Everything old is new again. This Christmas season, you’ll be able to get your hands on a new/old/newold Neo Geo console that features a station, a handheld (with 20 games) and a joystick. That means you’ll be able to play Metal Slug and King of Fighters and not feeling of the attendant guilt for downloading bootleg versions of them off the internet. You conscience is finally absolved.
Because of the overall success of videogames as a industry, gamemakers haven’t been forced to ask the same tough questions that record labels have had to ask, or deal with the same levels of piracy. But SNK’s approach to re-release a dead console and play only to nostalgia is a smart one. Neo Geo games are available elsewhere at the iTunes App Store and elsewhere. But releasing something to target folks who want nothing more than an actual physical device plays to exactly the same passions that animate vinyl record collectors. I’d expect to see more of these collector’s edition type consoles to roll out in the future. They won’t be barnburners, but there’s certainly an audience.
Here’s a closer look from SNK:
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Tommo, Inc., in partnership with SNK PLAYMORE, today confirmed that the NEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system is scheduled for a worldwide release thisDecember. Following the 20th anniversary of the ground breaking NEOGEO AES console, theNEOGEO X GOLD entertainment system provides players with all of the features of a home arcadeand 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.”