The Neo Geo AES is coming back as a real console, not an emulator

SNK and hardware maker Plaion Replai have announced the Neo Geo AES+, a modern recreation of the 1990 home console that uses re-engineered ASIC chips instead of software emulation.

I was always envious of Neo Geo AES owners. It was literally a whole arcade in a console. Those amazing joysticks made every fighting game feel perfect. Now that the system is coming back in three different versions, the only question is: which one can you not afford? Or not afford to not own?

The 100 meg shock

To understand the appeal, you have to look back at 1990. SNK released two versions of its Multi Video System hardware. The MVS went into arcade cabinets. The Advanced Entertainment System went into living rooms. It was the exact same hardware. While Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo players settled for compromised ports of arcade hits, AES owners played the actual arcade code.

The catch was the price. The console cost $649 at launch. The cartridges contained massive ROM chips to hold all those huge sprites and uncompressed audio. They often retailed for over $200 each. Despite the cost, the hardware survived well into the 2000s. It outlasted the 16-bit and 32-bit console generations entirely on the strength of franchises like King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, and Metal Slug.

Silicon over software

The AES+ is not an emulator box. It is also not an FPGA approximation. Plaion Replai re-engineered the original legacy ASIC chips to modern standards. The system natively plays both original 1990s cartridges and new aftermarket releases. The promise of playing new game cartridges is particularly interesting. The Neo Geo homebrew scene has produced several high-quality titles over the last decade. A brand new console that accepts physical media gives those developers a fresh target audience.

The hardware includes low-latency HDMI output alongside standard AV output for CRT users. You also get built-in DIP switches. These allow for language selection, different display modes, and system overclocking. The original AES had a memory card slot that let players take their save data from their home console to the local arcade. The AES+ replicates this permanent high score saving, though it requires a proprietary memory card accessory.

Three ways to empty your wallet

Plaion Replai is splitting the release into three tiers. The standard NEOGEO AES+ keeps the original black aesthetic. It includes one wired 1:1 replica of the classic arcade stick. The original Neo Geo stick is famous for its distinct clicky microswitches and ergonomic four-button layout. Plaion Replai built the new replicas to mirror the control panel found on SNK's original MVS arcade cabinets. Having a proper arcade stick is mandatory for games like Garou: Mark of the Wolves. Playing them on a standard D-pad just feels wrong.

The Anniversary Edition switches to an all-white shell. It includes a wired arcade stick and packs in the memory card.

Then there is the Ultimate Edition. This is a limited, numbered print run that bundles everything. You get two arcade sticks and every single game and accessory available at launch. A list of 10 launch titles has been announced. Getting a complete day-one library in a single box is a serious proposition for collectors.