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Neo Geo CD

The Neo Geo CD system
Manufacturer	SNK
Type	Video game console
Generation	Fifth generation
Release date	1994
Media	CD-ROM
CPU	Motorola 68000 running at 12 MHz
Predecessor	Neo Geo AES

Neo Geo CD (ネオジオCD, Neo Jio Shī Dī^?) is a game console from SNK that was released in 1994, four years after its cartridge-based equivalent, in an effort to reduce manufacturing costs. It is the second console of the Neo Geo family. The system was originally priced at US$300 new.^{[citation needed]} The unit's 1X CD-ROM drive was slow, making loading times very long as a result, with the system loading up to 56 Mbit of data with every load.^{[citation needed]} Neo Geo CD game prices were low at $50, in contrast to Neo Geo AES game cartridges, which cost as much as $300. The system can also play Audio CDs. All three versions of the system have no region-lock.

The Neo Geo CD was bundled with a control pad instead of a joystick like the AES version. However, the original AES joystick could be used with all three Neo Geo CD models, instead of the included control pads.

Models[link]

Three versions of the Neo Geo CD were released:

• A "front-loading" version. Only distributed in Japan, 25,000 total units were built.
• A "top-loading" version. Marketed worldwide, it is the most common model.
• The Neo Geo CDZ. An upgraded, faster-loading version, this was also released in Japan only

CDZ[link]

The CDZ was released on December 29, 1995^[1][2] as the Japanese market replacement for SNK's previous efforts (the "front loader" and the "top loader"). The Neo Geo CD had met with limited success due to it being plagued with slow loading times that could vary from 30 to 60 seconds between loads, depending on the game. Although SNK's American home entertainment division quickly acknowledged that the system simply was incapable to compete with the 3D-able powerhouse systems of the day like Sega's Saturn and Sony's PlayStation, SNK corporate of Japan felt they could continue to maintain profitable sales in the Japanese home market by shortening the previous system's load-times.^{[citation needed]}

Popular speculation suggests that SNK made several changes to the CD hardware to end up with the CDZ, with the most prominent rumor being that they increased the CD-ROM drive speed from 1x to 2x. The truth, however, is that the CDZ had a larger amount of cache. Though the CD-ROM motor in the CDZ may have been more efficient than the one in the original, it was still a 1x speed CD-ROM.

This version of the console has a design flaw that sometimes causes it to overheat after certain periods of time, breaking the console in the process and making it hard to repair. This is a result of a lack of ventilation in the cramped housing of the smaller unit and the inability to dissipate heat generated by the newer drive, which could damage the circuit board.

CDZ availability[link]

The CDZ was only officially sold in Japan during its production. However, its lack of a "region lock", and the fact that it could play older CD software, made it a popular import item for enthusiasts in both Europe and North America. Today they can be found sporadically on the internet, especially through auction sites such as eBay.

Technical specifications[link]

Neo Geo Controller Pro

The back of the Neo Geo CD

• Main Processor: Motorola 68000 running at 12 MHz
  • Although the original 68000 CPU was designed by Motorola, there are many clones of this CPU found in the Neo Geo hardware. The most common CPU is the TMP68HC000 manufactured by Toshiba.
• Co-Processor: Zilog Z80 running at 4 MHz
• Colors On Screen: 4,096
• Colors Available: 65,536
• Resolution: 304 x 224
• Max Sprites: 380
• Max Sprite Size: 16 x 512
• Number of Planes: 3

The system is also capable of reading Redbook standard compact disc audio.

In addition to the multi-AV port (almost same one as used on the Sega Genesis model 1, though they are not interchangeable^{[citation needed]}), all Neo Geo CD models had composite RCA A/V and S-Video out jacks on the rear of the console.

The CD system's 58 Mbit / 7 MB of RAM was split accordingly:

• 68000 Program Memory: 2 MB
• Fix Layer Memory: 128 KB
• Graphics Memory: 4 MB
• Sound Sample Memory: 1 MB
• Z80 Program Memory: 64 kB

• VRAM: 512Kb (For graphics attributes)
• SRAM: 2 KB (For high scores / general save data)

Exclusive games[link]

While the Neo Geo CD library consisted primarily of ports of MVS and AES titles, there were a few MVS arcade games which were not officially released for the Neo Geo AES and ported instead to the Neo Geo CD. These include Puzzle Bobble, Janshin Densetsu (a Mahjong game also released for the PC Engine), Power Spike II, Neo Drift Out and Futsal - 5-on-5 Mini Soccer.

A few games which were unreleased in MVS and AES formats were also released exclusively for the Neo Geo CD. These include Ironclad, Crossed Swords 2, Oshidashi Zentrix, ADK World, Neo Geo CD Special, The King of Fighters '96 Neo Collection and Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits Bushidō Retsuden (an RPG spin-off of the Samurai Shodown series that also released for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn). Idol Mahjong Final Romance II, an arcade game which was not an MVS game, was also ported to the Neo Geo CD.

See also[link]

• Neo Geo (console)
• 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
• Turbo Duo
• Mega-CD
• Sega Multi-Mega

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.neogeocdworld.info/html/fiche/fichetechniqueneogeo.htm
2. ^ http://www.obsolete-tears.com/snk-neogeo-cd-machine-226.html

External links[link]

• NeoGeoCD.net - Dedicated to the Neo Geo CD System, Games, and Accessories: Neogeocd.net
• NeoGeoSoft.com: A complete software and artwork resource for the Neo Geo.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2011)

Neo Geo (ネオジオ^?) was a family of video game hardware developed by SNK. The brand originated in 1990 with the release of an arcade system, the Neo Geo MVS and its home console counterpart, the Neo Geo AES. Both the arcade system and console were powerful for the time and the AES allowed for perfect ports of games released for the MVS. However, the high price point for both the console and its games prevented it from directly competing with its contemporaries, the Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Years later, SNK would release the Neo Geo CD, a more cost effective console with games released on compact discs. The console was met with limited success, due in part to its slow CD-ROM drive. In an attempt to compete with increasingly popular 3D games, SNK released the Hyper Neo Geo 64 arcade system in 1997 as the successor to its aging MVS. The system did not fare well and only a few titles were released for it. A planned home console based on the hardware was never released. SNK later extended the brand by releasing two handheld consoles, the Neo Geo Pocket and Neo Geo Pocket Color, which briefly competed with Nintendo's Game Boy. Soon after their release, SNK encountered various legal and financial issues and the Neo Geo brand was officially discontinued in 2004.

Despite the failure of later Neo Geo hardware, games for the original MVS and AES were well received. The system spawned several long-running series, including The King of Fighters and Samurai Shodown. Later releases like the Metal Slug games ensured that the hardware had a long lifespan. Homebrew video games for the system have also been released and the AES system along with its games are popular among collectors, with many AES items still fetching high prices at auction.

Neo Geo MVS and AES[link]

Neo Geo MVS

SNK's first two products using the Neo Geo name were an arcade system called the Neo Geo Multi Video System (MVS) and a companion console called the Advanced Entertainment System (AES), both released in 1990. The MVS offered arcade operators the ability to put up to six different arcade titles into a single cabinet, a key economic consideration for operators with limited floorspace. It comes in many different cabinets but basically consists of an add on-board that can be linked to a standard JAMMA system.

Neo Geo AES

The Advanced Entertainment System (AES), originally known just as the Neo Geo, was the first video game console in the family. The hardware featured comparatively colourful 2D graphics. The system was marketed as 24-bit, though it was technically a 16-bit system with an 8-bit Zilog Z80 as coprocessor. The coprocessor was generally used for sound processing.

Initially, the home system was only available for rent to commercial establishments, such as hotel chains, bars and restaurants, and other venues. When customer response indicated that some gamers were willing to buy a $650 console, SNK expanded sales and marketing into the home console market. The Neo Geo console was officially launched on 31 January 1990 in Osaka, Japan.^[1] Compared to the other 16-bit consoles of the time, Neo Geo's graphics and sound were vastly superior. This was because the AES was identical to its arcade counterpart, the MVS, so arcade titles released for the home market were perfect translations. Although its high price tag kept it out of the mainstream gaming market, a strong game lineup contributed to the cult status of the Neo Geo, enabling it to outlast the more popular Super Nintendo and the Mega Drive.

Neo Geo CD[link]

Neo Geo CD

The Neo Geo CD, released in 1994, was initially an upgrade from the original AES. This console uses CDs instead of ROM cartridges like the AES. The unit's (approximately) 1X CD-ROM drive was slow, making loading times very long with the system loading up to 56 Mbit of data between loads. Neo Geo CD game prices were low at $50, in contrast to Neo Geo AES game cartridges which cost as much as $300. The system could also play Audio CDs. All three versions of the system have no region-lock.

The Neo Geo CD was bundled with a control pad instead of a joystick like the AES. However, the original AES joystick could be used with all 3 Neo Geo CD models, instead of the included control pads.

Hyper Neo Geo 64[link]

The Hyper Neo Geo 64 was SNK's second and last arcade system board in the Neo Geo family, released in 1997. The Hyper Neo Geo 64 was conceived to usher SNK into the 3D era as well as to provide the hardware basis for a home system that would replace their aging Neo Geo AES, one that SNK hoped would be capable of competing with fifth generation video game consoles.

Although details regarding the planned home system are sketchy, it is believed that like the AES machine, much of the hardware from the Hyper Neo Geo 64 arcade platform would also have been present in the home system, meaning gameplay would be identical or near-identical whether a given game was played at home or in the arcade. It is unknown what media the home system would have used, as cartridges had become expensive and obsolete, but offered up to around 1 gigabyte of storage space^{[citation needed]}, where CDs were cheaper to produce, but were limited to 750 megabytes of capacity and may not have been big enough to hold the game data.

In 1999, the Hyper Neo Geo 64 was discontinued, with only seven games released for it in two years.

Neo Geo Pocket and Pocket Color[link]

Neo Geo Pocket

The Neo Geo Pocket was SNK's first handheld in the Neo Geo family. Featuring a monochrome display, it was originally released in late 1998 exclusively within the Japan and Hong Kong market. Lower than expected sales resulted in its discontinuation in 1999, whereupon it was immediately succeeded by the Neo Geo Pocket Color, which had a colour screen.

Neo Geo Pocket Color

The Pocket Color was the last console of the Neo Geo family. This time it was also released in the North American and European markets. About two million units were sold worldwide. The system was discontinued in 2000 in Europe and North America but continued to sell in Japan until 2001.

References[link]

External links[link]

• NeoGeoSoft.com: A complete software and artwork resource for the Neo Geo.