I'm seriously thinking about getting a Neo Geo AES system in the near future.
Does anyone have suggestions as to what I should know before I buy?
Printable View
I'm seriously thinking about getting a Neo Geo AES system in the near future.
Does anyone have suggestions as to what I should know before I buy?
Mortgage your children. :)
Don't get one. I got one and got Samurai Shodown 2 for like 20 bucks and then realized that everything else worth getting was amazingly expensive.
If you can find one, get a consolized MVS. It'll cost you about 100 more than an AES but all the games are $10-30 instead of $100-300 and they're literally the exact same games as the AES in different casing.
Tks, Puffy.
Could you elaborate a bit about this "consolized MVS"? Does it accept all carts from both systems?
I'm still a n00b when it comes down to Neo Geo...
It's an arcade board that has controller ports and AV ports added. The Neo Geo arcade cabinets took carts just like the MVS did. They were the same carts but they had different pin connectors so the arcade operators couldn't buy the cheaper AES games. However, as time went on the MVS carts became way more common than the AES ones and therefore cheaper. For example, Metal Slug for the AES goes for about 3 grand because it had such a limited print run but the MVS version is like 10 bucks because there are thousands of them floating around. Here's what one looks like:Quote:
Originally Posted by Kollision
http://www.jamma-nation-x.com/jammax/images/2cmvs.jpg
I agree with puffy. The NEO-GEO AES is a collector's whore. There's simply no fun in collecting for the home system because of the shady and expensive collector's scene. A consolized (or full sized cabinet) NEO-GEO MVS is a much better choice. Me personally I wouldn't get an MVS either simply because it's too damn hard to get all the hardware and software necessary to get a collection going. MVS carts may be cheap but where are you gonna find them? Especially ones that aren't bootlegs? Also pre-assembled consolized MVS systems can be just as expensive as a NEO-GEO AES. MVS boards with a supergun are less expensive but again, cost and availability are a big factor.
However, if you like older Genesis games like Revenge of Shinobi (which for all intents and purposes, hasn't aged well), the NEO-GEO's earlier games would be up your alley. They are the cheapest games available for the AES. Almost all newer titles are stupidly expensive.
you might also search under the term "supergun" as that's what console-ized arcades are often called (don't ask me why). Another option (though somewhat pricey) is to get an AES and then get the ~$200 AES->MVS converter, thus letting you buy MVS games for an AES. That way, you get the clean looks of an AES with the cheaper games of an MVS. You could also opt for the bootleg multi-cart that features just about every Neo Geo game of interest and only costs something like $100. It's not really authentic to some camps if you do that, but from what I've heard all of the games are 100% bit-for-bit dumps of the original cartridges, so you can still claim 100% gameplay accuracy.
I would look into it alot before taking the plunge though, an AES/MVS probably has the worst quality/price ratio besides the Saturn. That's not to say AES/MVS games are bad by any means, but I find it a hard sell to pay $100 for a game that can be beaten in 30 minutes. Unless you're 100% sure you MUST own a real Neo Geo, I would first look into the SNK PS2 re-releases or MAME as the Neo Geo seems to have some of the best emulators out there.
If you go the emulation route, an X-Arcade works perfectly if you map the middle 3 buttons and the lower leftmost button as ABCD.
http://www.theslipperytruffle.com/lo...twoplayer1.jpg
You can find a consolized MVS for pretty cheap if you're patient enough. I traded my xbox 360 for one which I consider to be a damn good deal because the xbox was worth 150 at most :rofl:. The carts I get off ebay or Neo-geo.com and I've never had a bad experience at either one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Guntz
I have an AES. Yeah it's expensive. I just buy the games I really really had to have. I would buy an MVS converter but I don't have the need for it. I'm good on any of the KoF or Metal Slugs. All i need is Baseball Stars 2 and Magician Lord. It's a good system if you don't try to get every game ever made for it. It is a collector's system and i'm happy with it.
Things aren't always easy though. Pirate carts are rampant on the MVS. I'm just trying to warn the OP that starting an MVS collection isn't as easy as Genesis.Quote:
Originally Posted by Puffy2k316
Of course it's not but then again nothing is :p.Quote:
Originally Posted by Guntz
All things considered it's easier than collecting for the AES though which it seems like he was already prepared to collect.
I also forgot to mention that the original arcade version of Bust-A-Move is an MVS game but it never got an AES release. Think of Bust-A-Move!
There's the neo CD if you can put up with loading times, plus I think it's totally lockout free. However, soem games do seem to suffer from slowdown the cart versions lack. (perhaps the RAM is slower than the ROM of the original carts or something)
Neo Geo CD doesn't have a lot of later games either. If you want to play Garou or Metal Slug 3 you're SOL
Here's a consolized version of the MVS Atarix777 owns. Very awesome:
He could always spend a stupid amount of money on a Super Neo Converter 2 or whatever it's called. You can use it to play MVS games on an AES. Best of both worlds. A badass looking console and affordable games.
Get a universe bios installed too. It will allow you to switch to different modes (AES or MVS), enable cheats, access debug modes, etc.
http://unibios.free.fr/
the thing is, most of the good games at least can be found else where, I dont see a real point in collecting for a console that is so expensive.
Thanks for all the input, guys, it will be very helpful. :)
The reason I'm getting ready to get a Neo Geo is because of the shoot'em ups available for the system (duh..).
I sort of fell in love with the footage I saw from Last Resort and Blazing Star. Since I've come to a point where very soon I'll stop buying games for the consoles I own, this seems to be a great place to go next.
great thread!(except for the ros insult) im digging the arcade board that hooks up to my living room tv. thats unbelievably awesome, i want one of those double sticks too. looks perfect for robotron!
and that from someone with a Garfield signature... :wtf:Quote:
Originally Posted by Guntz
Revenge of Shinobi has not aged well, just like the early NEO-GEO games. I wasn't saying it was outright bad. It was fantastic back in the day.
Also, Garfield: Caught in the Act is awesome. Even if it's partially finished. Also keep in mind I have immense nostalgia tied to the game.
see i totally disagree, i think its aged quite nicely for a first generation genesis game. especially the music compositions, and the boss fights(especially in ver 1.0) the game is still enjoyable compared to what we expect out of a gameplaying experience as of 2010, and im pretty sure im not the only one who feels this way.
well, I would just suggest to MAME these games before you shell out b/c it would SUCK to spend $100 on a game to discover you hate it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kollision
Well the nice thing about NEO-GEO is the games hold their value very well. If you buy Garou: Mark of the Wolves AES for $500 and find out you don't like it. You can easily get back that $500.
yeah, most retro gaming collectors consider neo geo consoles and games an investment that will retain (if not gain) its financial value.
I know you're going to have a field day with my opinion in regard to NEO GEO, but I am in complete agreement with you on this.Quote:
Originally Posted by 17daysolderthannes
I will try to find as many NG games as I can on PS2 Compilations as I can.. and if there's anything left, I will get it on MAME/equivalent.
At some point, I'm going to build a Computer that runs MAME and nothing else: it will be for emulating 'Arcade' games that I can't buy on any system.
Neo-Geo's platformers/shmups/beat em ups are terribly mediocre. And this is coming from someone who owns a NEO GEO 4 Slot cabinet. I own it for the competitive based fighting and sports games.
is it wrong for me to absolutely love everything about neo turf masters? its one of my all time favorite arcade games.
Universe BIOS is a must! I also had an RGB bypass done. I have an AES myself and for the more expensive games I buy the versions where the SNK MVS chips are planted on an AES cartridge board. This makes them less "legit" but still saves a lot of money, plus all of the hardware in the cart is still SNK. I was able to get Shock Troopers this way since there is no such thing as an AES version.
But don't be fooled, MVS carts can still be very expensive. MVS is not cheap by any means!
Yeah, some people get pretty anal over conversions. Mostly because they are often made with the intention of being as close to the real thing as possible.
Also, thanks Joe Redifier for pointing out that yes, MVS can still be expensive. Maybe not as expensive as AES - especially for the cheaper titles - but it's certainly no Genesis. Let alone a SNES.
Me personally, the price is what turned me off NEO-GEO. Still I learned quite a bit about the system and it's quirks.
Speaking of quirks, here's something that baffles me to no end. People have run into problems with board components dying or becoming damaged. Such as video chips or RAM. We haven't even run into those problems with common home consoles, yet SNK's luxurious arcade hardware has components going bad already? Madness I say. SNK was cheaper than Sega.
Where did you hear that??Quote:
Speaking of quirks, here's something that baffles me to no end. People have run into problems with board components dying or becoming damaged. Such as video chips or RAM. We haven't even run into those problems with common home consoles, yet SNK's luxurious arcade hardware has components going bad already? Madness I say. SNK was cheaper than Sega.
Check any of the serious NEO-GEO forums out there. Google is your friend.
Neo Turf Masters is a supremely expensive Neo Geo AES cart, like $1500.Quote:
Originally Posted by shinobimusashi
and worth every penny my friend, the finest golf game ive ever played for sure. a wise investment indeed
Someone please tell me this is not the game you guys are saying goes for $ 1500.... :|
It's because it's insanely rare. Sorta like Stadium Events. SE is actually a pretty boring game, it's just a track and field type game. It's ridiculous rarity is what makes it an expensive game (well, these days it's because of Yahoo!'s articles on the recent eBay auctions).
Oh yeah, the MVS version of Neo Turf Masters is a little uncommon, but not rare by any means.
I have a conversion of Neo Turf Masters on my AES. Absolutely LOVE that game! Whoever playing it in that video is too slow because their brain isn't fast enough to cope with reality.
Oh and yes, SNK used much cheaper/shoddier components and manufacturing than Sega usually did. Regular consoles are just built much better than the Neo Geo.
Which if you think about it, is extremely funny and ironic! It was an arcade at home, the most advanced piece of technology you could hook up to your TV at the time, but was made with parts cheaper than the average home console, so it would die much sooner than your comparatively less advanced SNES and Genesis. So much for advanced technology huh? Sounds like the Xbox 360! But just like the NEO-GEO, it's games are also quite good. :ok:
I've already had one Neo Geo die on me. And the video output quality can be even worse that the Genesis composite. You'd think they could spring for something that could do composite as well as the NES or TurboGrafx-16, but noooo. Even the RGB is ass, you have to bypass the encoder to get proper RGB levels which can then be transcoded into whatever.