neo geo

[TurboGenesis]

TurboGenesis, I speak of collecting for the Neo Geo as being hardcore due to many factors(System availability, Game prices, cost of system and system upgrades) Nobody is forcing you to collect anything. Anyone is welcome to collect the system, but I like to warn anyone getting themselves into the scene what they are facing. When I talk about bragging rights, we all like to have that something in our collection we are proud of and it is not to put anyone else down for it(at least that is how I look at it). I enjoy my Neo Geo very much so. For my 29th birthday, me and my close friends stayed up all night and beat Magician Lord(no easy task). It took over 8 hours and was one hell of a ride.

As I said I wasn't picking on you. Your age is pretty close to mine so I am sure you remember the early 90's and all the hype around the Neo Geo (thanks Electronic Gaming Monthly). Nobody is forcing anyone to collect anything. I bought my very own AES in 2003 and it took me 4 months just to find the system I wanted (I have a bone stock US model). I own 9 games and the most "expensive" one is probably Last Resort which can hit $100 on a bad day. Honestly I am only after a few more games (Viewpoint, Aero Fighters 2, League Bowling) and I'll be all set. Folks from our time have memories of the Neo Geo. It was tough to get but now we are grown up and can afford to spend cash on it where our parents said no no.

Here is what I like to say to someone considering to purchase an AES.
1. What kind of games do you like? Neo Geo is vastly 2d vs. fighting games.
2. Many of those fighting games are available on other platforms (ie DC, PS2, Xbox)
3. It costs money. More than most other platforms.
4. Who will be playing with you? Neo Geo is best with 2 players.

Neo Geo AES USA is really the worst way to go about playing Neo Geo. The price doesn't make cents.

[swlovinist]

Funny, your rare game is one of the rarest I own too(Last Resort). I agree with what others have posted about other systems that can do what the Neo Geo does. I personally think the Saturn import is the way to go for SNK stuff. I guess I do like to be proud of the things that I have bought, espically when all of my Neo Geo stuff was bought "in the wild". It makes me neither superior nor smart. In the end, I guess I just like any uncommon game or system.

[TurboGenesis]

In the end, I guess I just like any uncommon game or system.

Nothing wrong with that so long as you are enjoy the games you play!
I like Last Resort, though it tough as nails. I got to level 4 once but the 3rd stage boss is tough! I think I pay $90 when I got it. I got a bunch of my games in flea market too, but had to get a few from auction

We should talk about our favorite Neo Geo games when we post!

Mine favorites are:
Last Resort and Andro Dunos.
(I am a little bias - I like shoot them up)

[swlovinist]

Nothing wrong with liking shooters, espically on the Neo Geo. I would have to say that my favorite game on the Neo Geo is Real Bout Fatal Fury 2, but a close second goes to Samurai Showdown 2. Classic great fighting games.

[Kevincal]

I bought a Japanese Neo Geo AES...and I don't know a lick of Japanese! (the text of Jap or US games is in Jap text on a Jap AES...) The only thing it has over the US system is that the blood isn't censored out. Of course you can mod the Jap system to play games with English text and blood, but it's quite pricey and risky... I bought about 10 of the cheaper games. Cheaper being $10-30 a game...I was impressed with the graphics and sound, but the game content was lacking in the most of the games. The difficulty level of almost all of them is insane, too. I also don't like using the big arcade stick, it just feels awkward. But, I've never been an arcade guy. I've always been a home game/control pad guy. I know the Neo CD pad works with the AES, but even that is pricey... I ended up having to sell my Neo and games recently, which sucks and I regret it. But I live paycheck to paycheck and I had no choice! But, next time I get an AES, I'm getting a US system so I can understand what the heck is happening in the game!

[ubersaurus]

I think turbo summed it up. A lot of the good neo geo fighters have ports on other consoles that range from crap, fairly good, nigh-indistinguishable, to superior. The older the game is, generally the worse the ports are, although SNK has taken to releasing compilations on the japanese PS2 of older fighters such as Fatal Fury collection, Real Bout collection, Last Blade collection, etc.

That said there's still some neo geo arcade fighters worth pursuing, either through price or lack of availability on other platforms. Matrimelee and Samurai Shodown Special come to mind, as both were late releases, still pricey, but unavailable on other platforms. What's more, if you don't mind load times, neo geo cd is probably a better way to go for a lot of 90s releases.

The other big genres on the neo geo, puzzle games and shooters, are similar stories. The best neo geo puzzle games are available on other home consoles(generally as imports) like Magical Drop 3, or Bust a Move, or Twinkle Star Sprites. Shooters are a bit different. Most of the best neo geo shooters STAYED on the neo geo, and the same goes for even the average ones. The Metal Slug games are multiplatform at the least, but stuff like Andro Dunos, Alpha Mission 2, Pulstar, and Ghost Pilots are all Neo.

And then there's other neo stuff like Windjammers, or League Bowling, or Baseball Stars 2, that are just awesome.

My neo buying policy is simple:
1) Is it available cheaper on another system?
2) Is the game good?
3) Is the game affordable?

At that point it's moot as to whether or not it's a US or Jap or Euro release...whichever is cheapest. I have 7 neo geo games right now, and there's only a few more I'm on the lookout to pick up.