SNK’s Neo-Geo platform started as both a solid arcade system and an upscale home console that only the most hardcore (or wealthy) owned. Over its lengthy lifespan it remained as a treasured system for old-school gamers. Unlike most video games, the Neo Geo hardware and software has held its value quite well over more than a decade’s time. Considering the high initial prices on the Neo-Geo software, it isn’t surprising that the games are still some of the most expensive out there.

In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare & Valuable series will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling. The first is the average daily selling price, which is typically the going rate for the game by itself. The second price is the highest price in the past three months which is usually the price for the new/sealed game. The list is ordered by the balance of the two prices. Note that some of these games are not rare in the sense that there are not many available, but rare relative to demand, which makes the games expensive.

Special thanks to Neo-Geo.com for their price guides — they were essential to compiling this list and the rest of their site is required reading for anyone interested in SNK’s mega-platform.  Also, thanks to TonK for helping out as well.

English AES Releases

	Kizuna Encounter (PAL) – $12,000 – $13,500 Rarity =  One of the most rare games on any platform, the PAL version of Kizuna Encounter is the Holy Grail of European game collecting, and also a complete mystery. A tag-battle fighting game from SNK, the arcade version is very common, routinely selling for around $50 USD. Also very common is the Japanese AES version of the game, identical in every way to this release, except for the packaging and inserts. It is unknown exactly how many copies of the PAL version exist, but no more than five have ever been witnessed sold. It is also not possible to confirm that this game was commercially released, given what appears to be an inconceivably low production number. Suposedly, the only PAL versions of the games were sold in Germany/Austria, but were quickly recalled by SNK before many reached gamers’ hands. The most recent auctions for Kizuna Encounter have ended in the range of $12,000-13,500, which is about the highest price of any singular video game in history. This price, like all others on this list, is relative to the current demand and desire for the title, and may include many secondary factors such as rumors, small-scale bidding wars and over-estimation. Check for Kizuna Encounter on eBay
	Ultimate 11 / Super Sidekicks 4 (PAL): $8,000 Rarity =  There aren’t a lot of sports games on the Neo-Geo platform, but the Super Sidekicks series is quite popular among soccer/football fans. This is technically the final game of the series (Neo-Geo Cup ’98 was released later, but is actually a rehash of Super Sidekicks 3). The PAL version of Super Sidekicks 4 is especially hard to find and is obviously only for the most die-hard collectors. Check for Ultimate 11 on eBay
	Metal Slug: $2,000 – $2,850 Rarity =  Known universally for its hand drawn, over-the-top comic carnage, the original Metal Slug is an amazingly difficult find on the Neo Geo AES and is the most treasured US release on the system. Even though it became increasingly popular and is much more affordable on other platforms and formats, Metal Slug wasn’t produced very high quantities for the AES (I have no clue why). And even though you can take a few other approaches to play the game on SNK hardware, most Neo Geo fans can’t go without the game in their AES collection and are willing to pay a hefty fee for it. Check for Metal Slug on eBay
	Neo Turf Masters: - $1,500 – $1,950 Rarity =  Yes, another unsuspecting sports title makes this list, but this time it’s a golf game. If you into video golf, it’s a great game (many Neo fans rank it on their list of top 10 Neo-Geo games), but unless you’re an AES purist, you’ll probably find a cheaper way to play it. Check for Neo Turfmasters on eBay
	Ninja Master’s: $900 – $1,200 Rarity =  This versus fighting game was a joint venture between ADK (of World Heroes fame) and SNK and is thematically much like the Samurai Shodown series. However, Ninja Master’s, not surprisingly, has more of a ninja focus to it. It is said to be one of ADK’s best games and is one of the best hidden gems in the Neo-Geo’s expansive fighting library. Check for Ninja Master’s on eBay
	Stakes Winner: $900 – $1,100 Rarity =  If you enjoy 2D horse racing , Stake Winner is a great game. However being such a niche genre it isn’t terribly surprising that the print run was so low for the English home version. Check for Stakes Winner on eBay
	Metal Slug 2: $890 – $1,000 Rarity =  The second installment of the popular run-n-gun series is significantly easier to find in AES than the original, but its still rather rare. I’m still blown away by how low the print run was on Metal Slug 2 even after the success of the original. Check for Metal Slug 2 on eBay
	Double Dragon (PAL): $600 – $850 Rarity =  This isn’t the type of Double Dragon game most of us are used to. Instead of a sidescrolling brawler, it’s a versus fighting game. Even though it’s a quite popular game, it never received a home version in the States. So if you want an English home version, the rather small print run of the European version is your only choice. Check for Double Dragon on eBay
	Last Blade 2: $600 – $755 Rarity =  Last Blade 2 is one of the best fighting games on the Neo-Geo, but since it came out as the Neo-Geo was reaching its tenth year, it is understandable that the print runs for the games were starting to decline even for popular games. And while it isn’t especially rare compared to some games that are more affordable, the demand for this high-quality fighter keeps the value high. Check for Last Blade 2 on eBay
	Metal Slug X – $550 – $700 Rarity =  Metal Slug X is actually a tweaked version of Metal Slug 2 that fixes some slowdown issues in addition to adding some new weapons and items and re-arranging some enemy placements. Luckly, this release is a bit easier to find than Metal Slug 2, so if you’re trying to save a few hundred dollars, this is a better bet for your collection. Check for Metal Slug X on eBay

Additional English AES Releases of Value

• Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: $550 – $700
• World Heroes Perfect: $525 – $650
• Mark of the Wolves: $500 – $650
• Last Blade: $380 – $500
• Metal Slug 5: $365 – $500
• Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer: $360 – $475
• Art of Fighting 3: $360 – $450
• Rage of the Dragons: $325 – $385
• Samurai Shodown 5 Special: $335 – $365
• Samurai Shodown 4: $300 – $350
• King of Fighters 2003: $285 – $350
• Metal Slug 3: $250 – $350

Japanese AES Releases

	Metal Slug: $1,300 – $1,800 Rarity =  Even though its not the rarest Japanese release, the value and popularity of the English release carries over to the Japanese version. Some English-speaking AES owners are willing to sacrafice a little to save a thousand dollars. Check for Metal Slug on eBay
	Quiz Chibi Maruko-Chan: $1,300 – $1,800 Rarity =  This is said to be the rarest of the Japanese AES games (although Neo Turf Masters is right up there). It’s one of those quirky quiz games that the Japanese seem to love so much and is, of course, based on a popular manga/anime license. Check for Quiz Chibi Maruko-Chan on eBay
	Big Tournament Golf (Neo Turf Master): $760 – $950 Rarity =  Much like Metal Slug, the Japanese version is just about as rare but is more affordable. It’s still a lot to pay for a golf game, in my opinion, but true Neo-Geo fans, just don’t care. Check for Big Tournament Golf (Neo Turf Master) on eBay

Additional Japanese AES Releases of Value

• Blazing Star: $750 – $900
• Super Sidekicks 4: $575: 750
• Twinkle Star Sprites: $600 – $700
• Fu’un S.T.B (Kizuna Encounter): $550 – $650
• Ninja Master’s: $550 – $650
• Pulstar: $500 – $600
• Magical Drop 3: $500 – $575
• Shock Troopers 2nd Squad: $400 – $550
• Over Top: $400 – $520

MVS Releases

	Nightmare in the Dark: $115 – $500 Rarity =  This excellent Snow Bros. clone (with a darker horror theme) is a bit of a hidden gem and was only released as an MVS cartridge. It was published by SNK in 2000 just a bit before they originally closed their doors. Obviously, since the company was in financial trouble and the platform was dying out, the print run was small for this one. Check for Nightmare in the Dark on eBay
	Bang Bead: $200 – $350 Rarity =  This sequel to Flip Shot was only released on the MVS and only in Europe. Much like Nightmare in the Dark it was also released in 2000 near the end of the original SNK era. Check for Bang Bead on eBay
	V-Liner: $200 – $325 Rarity =  Released in 2001 only for the MVS, this obscure slot machine game was developed by Brezzasoft, the company put together by disbanded SNK employees after SNK’s bankruptcy. Check for V-Liner on eBay

Unreleased Games

Ghostlop: $Unknown Rarity =  This game was to be released by Data East in 1996, it is a cross between Ikaruga in terms of polarity (red and blue), and the fast style of Puzzle Bobble. The object of the game is to clear your screen of ghosts by either throwing a red or blue ball at them. There are red and blue ghosts, and the ball color can be changed in mid air to clear them. The more you clear the more appear on your opponents side. This game was considered for re-release in 2001, but was canned possibly due to SNK’s closing. This is a rare game to own on any format (MVS/AES) and if you look in the right spot, you might just be able to secure your own copy.

Additional MVS Releases of Value

• Pop ‘N Bounce: $200 – $300
• Samurai Shodown V Special: $150 – $300
• Digger Man (Unofficial): $125 – $300
• Irritating Maze: $100 – $300
• Super Bubble Pop: $180 – $250

Neo-Geo CD Releases

	Chotetsu Brikin’ger / Iron Clad: $195 – $300 Rarity =  Iron Clad is one of the few Neo-Geo CD exclusives — it did not receive a MVS or an AES release. It’s also quite a good shooter. Being a high quality game that actually an exclusive for the NGCD makes it the most treasured release for the platform. Check for Chotetsu Brikin’ger / Iron Clad on eBay
	Metal Slug: $100 – $150 Rarity =  It isn’t a terrible surprise to see Metal Slug here since it’s by far the most affordable way of playing this classic on SNK hardware. However, it is actually one of the most common games on this list. Check for Metal Slug on eBay
	Breakers: $90 – $130 Rarity =  An early Street Fighter 2 clone, Breakers didn’t bring a lot of gameplay originality to the table but some fans appreciated it for its design and tight controls. The value of the game is purely based on the low print run. The MVS and AES versions not only avoid load times, but they are also dirt cheap. So the only real reason to pick of this NGCD version of for pure collectibility. Check for Breakers on eBay

Additional NGCD Releases of Value

• Oshidashi Zintrick: $75 – $125
• Ninja Master’s: $75 – $110
• OverTop: $75 – $110
• Metal Slug 2: $75 – $100
• Neo DriftOut: $75 – $100

Preface

About 7 months or so ago, I got a huge lot of mostly retro games from a thrift store. A local gamer had died, and his mother was dropping off the stuff at the moment I was walking in the place. Real sad, but I was excited to get some retro consoles that I wanted to own, but was a pain in the ass to hunt down individually. There was a lot of random stuff in the lot. Among the obligatory NES/SNES/Genesis carts there were some complete Intellivision games, just about everything for a Colecovision but no Colecovision console, Vectrex carts, and the kicker- 3 complete Neo-Geo Pocket Color games. I was originally going to pop these up on eBay, or the buy/sell/trade forum here. I’ve always been a Capcom guy and SNK just kinda weirded me out. It had the style that I loved from Capcom, but a different control scheme that just didn’t make any sense to me. I was comfortable with my hadokens. Now, around this time of year I travel a lot. Thanksgiving and Christmas. About 20 hours in the car total, so I gear up with handhelds. I picked up a NGPC and the copy I already had of King of Fighters R2 blew me away. It got me thinking that I’m missing out on an entire section of gaming and I want to get into it.

For me, emulation was traditionally the route to go for new retro gear. However, the pocket has a weird clicking joystick that can’t really be emulated and contributes to the great feel of the games. The NGPC fighters need that thumbstick. This got me thinking that I should probably try to get the real Neo-Geo hardware rather than just software. That perhaps it is best to play it with the classic joystick and 4-button layout. Thing is, Neo-Geo was and still is quite expensive. It kinda blew me away at HOW expensive even the MVS (arcade) stuff was, let alone the AES (home console). There are many different options for owning Neo Geo gear though… I thought I’d list them here to help anyone out in deciding what to buy, and if to buy or just emulate.

The Differences in Game Prices: MVS vs AES

One of the biggest factors when it comes to collecting Neo-Geo software is the games.  While there are a few affordable AES games, most of the games for the console can be quite pricey as the collectors usually focus on them with their cool-looking cartridges and cases.  Below is a small sampling of prices for a variety of games (see links to look on eBay for yourself).

Neo Geo AES $200 / With MVS adapter $550

This guy is the no brainer. SNK made this to bring the arcade experience to the home. The controllers were full joysticks, although you can plug in gamepads from the Neo-Geo CD into it. They’ll work fine. On eBay they run from around $110-$250 depending on what they are bundled with, condition, and serial number. Different serial numbers mean slightly different motherboards and outputs of video quality, especially with RGB mods made to them.

Advantages

• Sleek design- looks great on the shelf. If you are a collector more than a player this is the console for you. The reason for the high prices of the Neo Geo AES is the rabid collector mentality. The reason the AES system and carts are so expensive is because the AES carts are beautiful compared to the MVS.
• The Super MVS converter will run you about 250 bucks, but should pay for itself in the long run if you pick up many games. If you want one or two games only, it probably won’t be worth it . Made for the home, they have artwork on them in great packaging.

Disadvantages

• Rabid collector mentality- the AES carts go for much more than the MVS carts. Games that arn’t as popular you might only see a slight difference in price, but the popular games get hiked up to a crazy amount even though the MVS is the same game.
• The audio is mono. Similar to the first Sega Genesis the AES has a circular plug with pins that plug into the system (din and 2 composite cables). One for sound and one for video.
• If you are anything like me, you need many many many quarters to get through a Metal Slug game. AES carts give you about 4 (maybe 5?) continues. There is no way I could get through the game on that. You can get a debug BIOS chip to pop on the board to be able to change these settings, but more on that when we come to the modded AES

Neo Geo MVS Arcade Machine from $200-$2,000

This is the cabinet. It’ll play MVS cartridges only, and comes in a couple of different options. Pictured is the 4-slot which means that inside the cabinet, there is a motherboard with 4 different slots on it. It will take any MVS cartridge in those slots and when you fire this guy up, you’ll have the option of choosing which game to play.   There are also a number of other sizes/form factors of MVS cabinets to choose from.

Additional cartridges can be bought cheaper than the AES cartridges, and are easily swapped out of the machine. I’ve seen the occasional stand up arcade machine for as low as 200 bucks. That might have been a moment that was few and far between though.

They usually are on eBay and other sites for about $700-$1,500 plus about $300 or so shipping. The best option for getting an arcade machine is local pick up from somewhere to save on the shipping. Beware when buying one however.

Genuine MVS arcades have ports for headphones and memory cards. Back when they were released you could slide a neo geo memory card into the slots and save where you last died in the game. Then when you come back with more quarters you could resume. A lot of cabinets that are custom built, or built from other different cabinets won’t have these features.

Advantages

• Plays the cheap MVS carts.
• Creates the full arcade experience at home.

Disadvantages

• If space is an issue, this isn’t your option. The 4 slot (don’t know if they come smaller or bigger depending) clocks in at 76″ in height, 26″ wide, and 27″ in depth. Make sure you have the space, before pursuit.
• Ugly game carts. If you are a collector and like seeing shiny nice complete games on your shelf, the MVS isn’t for you. The MVS carts are made to be in an arcade machine out of sight. They are simply black rectangles with a white lable on top. You can find them with the marque stuff for the arcade, but also loose. They come with no case.

The Neo Geo CD from $100-$200

The Neo Geo CD is a distant 3rd option for playing Neo Geo games on original hardware without hacks or mods.  I didn’t originally include the NGCD in this list as it doesn’t have the same experience as playing on the cartridges, but I thought it would be beneficial the mention.  (Especially since you can find them realitively cheap on eBay)

While the Neo Geo CD library consisted primarily of ports of MVS and AES titles, there were a few MVS arcade games, which were not officially released for the Neo Geo AES and ported instead to the Neo Geo CD. This includes Puzzle Bobble, Janshin Densetsu (a Mahjong game also released for the PC Engine), Power Spike II, Neo Driftout and Futsal – 5-on-5 Mini Soccer.

A few games which were unreleased in MVS and AES formats were also released exclusively for the Neo Geo CD. These includes Iron Clad, Crossed Swords 2, Oshidashi Zentrix, ADK World, The King of Fighters ‘96 Neo Collection and Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits: Bushido Retsuden (an RPG spinoff of the Samurai Shodown series that also released for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn). Idol Mahjong Final Romance II, an arcade game which was not an MVS game, was also ported to the Neo Geo CD. Packaged with the neo geo cd was a gamepad rather than a full joystick.

Neo Geo fans panned the NGCD controller at the time for changing up the normal arched button layout and stiff feeling thumbstick compared to the joystick of the neo geo. Luckily- it had the same controller type as the Neo Geo and you could plug in your old joystick into the system. People have also compared the thumbstick on the neo geo cd to the neo geo pocket thumbstick, which in my opinion works fantastic and doesn’t feel stiff at all. Having never played the NGCD – I can’t comment one way or the other.

Advantages

• A CD-based format for games means that the information on piracy and piracy of the actual games are pretty easy to get a hold of. So if you are more of a player than collector, you can cheaply play neo geo games on original hardware.

Disadvantages

• Long Load Times. Because of the early release of the Neo Geo CD – the optical drive is only 1X speed. This makes load times between cut scenes and matches last over a minute. Far too long for even the most patient gamers. The CD format also bounds you to region and unable to play imports. And depending who you talk to, the stiff controller makes it a necessity to buy the old controllers if you don’t have them on hand already.

Modded Neo Geo AES $500 / $800 With MVS Adpater

Note: From this point on we are heading into mods and hacks. These will always fluctuate wildly in price based on quality and type of the hack. Everyone should be cautious when buying something hacked so that they know exactly what they are getting and condition it is in.

These modded consoles usually feature 2 things: more options with connections to televisions (Component, S-Video, and Compsite are featured in the pic), and a Uni-Bios or debug BIOS Upgrade. The new BIOS will allow you to change the basic functions of the games like amount of continues. This beast will run you about 500+ but you might be able to find it cheaper if you are willing to sacrifice some options.

As with anything- the price will change with different types of mods and the quality of them. Ebay is an option, and there are a few dealers out there like Neotropolis or neo store

If all you want is the chip- neo store also offers that at a modest 17 dollars, however you have to do all the grunt work yourself. It requires a soldering iron and basic experience with it to install.

Advantages

• All the advantages of the standard AES mentioned above, with the obvious bonus of more options.

Disadvantages

• Price point. This plus the conversion cartrige for MVS games and you are up to about $800. You don’t even own a game yet.

Superguns and Motherboards $400-$600 Total

You can get a console-like MVS arcade system without a lot of technical skill. The supergun is your solution. It is a box that can connect to the JAMMA motherboard. They usually boast a 15 pin connector for the controlers. This lets you plug in any Neo-Geo controller, or custom built arcade sticks.

Be wary when buying one though, as nothing is standard. Some might come with controllers, some might not have the JROK encoder inside (i’m not very knowledgeable on encoders) Look to make sure it’ll run neo geo boards. I’m also not sure if it’ll run a neo geo board that isn’t a JAMMA. Anything 1 slot is JAMMA, and if it is more than that (2, 4, or 6) it has an MVS harness type.

Not owning one, I can’t say for sure if it can be plugged in so do your research on the harness. Before buying- read up on the specific supergun you are buying. Ask questions. It of course has the same cart disadvantages and advantages as the arcade, as it runs the same carts.

If you’re interested in one, Mass Systems sells a nice one with a couple different options you can get. There are also some slight variations here and there on eBay (like on this eBay Store), and a couple custom jobs too.

Advantages

• Most Superguns will allow you to connect and run pretty much any JAMMA board. Meaning that you get the option of MVS carts with a neo geo board, but if you were so inclined, you could pick up a Killer Instinct motherboard and run that as well. To put it simply, it turns jamma harnessed motherboards into cartridges.

Disadvantages

• It does not have a sleek design, and has an exposed motherboard. You might want to build a case to put a Supergun/motherboard in, and if you don’t, you certainly don’t want to leave it laying around. If you have kids/roommates/dogs you run the risk of destroying a motherboard as it’s not protected at all.

Consolized Neo Geo MVS Boards - $400 – $650

These come in all shapes and sizes. The bottom one was made by the infamous modder Ben Heck, and he put together a brief how to on Engadget for it, although doesn’t get into building the actual case. Most look like the above one made by Neotropolis. Mostly- it has the same advantages/disadvantages as the supergun. You can get them on eBay of course, and Neotropolis

Advantages

• Looks a little more sturdy than the supergun and exposed motherboard. but not by much.
• You could build a better case now that you have all the working parts together.

Disadvantages

• Unlike the supergun- you can’t swap boards. You are bound to NEO GEO only.

Build Your Own MVS Console – $150-$300

If you build everything from scratch it should run about 150-200. If you buy an NTSC converter it’ll run about 250-300
If you are crafty, love a hobby, and a soldering god this is probably your best bet. Everything is up to you. All options. You’ll need a motherboard, JAMMA harness, ATX power supply, toggle or slide switch, and rgb to ntsc video adapter. The video adapter is the toughest to build and might be out of most people’s league. They run about 80-100 bucks. The rest of soldering seems easy for an experienced person. I’m not so experienced. Ben Heck put together a tutorial on Engadget and our very own mrtie put together a little guide as well here

Advantages

• Full control over everything. Build it how you want

Disadvantages

• You could really screw up a nice piece of hardware.  Sometimes its best to leave things to the professionals.

Conclusion

The Neo-Geo is the expensive gaming hobby. I think I’m going to emulate it on my PSP/Apple while keeping an eye out for a cheap arcade cabinet. The emulation of Neo Geo is near perfect, and is a great option for anyone that doesn’t want to invest in an expensive system, or simply wants to check out the library before making the plunge. Pretty much every option other than doing it yourself will cost you an arm and leg from the beginning. If you do stick with it, the MVS is the way to go for the non-collector who wants many games, and AES for the collector who wants to look at a collection like an investment.

And hey- this is just research i did over the last couple days because it has been on my mind. If i left anything out or i am just wrong about something- let me know. I’ll edit it.

Presented by: Fastbilly1, Marurun, & Racketboy
New To Together Retro? Check out the introduction to the club

For the fourth entry in the Together Retro Game Club, we will be shifting gears and trying out one of SNK’s classic 2D fighters, Samurai Shodown.  Thats right boys and girls we are going back to the arcade and going to one of the best weapon based fighting games ever created.  Now we know many of you want an RPG soon, but based on sagical advice that Marurun gave us, we decided to hold off on that for one more session so those who are currently in finals can devote the time neccessary.

About The Game

Samurai Shodown was first released in 1993 for the Neo Geo MVS system.  As one of the early games for the arcade monolith the game quickly became a favorite for arcade enthusiast because of its solid gameplay, beautiful graphics, and fun verses mode. 

Taking place during a war between twelve worldly fighters and one overly evil man who has made a pact with a demon to bring back Ambrosia.  Each of those twelve fighters uses a unique fighting style; from a Ronin practicing bushido to a Kabuki performer, to a Bandit, there is a character for everyone.

And for those who like the blood in their fighting games, well most of the characters are using bladed weapons.  Focusing less on the combo chains that most fighters at the time were concentrating on and more on precision and timing.

If you are used to only playing your mainstream Street Fighter games, samurai Shodown will give you a fresh perspective on the genre and will require you to think a bit differently about how you approach the battle.

Recommended Ports

An arcade hit has to be ported to as many consoles as possible right?  While it does not have as many ports as Street Fighter II, it does have its fair share. Obviously the Neo-Geo original is going to be the best, but the Sega CD and 3DO versions are pretty good if you are willing to deal with the load times of the older hardware.  The game was also included in Japanese Samurai Shodown Kenkaku Yubinan pack on the PS1 and is said to be pretty good.

There were also ports on the Genesis and the SNES, but they were pretty stripped down in terms of graphical effect, detail and Earthquake (a large character) is missing.  The SNES port also isn’t as dominant against the Genesis version as you might expect (the sprites are as good as they could be).  The SNES port is also zoomed out and censored for blood but still maintains the complexity of the original game and offers it in Dolby Surround.  However the more modern compilation ports are also very good ports.   (See this post at HG101 for more info and comparisons)

There are also two brand new SNK compilations for the PS2 and PSP that are quite affordable.   (PS2 version is $15 at Amazon.com)   These isn’t a lot of detail on the quality of the release since they are brand new, but you can find some discussion on the topic in this forum post.

Neo-Geo	Sega CD	3DO	PS1	PS2	PSP

Emulation for Samurai Shodown

Since there are various ports of Samurai Shodown, there are also various ways to emulate them.  However, the most practical thing would be to emulate the arcade original.    In that case, you have a handful of great options:

• NeorageX
• MAME (MAMEUI)
• Kawaks

If you want to emulate one of the other console ports, you can emulate the Sega CD port (or even the inferior Genesis version) with Kega Fusion (see our Kega emulation guide).    ePSXe will also emulate the Playstation version if you want to go with that.

If you need assitance setting up any emulator, please post your question in the Emulation section of the forum

How To Play / Controls

• Directional Pad – Move, Crouch and Block (utilizes all 8 ways)
• Forward Twice Quickly – Dash (hold to keep running)
• Backward Twice Quickly – Hop back
• A – Weak Slash
• B – Strong Slash
• A + B – Powerful Slash
• C – Weak Kick
• D – Strong Kick
• C + D – Powerful Kick
• Full Controls at Strategy Wiki
• Character-specific moves at Strategy Wiki

Together Retro Discussion

Instead of posting in the comments section of the blog, we will be using the forum for all of our discussion in order to keep things more organized. So get your hands dirty with Samurai Shodown and talk to us about your thoughts in the forums. We want to know your tactics, your strategies, your successes and your failures.

• Samurai Shodown General Discussion
• What Samurai Shodown Characters Are You Using?
• What Techniques Have You Found Helpful in Samurai Shodown?
• How Do The Samurai Shodown Ports Compare?
• Extra Credit: The Samurai Shodown Series…

Additional Resources

• Wikipedia’s Samurai Shodown Entry
• Hardcore Gaming 101: Samurai Shodown
• Temple of Samurai Shodown

The RetroGaming 101 series is aimed at gamers who are just starting out in the classic gaming scene or are curious about an older console that they don’t know much about yet. Those of you that are especially knowledgeable about the featured console, I encourage you to add any information that you think would be beneficial into the comments section. If you are new to the featured console, and still have questions, you can also use the comments section and I will do my best to help you out.

Since I’m not entirely familiar with the Neo-Geo Pocket, racketboy.com contributers fastbilly1 and pullmyfinger have taken the liberty of sharing their knowledge here. The did an awesome job teaming up with me. I just rearranged a few things and added some comments. Enjoy!

Background Info

• Two versions: Neo Geo Pocket and Neo Geo Pocket Color (abbreviated to NGP and NGPC respectively.)
• The original Neo Geo Pocket was released in late 1998 in Japan.
• After slow sales of the original, the Neo Geo Pocket Color was released on March 16, 1999.
• The U.S. version of the Neo Geo Pocket Color had an exclusive launch on the website eToys
• The system debuted in the United States with six launch titles (20 promised by end of year) and retail price of $69.95.
• Six different unit colors were available: Camouflage Blue, Carbon Black, Crystal White, Platinum Blue, Platinum Silver, and Stone Blue.
• Before SNK was bought out, the Neo Geo Pocket Color was being advertised on US television and units were being sold nationally in Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Toys “R” Us (and their online partner, Amazon.com)
• Once SNK was bought out by the Aruze group, remaining inventory was bought back by SNK for repackaging in Asia, where the handheld would still be supported with games.

Historical Impact

• Forward-Compatible: One of the only systems in which the earlier form (NGP) could play the majority of the new games for the new system (NGPC)
• SNK’s First Hardware Since the Neo-Geo: And although it carries the trademark Neo Geo name it has few true arcade ports (for obvious reasons).
• Hurt SNK’s Bottom Line: NGP is blamed as one of the reasons that SNK had to close their doors, other reasons cited were the decline of the American and European Arcades during the late 90s and the ease of playing backup copies of the MVS software on your home computer.
• Bringing The Arcade To The Road: While not true Arcade ports, the NGPC was blessed with a wide array of games based on its older brothers games – Metal Slug 1^st Mission, King of Fighters R-1, and Bust a Move Pocket for example – a first for the company and a defining point for arcade to handheld ports for the future.
• Put Up A Good Fight Against Nintendo: The one of the few significant handheld competitors to the Gameboy, the Gamegear is the obvious first.
• Portable Controls: One of the first handheld consoles to feature a Joystick as its primary mode of input. Another system that utilized a similar joystick would be the GP32, both are known for making a unique clickty-clack sound.
• Battery Backup: To my knowledge it is the first handheld to utilize a second internal battery to backup the memory and clock. The battery is a CR2032, well know to Saturn fans, and sold here by Racketboy.
• Linking With Console: Before Nintendo had their GBA-to-Gamecube linking, the Neo-Geo Pocket Color actually linked with the Sega Dreamcast for unlockable game features

Screen & Color Capabilities

• The screen is high quality, 160×152 display
• Had a “virtual screen” that allowed for 256×256 resolutions, 16 palettes per plane, and 64 sprites per frame
• No form of internal lighting it does need to be played in well-lit conditions.
• The Neo-Geo Pocket Color can put out 146 colors at once out of a possible 4096 colors
• This compares to the Wonderswan Color & Crystal’s 241 colors on screen out of 4096 and the Gameboy Color’s 56 simultaneously on screen out of 32,768

Accessories

• Shock n’ Rock by Nyko: Provides Stereo sound, audio-based rumble, rechargeable battery, and some rubber grips that unlike all other grips for portables, feel comfortable and don’t add that much bulk to the console.
• Link Cable: Fighting games are always better with friends. The link cable connection is very simple, just link up, select vs and fight away, no loadings, no lags, just fun. This is a third party cable can be hard to find, however, and can go for $30+..
• Wireless Link: There was a wireless connector released in Japan that allowed several players in proximity to play together, with some cartridge moulding reshaped to hold it.
• Official Carry Case: Pretty small and easy to carry and even comes with two straps, both of which are way too big for my taste. It has space for the console, and an extra pocket for games and accessories, pretty useful and easy to get, they are all over eBay for $15 a piece.

Strengths

• Big-Name Backing: SNK had one of the best development houses in the world at that time.
• Amazing Game Catalogue: From Last Blade to Densha De Go!, all major genres and most SNK series are represented (albeit in “petite” form)
• Decent US and Europe support/naturalization: Quite surprising for a limited release outside of Japan. This also brought a plethora of multilanguage carts
• Forward Compatibility: Early adopters were not overly screwed when the new version came out
• Durable Hardware: Not quite Gameboy durable, but better than previous competitors
• Sega Partnership: Resulted in a Sonic game and a Dreamcast to NGPC cable that allowed some neat unlockables in games such as Capcom vs SNK 2
• Comfortable & Tactile Controls: The joystick is absolutely amazing for fighting and puzzle games, which thankfully there are a lot of on the system.
• High Quality Screen: 160×152 resolution
• Amazing Battery Life: Roughly 30 to 40 hours with two AA batteries (compared to the Wonderswan Color’s otherwise impressive 10+ hours on a single AA battery)
• Inexpensive Aftermarket Price: Can pick up a handheld and a bundle of games on eBay for about $60 in all.

Weaknesses

• Difficult Living Up To SNK’s High Standards: Technical limitations in some games, several of the more intense action games suffered some pretty bad slowdown.
• Timing: Originally released in 1998, in the midst of “Pokemania” and slowed even more by the 1999 rumors of a 32-bit Gameboy successory (the Gameboy Advance)
• Very Little Third Party Support: SNK had Sega on board, but that was just about it.
• Game Cases: American releases were boxed in cardboard boxes, instead of the hard cases that the rest of the world had (while I do not agree with this others do so I thought it should be mentioned)
• No Backlight: Don’t plan on playing in the dark with the Pocket

Notable Games & Imports

• Neo Geo Fighters – Last Blade, Samurai Shodown, King of Fighters, Capcom vs SNK – Card Fighter Clash, etc: Unlike their arcade counterparts, the portable titles adopted a super deformed graphic style but animated almost as smoothly with all the same moves and combos. Even with its diminutive two button control scheme and an amazing joystick these games are simply the best portable fighting games of their time. I would say of all time, but I feel that Street Fighter Alpha 3 on the GBA has finally surpassed them. The controls do take a little getting use to, but soon you will realize that they took a four button game and made a faithful two button version. I know I sound crazy but I believe most fighting game fans can agree on this.
• Metal Slug 1st and 2nd Missions: While I am a huge fan of the original Metal Slug (I have owned it several times in almost every format imaginable) these games are far from the intense run and gun action of it. These are slower paced (for an arcade styled game), uniquely controlled, and feature a health bar. So yeah it is kind of a downgrade from the arcade version, but they are still excellent games and set the standard for handheld run and guns (see CT Special Forces series on the GBA).
• Dark Arms Beast Buster: Sequel to the arcade lightgun game Beast Buster, Dark Arms is an action adventure rpg, in the vein of Zelda 2, Crystalis, or Magic Knight Rayearth on the Saturn. So you have an isometric viewpoint and you do some fetch quest, but the mechanics are sound and the game is very unique for its time. When you kill monsters you can gather their “remains” for lack of a better word, and forge newer weapons based on what you are using. So if you kill a lot of fire badguys you can upgrade your gun to shoot fire bullets. With a decent bit of depth, fitting dialogue, and spot on controls, Dark Arms is by far my favorite original game on the system. It may have been surpassed by games like Boktai, Ghost Trap, and The Sound of Thunder, but I think it still has a lot of charm, besides who doesn’t like to kill zombies on the go every once and a while.
• Legend of Ogre Battle Gaiden: Prince of Zenobia – the obligatory import: Serving as a gaiden (side story) to the Ogre Battle Saga, this game follows the Prince of Zenobia on his journey through the land. Taking place during March of the Black Queen (or just Ogre Battle if you care) but through different parts of the world. The game plays exactly like the original, and if it was not for different areas I would call it a port. However it is an amazing game and well worth looking into finding if you are a fan of the series. If you are not a fan I would suggest finding a copy of the SNES or PSX version of March of the Black Queen, mainly since the game is in Japanese and fairly heavy in dialog, it is a fantasy strategy game with rpg battles.

NGPC-to-Dreamcast Linking

• King of Fighters R-2 (links with King of Fighters ‘99 Dream Match and King of Fighters Evolution)
• SNK vs Capcom – Match of the Millenium (links with Capcom vs SNK 2)
• SNK vs Capcom – Card Fighters’ Clash (links with King of Fighters Evolution)
• SNK vs Capcom – Card Fighters’ Clash Expand Edition (links with Capcom vs SNK 2)
• Cool Cool Jam (links with Cool Cool Toon).

Emulation

• Neopop – One of the few emulators that is actually updated. The best compatibility and a built in debugger makes this easily the best emulator.
• Koyote – Many still use this older emulator, even thought the compatibility is not near Neopop’s, it does have TCP/IP enabled multiplayer that is smoother (on a whole) than Neopop’s.

Affordability

• Possibly the best part about the system is that for about $60 you can pick up a good chunk of the good games in a bundle.
• For sometime they were sold in packs of the system and six games at gamestores for $60-70.
• The packs I saw the most often had Metal Slug 1^st mission, Samurai Shodown, King of Fighters R-1, Pacman and two various games (sometimes Metal Slug 2^nd Mission or Samurai Shodown II).
• You can easily find a majority of titles at or below the below $20 mark (many at $5) and a bundle of the system with 10 games can be obtained for around $100.
• Find Handheld & Games on Amazon.com
• Find Handheld & Games on eBay

Typically, my Cheapest Games Worth Your Time series looks for games that are $10 or less, but with the Neo-Geo, that just isn’t an option. This 24-bit powerhouse has always been for only the most financially-blessed gamers with both the system and games retailing for hundreds of dollars each. With a hardcore following and a very limited supply of games, many game prices are still much more than most retro gamers are used to paying for a single title. Because of this, my “Cheap” Neo-Geo list will be rather short and I’ll have to adjust my price targets as well.

For AES cartridges, my goal was to find the best games for $50 or less and I had a target of $30 or less for Neo-Geo CDs. While most gamers would agree that the game themselves aren’t really worth even these lower prices. When you buy Neo-Geo games, you are essentially paying for the right to play them on the original Neo-Geo hardware and the collectability of these hard-to-find cartridges and CDs.

It is also worth nothing that while you may save a lot of money by going with Neo-Geo CDs instead of AES carts, you will be greatly sacrificing load time due to the slow CD speeds of the Neo-Geo CD drive. Because of this, you are losing much of the appeal of the arcade-like experience. If you want to play the games (legally) without spending as much, you are better off acquiring quality ports of the games on the Saturn, Dreamcast, or PS2.

Since Neo-Geo games aren’t sold on eBay quite as often as more common console games, I’m averaging the eBay prices I did see with the price guide at Neo-Geo.com
Check out the other Cheapest Games Worth Your Time articles

Best AES Cartridges For $50 or Less

Samurai Shodown: $40
Samurai Shodown 2 : $50
On the Neo-Geo, it’s very uncommon to be able to find a blockbuster game for much less than $100 (or even $300). So considering that the first two installments of the beloved Samurai Shodown series can be found for less than $50, it is almost required to have at least one of these games in your Neo-Geo library. When most early fighting game were just a slight adaptation of Street Fighter 2, Samurai Shodown slowed down the pace a bit and brought weapons-based Samurai fighting to the brawler genre. To this day, Samurai Showdown 2 is still regarded as the best of the series as SNK messed with the fighting system a bit in part 3 and 4.
Check for Samurai Shodown Series on eBay

King of Monsters: $40
With so many popular 2D fighters on the Neo-Geo, it is easy for this unique brawler to get overlooked. What can best be described as a wrestling game featuring a variety of Godzilla-sized monsters duking it out in futuristic Japanese cityscapes, King of Monsters is a riot in terms of gameplay and visually engaging as well. The original game, in my opinion, is more satisfying than its sequel, in addition to being cheaper as well.
Check for King of Monsters on eBay

NAM-1975: $40
This side-scrolling shooter was one of the very first Neo-Geo games and was an option for a pack-in game, but it still packs in some satisfying shooting goodness. It is one of the better Operation Wolf clones that made it to home systems and since its an older, common game, it can be had for a reasonable price.
Check for NAM-1975 on eBay

Baseball Stars Professional: $35
The other early pack-in option for the Neo-Geo is the successor to the popular SNK game from the NES library. The Baseball Stars series is still beloved by many old-school sports fans. I doesn’t have any complicated controls, gratuitous set-up screens, or lulls in the action. Combining nice 2D graphics with simple, fast gameplay, Baseball Stars Professional is pure arcade fun.
Check for Baseball Stars Professional on eBay

2020 Super Baseball: $30
Many gamers may choose Baseball Stars as their favorite baseball game on the Neo-Geo, but I think the 2020 Super Baseball doesn’t get nearly the appreciation it deserves. While it does have some flaws, I found that this fast-paced and over-the-top futuristic representation of America’s pastime is loads of fun. Being able to upgrade both your human and robotic players with the money you earn along the way adds a lot of depth to this very affordable gem.
Check for 2020 Super Baseball on eBay

Magician Lord: $45
This game is popular with some Neo-Geo fans, but it isn’t for everyone. This platformer gives you the opportunity to find different orbs that transform your wizard character into different forms like a ninja, samurai, and “Dragon Warrior”. To me, it seems like Kid Chameleon, but not quite as interesting. But again, some people really like the game and will complain if I don’t include it on this list.
Check for Magician Lord on eBay

Best Neo-Geo CDs For $30 or Less

King of Fighters Series – Ranging for $18-$25 each
Most installments of SNK’s headlining series are very expensive in cartridge form. However CD versions are a bit more realistically priced. The older installments like KOF ‘94 & ‘95 can be found on the lower end of the price scale, while the newer installments like KOF ‘98 (my personal favorite) command a few more dollars.
Check for King of Fighters Series on eBay

Samurai Shodown Series: $17-$20 each
This series is pretty cheap once again on the CD format. However, for part 1 & 2, it sould definitely be worth the extra $20-30 more for the cartridge version. But if you really want to go cheap, this option is available.
Check for Samurai Shodown Series on eBay

Fatal Fury Special: $20
Fatal Fury 3: $22
If you like the early multi-planed Fatal Fury games, these are as cheap as you are going to get on the SNK console. They are very well-rounded fighters that will give you something different from standard Street Fighter 2 clones.
Check for Fatal Fury Series on eBay

Aero Fighters 2/Sonic Wings 2: $30
There’s plenty of fighters on this list, but a well-rounded arcade-based library needs a shmup in there somewhere. Aero Fighters 2 is defiantly the best value as far as shooters go. It is a straightforward but enjoyable entry in the genre, so it’s a good choice for those that want an accessible shooter that will help them get their feet wet in the genre without spending too much money.
Check for Aero Fighters 2/Sonic Wings 2 on eBay

Art of Fighting 3: $30
Not only was the gameplay of this fighter rather interesting, but Art of Fighting 3 was also a technical showpiece with it’s very large sprites and smooth animation. So if you want to show off what your Neo can do, AOF3 is an inexpensive solution.
Check for Art of Fighting 3 on eBay

My Starter Picks For $120 Budget

My typical $50 budget won’t cut it much with the Neo-Geo, so I’ve bumped the budget up to $120 for this luxury console. So, If I only had $120 to spend on starting out a Neo-Geo collection, here would be my top picks:

• Samurai Shodown 2 : $50
• King of Monsters: $40
• 2020 Super Baseball: $30
• Total: $120

As I had suspected in the past, the Neo-Geo library will soon be added to the lineup to add a bit more punch. This was confirmed just recently on Nintendo’s Japanese site. According to Nintendo, support for SNK’s 2D powerhouse will make its way to the Wii Virtual Console over the course of 2007 and beyond. So far, this is only an official announcement for Japan — commitments for other countries have not been solidified quite yet. No game titles have been announced yet either.

One of the most interesting things about having the Neo-Geo library on the Wii is that, once much of the library is available, it will be the first time many of the games will be able to be legally purchased without paying a hefty chunk of change. (However, I’m surprised the Nintendo, Microsoft, and it’s partners haven’t published more rare and expensive games on the Virtual Console and XBox Live Arcade already.)

Also, maybe after the Neo-Geo support rolls out, we will see some good wireless Arcade sticks for the Wii. Having some of SNK’s solid fighters teamed with a wireless joystick would be a killer app for me. (Capcom is free to jump on the bandwagon with arcade-perfect ports as well)

Related Posts:
The Best Undiscovered Neo-Geo Games
Fatal Fury Special Coming to XBox Live
Play Neo-Geo Games On Your Dreamcast