Aminet 32/Aminet 32 (1999)(Schatztruhe)[!][Aug 1999].iso/Aminet/docs/hyper/NeoGeo-FAQ.lha/NEOGEO-FAQ.TXT

Text File | 1999-06-25 | 48KB | 825 lines

                             CHRIS MULLINS'S NEO GEO PROFILE
                                      VER 3.3 1998
                 If you want to see the HTML version, go to this address:
                   http://members.aol.com/CMull11217/private/neofaq.htm

                This faq is made by Chris Mullins for reading to anyone
who wants to know about the Neo-Geo Entertainment System , the Neo-Geo
CD equivalent, and the MVS arcade system.  Now, please enjoy this faq!

Contents

Frequently Asked Questions:
 What is a NEOGEO or NEOGEO CD?
 What are the specs for the system?
 How much does the system and games cost?
 What accessories are available for it?
 Are Japanese games compatible with U.S. NEOGEO's?
 I want the "Blood and Bouncy" code for King of Fighters '94? How do I get it?
 What is a NEOGEO CDZ?
 How come my games look weird when I play them?
 Can I play MVS cartridges in a home NEOGEO?
 I can't find the Home Cartridges I want. Are you sure I can't use
MVS Cartridges in a Home Cartridge system?
 Are the NEOGEO MVS boards JAMMA?
 Do you have any NEOGEO Systems or Games for sale?
 What are the Memory Card and Controller Test?
 Can you get extension cables for the controllers?
 What about the Multi-Link feature?
 Are there any Third Party Manufacturers for the NEOGEO?
 How do I design a game for the NEOGEO?
 Are there any Back-Up units for the NEOGEO?
 Can the NEOGEO handle more than 330 Megs?
 What's the deal on the NEOGEO 64?
 Why can't I find my favorite Neo cartridge?
 What makes sense, ONE new cartridge, or a bunch of older cartridges?
 How come my Neo games don't work?
 I tried everything, but my screen still looks garbled! What should I do?
 Man, the NEOGEO CD is too slow! Can't I put in an 8x CD-ROM drive in my NEOGEO CD?
 What's the current status of the NEOGEO?
 What should I get, a Cartridge or CD system?
 What should I get, the NEOGEO CD, or the NEOGEO CDZ system?
 What should I get, a home cartridge system, or an MVS cartridge system?
 I want to get an MVS System(Arcade Machine or Super Gun->MVS board), but
where, or how do I go about finding one?
 Someone said that Metal Slug is a RARE game.  Where do I get it?
 What Games do you Recommend for the NEOGEO(CD)?
 What is the Biggest Game Currently for the NEOGEO?
 I'm tired of my Neo Cartridge(s)(or CDs). How do I get rid of them?
 Can I Contact SNK?
  Other info....
Game List:
  Action
  Fighting
  Shooter
  Puzzle
  Sports/Other
  Japanese Name to American Name
Phone Numbers
Other Information
Past Updates
Coming Soon To My FAQ!



Frequently Asked Questions

----What is a NEOGEO or NEOGEO CD, and what are the specs for it?

       The NEOGEO is an exact copy of SNK's MVS arcade hardware, with MVS
standing for Multi-Video System. SNK makes games in this order:  MVS Cartridge, Home
Cartridge, and CD-ROM(for the NEOGEO CD).
        Arcade operators have the MVS boards set up, to where you can play up to 6 games(can
access different ones with a push of the button) while standing at one machine. There are
also 4 game, 2 game(2 monitor), 2 game(1 monitor), and single units.
        The specs on this thing are pretty good(who cares if this is eight years
old!), including decent sound(timetested). Here they are:

Processor:                  68000, Z80(technically a 16-bit machine)
Resolution:                 320x224
Color Palette:              65,536
Maximum Colors On-Screen:   4,096
Maximum Sprites On-Screen:  380
Sound Channels:             8-FM synthesis, 7-Digital
Internal RAM:               Memory Card(a source says the NEOGEO has 56 Mbits of RAM!)

          The NEOGEOCD has all, including a single-speed CD-ROM drive,
internal backup RAM, cool loading screens, and 56 Mbits of RAM!

----How much does a NEOGEO system cost?
          The $64,000 question, I guess. When the NEOGEO first came out in
1990, it cost $650 with either NAM-1975 or Baseball Stars Professional, and
games soon followed, costing $200 apiece. Now, you could pick a Neo up for
about $200, but new games run you $300 apiece, due to the extremely large
size and megabit count of them. But you could find old, used games for a lot
cheaper(about $40-50 apiece), and a lot better bang for the buck that way.
(See later in the FAQ for my counterpoint to the statement above.)
           The NEOGEO CD came out in 1994 as the supposed answer to SNK's
gamut of problems, with cheaper games and a standard medium to put them on.
It's still a viable system to purchase, because the new games are about $200
cheaper. But certain used games are cheaper on cartridge, and load time is a
big problem(due to the demanding fighting games made for it, and it being a
single-speed drive). The NEOGEO CD costs about $250 new, and games run
about $50-70 apiece new for it.

----What accessories are available for the NEOGEO?
           Joystick:  There are two kinds of joysticks available for the NEOGEO.
First is the bigger, more stable joysticks, where motions can be done with ease(
most, at least). But the others are lighter, more apt to break, and harder to even
pull off motions on it.  To some people, they don't like the fact that SNK doesn't
make the older, heavier controllers anymore, only the smaller, sleeker
controllers.
           Memory Card:  This device on the NEOGEO Cartridge System
 can save any position in ANY game(from 19-27 game positions saved), and can be put in
an MVS arcade cabinet so you can resume playing from your saved game in the
arcade(8 Kbytes of RAM).
           Joypad Controllers:  Pretty good controllers, but may be hard to pull off
certain motions on it, and may seem out of place on the NEOGEO.
           RGB/S-Video Cables: Yes!  You can have arcade quality graphics with
the RGB cable(and near-arcade quality with the S-Video cable)!  But, you'll have to
make your own, because all of the old peripherals are not made
anymore, or find one from a Neo retailer.
           Nylon Carry Bags: Have you ever wanted to take your NEOGEO on
vacation?  To college, or to your Grandma's? Well, now you can, with these
nylon carry bags, which are padded for the Neo's protection. Although
these products are rather old, you can probably still find them at SNK, or
at other retailers listed in the "Phone Numbers" section.
           There are other products out there made by third-parties and other
companies, but are not listed here.  See "Phone Numbers" for companies that
may carry the product that you're looking for.

----Are Japanese games compatible with U.S. NEOGEO's?
          Yes they are, and may play in English.  But some European countries'
carts are made to the PAL standard, so they may appear to be jumbled
somewhat.

----I want the "Blood and Bouncy" code in King of Fighters '94?  How do I get it?
         First, you can either input the code normally(which is time-consuming), or
you can have a language switch installed. In the following paragraphs I will
explain how to do so in a NEOGEOCD(Z). This may also work for the cartridge system as well.
         Also, don't turn the switch when the system is on! It may damage the
system! And I will NOT take responsibility for your mishaps on making this,
should an accident occur.
         Now, here are the directions:
   1. Unplug all cables from the NEOGEOCD(Z), and remove any disks that may be inside.
   2. Turn over the NEOGEOCD(Z) and remove the four screws at the corner of the case.
After removing the screws, carefully lift the TOP portion of the case so that it does
not get stuck on the joystick connectors.
   3. Place the top portion of the case next to the bottom so that the CD data cable does
not get removed from its socket.
   4. Look at the board with the joystick connectors. Carefully remove the
Data Cable from its socket. Next, remove the six screws and carefully
remove the board from its case. Also, be aware that there is a switch
already present on the board. This is NOT a pre-installed language
switch(DON'T TOUCH IT!).
   5. Look at the jumpers near the Data Cable(at southwest position from the
Data Cable, when the diagram near the Data Cable is facing north,
relatively). If you have an American NEOGEOCD there will be a jumper
located at JN1. If you have a European system, the jumper will be at
JN2. On a Japanese NEOGEOCD(Z), there is no jumper set.
   6. Look at the jumper diagram near the Data Cable. Now you have to
decide what modes to switch from and to. If you have any remaining
jumpers, remove them with a soldering iron. Also take the time to
decide whether you want a remote switch, or one soldered to the board.
   7. (FOR JAPANESE TO USA MODE)If you decided on a remote switch,
solder a piece of wire to one terminal of JN1 and solder the other end of
the wire to one of the terminals on the switch. Next, solder another wire
to the other terminal of JN1 and then to the other terminal on the switch.
You now have a working USA to Japanese mode switch. You can now
cut a hole in the case of your NEOGEOCD(Z) and mount the switch(if
you want to). If you wanted to switch between Europe and Japanese
mode just substitute JN2 for JN1 in the above example. Also, if you did
not want a remote switch, you can optionally mount the switch directly to
the board. This makes it really hard to change modes when you want to.
       (ALL THREE MODES) If you wish to have all three modes you have several options.
 First, you can buy a three-way switch, that must support both JN1 and JN2 open,
JN1 closed and JN2 open, and JN2 closed and JN1 open. Or, you can install two
switches. In the second part, you could use USA mode by leaving the JN2 switch
in Japanese mode and setting the JN1 switch for USA. European mode can be used
by leaving JN1 in Japanese Mode and setting JN2 for European. Japanese mode
would be accomplished by leaving both switches in Japanese mode.
Please do NOT leave both switches in either USA or European mode.
    8. Now reassemble your NEOGEOCD(Z).
    9. Now reattach everything and try a game in Japanese mode and then try
it in American mode. If it works both times, you have a successful switch!
     If you don't want to do this yourself, please contact MAS Systems, as
they will modify your NeoGeo to show the blood with the flick of a toggle button.
        But, on newer games, you don't have to enter a code, or
make a language switch for it, because they already contain blood
and other adultish themes.

----What is a NEOGEO CDZ?
      That is a NEOGEO CD with a double-speed drive, meaning that it has about half as
much load time as the NEOGEO CD.  Right now, it is only available through Japanese importers,
and plays CD games only in Japanese(on newer games, there is an option for the game to display
English, Spanish, and Portuguese also).

----How come my games look weird when I play them?
       Well, you either need to clean your games very well, or you may have one of the
PAL systems that was floating around in 1992-1993. If you do, and your system is still
under warranty(yeah, right!:) ), SNK will fix it free of charge.  If you aren't still under
warranty, they'll fix it for a fee.

----Can I play MVS cartridges in my NEOGEO?
         Yes, but you must get them converted, because the MVS carts have
wider cartridge slots, and a different 1Mb ROM on them than the home ones do.
MAS systems does this, but it'll cost you about $150 to get your MVS
cartridge converted.
         But, with a special adapter, one may play home carts in an
MVS system. I do not know where to find an adapter like that,
but I'll try to find one so I can pass the info to my FAQ readers.

----I can't find the Home Cartridge games I want. Are you sure I can't use MVS
cartridges in my Cartridge system?
         Yes, I'm sure, I speak that from experience(I bought a Ninja
Master's MVS cart on about 1/20/97, and it wouldn't fit in my home
system). And do you know the reason why SNK made the MVS and Home
Cartridges incompatible?  Because arcade operators couldn't buy the
"cheap" home games for arcade use.
         Don't fret, you can try to find those hard-to-find games, if
you look hard enough. Check all the Neo-Geo retailers in my "Phone Numbers"
section, and just have patience.

----Are the NEOGEO MVS boards JAMMA?
       Of course they are, the main boards indeed have to be in order to run on mainstream
cabinets and the Super Gun, you know. But, in order to play an MVS game, you need the main
MVS board(1 slot through 6 slot), and a Super Gun, or a JAMMA harness and an arcade cabinet.

----Do I have any NEOGEO Systems or Games for Sale?
        Unless I specify that I have anything for sale, or if the offer
sounds good to me, I won't sell my Neo Carts, unless I put them up for
sale. Don't worry, if you want a game, I'll help you find it.  Just ask me!

----What is the Memory Card test and the Controller Test?
         The Memory Card test does test and let you format cards, delete
saves, copy saves, and read files.  You press and hold ABCD when a game
is inserted, press reset, and it is activated.  The Controller Test tests to see
if you have a broken controller, and it is activated by inserting a game,
turning on the power as you're holding ABCD.  There is either a 0 or 1 when
you press any button in the test.

----Are there extention cables for my controllers available?
      You can actually use PC controller 15-pin extention cables without any
modifications necessary.

----What about the Multi-Link feature?
          Two games for the NEOGEO feature the Multi-Link Feature, which means you can
network two NEOGEOs together, with two separate TVs.  But the Multi-Link Cable is essentially
a wire with two male mini-headphone jacks, one at each end.

----Are there any Third Party Game Manufacturers for the NEOGEO?
       There used to be several third party companies publishing in America, but
now only produce in Japan(and let SNK publish them over here), such as Visco,
Video System, Alpha Denshi(ADK), Sunsoft, Data-East, Tradewest, American Sammy,
and Wave.  They all publish games in Japan, or just stopped making games for SNK.

----How do I design a game for the NEOGEO?
        Whoa, whoa, settle down! Remember, this is a topic, which has a
lot more to it than the space I've devoted here on it. I'll give you the
rundown on the sequence of events, in order to program a game for the Neo:
     1. Get a developers' kit from SNK, so you have the exact programs and tools that
SNK uses themselves to make games for the Neo(This step can be sidestepped, but making
a game compatible with the Neo later can be quite a hassle).
     2. Now, get some developers' programs, load your computer up with RAM,
and get a very good graphics card. Also, start learning to program in C++(maybe Visual C++)
, because you'll have to program the game this way.
     3. Get an EPROM burner, which programs the ROMs needed for a Home Cart or an MVS game
(CD-Recorder for CDs). You'll have to use a better, more finished ROM for the finished
product, and construct a cartridge(or get a CD).
     4. Playtesting. You have to playtest this game for bugs, and to test certain spots in
a game, a LOT! But, if you need to test something that's far in the game, that's what
codes are for, to get there in a flash(they are programmed in the game). Afterwards,
you're almost done, but you may need to do a couple more steps.
     5. Design the artwork and instructions for the game. Make sure that it looks pretty
professional, and looks like current Neo instruction booklets. This is very important, as
good artwork complements a good game, but bad artwork will make a good game look bad.
     6. The final step, is to either send the EPROM to SNK, and they may buy the rights to
the game(for some good money), or you can pay the licensing fee, and make Carts yourself(CDs)
, as a company. But, the licensing fee will run, on an average, over $500,000, so for most
people, that is not a feasible option anymore, considering the limited run of Neo Carts
(CDs are pretty limited too, certain ones).
     Hope this helps, if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me, I know some more
about the subject, and I can share that with you, if you're interested.

----Are there any Back-Up units for the NEOGEO?
        Man, I wonder what someone would need them for? :) Anyways, you could probably
find one of the old Multi-Game Doctor units that could be floating around.  But, since
there are no more back-up units in production, and the Multi-Game Doctor cost about $1300
New, you'll have to pay a pretty penny to get your hands on one now.  Unfortunately, I
heard that it took about 10 minutes to load up a game on the device.

----Can the NEOGEO handle more than 330 Megs?
        Of course, but there may be some animations cut here and there, but
the limit is not 330 Megs. They should call it "Max 1 Giga", but 1000 Mbits
in a game would make it very expensive on cartridge. I'll contradict, that,
as of(2/22/98), there are plans to release a 500+ Meg Real Bout Fatal Fury 2,
and that will cost the same as the other games.  I personally don't see
games going over 700 Megs for the Neo-Geo.

----What about the NEOGEO 64 that I've heard about?
        This is SNK's next generation system(so aptly named!), and may become a reality
in the home, but a sure thing in the arcade.  Even though Samurai Shodown(Samurai Spirits
in Japanese) is the first game, most everything else is rumors or speculation.  Maybe, but
SS64 doesn't look the best at all.  The game controls sloppily, and looks like Tekken 1, ver1.
The NEOGEO 64 has a LONG way from becoming the 3D system of the future, but if they do 2D
games............
        The NEOGEO 64 also will sport racing games, and maybe action games also.  There are
prototypes of Art of Fighting 4 out on the NEO 64, which, since it is polygon-based, will
put an end to the 2D era, should it ever take effect(personally, SNK needs experience
making these games, and need the experience now!).

----Why can't I find my favorite NEOGEO cartridge?
       When SNK makes games, they make very few cartridges now, but they used
to make more than they did, due to the huge size of the games nowadays.  Produ-
ction is now in the low-to-mid hundreds(or even in the dozens!), so buy them when
you can, and don't be afraid to spend $150 or more on a newer game, just not on
anything older than that. Games older than that should be a lot cheaper(but may
not be, if it is rare).

----What makes more sense to buy, ONE new cartridge, or a LOT of old carts?
       Personally, I would look at it this way: I could buy a new crtridge, such as King
of Fighters '97, and play it somewhat for 5 months, or buy 5 old games for that cost, and
get maybe 1 month out of them, due to limited replay value out of them.  I would go with
the new, except when there are 2 or more older games you want.

----How come my Neo games don't work?
        Well, you have to clean the games! I can speak from experience, and
carts can get very dirty, and cleaning them shows you how much dirt
there is on them.  You take a solution of Isopropyl Alcohol and
water, and clean the contacts with a Q-Tip.  Also, if you just yank out
the games instead of taking them out carefully, contacts, over time,
will partly come off.  So treat your carts well, and they will last a long time!
         Or, you could have pushed the cartridge too far in, which will make bigger
games(i.e.,King of Fighters '96) screw up. Put the carts in ALMOST all the way, and
push them back up a LITTLE bit to make them work. Always put the cartridge in, game
logo in front, or else you may mess up the system contacts.
        The last reason, is if you have a Japanese/American switch on the back of your
Neo-Geo(cart or CD), with it enabled in Japanese. Newer games will not work like that
(from Fatal Fury 3-onward), so you must switch it back to American. I speak from
experience(I bought a system from GameDude like that, and games like Crossed Swords
and Fatal Fury 3 wouldn't work), so switch it back to American! The switch is usually
between the power cord and AV  plug-ins on the back of the Neo-Geo.

----I tried everything, but my screen looks garbled still! What should I do?
      Well, if you tried what I said earlier, and it still doesn't
work, follow these steps(I will NOT take responsibility for anything bad
that happens):
     1. Open up your system(or call SNK and have them fix it for you, for a fee of
course), and find where your AV and AC outlet wires plug into the back of the machine.
Then find the cartridge port, and connect(or re-connect) the wires in all three, the AV,
AC, and cartridge ports. MAKE SURE THE POWER IS NOT PLUGGED IN!
     2. Well, if you know a lot about soldering and electronics in general, you can try
to convert an MVS board into a home one, just take the AV ports, AC outlet plugs, and the
cartridge plug(unless you want to play MVS games in your home system, which in order to
do so, cut away the cartridge opening on the system casing). You may need an RGB-NTSC
converter, depending on what you want to do(MVS or Home). However, these are very shallow
descriptions, and are not attempted yet.  Don't do this yet, but if you choose to, e-mail me
first, and we'll talk it over.
     3. Send your system to SNK of America. Call them first, and get some prices on how
to fix your system, you'll have to pay shipping both ways also, so expect it. They'll fix
it for you in about 3 weeks, depending on what they do, they'll charge accordingly. Make
sure you tell them what you do, what the system does, and other things that they may need to
pinpoint the problem.
      I hope that solves your problems, if you have a Neo CD that needs fixing, just figure
that when I say "cartridge port", I mean CD laser and mechanism(maybe controller to CD
player, too, to run the drive) can be transported to the other system, if necessary.

----Man, the NEOGEO CD is too slow! Can't I put in an 8x CD-ROM drive in my NEOGEO CD?
       That's a tough one to answer. Well, it may depend on your computer skills, whether
you should put in a SCSI or IDE controller, because you may not be able use the Proprietary
interface that the NEOGEO CD uses to upgrade your CD Mechanism. If you succeed in doing
so, or just connect the drive to the CD unit, you'll have successfully installed it!
(Note: You may be able to plug the drive into the unit, without any modifications necesary.)
       But all that work may be for naught, because most of the access time depends on
what speed the games are produced at. Most are still produced at 2x or 4x, so anything
higher than a 6x or 8x drive is not necessary at all. In fact, even a 4x drive may not
be necessary, which means you'll be partying with your NEOGEO CD(CDZ, perhaps?), taking a
while still to load games.

----What's the current status of the Neo?
        The current status of the Neo is unstable. It's meaning, is that there are a
fair number of games available, and coming out, but the games are hard to find, and only
a few are actually announced, such as Real Bout Fatal Fury 2, Blazing Star, and King
of Fighters '98.  If you have a Neo, don't worry about getting the rare games, just play
what you have. They'll soon come, they are just games you know.......

----What should I get, the CD or Cartridge System?
        It all depends on two things, how much you play games and how long you are willing
to wait for a game. If you're like me, someone who has a lot of other things to do, but
expect your game to work, and have NO load time, the cartridge is for you.
Even though the games run from $30 to $299, they are QUALITY-built, and is designed for
extended play.
        The Neo-Geo CD, on the other hand, is made for play, and are cheaper, from $20 to
$50, and is made for the person who buys a LOT of games, and only plays video games in his/her
spare time. But, the load time is horrendous, and is of a cheaper build quality. Even though
you can find the CDs a LOT easier, you can find almost all carts by just checking all
the retailers periodically.
        CD or Cartridge, it depends on what you can afford? The question should be, how
many games can I afford? I personally have 11 carts, but have had as much as 40 carts,
before I sold them last month. Even though some carts are expensive, I don't buy every
new one, because I'm saving for a car, taking care of others, etc. :) If you plan on
buying more than 25 games brand new, go for CD. But if you have a decent job, can pay for
games himself/herself, like yours truly, and play them when you want to, go for cartridge.

----What should I get, the NEOGEO CD, or the NEOGEO CDZ system?
       Basically, it depends how much money you have, whether you want to play older games
in English or not, and if you can find a NEOGEO CDZ. Even though the CDZ has a double-speed
drive, loading time is not twice-as-fast, more like a little faster, since SNK may make games
at 1x speed.
       The CD unit has going for it, a sleeker design, more English games that can play
English(CDZ, you're stuck in Japanese for some titles), and you can find the system easier.
But, the load time can be awful, and on the older games, you either play them in English
mode, or have a Japanese mod switch done on the system.
       The CDZ unit, loads faster, you can have access to the blood codes(meaning Japanese
mode), and it's easier to install a switch to Japanese mode on the system. But, it costs
about $450-$500 for the drive, which may turn off some people.
      It's entirely your decision, but this decision will come down to whether you have
the money to buy the CD(Z) unit, or whether you can find one. Hope this helps in your quest
to pick the right Neo system for you!

----What system should I get, the home cartridge or the MVS cartridge system?
        What kind of games do you want, rare games or not-so-rare games?  Games such as
King of Fighters '97 are not really rare, but ones such as Kizuna Encounter and Ragnagard
ARE really rare. MVS games are also cheaper than the home games, and the so called "collectors"
charge lots of money for rare Neo home games. What is this world coming to?  $500 for a Neo
home game? Those are the decisions you must weigh if you make a decision on which
one you prefer.
         The home system is carried by a close-knit group of vendors, who charge decent prices
for games, and include nice boxes, instructions, and the like.  But, the rare games,
collectors will drive up the prices on them, disheartening the person who has
to buy his/her own games.
          The MVS system has advantages, such as cheaper games(after a year however), games
that are more easily found, and games that ARE the actual arcade games.  But, you need
either a Super Gun(a JAMMA board that allows to play arcade games on your TV), with
a NEO MVS board(1, 2, 4, or 6 slot machines), or a cabinet designed
to play Neo games.
           If all you are is a pure gamer(or someone who doesn't have
much space, and doesn't want a Super Gun), then the home system is for you.  But if you
might want to make money with your cabinet, or have the TRUE arcade feel in your living
room, the MVS is for you.

----I want to get an MVS system(Arcade machine or Super Gun->MVS board),but where, or how
do I go about finding one?
        That's a tough call.  First, decide if you have enough money($1500 or so for a new
1-slot machine with a 25" monitor), and the space to hold a big arcade machine.  If not,
you can purchase a Super Gun system from MAS Systems, and attach an MVS board to it, in
order to play MVS carts on your TV(costs $600-$750 for the package).
        If you want the Super Gun package, you can find it pretty easily.  You call up MAS
Systems, order the Super Gun, then you buy an MVS board and cartridges from the places
listed below. But, if you want an arcade machine for Neo games, that's another matter......
        Call up all the "Amusement Machines" dealers in the phone book
in your area, and ask them these questions:
    1. Ask if there are any arcade auctions in the area.
    2. See if there are any machines for sale at the dealer.
    3. Ask if any other dealers in your area might have what you're looking for.
        Then, you can check out the dealers(including the ones I listed
below, and across the internet), and see if buying used, or buying one new makes sense.
        But, shipping is the most important deal, when it comes to
purchasing an arcade machine. And, it's not cheap, like regular Neo-Geo Home systems.
Even if you buy one locally, you need to find a way to pick it up, and deliver
it safely to your destination. If you buy one from a dealer that's more than 100 or
so miles away, the most(seemingly)effective way of shipping is by freight truck.
Well, that adds about 2 weeks to your delivery time, and costs about $250 or so to
ship. It costs money to actually get the machine, you know.
        So, you can make the most cost-effective decision that way, by knowing
about your choices, and making the right one.  But, please remember, that
a video game is JUST a video game.....

----Someone said that Metal Slug is a RARE game. Where do I get it?
       Metal Slug is indeed a rare game, as is a LOT of video games
out on the Neo Cartridge and Neo CD(MVS? Art of Fighting 3 comes to mind).
But do you really want the game, or want a rare piece of plastic? I've
played Metal Slug, and I think it's too easy of a game, and not worth the hassle
to get it. Most of the rare games are rare, because they never sold well in Japan, or
the U.S..
       If you really want a rare game, make sure that you want the game.  I cannot
emphasize that enough, it seems. Also, Japan is where you look for games, America
isn't, because most of the ones left are in Japan.
       Don't let the prices on games like that scare you, if you want them that bad,
you can afford to pay $500 for that cartridge. But, I personally don't think that any
game is worth that much, because all it is, is plastic and silicon. It's entirely your
decision, but I'm just giving my two cents.....

----What games are recommended for the NEOGEO(CD)?
        There are many, many games to pick from on the NEOGEO platform, but picking
through the bad ones can be time-consuming, and costly. Well, I've come up with a
recommended list, as all these are recommended by myself, AND the plethora of video
game magazines that once reviewed them.  Here is the list:
    King of Fighters '95(Team Fighting)
    Samurai Shodown 2((or 3, pick one)Fighting)
    World Heroes Perfect(Fighting)
    Real Bout Fatal Fury(Fighting)
    Last Resort(Shooter)
    Magician Lord(Action)
    Baseball Stars 2(Sports)
    Dunk Dreams(Sports)
       That should get you started, with 8 quality games. Remember, this is what I
recommend, as you may not like a certain game(you can always substitute), or you can't
find a particular title, so this list is NOT set in stone. But if you want quality,
these are the best ones to play!

----What is the Biggest Game for the NEOGEO currently?
         For games already released, it's going to be Gekka No Kenshi(The Last Blade),
which is a graphically-intensive fight-fest, weighing in at 474 Megs. But, for games that
are scheduled, but not released, it would have to be King of Fighters '98, which may be
from 550-600 Megabits in size.
         Just so you know, games with bigger megabit counts may not be always better, but
most are indeed better((Magician Lord is beter than Top Hunter, but Last Blade is a LOT
better than Aggressors of Dark Kombat)I get a lot of questions, on if games that are bigger,
are better, so here's the answer).

----I'm tired of my Neo Cartridge(or CD).  Where do I sell it?
         Well, I'm assuming that you don't know anyone else with your kind of Neo system
(like myself). What you do, is follow this checklist below:
     1. Make sure that you WANT to sell the game(s) in question.
     2. Try to determine a good market value for your game, by checking out the various
newsgroups associated with this( rec.games.video.marketplace comes to mind), and go from there.
     3. Put Ads over the internet, telling how good of condition it is in, the price,
does it come w/ box or instructions, and other general info that the people may need
to make a judgment on the game.
     4. Contact me! Depending on the game, I'll pay a good price for your cartridges(sorry,
no CDs).  Just ask!
     5. Sell your games to a company, such as GameDude, for some cash. But, they will not
give you much for them, and the only good reason people have for selling them to GameDude
is convenience. Make this the "last resort" option.
        That should be enough to get you on your way to selling games over the internet.

----Can I Contact SNK?
         Of course you can, I've included all the addresses and phone numbers from all their
branches, so you can write them and tell your story! Don't expect a quick answer from SNK, or
even an answer at all, however, as they aren't the fastest responders to mail.
     SNK CORPORATION OF AMERICA, Torrance
     20603 EARL ST.
     Torrance, CA 90503 U.S.A
     Phone#: [phone]
     Fax#: [phone]

     SNK CORPORATION OF AMERICA, San Jose
     2502 STEVENS CREEK BLVD.
     San Jose, CA 95128 U.S.A
     Phone#:[phone]
     Fax#:[phone]

     SNK ASIA LIMITED
     SUITE 807, TOWER 1, THE GATEWAY
     25 CANTON ROAD
     TSIM SHA TSUI KOWLOON,HONG KONG
     Phone#: [phone]
     Fax#: [phone]

     SNK SINGAPORE LIMITED
     7 TAMASEK BOULEVARD #12-02A
     SUNTEC CITY , TOWER ONE SINGAPORE 038987
     Phone#: [phone]
     Fax#: [phone]

     SNK EUROPE LIMITED
     2ND FLOOR, MARLBOROUGH HOUSE, 298 REGENTS PARK ROAD,
     LONDON, N3 2SZ
     ENGLAND
     Phone#: [phone]
     Fax#: [phone]

     SNK CORPORATION MIDDLE EAST
     P.O.BOX 17306
     JEBEL ALI FREE ZONE, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
     Phone#: [phone]
     Fax#: [phone]

     NEO GEO DO BRASIL LTDA.
     AV. EUCLIDES, 64/68, JABAQUARA
     CEP 04326-080, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
     Phone#: [phone]
     Fax#: [phone]

     NEO-CREATION, INC.
     2919 KAPIOLANI BOULEVARD #1
     HONOLULU, HAWAII 96826 U.S.A
     Phone#: [phone]
     Fax#: [phone]

----Where can I find Neo stuff, info about the NEOGEO mailing list, and other such things?
         Look deeper into this faq for answers!

Game List
     Some may not be out yet, but all are CD but carts are given megabit
counts. I'm also rating the games I have played on cartridge here. Here it is:
     (1 being worst, 20 being best)
  ALL ARE IN JAPANESE NAME, UNLESS EITHER AMERICAN NAME IS BETTER KNOWN, OR GAMES THAT
ARE ONLY IN AMERICA(yeah, right!:) ).

 ACTION
Burning Fight(54 Megs)(okay action game, ditto replay value, 10/20)
Crossed Swords(50 Megs)(set a new genre for action games, 17/20)
Crossed Swords 2(CD only)(the new sequel, a LOT better, 18/20)
Cyber-Lip(50 Megs)(alright action game, 14/20)
Eight Man(46 Megs)(replay value is zilch, 9/20)
King of the Monsters(55 Megs)(great 2P player action, 13/20)
King of the Monsters 2(74 Megs)(decent action, way different from prequel, 11/20)
Magician Lord(46 Megs)(modestly difficult action game, 16/20)
Metal Slug(193 Megs)(very good game, too easy, 17/20)
Miracle Adventure*(90 Megs)(very easy action game, 10/20)
Mutation Nation(45 Megs)(another Final Fight-clone, 10/20)
Ninja Combat(46 Megs)(an older version of Sengoku, 11/20)
Ninja Commando(54 Megs)(scrolling action game, not great, 10/20)
Raguy*(50 Megs)(think Mario 2 NES, 12/20)
Robo Army(45 Megs)(okay action game, 12/20)
Sengoku Densyo*(55 Megs)(boring, long action game, not real easy, 7/20)
Sengoku Densyo 2*(74 Megs)(very good action game, rare, 16/20)
Super Spy(55 Megs)(defined 3D action genre, 16/20)
Top Hunter(110 Megs)(too easy, bad controls, 9/20)

 FIGHTING
Aggressors of Dark Kombat(178 Megs)(not the greatest, weird, 13/20)
Art of Fighting(102 Megs)(very dated fighter, 11/20)
Art of Fighting 2(178 Megs)(somewhat better, 15/20)
Art of Fighting 3(298 Megs)(if you don't like the prequel, do not get this game, 13/20)
Breakers(210 Megs)
Crystal Legacy*(98 Megs)(older, technical fighting game, 15/20)
Double Dragon(178 Megs)(good, technical, newer styles, 17/20)
Fatal Fury(55 Megs)(classic, hard to control, 12/20)
Fatal Fury 2(106 Megs)(vast improvement over original, 15/20)
Fatal Fury Special(150 Megs)(great sequel to FF2, 15/20)
Fatal Fury 3(266 Megs)(great fighter, despite control, 16/20)
Fighters History Dynamite*(122 Megs)(basic fighting characteristics, 11/20)
Fire Suplex*(106 Megs)(very hard wrestling game, learning curve is high, 15/20)
Fu'un Super Tag Battle*(242 Megs)
Galaxy Fight(169 Megs)(weird, but great fighting game, 17/20)
Gekka No Kenshi*(474 Megs)(perfect graphics, controls are tight, 19/20)
King of Fighters '94(196 Megs)(first and classic, 16/20)
King of Fighters '95(250 Megs)(the best buy on the Neo, damage is high, 19/20)
King of Fighters '96(362 Megs)(excellent, but very cheap playing, 18/20)
King of Fighters '97(460 Megs)(very modern, excellent game, 19/20)
King of Fighters '98(550+ Megs)
Ninja Master's(330 Megs)(different, but the best of its kind, 18/20)
Real Bout Fatal Fury(346 Megs)(hard at first, but excellent game overall, 17/20)
Real Bout Fatal Fury Special(394 Megs)(best Fatal Fury to date, 19/20)
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2(500+ Megs)
Samurai Shodown(118 Megs)(slow playing, defined Neo-Geo, 13/20)
Samurai Shodown 2(202 Megs)(old, slow playing, classic fighter, 13/20)
Samurai Shodown 3(282 Megs)(very solid game, too much damage per hit, 16/20)
Samurai Shodown 4(378 Megs)(great controls, and very fun, 18/20)
Savage Reign(190 Megs)(weird play mechanics and characters, 7/20)
Shin-Oh-Ken*(338 Megs)
Tengai Makyo Shinden*(202 Megs)(very easy, includes Far East of Eden characters, 15/20)
Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer(186 Megs)(revolutionary fighting game, very good, 18/20)
Waku Waku 7*(259 Megs)
World Heroes(82 Megs)(great in its era, decent graphics, 15/20)
World Heroes 2(146 Megs)(very slow, added more characters, 13/20)
World Heroes 2 Jet(178 Megs)(still too slow playing, 13/20)
World Heroes Perfect(226 Megs)(fixed problems of WH2J, excellent, 18/20)

 PUZZLE
Baka Tonosama Mahjong Hoyuki*(48 Megs)(okay Mahjong, not great, 9/20)
Fun Fun Brothers*(?? Megs)(so-so, decent Tetris clone, 12/20)
Gururin(40 Megs)(decent game with traces to Columns on Genesis, 12/20)
Joy Joy Kid*(22 Megs)(most primitive game I've ever played, not great, 8/20)
Magical Drop 2(32 Megs)(addicting puzzle game, rare, 16/20)
Magical Drop 3(174 Megs)(LOTS of improvements over prequel, excellent, 18/20)
Mahjong Kyo Retsuden*(42 Megs)(very old mahjong, only for mahjong fanatics, 10/20)
Mahjong Story(CD only)(adult mahjong, with a Neo flair, 16/20)
Maruko Deluxe Quiz*(?? Megs)
Master of Syogi(?? Megs)(Syogi, or chess, is here, Neo style, 16/20)
Minnasen No Okagesamadesu*(100+ Megs)(a real bomb, do not buy if not Japanese, 5/20)
Neo Bomberman(138 Megs)(finally, bomberman with Neo quality, 17/20)
Neo Mr. Do!(CD, MVS only)(great conversion of the arcade classic, 17/20)
Panic Bomber(46 Megs)(much like the Mega Drive game Puyo Puyo, 13/20)
Puzzle Bobble*(32 Megs)(very rare, loses replay value quickly, 10/20)
Puzzle De Pon(30 Megs)(just like Puzzle Bobble, 10/20)
Quiz Daisousa Sen*(34 Megs)(well, see Quiz King of Fighters, older, 5/20)
Quiz King of Fighters*(122 Megs)(no point for Americans, 6/20)
Quiz Meintantei Neo Geo*(?? Megs)(different quiz game, more Neo subjects, 8/20)
Zentrix*(CD only)(weird puzzle game, addicting, 16/20)

 SHOOTER
Andro Dunos(34 Megs)(not very good, graphics dated, 8/20)
Blazing Star(??? Megs)
Chotetsu Brikin'ger(178 Megs)(best horizontal shooter since Pulstar, 18/20)
Ghost Pilots(55 Megs)(1942 all over again, 16/20)
Last Guardian 2*(47 Megs)(dated feel, really old, 10/20)
Last Resort(45 Megs)(for those who want Pulstar, but can't find it, 17/20)
NAM-1975(46 Megs)(game shows its age, shooter is still fun, 14/20)
Operation Ragnarok*(110 Megs)(decent shooter, run-of-the-mill however, 14/20)
Palu Star*(305 Megs)
Shock Troopers(??? Megs)(a newer Metal Slug, excellent, 18/20)
Sonic Wings 2*(102 Megs)(good in its day, 14/20)
Sonic Wings 3*(154 Megs)(very hard shooter, great, 18/20)
Twinkle Star Sprites(??? Megs)
Viewpoint(74 Megs)(hard shooter, good graphics, 16/20)

 SPORTS/OTHER
ADK World(CD only)(a more rudimentary version of Neo CD special, 10/20)
Baseball Stars Professional(50 Megs)(good baseball, old, 13/20)
Baseball Stars Professional 2(68 Megs)(great baseball feel, 18/20)
Dunk Dreams*(94 Megs)(great arcade basketball, 17/20)
Flying Power Disk*(74 Megs)(very original, addicting game, 16/20)
Football Frenzy(48 Megs)(decent arcade football, can be fun, 13/20)
Goal!Goal!Goal!(CD, MVS only)(soccer quarter-sucker, pretty good, 16/20)
King of Fighters '96 CD Collection(CD only)(pics and stuff from KOF '96, not needed, 9/20)
League Bowling(26 Megs)(lots of fun with 2+ players, 15/20)
Legend of Success Joe(46 Megs)(very old boxing, not worth the money, 9/20)
Neo Drift Out(??? Megs)(Neo racing, is what racing should be, 17/20)
Neo Turf Masters(133 Megs)(most addicting game for NG, 18/20)
Neo-Geo CD Special(CD only)(showcases Neo games, good buy, 16/20)
Over Top(210 Megs)(very good driving sim, nice touches, 17/20)
Pleasure Goal(CD, MVS only)(another soccer sim, nothing to write home about, 11/20)
Power Spikes 2*(CD only)(original volleyball sim, old however, 15/20)
Rally Chase(CD only)(see Thrash Rally.)
Riding Hero(42 Megs)(the only motorcycle racing game, alright, 14/20)
Samurai Shodown RPG(CD only)(no bells-and-whistles at all, solid, 14/20)
Soccer Brawl(46 Megs)(primitive soccer game, 11/20)
Stakes Winner(80 Megs)(horse-racing, first effort on Neo, 14/20)
Stakes Winner 2(178 Megs)(horse-racing taken to a new level, 17/20)
Super Baseball 2020(46 Megs)(great baseball action, 16/20)
Super Dodge Ball(CD, MVS only)(first dodge-ball on Neo, good, 14/20)
Super Sidekicks(54 Megs)(arcade soccer, old and classic, 13/20)
Super Sidekicks 2(106 Megs)(good, basic sequel, 13/20)
Super Sidekicks 3(158 Megs)(great soccer simulation, 17/20)
Super Sidekicks 4:Ultimate 11(226 Megs)(like the game says, Ultimate, 18/20)
Thrash Rally(46 Megs)(gets the "Trash Compactor" award, 2/20)
Top Players Golf(62 Megs)(old, fun factor only thing going for it, 11/20)
World Soccer '96(CD, MVS only)(realistic soccer simulation, 17/20)

*denotes Japanese name:
Crystal Legacy=Fight Fever
Operation Ragnarok=Zed Blade
Shin-Oh-Ken=Operation Ragnagard
Mahjong Kyo Retsuden is Japanese only.
Tengai Makyo Shinden=Kabuki Klash
Gekka No Kenshi=The Last Blade
Fighters History Dynamite=Karnov's Revenge
Dunk Dreams=Street Hoop
Palu StarPulstar
Sonic Wings 2=Aero Fighters 2
Sonic Wings 3=Aero Fighters 3
Fu'un Super Tag Battle=Kizuna Encounter
Miracle Adventure=Spinmaster
Sengoku Densyo=Sengoku
Sengoku Densyo 2=Sengoku 2
Raguy=Blue's Journey
Fire Suplex=3 Count Bout
Joy Joy Kid=Puzzled
Puzzle Bobble=Bust-A-Move
Minnasen No Okagesamadesu is Japanese only.
Last Guardian 2=Alpha Mission 2
Baka Tonosama Mahjong Hoyuki is Japanese only.
Maruko Deluxe Quiz is Japanese only.
Quiz Daisousa Sen is Japanese only.
Quiz Meintantei Neo Geo is Japanese only.
Quiz King of Fighters is Japanese only.
Flying Power Disk=Windjammers
Fun Fun Brothers is Japanese only.
Zentrix is Japanese only.
Waku Waku 7 is Japanese only.
Power Spikes 2 is Japanese only.

Phone Numbers

       These are all retailers that carry either the Home Cartridge, the Neo-Geo CD, or the
MVS Carts and System.  Please enjoy!
      You can call SNK, and they'll tell you a list of dealers that carry the
NEOGEO, if you ask.  But, some of the places they give you are very outdated, so don't worry
when most of the places they give you turn up empty.

MAS Systems:[phone] (accessories, and the MVS->Home cart mod.)"www.massystems.com"
Game Source:[phone] (these guys may have what you're looking for)
Japan Video Games:[phone] (CDs, new and used carts, rarely carts)
GameDude:[phone] (an excellent source of carts and CDs!)"www.gamedude.com/~gamedude"
BuyRite:[phone] (CDs, rarely carts, not good service)"www.buyrite1.com"
SNK Main Office:[phone] (has most of the carts, at a price!)"www.neogeo-usa.com"
Video Connection:[phone] (MVS everything, board prices are high)"www.videoconnect.com"
National Console Support:[phone] (has a LOT of imports, can find games)"www.ncsx.com"
Games To Go:[phone] (has some carts, mostly older)"www.gamestogo.com"
Games City:[phone] (has MVS boards, carts, and other video games)"www.gamescity.com"
Multimedia 1:[phone] (has older carts, most Japanese)"www.multimedia1.com"
State Sales and Coin:[phone] (MVS carts, complete machines)"www.sscoin.com"
Great Western Trading:[phone] (MVS carts and boards)"www.gwtrading.com"
Games Central:[phone] (has carts, very nice to deal with)
  "www.hoflink.com/~aperlman/GamesCentral.html"

Other Info

    To subscribe to the NEOGEO mailing list, send the text "SUBSCRIBE NEOGEO" in email
to [e-mail], and can send messages to the same address. I DO NOT RECOMMEND the
Neo-Geo mailing list, however, as I used to be on it, and got tired of it real quickly,
and can be a waste of time.
     Also, if you want more info on the Neo, go to my Neo links page, at:
 http://members.aol.com/CMull11217/private/links.htm
different websites that meet your needs.

Past Updates

 v.1.0: First ever edition of this FAQ, with a limited gamelist.(4/10/97)
 v.1.1: Important updates, include a revamped gamelist and new questions were put up.(4/23/97)
 v.1.2:  Added new questions.(4/25/97)
 v.1.3-1.9b: Questions were corrected, and gamelist was added to.(5/29/97, around there)
 v.2.0: New questions, and Other Info was added.(6/13/97)
 v.2.1-2.5: Gamelist was updated.(around 8/20/97)
 v.2.6: This is now the best gamelist of Neo games on the Net! I can back up these claims
as well, and this FAQ has a lot of added questions as well.(10/25/97)
 v.2.7-2.8: Added questions, updated gamelist and reviews of my own.(12/10/97)
 v.2.9:  Added searchable area of my FAQ, updated my gamelist and reviews.(1/23/98)
 v.2.9a-2.99c:Updated gamelist, added questions.(around 2/15/98)
 v.2.99d: Bold print and more reviews accentuate this interim release.(2/22/98)
 v.3.0: Revamped FAQ, with more questions, and my gamelist corrected.
 v.3.1-3.2: Corrections to this FAQ, including new reviews and questions.(2/26/98-3/1/98)
 v.3.3: Added 4 new questions, updated my Game List, and cleaned it up somewhat.(3/6/98)

Coming Soon to my FAQ!
 v.3.4: This will be another interim release, with new questions and game list
updates galore.

THIS FAQ IS NOT ENDORSED OR MADE BY SNK ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION!!!!!!

I would wish to thank Christopher Olszewski, Phil Kinney, Russ Krook III, and Sylvio Hodos.
Oh yeah, and special thanks to Ralph Barbagallo III, for making the first one to improve
and learn on.  Any comments or questions about this faq and the NEOGEO?  E-mail me at
[e-mail].  Happy gaming!

DO NOT TAKE ANY PART OF THIS FAQ WITHOUT MY CONSENT! I'll usually
give my consent, but I don't like to chase rule-breakers over the internet.

Chris Mullins's Neo Geo Faq 3.3 END (3/7/98)