Do you remember the video game scene in the 90s? Everyone had a Nintendo, SEGA, or Sony, whatever. What any hardcore gamer really wanted was a NEO GEO. Alluring, foreign, ridiculously expensive (starting at $649.99!), there were too many barriers to entry, provided you weren’t the neighbourhood rich kid. It would be pretty rad to go to the arcade (I’ll explain that later) and pump quarters into the Fatal Fury and Baseball Stars machines, among others. Maybe they weren’t the best, most technically sound games, but any video game enthusiast worth his salt looks back fondly on SNK’s fourth-generation offering.
Fast forward to 2012, where the legacy of SNK (now SNK Playmore) is dwindling – the games that they release are essentially rereleases – nothing to write home about. You probably weren’t super-pumped about King of Fighters 34 or Metal Slug 16 (titles pending), but today, today my friends, we have something to be excited about: The NEO GEO X. Oh yes, the NEO GEO is back!
According to the press release on SNK Playmore’s website, they have partnered with Tommo to bring us nostalgia-fueled hobbyists a new (I use that term loosely) console that is both a handheld and a console. Magician Lord on your daily commute? Then finishing it up on your TV when you get home? Sign me up!
The original rumours were that this thing was going to cost over $700, which would be hilariously appropriate, right? However, it looks like we are going to get a retail price of $199, which is kind of steep, and it is a bit of a niche item, but dude, come on. Did you read that list? Sam Sho II. ‘Nuff said. Again, it’s a bit of a risky value proposition, but if Tommo can get their stuff together and support this thing after release, the NEO GEO X may be gaming’s pleasant surprise of 2012.
The NEO GEO X will also include an arcade-style joystick as well as twenty pre-loaded classic games. Check out the press release and tell me you’re not excited.
Los Angeles, Calif. – August 13, 2012 – Tommo, Inc., in partnership with SNK PLAYMORE, today confirmed that the NEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system is scheduled for a worldwide release this December. Following the 20th anniversary of the ground breaking NEOGEO AES console, the NEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system provides players with all of the features of a home arcade and the convenience of a handheld gaming device. The NEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system is set for a worldwide release on December 6, 2012 for a suggested retail price of $199.99 (USD).
The NEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system comes complete with the NEOGEO X Station, the NEOGEO X Handheld with 20 pre-loaded NEOGEO classic titles, and the NEOGEO X Joystick. In addition to coming pre-loaded with 20 NEOGEO classic titles, the NEOGEO X Handheld device features a crisp 4.3″ LCD display, an expandable game card slot, internal stereo speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for a personal gaming experience you can take anywhere. The NEOGEO X Handheld device works with the NEOGEO X Joystick and NEOGEO X Station to charge the handheld device and transfer the action directly to a television set or monitor, via HDMI or A/V out, for a true arcade experience right at home.
The full list of NEOGEO X Handheld pre-installed games is as follows:
3 COUNT BOUT
LEAGUE BOWLING
ART OF FIGHTING II
MAGICIAN LORD
ALPHA MISSION II
METAL SLUG
BASEBALL STARS II
MUTATION NATION
CYBER LIP
NAM 1975
FATAL FURY
PUZZLED
FATAL FURY SPECIAL
REAL BOUT – FATAL FURY SPECIAL
THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’95
SAMURAI SHODOWN II
KING OF THE MONSTERS
SUPER SIDEKICKS
LAST RESORT
WORLD HEROES PERFECT
“Great game consoles don’t die; they’re just reborn in much more affordable and convenient packages,” said Tommo CEO Jonathan Wan. “The NEOGEO X GOLD is a love letter to one of my favorite consoles of all time, and working with SNK PLAYMORE to acquire the NEOGEO license, Tommo Inc. looks to provide gaming and entertainment enthusiasts with a classic arcade experience both at home and on the go.”NGXG Entertainment System
Distribution of the NEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system for European and Asian territories will be handled exclusively by BLAZE and Success Company. North American distribution of the NEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system will be handled exclusively by Tommo, Inc..
For the latest news as it is released, and for additional information regarding the NEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system, please visit: www.NEOGEOX.com.