SNK

[Psy]

Okay Sega has it moments of pure stupidity but what was up with SNK? They came up with the theory that hard core gamers (with money) would dish more money for arcade perfect experince in their home and while true with games over a hundred dollars due to the Neo Geo's expensive carts it was asking a bit much. Then they were pretty much the last one to go with CD's when they needed them the most, when they did go with CDs in 1994 it was single speed instead of double (that long for single speed? Why couldn't SNK come out with that in 1991?) SNK didn't come out with double speed till 1996, bit late and there was no upgrade path for those with the single speed drives (meaning you had to dish out another $400 bucks for basicly the same machine but with a double speed drive)

The Neo Geo Pocket was the cooliest handheld but then they go and die on us just when things seem to be looking up for SNK.

[David J.]

I'm not a huge fighting game fan, so I never was too intrested in SNK.

I always thought the Neo-Geo hardware overstayed it's welcome six years too long.

[Dartagnan1083]

the NGPC was killed off by Azure. . .a company that had purchased SNK prior to Playmore.

The MVS market was vibrant enough for profit in spite of the AVS and its pricey death.

I can't really explain the NGCD drives though.

[j_factor]

Neo Geo was doing fine until Aruze got involved. SNK's only big failure was that dreadful Hyper 64 nonsense.

[Psy]

I always thought the Neo-Geo hardware overstayed it's welcome six years too long.Yhea SNK never really had a successor to its Neo Geo and while SNK did a good job pushing the Neo Geo eventually you could tell its age when you compared it to Capcom's machines.

[j_factor]

Neo Geos were everywhere. SNK would've had an extremely hard time selling a new arcade system to cash-strapped arcade operators, especially when the Neo Geo's appeal was its low price and large number of games. Capcom had difficulties getting the CPS3 out to arcades, and it debuted with the hotly anticipated (and pretty damn popular) Street Fighter III; SNK would've had it harder than that.

[Psy]

Neo Geos were everywhere. SNK would've had an extremely hard time selling a new arcade system to cash-strapped arcade operators, especially when the Neo Geo's appeal was its low price and large number of games. Capcom had difficulties getting the CPS3 out to arcades, and it debuted with the hotly anticipated (and pretty damn popular) Street Fighter III; SNK would've had it harder than that.
You have a point but SNK could have made a cheap new arcade boards backwards compatable with the MVS.

If I was designing it I would replace the old 12 MHz 68000 with 25MHz (ish) 68LC040 (still a cheap CPU, but fully 32-bit) up the video ram, resolution and color depth then just ensure the old Neo Geo MVS carts still works. Would have been far more sucessful then the Hyper 64

[atm55]

What exactly was the Hyper 64?

[j_factor]

The Neo Geo Hyper 64 was a 64-bit arcade system released in 1997. It had 3D capabilities and was intended to replace the Neo Geo MVS/AES (a home system of Hyper 64 was announced, but never came). Not many games were made for it, and it was only supported for like two years. It was abysmally unpopular, due to the failure of games like Samurai Shodown 64 to strike up any interest.

If you've ever played Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition for PSX, well, that was a Hyper 64 game. It's the only Hyper 64 game to ever get a home port, and it's not exactly a great game.

[lordofduct]

What I always disliked about the NeoGeo AES and MVS machines was that the home consoles would cost you an arm and a leg, the cartridges would cost you a testicle and maybe your prostate as well and THEN you get home for you amazing arcade perfect gaming... and wait... where is the RGB? where is the svideo on most of the models? What is with the composite and RF ONLY!? (you know anyone who has that money probably has a high end TV or RGB monitor back then)

and for what?

Samurai Shodown 1, 2, 3, 4, beta, fruita, conta, freaka, remix, takayomoney, 200dollanoupgrade... along with metal slug 1, 2, 800, same game with new level...

? not enough variety on the system for it to ever spark my interest. By the time I could even afford it (as my parents would NEVER dream of spending that kind of money on a video game for me) it was already when the Dreamcast came out and I had almost port perfect releases of even better fighters like "Marvel VS. Capcom 2" (my personal favorite fighter EVER!) and "Soul Calibur".



The talk of video brings me to one other thing I really hate although a little off topic... why the hell is it new HDTVs don't freaking come with RGB? They come with DVI, component, sometimes even VGA... but no RGB? WHY!?

The TV has the capability to except an RGB signal (it has to if it takes VGA) but they don't take advantage of it... they don't spend the extra 35 cents in parts to give you the ability. WHY!?

[j_factor]

Neo Geo has some variety in the early to mid 90s releases.. WindJammers, Street Hoop, Viewpoint, Puzzle de Pon, Super Dodge Ball, etc.

[atm55]

Neo Geo has some variety in the early to mid 90s releases.. WindJammers, Street Hoop, Viewpoint, Puzzle de Pon, Super Dodge Ball, etc.

Super Dodgeball is quite good, and Street Hoop isn't too bad. Also, there were a lot of puzzle games as well.

[Drixxel]

Magician Lord, Thrash Rally, Cyber Lip, Puzzled, League Bowling, NAM-1975, The Super Spy, Top Hunter.. those + j_factor's suggestions = Neo Geo variety!... although more is still needed.

[Mendicant]

Ya'know, once upon a time, I laughed at the stupidity that was the Neo Geo home system. Gaming was still considered something for the kids & there weren't that many kids who could afford a Neo Geo.

But as a fan of old-school-2D I've come to develop *some* respect for the Neo Geo.

A game like King of Fighters 2003 (the last KOF I saw) holds it's own against Capcom's latest fighting offering (on the latest hardware), on a system that's over a decade old. And only recently are other home consoles able to offer arcade perfect Neo Geo ports.

Yeah, there was the infemous "Weiner" commercial. :oops:

But SNK offered the arcade experience at home. No ports, no conversions, but the actual game that was/is running at an arcade machine somewhere. For around $30-$40 you could get a conversion of your favorite arcade game. For $300 you could GET your favorite arcade game.

I don't think their core philosophy was "If you're a hardcore gamer, you should pay $300 for a game". I think it was more along the lines of "If you can spend $300 on a game you can get the Arcade experience."

Admittedly, the NGCD was a little too late though; and Neo Geo 64 was a mistake.

Given the option between creating brand new hardware & licensing existing ones, SNK might be better of with licencing existing hardware. Incidentally enough, Capcom Vs. SNK & Capcom Vs. SNK2 runs on the SEGA Naomi boards. I think. SVC (SNK Vs. Capcom) on the other hand, runs on the Neo Geo. Go figure. :cool:

And given the power of the current home consoles, it would make little sense to market an "optimized" Neo Geo, i.e. something made using current technology at a fraction of the cost of the original's, and probably using CDs as the preferred form of storage while keepling cartridge slot(s).

Though, the idea of a $30 Neo Geo that runs games off of $15 CDs, while retaining backward compatibility with the older $300 carts is kind of interesting. :D

Still, despite the ridiculous prices; SNK set the standards for shooters with games like Shock Troopers 2 & the Metal Slug series (MSX, or possibly, MS3 being the pinnacle), while being one of the only *serious* competitor to Capcom's Street Fighter derivations.

That and the fact that their over-priced 16-bit system out lived it's 32-bit competitors, and doing some sort of business against the 128 bit normal-mapped-anti-aliased-high-poly-count behemoths should earn SNK, or atleast Neo Geo, some respect.

Right? :?

[atm55]

I don't see why we couldn't have a re-released Neo Geo/CD combo, long before the NEX there were tons of NES knockoffs. The only question is, who will make it?

[Drixxel]

I will!
*fetches glue and popsicle sticks*

[atm55]

I will!
*fetches glue and popsicle sticks*

:rofl:

[j_factor]

Incidentally enough, Capcom Vs. SNK & Capcom Vs. SNK2 runs on the SEGA Naomi boards. I think. SVC (SNK Vs. Capcom) on the other hand, runs on the Neo Geo. Go figure. :cool:

Capcom vs. SNK was made by Capcom. By that point, Capcom had given up on CPS3 and also given up on having their own arcade hardware, and were making all their arcade games on Naomi.

SNK vs. Capcom was made by SNK. This was before their recent move to Atomiswave, so of course it was on Neo Geo. There's nothing else it would've possibly been on.