Neo Geo (Ohga Shrugs)

Neo Geo is a series of game consoles and handhelds developed by SNK. The consoles were notable in the 90's for being unusually powerful for their time, while their handhelds are special in that they are the only notable competitors of Nintendo's Game Boy series.

Neo Geo
SNK fist released the Neo Geo-branded hardware in 1990, as a couple of arcade cabinets. A home console based on the hardware, simply called the Neo Geo, was released on January 31 of that year, and in 1991 in America. Although only initially available for rentals, due to the system's cost, it soon became clear that a niche market was available for a highly priced console. In America, the Neo Geo launched at $599, including two game controllers and one of a few select games.

Compared to other consoles of the era, particularly the ancient NES, the Neo Geo boasted far more impressive graphics and sound. From a technical viewpoint, the system was powerful enough to remain relevant into the mid 90's, and was only discontinued in 1997. Even then, however, Neo Geo games continued to be made into the 2000's. Although it never became a mainstream system, the Neo Geo grew a legion of devoted fans. One of these fans, Tom Fulp of The Behemoth, would eventually create a website named "Newgrounds" in honor of the Neo Geo.

Neo Geo CD
The Neo Geo CD, released in September 1994, was the direct successor of the original Neo Geo. Rather than being a full replacement, however, the console was designed to simply lower costs. The games in particular were usually marketed at $50, compared to the hundreds of dollars that the Neo Geo's cartridges cost.

The Neo Geo CD is largely overlooked by history due to most of its games being Neo Geo ports. The console's infamously slow loading times also prevented it from being a success, as did competition from more mainstream consoles like the Sega Saturn.

Neo Geo Pocket
The Neo Geo Pocket was the first handheld in the Neo Geo family. It was released in 1998, and was only released in Japan and several other Asian markets. Sales for the system were lower than expected, due in large part to the continued success of the Game Boy line, including the Game Boy Color, which also was released in 1998. The system was quickly discontinued.

Neo Geo Pocket Color
Unlike its immediate successor, the Neo Geo Pocket Color was a moderate success. Released on March 16, 1996 in Japan, on August 6 in America, and on October 1 in Europe, the Neo Geo Pocket Color created a niche despite competition from the highly successful Game Boy series.

Releasing at a price point of about $70 worldwide, the Neo Geo Pocket Color was similar in specifications to the Game Boy Color, with nearly identical resolution, slightly less power, and an increased battery life. Although most of the system's games were published by SNK themselves, Sega released their own Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure for the system in 1999 and 2000 worldwide. Along with games Bust-a-Move, King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Metal Slug, and Samurai Shodown series, the console eventually developed a respectable library, albeit one much smaller than the Game Boy Color's.

The Neo Geo Pocket Color would be receive its last game in 2002, the same year it was discontinued. The handheld sold 3 million units in Japan alone over its life.

Neo Geo Portable
In 2001, Nintendo released the Game Boy Advance, a system that could emulate Super Nintendo classics as well as playing brand new games. This led to a dramatic cut in Neo Geo Pocket Color sales, even after the price for a Pocket Color was cut. Responding to these low numbers, and eager to port their own classic library to the handheld market, SNK released the Neo Geo Portable on December 9, 2001, with a Western release coming the next year.

Unlike prior Neo Geo handhelds, the Neo Geo Portable was actually more powerful than the original Neo Geo. This meant that it could play closely emulated versions of Neo Geo games, with few limitations.

The Neo Geo Portable was bulkier than the Game Boy Advance, but still easily portable.