS (recently) and a NeoGeo CD (only missing 5 titles for a complete set), I'll give my opinion.

If you're on anything near a budget and you want an actual console, the Neo CD is definitely the way to go. I'd say the bad load times are a problem on fewer than 20% of the games. Some of those are highly desirable games like Last Blade and Last Blade 2, though. You can play early fighters without a problem, and all the shooters, and the great sports titles like Baseball Stars and Windjammers without a hitch. Plus, you get exclusives with some games -- Big Tournament Golf is arguably the best golf game made, and you get a really nice CD audio on the Neo CD release. Plus, two of the CD exclusives (Crossed Swords II and Chotetsu Brikinger) are very nice -- but very expensive.

The MVS is the real arcade experience. The games look and feel like what you play in the arcade because they ARE what you play in the arcade. There's nothing like playing the MVS in a cabinet. The games are relatively cheap, but not as cheap as CD games. I think playing MVS without a cabinet has a bit of a jerry-rigged feel to it. Not a bad thing, but not as sexy as an actual console or a cabinet....

AES is only for those with loads of cash to throw down a hole. I only have 3 games for mine, which we extremely cheap, and I don't have any plans to buy more unless they are very cheap as well. The aforementioned Big Tournament Golf can run a cool $1000, for example..... The CD is less than 10% of the price, and gives you more!

Personally I can see the use of both a CD and an MVS -- I use both of mine frequently. If I had to start again from scratch I would start with the CD, and try to get a big value lot of games off your favorite auction site for a starter kit.

[Chainclaw]

I've got an MVS (actually 2 MVSes...) and built my own supergun. The reason I went this way was because it was pretty cheap, and I can now easily branch out into other arcade hardware. I'm probably going to get an Atomiswave next year.

I paid about $120 for my 4-slot MVS board, and I paid about $60 for my 1-slot MVS board + 2 games (one turned out to be a bootleg). It cost me a bit to make the supergun because I didn't have any tools, and I did not build my own RGB -> traditional video converter, I bought a JROK. Arcade hardware is not that expensive to get into.

[savageone]

If you're on anything near a budget and you want an actual console, the Neo CD is definitely the way to go. I'd say the bad load times are a problem on fewer than 20% of the games. Some of those are highly desirable games like Last Blade and Last Blade 2, though. You can play early fighters without a problem, and all the shooters, and the great sports titles like Baseball Stars and Windjammers without a hitch. Plus, you get exclusives with some games -- Big Tournament Golf is arguably the best golf game made, and you get a really nice CD audio on the Neo CD release. Plus, two of the CD exclusives (Crossed Swords II and Chotetsu Brikinger) are very nice -- but very expensive.

Don't forget that the NGCD release of Neo Turf Masters/Big Tournament Golf is one of the many games that has exclusive features in the NGCD release.. In this case, an entire 5th course not found in the MVS/AES version.

[c0ldb33r]

If you're on anything near a budget and you want an actual console, the Neo CD is definitely the way to go. I'd say the bad load times are a problem on fewer than 20% of the games.

Forgive my ignorance - how do the load times on Neogeo CD compare to ... say ... Sega CD?

I had Fatal Fury Special for Sega CD and it really paid the price for being on CD. The load times were poor, it was missing some details, and the backgrounds didn't shift from day to night (probably to keep load times down)