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Neo-Geo is the name of a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released in 1990 by Japanese game company SNK. The system was years ahead of other home systems of its time, offering a huge colorful 2D graphics and high-quality sound. This system wasn't years ahead of its time because of any innovations, it simply was the current standard of arcade hardware, but available for home purchase. The downside for this was that it cost around 650 US dollars, and each game cost around two hundred dollars. This prohibitive cost forced the Neo-Geo into a loyal niche of elite gamers. The Neo-Geo was only to be driven further into cult standing by changing mainstream tastes which soon demanded flashy, 3D graphics. Yet, the quality of Neo-Geo games kept it alive in arcades, particularly in Japan, where the newest installment of the flagship King of Fighters was certain to cause a stir with each release.The arcade machines had a memory card system by which a player could save a game to return to at a later time, or remarkably, to be used to continue play on the SNK home console of the same name. The arcade version of the hardware is often referred to as the "MVS" system to distinguish it from its console counterpart, the "AES" or Home Cart System. The programming code is the same on the MVS & home systems. In fact, you can move eproms from one type to the other and the game will run fine.
The arcade and home cartridges do however have a different pinout. SNK designed them this way to keep people from buying the cheaper home carts & using them in arcades.
SNK continued to produce arcade systems (and limited console cartridge runs) using the same 1980s technology all the way through 2002, proving the longevity of its forward-thinking design. The last game for the system, Samurai Spirits Zero Special, was released in Q3 2004. Making it the longest running, officially supported arcade or console system. Originally there was no copy protection on carts. It was later added, which greatly slowed piracy for a time. One downside of the system's longevity is that its encrypted copy protection was broken by bootleggers, which has failed to protect against ROM pirating.
1 Specifications
| Processor: | Motorola 68000(12 MHz), Zilog Z80A(4 MHz)
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| Resolution: | 320x224
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| Color Palette: | 65,536
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| Maximum Colors On-Screen: | 4,096
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| Maximum Sprites On-Screen: | 380
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| Minimum Sprite Size: | 1x2
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| Maximum Sprite Size: | 16x512
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| Maximum Planes: | 3
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| Sound Channels: | 15 (7-Digital,4- FM synthesis, 3-PSG,1-Noise channel)
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| Internal RAM: | Work RAM: 64Kb Video RAM: 68Kb Z80 RAM: 2Kb
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| Save Memory: | Removable Memory Card
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Several home console systems were created based on the same hardware as the arcade games, as well as two handheld systems under the name Neo Geo Pocket.
2 Collecting
There is a thriving collectors' scene for the Neo-Geo home systems, mainly because of the limited runs recieved by cartridges and the system's reputation as a 2D powerhouse.
Sites where gamers or collectors may buy neogeo home cartgrages:
www.snk-capcom.com
www.neo-geo.com
3 Other Neo Geo systems
4 See also
Video game consoles
Arcade System Boards
