SNK Playmore Plots Portable Neo Geo Resurrection

[Earnest Cavalli]

SNK Playmore Plots Portable Neo Geo Resurrection

You just can't keep a good console down.

First introduced in 1990, the Neo Geo was a marvel of gaming technology. It never sold as well as the Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis (likely owing to the console's massive price tag), but what it lacked in mainstream adoption, the Neo Geo more than made up for in its wide swath of arcade-perfect ports. At the time, accurate translations of arcade titles were the holy grail of games publishing, and given that SNK's home console housed hardware that was essentially identical to that found in the company's arcade cabinets, those gamers who could afford a Neo Geo were treated to an unrivaled gaming experience.

Unfortunately, like I said, very few people ever owned one, and 2004 marked the final, official release for the console. Then, last night, completely out of the blue, a faint spark of life was spotted in the decaying corpse of SNK's late-lamented gaming machine.

Japanese gaming site Famicom Plaza (via the translation and analytical skills of the good people at Andriasang) reports that SNK Playmore has officially endorsed a portable gaming machine dubbed the "Neo Geo Portable Device." [http://www.famicom-plaza.com/blog/2012/01/0125-neogeopoket2.html] Verbatim:

According to the Famicom Plaza report, the device is 170x72x15mm and is a bit larger than an iPhone-like smartphone. It has a 2200mAh battery.

Controls on the device include four face buttons, a d-pad, four shoulder buttons, a menu button, a start button, and buttons for volume and brightness. Ports include headphones, AV and an SD.

That's all handy information, but the truly interesting part is that this handheld seems more akin to a dedicated Neo Geo emulator than a new gaming machine. The original report claims that instead of swapping out cartridges or discs, games will be stored within the machine's on-board hard drive space. What's more, the NGPD will come with a wide selection of classic Neo Geo games pre-installed. To wit:

The device, currently going by the placeholder name of "Neo Geo Portable Device," has 4.3 inch screen, two gigabytes of internal storage, and ships with 20 Neo Geo classics built in:

1.WORLD HEROES
2.ULTIMETE 11
3.TOP PLAYER'S GOLF
4.SENGOKU
5.NAM-1975
6.MUTATION NATION
7.LAST RESORT
8.KING OF MONSTERS
9.FRENZY
10.CYBER LIP
11.FATAL FURY SPECIAL
12.ART OF FIGHTING
13.SUPER SIDEKICKS
14.LEAGUE BOWLING
15.METAL SLUG
16.MAGICAL LORD
17.BASEBALL STARS PROFESSIONAL
18.SAMURAI SHODOWN
19.KING OF FIGHTERS '94
20.FATAL FURY

While we still have no official guarantee (or even speculation) that this device will be headed to America at some point, I find it very interesting that, according to Famicom Plaza, all of the aforementioned games appear in their North American, English-language incarnations. Even titles like Ultimete 11, which had little to no American presence, is already primed for release in the Land Of The Free, and the Home Of The Whopper.

So, assuming we do see this portable at Wal*Mart, how many of you will be rushing out to scoop one up?

Sorce: Andriasang

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[Waaghpowa]

So, assuming we do see this portable at Wal*Mart, how many of you will be rushing out to scoop one up?

Me. Looks spiffy, good games, and I love handhelds. My hopes is that it wont be too expensive.

 

[Micalas]

I found a Neo-Geo Pocket Color at an airport years ago. It only had one game; SNK vs. Capcom and I loved it. Depending on the game lineup, I may look into getting one. The analog stick worked damn well for handheld that came out in '99.

 

[Rad Party God]

Seems quite interesting indeed, but the bread and butter of many of these games were the multiplayer capabilities, I just hope there's a way to connect with another of these devices, if there is such capability, I can definitely see myself buying 2 of these things. Also, how are they gonna sell more games?, I mean, many of the games listed are great and all, but I'm a huge fan of the Metal Slug games, I'd be pretty happy if I could play Metal Slug X and 3 wherever I go, without having to buy a PSP.

 

[Tanis]

Seems interesting, but I'd rather just have a 'best of' for the PSP or PSV or PSN.

 

[keideki]

Depends on the price. If they can make it a good value then I will prob wind up with one.

 

[Terramax]

What, no Pulstar or Blazing Star?

20 games doesn't sound like much. Also, I'm sure most people who want to play Neo Geo games on the go already have an emulator on their PSP.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Looks like some crossbreed between an iPhone and a PSP.

I kind of like the idea of a portable classic console, but I wonder how much demand there is for a game system that was uncommon even at the height of its popularity. Also, fighting games were the mainstay of the Neo Geo which are best played with two people. Without a form of multiplayer, most of the games on it are just fulling up space.

 

[Skizle]

What, no Pulstar or Blazing Star?

20 games doesn't sound like much. Also, I'm sure most people who want to play Neo Geo games on the go already have an emulator on their PSP.

No Aerofighters either. I would love to get this, but I would also like for my friend to get his Neo Geo cabinet out of storage too

 

[Vault Citizen]

If true this would be a great way to replace my Neo Geo pocket colour.

 

[Baresark]

This is awesome... I literally still have my Neo Geo pocket color, and I was playing it when I found it in a drawer last week. Not that this is the same thing, but I loved the living shit out of that little handheld. I'll buy one, no questions asked.

 

[Iori Branford]

Assuming not a product of Photoshop and/or Maya (and that Apple doesn't kill it with fire) I can't help but wonder about the game distribution system for such a thing. (Unless it's one of those cheap hardwired things and there'll be other models with different games in them.)

Wi-fi direct download is probably the best balance of convenience and security, but no mention was made of any wi-fi capability. The removable storage is most likely for save data (yes, Neo Geo had memory cards for saving progress/settings/scores) -- knowing SNK's attitude on emulation, it'd take enormous confidence in their security measures for them to let games in that way.

...And the original article just went down. Not looking good.

 

[Beautiful End]

Price tag first. If it's more expensive than the 3DS on release date or the Vita ($250), then forget it. It has good games: Art of Fighting, Fatal Fury Special, Metal Slug, King of Fighters '94, Samurai Showdown and...Fatal Fury again. They're all good but...I'd pay around $150 for it. Anything beyond that and I'd have to buy a 3DS instead. And I don't want to. But if I had to choose...

 

[Shoggoth2588]

That looks like my exception: The one portable I'd get that doesn't use carts or discs. The games pre-loaded onto the thing sounds freaking great and Gods know how much I spent on Metal Slug and, Samurai Showdown at pizza-places and, arcades...even without knowing the price I can tell I'd be paid back relatively quickly. I really hope this one is released outside of Japan.

 

[Andrew P]

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