September 2025 The Neo Geo AES By Ulysses Ochoa

The Neo Geo AES (Advanced Entertainment System) was released in 1990 by the video game company SNK. This sleek black and gold home console was revolutionary for its time. In an era where other consoles like the Sega Genesis and Nintendo Entertainment System ported arcade games in a compromised state, the Neo Geo brought the arcade experience home because it was the arcade experience. The games running on the arcade version of the Neo Geo were exactly the same as what was available for the AES with no drop in quality. This is due to the fact that the internals for the AES were almost 1 to 1 with its arcade equivalent. This immense leap in graphical and sound quality ahead of other home consoles also came with an immense cost. The AES by itself along with a single controller was $399 and the games were $199 to $250 each. The Neo Geo Gold System was a bundle that included the console, two controllers, and game for the astronomical price of $599

The price point was one of several hurdles SNK ran into when trying to make the Neo Geo a viable home console. As the 90’s went on the 1990 hardware struggled to keep up with the advent of games using 3d polygonal graphics available at home, and several ventures SNK took to keep up did nothing to make the Neo Geo a mainstream home console. Such ventures include the diasterous Neo Geo CD: an affordable alternative to the original console plagued with incredibly long load times and the Neo Geo 64: an ill-fated arcade system meant to be the sucessor to original Neo Geo. However, the Neo Geo AES persisted all the way to 2004 when the last game was released (Samurai Shodown 5 Perfect). And while the console itself was not a huge success, the games were ported to several systems of the time such as the PS1 and Sega Saturn. Overall, the NeoGeo library of games is well regarded and many have modern ports available to pick up. Here are several recommendations, but don’t be afraid to browse around and play whatever looks interesting. The console is mainly known for its robust selection of fighting games, but there’s enough variety in the library that no matter what kind of games you enjoy the Neo Geo has you covered.

Crossed Swords. 1991, Developed by ADK

A very unique third person fantasy game filled with strange creatures to slash through. You must absolutely master the dodge and guard mechanics if you want to get far. A tough challenge and long length for an arcade game makes Crossed Swords worth a try. I definitely recommend playing with a friend to minimize the brutal difficulty. While you can’t choose different types of characters, the various kinds of magical weapons you can get throughout the game gives Crossed Swords an extra layer of strategy complimented by the absolute precision it takes in order to sucessfully block an attack.

Garou: Mark of the Wolves. 1999, Developed by SNK

Arguably one of the best fighting games ever made, Garou: Mark of the Wolves is the seventh game in the Fatal Fury series. Amazing sprite art, great character themes, and high impact defensive gameplay make this an absolute must play if you are into fighting games. If you struggle with fighting games there are fun beginner friendly characters to choose from, so don’t be afraid to give Garou a try. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves which was released in April of this year is a direct sequel to this game, and is also absolutely worth picking up as City of the Wolves is even more beginner friendly than Garou is. 

Metal Slug 3. 2000, Developed by SNK

An absolutely fantastic run’n’gun arcade game, Metal Slug 3 is the pinnacle of the series. A phenomenal soundtrack, super fun levels with branching paths, and countless wacky vehicles to ride in makes Metal Slug 3 a blast to play with friends. Even if you’re not great at videogames, trust me you will still have fun. If you can’t get enough, try Metal Slug 6 as that game is just as zany as 3 but also adds new mechanics to keep the series fresh. Or if you’re looking for something with more in-depth gameplay, try the strategy RPG Metal Slug Tacticts which was released last year.