10 Amazing SNK Neo Geo Facts

In this video we look at 10 fascinating pieces of trivia surrounding the cult SNK Neo Geo console and arcade system.
Video Links:
Neo Geo Games Compilation: • 100 SNK Neo Geo CD Gam...
Neo Geo X Gold Review: • SNK Neo Geo X Gold - R...
The Story of: The Hyper Neo Geo 64: • The Story of the Unrel...
The Story of: The Unreleased Neo Star: • The Story of the Unrel...
Neo Geo Pocket Color Review: • SNK Neo Geo Pocket Col...
Neo Geo Pocket Color Games: • Over 50 SNK Neo Geo Po...
Amazing Facts Playlist - • Amazing Facts!
SNK Neo Geo Master Games List: www.neo-geo.com/snk/masterlis...
SNK Arcade Games Compilation:
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#RetroGaming #NeoGeo #Arcade

[@mrsejanoz523]

The Neo Geo jingle is the aural equivalent of crack, I swear.

[@orderofmagnitude-TPATP]

Its timeless. Those that know...... know

[@reagandow850]

Indeed!!

[@cartmann94]

The serotonin release you get when you hear the iconic jingle. 😊

[@pigs18]

You can thank Tengen for that. Start up screens and jingles were intended as copyright traps. If they couldn't stop third parties from making games they figured they could sue them for recreating the trademark boot up screens.

[@BAZFANSHOTHITSClassicTunes]

NeoGeo back in the day was dream land. I was more than happy with my Amiga.

[@ridiculous_gaming]

I spent a ton of cash on Samurai Showdown and Metal Slug in the arcades...such amazing hardware!

[@rogervd666gamer]

Back in the days our local movie rental store had a Neo Geo aes and a few games for hire. Me and my mates rent this thing almost every weekend and there goes our pocket money but have lots of fun 😂

[@robintst]

What I remember most is how much it sucked that SNK's games on other systems lost so much of their quality when ported from the Neo-Geo. I played World Heroes, Art of Fighting, and Fatal Fury 2 a lot on the SNES but, yeesh, they were like shadows of their real selves. Great video by the way!

[@Larry]

Weirdest thing about the Neo Geo, for all the sports games released on it, there isn't a single Tennis game for the system.

[@TheLairdsLair]

Very true! Never thought of that before, I have to say!

[@Larry]

@@TheLairdsLair Yeah, WindJammers is probably the closest, but there's at least 9 football games, 3 baseball, 2 golf, 1 american football, 1 wrestling, and 1 boxing, but no tennis bizarrely. not even a future cyber version which they loved doing.

[@TheLairdsLair]

A bit like the Jaguar, which also has no tennis game, despite 2 being announced very early on. It has 3 basketball games though, go figure, which are also the only 3 games that use the 4-player Team Tap. The Jaguar has a much smaller and even more unbalanced library however.

[@Riz2336]

I remember as a kid the first arcade I would go up to and put quarters in was the neo geo because in those days you had nes and genesis to play at home and they looked so weak compared to what snk had on the arcade floor. Lots of good memories of playing all these classics

[@grinbrothers]

I think votes for the underdogs happen because it's fascinating to learn about the lesser known systems, ones which are not easy to find alternative videos on. Of course, it's always delightful to see a KZbinr you like use their particular presentation for a gaming topic and to potentially dig up trivia that others might have not in their own videos. 3:33 - Ah, so kind of like how movie releases used to work with cinema's first and then months later (sometimes close to a year) for a VHS release. I did not know the cartridges weren't compatible; feels a bit of a shame honestly. 11:32 - Love how for your point about CD's, you included the example of the more obscure Amiga CD32 over the other mentions. I do love the look of the Neo-Geo CD controller. 13:35 - More so than a Neo-Geo CD though, I'd love to own a Neo Geo Pocket Colour someday. Almost had the chance to once but it sold before I could get to the store in time.

[@IslandBoy-808]

The thing I remember most about the Neo-Geo is Seeing Super Baseball 2020.That game just blew me away .So lucky that game was released on the Genesis and SNES.

[@tylerbowling]

Always a wonderful job here. Thank you! Aside from the Metal Slug series and the fighters, I remember loving Magician Lord and the Sengoku trilogy. Fun leveling up skills and morphing throughout these games. Also, I really enjoyed a very fun vertical shooter in Ninja Commando. Cheers!

[@realmchat6665]

Great video, your retro gaming content is always excellent - much appreciated.

[@pjdolont9012]

I remember that you could rent a Neo-Geo from our local video store, the deposit was still like $700.00, I'm almost positive you got a game in that rental deal, but I remember games having the deposit sticker.

[@dreamcaster4754]

I have a Neo Geo CD with about 25 games - love it!

[@jamesmoss3424]

The Neo Geo is still awesome today. 😀👍🎮

[@Charlie-Cat.]

Good to see you again Laird. Some amazing facts that were offered in this video. Some of which I didn't even know myself. Glad you enlighten me bro. It helped me become a more knowledgeable Neo-Geo buff. 8^) I posted this up on the Neo-Geo thread for others to take notice on what you have to say Laird. Thank you as always and keep up the great work you always do for the community. 8^) Anthony..

[@TheLairdsLair]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@trapmouth]

This was my intro to your channel. Great video!

[@TheLairdsLair]

Welcome to the lair!

[@alexojideagu]

It's not the cost of the console, but the cost of the games that blew my mind.

[@rpgspree]

The Neo Geo was perhaps the most expensive "successful" home console, but the Commodore CDTV debuted just a year later for an eye-watering $999 (over $2K in 2022). While the Amiga based system was OK compared other contemporary consoles, I think it's safe to say that the Neo outclassed it in the "luxury" market. The price of those ROMs compared to cheap CDs didn't do the Neo any favors, but for that kind of performance a flashy frisbee wasn't going to cut it.

[@TheLairdsLair]

I think that depends if you class the CDTV as a console, Commodore certainly didn't. It was promoted as a multimedia system and if you had the keyboard attached it was basically an Amiga computer anyway.

[@rpgspree]

@@TheLairdsLair Wikipedia list it as a "Home multimedia entertainment/Home video game console/Personal computer", though it arguably fails at most of the above. Its "remote" has a d-pad and A B buttons. There was also an optional memory card for "save games". It's about as much of a "game console" as the Pippin was. It certainly could be argued that the Pippin was a half-assed console, but the CDTV was basically in the same league. BTW many other systems had various keyboard options that tried to straddle the console/computer fence. If being keyboard compatible disqualifies the CDTV, you'd have to strike dozens of other systems' "console" status on similar grounds. Even the PS2 would be among them. Like so many others before, Sony pimped the PS2 as a PC alternative. I think you know the history well enough to recognize that the line between "console" and "computer" was rather blurry at times. And yes, I would certainly agree that many on the fence didn't function all that well as one or the other. And sometimes failing entirely as either.

[@IsaacKuo]

​@@rpgspree If you just take a look at a CDTV it's clearly made to look like a piece of high end A/V equipment, not a game console or home computer. Commodore was not the only ones expecting consumer demand for multimedia devices, nor was Commodore the only ones to fail at it (everyone else who tried also failed at it). Note that at the time, CD players themselves were still relatively expensive high end A/V equipment, and CD-ROM drives were even more expensive with barely any sales to bring costs down.

[@alexojideagu]

The 3DO was also insanely expensive around $750. At least it had some decent games at regular prices.

[@bubbythebear6891]

This is like the Wagyu beef of consoles. It was graphically superior and undoubtedly more powerful than the competition, but not to the point of justifying the outrageous price. Still, some pretty good games on it.

[@oldirtygamer]

I still have never owned a Neo Geo unless you count the Neo Geo Pocket Color.

[@cellphonesmartphone7496]

Exactly ... me too

[@Sinn0100]

I love my Neo Geo AES and MVS 4-slot cabs. I remember when they came out in the arcades and at home. I tried like Hell to get one as a kid and almost succeeded...sort of, but not. You see, the year was 1991 and my birthday..I had the Sega Genesis and the Snes was not out yet. My mother asked what I wanted for my birthday and of course I asked for some Genesis games. She took me to Toy's R' Us and that's where I saw a store display with the AES running Baseball Stars. Immediately I forgot about my Genesis and said "I want that!" Too my utter delight she said okay but make sure you pick out two games with at least one you think your sister will play..."sure." I picked out the version that came with Nam 1975 (because shooting things is always better than sports). I also picked out King of The Monsters, and Magician Lord. She also had me grab a second controller even though I think it came with two but I wasn't arguing. As an adult thinking back not seeing a price on any of this should have been alarming but to me at that time my mom and dad were millionaires (not even close). Looking back, I remember the store clerk asked my mom several times "are you sure?" At any rate, we get to the register and I'm bouncing around shooting "Neo Geo, Neo Geo" when the cashier rings up the price. That will be....it was over $1k and I'll never forget my mom's reaction "That better be a typo!" Mission Failed. I did hold that sweet, sweet box in my hands for the briefest of times though and it was the closest I got until the Fall of 2008. :(

[@TheLairdsLair]

Hahahahaha, brilliant story!

[@Sinn0100]

@@TheLairdsLair Thank you!

[@SomePeopleCallMeWulfman]

The NeoGeo Pocket Color was a great little console. Still sad that I sold mine. I also liked the NeoGeoX, but unfortunately mine died after about a year or so.

[@barryschalkwijk9388]

"Nay-O Gi-O." Huh never knew the Japanese pronounced it like that

[@reagandow850]

Great choice. That said, I guess we know what the next video will be on. That RCA studio 2. ;)

[@TheLairdsLair]

It will go to a vote, as always!

[@brianoconnell6459]

I dunno, at the same time period, there was Pioneer's laserdisk system that cost several hundred on its own, while the gaming packs cost hundreds as well just to play Megadrive and PC Engine games. If you went all in, around a thousand dollars.

[@HellTantrumbull]

There was also the 3DO which was $600 and higher. that's another system that might have had a chance if the prices wasn't so far out in space.

[@cesarvall6232]

My console favorite.

[@mr.timebombman2230]

I had one in the early 90's in H.S. Like 200 bucks a game but WTH!

[@liamconverse8950]

Yeah come think of it, all the biggest Neo Geo fans do seem to be people who would have been teenagers in the early 90's

[@NesNyt]

Leave it to the brits to standardize any electric component with a z in the model to pronounce as zed

[@TheLairdsLair]

*Standardise 😉 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Benny_Shill]

Good video

[@martinevans1206]

Great video, however, you didn’t cover the SNK Playmore NeoGeo Arcade Stick Pro like you did the other devices.

[@TheLairdsLair]

As I said to somebody else, I didn't know about it to be honest and it didn't come up in my research strangely.

[@themadmoderator8465]

being older i did actually own one back in the day. ah days before wife children lol

[@EMMETTCULLENHALE]

i have owned 3 Gold systems and 2 Unibios systems, and all the samurai showdowns U.S. versions even the unfixed Sam 5 that sells for $5 plus thousand dollars & was so stupid and sold them all for a fraction of what they're worth now,

[@TheLairdsLair]

Ah wow, bummer.

[@PeBoVision]

Great video as always, but you failed to answer the question I've had for decades.... What the heck is "Max 330 Mega" ? I thought the various spec sheets would explain it but the closest we got was 380 Sprites. "Pro-Gear Spec" I just assume referred to the fact that it played actual arcade carts, but I have no idea what "Max 330 Mega" represented (if anything) Again, best games are "Irritating Maze" and the highly-addictive Tetris-esque "Puzzled". I'm sure a full year of my life was lost to those two games. Neo-Geo. The only console that was way above my snack-bracket in the 80's and remains so today. I bought my 800XL as I played a NEO-GEO display unit, cursing my poverty. The XL was $250 (including a 1050 Disc Drive), while the Neo-Geo was over $800 (both in Canadian Dollars). My rent at the time was $200 a month for a 3-bedroom house (to put things in perspective).

[@TheLairdsLair]

I thought that was well known! That refers to the size of the cartridges, the original ones could be up to 330 Megabits in size, they actually doubled that later on. And yes "Pro-Gear Spec" is basically saying its an arcade machine.

[@raymxslappedyall1891]

damn is the cdz region locked for Japanese discs only?

[@TheLairdsLair]

Nope, completely region free, all consoles will play all games.

[@Spasiboy]

You Sir deserve 5 milion subs. Not 5k.

[@TheLairdsLair]

Thank you so much!

[@mattguy1980]

SURPRISED YOU DIDNT MENTION THE NEO GEO ARCADE STICK PRO AND THE 20 HIDDEN GAMES INCLUDED INSIDE THE CONSOLE TO MAKE 40+ GAMES AS A GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO THE NEO GEO MINI

[@TheLairdsLair]

I actually didn't know about that!

[@caeserromero3013]

Neo Geo was expensive, but when you think it was only £30 dearer than a 3DO...looks like a bargain by comparison....

[@humansrants1694]

And one neo geo game is as fun as five 3DO games.

[@SteveMacSticky]

I would have bought this instead of any other consoles. Didn't have time for childish games, graphics and consoles

[@reagandow850]

Hey! Nothing wrong with buying a gently nor having a low number license plate. lol Edit: The 3DO was actually $50 more then the Neo Geo at launch and around the same time. I’d MUCH rather have the Neo Geo then that thing, which had ugly as hell graphics. I realize it was the onset of 3D games but I’ve never understood America’s fascination with the N64 and co sea lime the 3DO. I thought the games were ugly back then and I think they are ugly today. Obviously there were a few games that looked ok but very few and certainly not worth the high price that the 3DO was asking. I’d still take be stunning 2D pixel art over many 3D games today.

[@bubbythebear6891]

It was a first step into the future. It's only natural that it wasn't going to be pretty. All things considered, some games like Mario 64, Spyro and Banjo Kazooie hold up pretty decently in terms of graphics.

[@ENFDO]

Back then the “arcade perfect” was only for 3d games, for 2d games was “pixel perfect”.

[@TheLairdsLair]

Not true, we were using the phrase back in the 8-bit era.

[@ENFDO]

@@TheLairdsLair okay bro, whatever, nice video!

[@gammaphonic]

Fact 11: Neo Turf Masters is the only game that matters.

[@Its_Only_Money]

LOL@ Sega Saturn more expensive than Playstation and N64 LOL@ Playstation 3 waaaay more expensive than Xbox 360 LOL@ Xbox One more expensive than Playstation 4 These consoles are much more inferior to their direct competition and are way more expensive. SMH