neo geo n00b looking for advice

just looking for some feedback...

i really like neo geo games (on other systems and in the arcades) but i never got around to buying a neo geo (aside from a pocket color). people on here seem to be really snk smart though. so here goes...

what is in your opinions the best neo geo hardware setup that is still reasonably economic? (i realize nothing neo geo is that economic really, i just want to not have to waste extra money). what i'm looking for is just a console or arcade unit that won't completely waste all my money but will house all the neo geo gaming goodies i'll ever want. if any of you have urls of places to buy your suggested hardware, it'd be appreciated. thanks in advance

edit: so far i'm thinking a neo geo cd system would be the best bet.. but quality wise how do they compare to my other options?

well the games are the same (cd/cart) but most of the cd games have a LOT of loading. the cd system is for the lower budget neo freak. and i believe they're not making cd games anymore so some of the newer Neo games have not, nor will they see a cd release. i could be wrong tho.

Depends on what you want, really.

MVS is of course the cheapest way to go. Problem is, you need a lot of space (for a cabinet) or a lot of electronics know-how for it to be a viable option. But the main advantage is that most MVS carts are pretty cheap.

AES is probably okay if you don't care about owning Metal Slug or any of the really pricey fighters. Most of the older AES carts can be found for a reasonable price (i.e. below $50). Plus, you can always spring for a Phantom AES-MVS converter if you want to play MVS on your AES system.

A CD system is also an affordable way to go, but from what I understand the load times are pretty heinous and many of the games have been changed slightly.

Hope this helps -- I don't have any personal NG experience but this is what I understand from my dealings on the 'Net.

If you are a casual SNK fan and don't want to spend a lot of money and don't want to bother with an MVS setup, the Neo Geo CD is actually a good option. Many games can be had for $10-20, many times still brand new. Almost all of the great neo geo games were released on CD, mainly just the newest releases were not.
I only find the load times to be annoying in the King of Fighters games. Playing KOF '96 or '97 on CD is pretty good, but with '98-2K you are better off with a dreamcast. I honestly think the best versions of many neo geo games are on the neo geo CD because of the audio quality.

Of course, if you have the funds and know-how, go MVS.

Don't bother with the CD. From what I understand the load times are unbearably long. Even worse than that, the later CD games (Metal Slug 1 era and later) are full of cuts such as missing animation frames, missing background effects, and smaller player sprites. The Neo Geo CD was not made with enough RAM. I guess SNK never predicted the games would get so big.

I say go with MVS. No, Space is not a problem if you get a SuperNova. It's the same size as a console and plugs into your TV or RGB monitor. Technical know how isn't a problem either if you buy the MAS version. The extra button is already wired. Just plug in the MVS board and play. The Supernova is about $300 (2 great joysticks inculded) and a 1 slot MVS can be found for less than $100.

well for me personally
im going to go with t he AES and PHantom 1 way when i get my neo (hopefully this summer maybe i hope :( )

way i see it is
i dont have the room for a cabinet
I want to be able to play the games on my 27 inch flat screen
I can get the MVS games that are cheaper (like Metal Slug) and such

personally i think in the long run that set up works best but thats me

you just need to make sure you get a nice healthy good condition AES

Quote:

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Originally posted by Chibi Nappa
I say go with MVS. No, Space is not a problem if you get a SuperNova. It's the same size as a console and plugs into your TV or RGB monitor. Technical know how isn't a problem either if you buy the MAS version.

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Is the SuperNova the MAS Systems brand? I've heard a lot of people speak ill of it; what are your experiences? Some people I know have complained about the quality of the parts used in its construction.

Also, purists may wish to know that the SuperNova does not output a native RGB signal.

thanks for all the great feedback. i'm thinking that the mvs setup might be best for me now.. if the neo geo cd is having problems i'm not that interested... i saw something about a neo geo cdz.. what is that? anyone know of a place where i could find a used mvs machine in the northeast us?

Quote:

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Originally posted by sexual nougat
edit: so far i'm thinking a neo geo cd system would be the best bet.. but quality wise how do they compare to my other options?

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If you're really trying to "squeeze every penny" the CD system may be your best bet many of the games are very cheap and prices range from $10-$110(Metal Slug). These games aren't EXACT arcade ports but they're close and if you don't mind load times you're in good shape. BUT new games aren't being made for the CD system so if you want games like Metal Slug 3/4, King of Fighters 2001/2002 or Sengoku 3 then pray they get ported to other consoles.

EDIT:
"The Neo Geo CDZ is the second CD system made by SNK. It has been falsely claimed that it has a double speed drive. Actually, it has a larger cache for holding loaded information, and has a more efficient CD drive. Still does not eliminate the notorious CD load times on later titles. Has been said to be less reliable than the original CD system." - fron the glossary @ neo-geo.com

You can also get a candy cab which is smaller and easier to move than the huge red cabs. They cost $350-$650 and a PCB (board) to play games costs around $200. Shipping can be a bitch unless there is a store by you that sells them.