Neo Geo - What generation do ya think?

[diskoboy]

So do you consider the neo-geo a part of the 16-bit generation? Or a low end contender in The 32/early 64-bit generation?

I think SNK could've left the Neo in the arena as a low-end 32-bit alternative, with a lowered price tag (say, priced no more than $179 for the gold sysem - all games at normal console prices)... They could've been a serious contender with the PSX and Saturn. Seriously... How many Neo-Geo ports did the PSX see in its life?

God forbid, this could even be considered a current-gen 2-D system! (I know it sounds laughable, but good games are still being released for this thing, 17 years after its intro! Samuari Showdown V in 2004!? They still pump out Metal Slug games, too)

I now recognize the Neo-Geo as one of the most under-appreciated systems (more at home than arcade..) ever.

[lordnikon]

I consider the Neo-Geo to be part of the 16-bit Generation aka the 4th generation, along with the likes of the Sega Genesis and the SNES.

The NeoGeo is an amazing console. However there is no way that the Neo could compete during the era of the Saturn/Playstation/N64, let alone today.

The reason for this is the commercial market breads ingorant consumers. People who are pre-occupied with "mind boggling 3D graphics and 10,000MHZ processor specs". People see 3D, and they see 2D and they instantly assume that 2D is inferior.

People don't like well produced, challenging arcade games. They like fluff games that they can breeze through in a few days, with little to no serious challenge, and then sell it back to GameStop to jump onboard the next Hype Train.

[Snapple]

I remember how Neo-Geo used to advertise themselves as 24-bit, whatever the Hell that means.

I think it's a lot closer to 16-bit than 32-bit. When you put it up against 32-bit games graphically, there's no comparison. That's not to say I'm trying to bring down the Neo-Geo, but it really is a lot closer to 16-bitters, I think.

[jajaja]

Neo Geo = 16-bit era.
I dont think it would have a chance against PSX and N64, mostly because all games are in 2d. When 3D games for consoles started, it was a new thing and everyone wanted to play it. Many were like "Only 2d? That gfx sux".
I think its cool that they still produce game because i enjoy playing on my Neo Geo once in a while

[lordnikon]

Hey you guys should check out this video feature Greg Kasavin did over at gamespot a few years ago:

http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/fea...otting/040603/

Just click on the top one "The Future Is Now".

Side note: I should clarrify that I personally see no difference between 2D or 3D in terms of quality. I feel that they are merely different mediums, and neither makes the other inferior.

[Anthony1]

The Neo-Geo clearly belongs with the 16 bit systems, just as the TurboGrafx belongs with the 8 bit systems. The Neo-Geo is a 16 bit system on horse roids. Much like the Turbo is a 8 bit system on some very high grade crack. The Neo is the Ferrari of all the 16 bit systems.

[Kitsune Sniper]

The Neo-Geo clearly belongs with the 16 bit systems, just as the TurboGrafx belongs with the 8 bit systems. The Neo-Geo is a 16 bit system on horse roids. Much like the Turbo is a 8 bit system on some very high grade crack. The Neo is the Ferrari of all the 16 bit systems.

Nonono, you got it all wrong! It's 24 bit! 16+8 bit! GET IT?! RARW) $ER@#&)$@&

(sorry)

The games could NEVER come out at standard console prices simply because they use so many memory chips. Those things weren't cheap back then and were very costly to produce. The system is still one of my favorites. I've been playing NeoGeo games since 1991, and regardless of its age, the games still rock.

Well, most of 'em anyway.

[max 330 mega]

the neo geo did try to compete during the 32 bit era with SNK's release of the neo geo cd. it was a failed attempt, for many reasons, such as little to no marketing in the US because of the idiots who were running SNK USA at the time, slow load times, the average consumer being obsessed with garbage like crash bandicoot, etc.

also note, games are no longer made for the neo geo, samurai shodown V special marked the end of SNK's support for, in my opinion, the greatest console to ever leave its mark on video game history. SNK now produces all of there games on the Sammy Atomiswave arcade hardware (kof XI, Samurai Shodown 6, Metal Slug 6, Neo Geo Battle Coliseum, etc.)[/i]

[MegaDrive20XX]

16-bit by far. 1987 to 90' was pretty much the kick off for the 16-bit era...

[smokehouse]

I guess I don’t think of the Neo as being in any class of gaming machines. It’s kind of in a class by itself. On paper it was 16-bit but when you look at titles like Metal Slug X, which isn’t nearly as good on the PS1, it kind of speaks volumes. It broke all of the rules the SNES and Genesis had to abide by. Price caps on hardware and software? None. Censorship? Who gives a shit. Size caps on games….nope.

The Neo was always around during the nineties, kind of like an old friend who never moves out of town. The NES turned into the SNES, the SNES into the N64 and the N64 into the Game Cube but there was still the NEO. Funny enough it was still pumping out great titles until it’s final one a few years back. No other system ever made has had the kind of rock solid longevity.

Look at it this way, a Jaguar is a Jaguar (I’m talking about the car, not the system). Whether it be a 1994 or a 2004 model, it’s still a Jag. They are all classic. The same goes for the NEO, although good the SNES, Genesis, Saturn, N64, PS1 and others are dated, the Neo still looks great sitting there on the shelf and gathers the collective “Oooo’s and Aaaah’s” from fellow gamers.

[DTJAAAAMJSLM]

I'd classify it as a part of the 16-bit generation.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Censorship? Who gives a shit.

Actually... many games are censored by default on USA machines. Blood was white, Mai's boobs wouldn't bounce, and so on.

I'm not saying you don't have a point, but after some time, they had to censor their games.

[smokehouse]

Oh yeah...I forgot about that. I have a MVS and I have a different bios for it so I don't normally deal with the censored stuff.

[lordnikon]

No other system ever made has had the kind of rock solid longevity.

Dreamcast

Look at it this way, a Jaguar is a Jaguar (I’m talking about the car, not the system). Whether it be a 1994 or a 2004 model, it’s still a Jag. They are all classic. The same goes for the NEO, although good the SNES, Genesis, Saturn, N64, PS1 and others are dated, the Neo still looks great sitting there on the shelf and gathers the collective “Oooo’s and Aaaah’s” from fellow gamers.

Every console that had a decent library of titles has just as many classic games as the NeoGeo. Every system has games that perform great, have fantastic gameplay, and impressive graphics that need not be changed.

The only things that can be declared as "dated" are those games which suffer from performance issues. The N64 is probobly the system that suffered from performance issues the most. But for many other systems they have just as many games that can be considered classic. Whether or not something "looks dated" is a matter of personal taste.

I do not feel other platforms look dated at all. In-fact, there are games on the Genesis & SNES that look just as impressive as the later Neo-Geo titles.

[Xexyz]

I like how he's a dedicated Neo Geo fan and yet he grabs the carts by the labels with his grimy Palm prints, slowly degrading the cart label edges... nice.

That was a terrible video. The Neo Geo is awesome, but I can't stomach the guys opinion and constant rambling. I also dislike how he bashes the systems non-fighter games... Come on, shooters, run 'n guns, and beat em ups are fun classics these days too.

[smokehouse]

No other system ever made has had the kind of rock solid longevity.

Dreamcast

Look at it this way, a Jaguar is a Jaguar (I’m talking about the car, not the system). Whether it be a 1994 or a 2004 model, it’s still a Jag. They are all classic. The same goes for the NEO, although good the SNES, Genesis, Saturn, N64, PS1 and others are dated, the Neo still looks great sitting there on the shelf and gathers the collective “Oooo’s and Aaaah’s” from fellow gamers.

Every console that had a decent library of titles has just as many classic games as the NeoGeo. Every system has games that perform great, have fantastic gameplay, and impressive graphics that need not be changed.

The only things that can be declared as "dated" are those games which suffer from performance issues. The N64 is probobly the system that suffered from performance issues the most. But for many other systems they have just as many games that can be considered classic. Whether or not something "looks dated" is a matter of personal taste.

I do not feel other platforms look dated at all. In-fact, there are games on the Genesis & SNES that look just as impressive as the later Neo-Geo titles.

I have to disagree with you on a few things. First off, for the most part the Dreamcast was a failure. There has been a horribly slow trickle of games coming out for the system but Sega support was dropped years ago. As a matter of fact it had a very short shelf life when compared to many systems. Didn’t Sega stop supporting it in March of 2001? That means it saw a life of some 19 months (Sept 1999 to Mar 2001)?

Not to bash the DC but comparing a system that saw support for over a decade to a system that saw support from Sega less than 2 full years is a bit off.

As for the dated part I was talking looks of the individual consoles, not titles. A Neo Geo AES is a nice looking console that draws attention. Most others from the 90’s won’t see that kind of attention. I love most of the systems I listed and feel that the NEO has a huge gap in the types of titles it offered. A gap that systems like the Genesis, SNES, TG-16 and the PS1 filled. I’m not system bashing or anything.

[drwily008]

SVC: SNK Vs. Capcom

This game was barely replicated on a 128 bit system. The animations were the same but the load times were longer.

Neo-Geo is among the 16-bit revolution, but is clearly way ahead of it's time!

[lordnikon]

No other system ever made has had the kind of rock solid longevity.

Dreamcast

Look at it this way, a Jaguar is a Jaguar (I’m talking about the car, not the system). Whether it be a 1994 or a 2004 model, it’s still a Jag. They are all classic. The same goes for the NEO, although good the SNES, Genesis, Saturn, N64, PS1 and others are dated, the Neo still looks great sitting there on the shelf and gathers the collective “Oooo’s and Aaaah’s” from fellow gamers.

Every console that had a decent library of titles has just as many classic games as the NeoGeo. Every system has games that perform great, have fantastic gameplay, and impressive graphics that need not be changed.

The only things that can be declared as "dated" are those games which suffer from performance issues. The N64 is probobly the system that suffered from performance issues the most. But for many other systems they have just as many games that can be considered classic. Whether or not something "looks dated" is a matter of personal taste.

I do not feel other platforms look dated at all. In-fact, there are games on the Genesis & SNES that look just as impressive as the later Neo-Geo titles.

I have to disagree with you on a few things. First off, for the most part the Dreamcast was a failure. There has been a horribly slow trickle of games coming out for the system but Sega support was dropped years ago. As a matter of fact it had a very short shelf life when compared to many systems. Didn’t Sega stop supporting it in March of 2001? That means it saw a life of some 19 months (Sept 1999 to Mar 2001)?

Not to bash the DC but comparing a system that saw support for over a decade to a system that saw support from Sega less than 2 full years is a bit off.

As for the dated part I was talking looks of the individual consoles, not titles. A Neo Geo AES is a nice looking console that draws attention. Most others from the 90’s won’t see that kind of attention. I love most of the systems I listed and feel that the NEO has a huge gap in the types of titles it offered. A gap that systems like the Genesis, SNES, TG-16 and the PS1 filled. I’m not system bashing or anything.

As far as "failure" is concerned, the NeoGeo wasn't a runaway commercial success either. However in relation to the hobbyist scene, both the Neo and the Dreamcast have more internet communities surrounding the systems than any other console. (as best I can tell)

Here are some accurate statistics comparing the Dreamcast and the NeoGeo:

NeoGeo Game Releases

1991 = 27
1992 = 12
1993 = 7
1994 = 12
1995 = 15
1996 = 16
1997 = 4
1998 = 6
1999 = 4
2000 = 2
2001 = 2
2002 = 4
2003 = 3
2004 = 3

NeoGeo AES (manufacturing) = 1991 - 1997

NeoGeo AES Games = 1991 - 2004


Dreamcast Console (manufacturing) = Nov 1998 - March 2001

Dreamcast Games = 1998 - 2006 (possibly 2007/200?)

---

The NeoGeo was not supported for over a decade. It's hardware ceased manufacturing 6 years after its innitial release. Also, it's library of games post 1996 isn't necessarilly "rock solid" support. Now, the numbers that are there, are relative to the total number of titles released for the platform. I am not denying that the NeoGeo had a healthy and relativly consistant release schedule over a 13 year timespan.

My point was that, besides the NeoGeo, the Dreamcast is next up to have a similar outcome. The Dreamcast like the NeoGeo is native arcade hardware, and over the past 4 years the Dreamcast has seen a trickle of games on par with the number of releases that were trickling out on the Neo for it's final years on the market.

Both systems are native arcade hardware, and both saw direct arcade conversions released years after the platform was sold on shelves. All-together the Dreamcast saw roughly 60 NAOMI/NAOMI GD-ROM titles make it to the home market worldwide. Yes, the NeoGeo has well over double this amount, but once again I'm not trying to say the Dreamcast is the top supported home arcade system, I am saying it is #2. The NeoGeo is #1.

As far as public perception, the NeoGeo obviously has the upper hand. The game industry as a whole will respect the Neo because of its tradition and high price range. However the Dreamcast will go down as one of the most misunderstood game systems ever made, and will be shrouded in stereotypes for many years to come. Which is a real shame, but I guess thats everyone elses loss.

[smokehouse]

Please forgive this if it is ignorance on my part but the DC games currently coming out are small home brew titles, not big name titles that are really drawing much attention. The later Neo titles, although small are really good (No, I’m not going to include SNK-vs-Capcom, it sucks).

Samurai Shodown V Special- 2004
All of the KoF titles
Blazing Star- 1998
Metal Slug X- 1999
Metal Slug 3- 2000
Metal Slug 4- 2002
Metal Slug 5- 2003/4?
Bust a Move Again- 1999
Garou MotW- 1999
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2- 1998
Sengoku 3- 2001
Last Blade 2- 1998

These are a few of the REALLY good titles to see production after 1996. Like I said, these are games that were supported by SNK. Sega has not supported the DC since 2001/02 at the latest. Again, I’m not trying to bash the DC. I really like the little guy, he’s kind of the misfit of the last generation of systems. It was far better than the Xbox and PS2 in my opinion but lack of support killed it. I just think that for the most part the DC was a failure where as the Neo was like Ferrari, sure, they don’t see the production run that Ford sees but they’re hardly a failure. The Neo was expensive, it was never going to sell well ad SNK knew that. What it did do was sell at a slow steady pace for many years.

I just can’t compare the DC to the Neo though. For some reason the Neo is in a class all by itself.

[rbudrick]

I consider the Neo-Geo to be part of the 16-bit Generation aka the 4th generation, along with the likes of the Sega Genesis and the SNES.

Yep, there's no question at all that it was part of the 16-bit era. That's when it came out and that's that.

The Neo-Geo clearly belongs with the 16 bit systems, just as the TurboGrafx belongs with the 8 bit systems. The Neo-Geo is a 16 bit system on horse roids. Much like the Turbo is a 8 bit system on some very high grade crack. The Neo is the Ferrari of all the 16 bit systems.

The TG16 was marketed as 16 and surely played like a 16 bit system. In a way, wasn't it about as 24 bit as the Neo was?! It had a 16 and a 8 bit processor, right? Or was the TG16 8 and 8? Bah, I forget. Not that it matters, but I'd say the TG16, even if considered an 8 bit machine, was certainly in league with the 16 bitters.

-Rob