About Getting a Neo AES

KindGrind · Post by **KindGrind** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:29 pm

I'm looking to get one, nothing fancy or hyper modded, just a good old Neo, preferably japanese for blood/bouncing stuff. Never owned one, and it's always been a -somewhat very attainable- dream of mine. I know that if I ever want to play Garou: Mark of the Wolves or Metal Slug I'd have to spend a lot, but I'm mostly getting one for fighters like SS or maybe things like KOF.

A few questions:

How much would be a good price to pay for one? Seems the price is all over the place for that stuff. Unboxed, with a controller or two.

What are good games within the 150$ price range to get?

Is getting a modded system (s-video or even component, unibios, etc) worth it? I will be playing that on a LCD (yeah I know) after all.

Input much appreciated!

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:15 am

Waste of money. Buy a supergun from Fire-bug and get a 1 slot MVS system locally. Then your price ranges come down to $50 for any game.

The AES system is a collectors piece. If you want to play the actual games instead of keeping them in oxygen free vaults, then go MVS all the way.

Getting a 1 slot modded for multi bios isn't that hard these days, the benefits to that are that you can play in AES mode (like the home cart), change the region for blood (but also keep English text etc). You can't go wrong really.

Of course AES is your dream, but MVS is the practical choice.

Sonic R · Post by **Sonic R** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:35 am

I had the same dream and realized a Neo Geo AES 5 years ago.

As many will say, it isn't worth the money if you are serious to go about playing Neo Geo games. The AES is more or less a novelty. The games are silly expensive while far cheaper MVS games are out there as well as many collections which have been ported to popular consoles.
Another thing, Neo Geo is really best enjoyed with two players. Sure many games are fight games but other titles are also more fun with a friend, beat them ups and sports. Neo Geo does have by opinion of mine the best fun sports games such as Neo Turfmasters, Baseball Stars, and League Bowling.

In closing, if you seek one for collection and to realize a childhood dream, for sure seek out an AES and a few games in which you (and a friend) can enjoy for long times. Otherwise, if your interest is to delve into the wide world of Neo Geo games playing, look at alternative means.
In the 5 years I have had my Neo Geo AES, I have got a total of nine games, of none which are super expensive…

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:24 am

Not much to add other than "agreed, overpriced and useful video cables are way too hard to find." I managed to get one cheap-ish but all I have is a cruddy RF unit for it and all the games I want are a bajillion dollars.

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:03 am

There are AES > MVS converters thoe

D · Post by D » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:45 am

Forget AES, get MVS and instead of fiddling with a supergun, why not get a cab? They're not so expensive and take a little room, but a supergun with joystick, power supply lying on the floor will not make you happy, well me not anyway! and....welll, that's just me. Look for a cheap cab in your local marketplace website is my advice! put the mvs in and when you want to play just hit one switch, beat the crap out of some neo fighting characters and when you're done switch off!
tadaaaaaa!
for 100 pounds you can probably get a decent cab

KindGrind · Post by **KindGrind** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:00 am

Thing is, I have very little room. I mean, the cab seems to be out of the question for my g/f. As long as all my stuff stays in one place she doesn't mind but she sees the cab as an enemy or something, which is why I wanted a TVish solution. The supergun idea isn't very tempting for me, because as D pointed out, I don't want a ghetto-looking setup either. The MVS - AES adapter seems interesting, though, although the only ones I've seen in the past weren't exactly cheap at 250-300$ or so.

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:17 am

i became a breadcrumb-snatching MVS owner, but i would still recommend an AES to anyone.

kindgrind, you seem like the type of guy who enjoys hunting down the rare games, and in good condition. i think you'd have a lot of fun collecting for AES

i would also recommend, much more than neo-geo.com

, that you check out

http://www.neogeoforlife.com

excellent reviews and other info to help you decide what you're after

if you become hopelessly addicted and wonder where all your money's gone, don't blame me though

soundwave · Post by **soundwave** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:24 am

Consolised MVS setup all the way!!

I'd been looking at an AES a while back but I've decided that when I have the cash it will be an MVS setup instead.

Games are so much cheaper but you do also have the issue of boots unfortunatley.

A consolised setup is only about the same size as the standard AES console & some are actually enacased in original consoles...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Neo-Geo-MVS-Conso ... .m63.l1177

They normally arent that expensive though...should be around the £200 ($300) mark for tidy ones, just need to keep an eye on the bay really.

Neil

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:31 am

AES games look sexy though

if you can afford it, go AES

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:58 am

jpj wrote:AES games look sexy though

if you can afford it, go AES

+1

~$700+ of games sitting on my shelf, I guess

The only problem is that the AES itself has to be modded for stereo sound and better video, i.e. it sucks. Oh yeah, and those games are really damn expensive. Sam Spirits 4 = $250+ when I got it, other games reached $100+ easily, and then there's the Metal Slug games...

D · Post by D » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:53 pm

So you want a system for which you can only buy the older games, because of the price because you don't want to go mvs.
It's a no brainer unless you have thousands of dollars/euro's you need to get rid off. How about consolizing a 6-slot motherboard and put in these games:
-SSVS
-Metal Slug ..
-Pulstar/blazing star
-Garou
-World Heroes Perfect
-Rage of Dragons

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:57 pm

i bought one decent game a month for about three years, and ended up with:

blazing star
pulstar
twinkle star sprites
metal slug 1, 2, x, 3, 4, 5
kof 96, 98, 99, 2002, 2003
matrimelee
rage of the dragons
big tournament golf (conversion)
waku waku 7
garou motw
last blade 1, 2
sam spirits zero special

and maybe a couple of other titles which i can't remember. if collecting is your thing, AES games do look great, moreso than any other console platform. but i only ever bought stuff that i would actively play, and never even took a pic of the games on my bookshelf. sold it all to buy a supergun and some cave boards a couple of years back, and the collection came to about £3500 on ebay (individually auctioned). then my boss left to move down to cornwall, so i bought about 20 MVS titles off him, and got a four-slot mobo. he had a six-slot cab which had been modded with a circuit breaker and turned into a 12-slot. which he kept in his kitchen

man, i miss those days

KindGrind · Post by **KindGrind** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:42 pm

I think the consolized MVS looks interesting, but I'm rather concerned with the carts themselves. I mean, they all seem worthless to me, given the tremendous number of boots / conversions that go around. Collecting these things -unless they're kits with matching serials- seem to be a nightmare and, I must admit it, the carts are mighty ugly.

That being said, I don't mind a game at 200-250$ a pop if it keeps its value and I can enjoy it from time to time. Speculative hobby it is for me, pretty much win-win. Sucks that I'd have to go for a modded console to fully take advantage of it. How much are we looking at approximately for a stock AES vs an s-video/stereo/unibios(?) modded one? Are we talking double the price?

Cheers guys!

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:50 pm

i keep forgetting that your continent doesn't use RGB as standard... (fuck knows why)

if you can find a suitable rgb monitor, a low serial AES console with rgb is the same PQ as an MVS cab

i've been out of the game for a while, but a modded console $250-300 ish. prices vary depending on boxed/unboxed, serial number, what stick/pad is supplied, etc. but like all things neo, you'll have to be patient and spy one on ebay

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:18 pm

KindGrind wrote:I mean, the cab seems to be out of the question for my g/f. As long as all my stuff stays in one place she doesn't mind but she sees the cab as an enemy or something, which is why I wanted a TVish solution.

Yeah, what's up with that anyway?

Anyway, looks like you have the money to spend so just get an AES and a pretty collection. Both MVS and AES are pirated though so that shouldn't be a factor. Still, you'll be missing out on some MVS exclusives.

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:21 pm

not really. of the 15 or so games that were MVS exclusives, only about half are decent, and you can get AES conversions of them

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:50 pm

There's nothing pretty about collecting MVS games. Bare carts are ugly, kits are still ugly. But I think the best budget+convenience solution would be a consolized MVS. If you're concerned about how the games look on the shelf, you could just get some shockboxes for them.

I started out with a MVS, and I play it through a supergun. But there are a zillion things I have to connect, so I don't use it much, and I haven't bothered to consolize it. I got a Japanese AES and a Phantom converter later on, and that's what I use primarily now, with an external JROK 4.1 or just going straight to my XRGB-2 through RGB. AES is much more convenient to set up. Power, AV, controller ports are all there, I can just plug in and go. But AES is still pretty ugly with a giant tower of Phantom converter sticking out of it.

I'd say go with a good consolized MVS.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:50 pm

I've gone with an MVS setup with an USA region MV-1 mobo -- just the bare-ass MVS carts themselves. Playing them on an CRT-based 15kHz analog RGB monitor is the best way to enjoy them with scanlines and all. ^_~

Plus I like the additional convenience of stereo sound output + headphone output jack + 2 Neo-Geo AES joystick inputs on the ol' MV-1 mobo -- can't go wrong with a setup like that. Ending up buying an original AES joystick controller with the cool short-throw Seimitsu joystick setup. Very tight and responsive AES joystick for playing MVS Blazing Star, MVS Strikers 1945 Plus, MVS Metal Slug, etc. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:45 pm

What a waste of moolah. MAME ALL THE WAY!

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:50 pm

Stormwatch wrote:What a waste of moolah. MAME ALL THE WAY!

The hard-core MVS/AES gamers vs. the Mame emulation users = an never ending debate

It is quite an experience to be able to play the original arcade hardware in it's purest form as it was meant to be. Emulation won't do that for you. But if you don't have the monetary means to persue the hardware to play it in the original form intended, more power to you. The only catch is that if you wanted to play the latest Cave PCBs, then acquiring an Supergun or candy cabinet setup is the only option you have of playing them. Is it time to whip out the wallet and charge the credit card to the max to do so? ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

shinsage · Post by **shinsage** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:56 pm

Go to neo-geo.com, buy a lot of shit, burn out, regret wasting thousands and sell it all within a year.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:02 pm

shinsage wrote:Go to neo-geo.com, buy a lot of shit, burn out, regret wasting thousands and sell it all within a year.

Some folks have gone down that route and there are others that intend to keep their expensive arcade PCB gear and never sell it. Some folks have very deep monetary pockets so they can afford anything their heart desires. And there are those who work damn hard to earn their keep and it is a pleasure to chill out with playing with arcade PCBs at their leisure. The arcade PCB hobby, in general, isn't a cheap hobby to begin with...that's a given. ^_~

kernow · Post by **kernow** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:15 pm

The neo is a great system, arcade board or home console, if you're a baller the home system is just so nice, one of the best looking/styled consoles there is and uber collectable. I've been in and out of it so many times now, but since having decent cabs it became completely redundant so I sold the lot and haven't looked back.

MVS is king, if you're poorer just go for a supergun and mvs board, please don't get a consolized MVS, they are super lame.

At least with a supergun you can play some shootie pcb's too.

null1024 · Post by **null1024** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:43 pm

Stormwatch wrote:What a waste of moolah. MAME ALL THE WAY!

I wanted to say this so badly, but having real hardware is really cool.

KindGrind · Post by **KindGrind** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:24 am

There doesn't seem to be a consensus on that thing, other than the AES carts being mighty expensive and all.

I don't really know what to do: I don't like the ghettoness of a gun+mobo loose on my floor with all the wiring and stuff, and I'm not sure I like the idea of a consolized MVS either. The Phantom seems to be a nice enough -albeit bulky- adapter to play MVS cart on an AES system.

In a few days I think my mind will be set on this... Just so I know, any of you guys got an AES you'd get rid of shortly? Preferably stateside... I'd obviously pay what's fair for it! If I know that some are available without having to pay horrendous shipping from Japan, that may speed up my decision making process a bit...

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:42 am

phantom converters are shit mate. you have to very firmly press the MVS cart into the top, use your fingers to hold the flaps of the console slot open, and firmly put the phantom converter in place. turn on, and hope it works. if not, undo all the above, and try again. you'll get bored of changing games in about 5 minutes, guarenteed

KindGrind · Post by **KindGrind** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:26 am

jpj wrote:phantom converters are shit mate. you have to very firmly press the MVS cart into the top, use your fingers to hold the flaps of the console slot open, and firmly put the phantom converter in place. turn on, and hope it works. if not, undo all the above, and try again. you'll get bored of changing games in about 5 minutes, guarenteed

So it's a pain, is it?

And the converter's not cheap either.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:28 am

Agreed with jpj.

Wisdom from thread and distilled here:

1.) Real AES systems are shit until modded, and even then a PC + custom joystick will probably feel better if you like your custom sticks (more flexible for gaming too!)

2.) MVS systems are better but you might worry about the boots
3.) AES systems have their boots too, and also Freaking shit
4.) Don't pay extra for shockboxes or matching serial #s

5.) Paying for AES games is stupid

- said by man who sunk more than $1000 into his AES collection and still doesn't have the stuff he really cares for

KindGrind: I actually have a US Gold System that's taking up space, but you'd have to mod it. The box is more than holding together though, and I've got dupes of a number of games I don't need to hang onto. I should probably sell it and get ahold of a modded JPN system sometime, since JPN exclusive collecting is where my money went anyway.

But again, see point #5; unless you really really want to use that AES a lot...in which case it's not really collecting anyway, more like playing and I don't see why you wouldn't get MVS stuff. MVS has a slightly larger selection too (CD more so yet, but that's another story).

KindGrind · Post by **KindGrind** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:08 am

Is there a way to play a USB stick like an HRAP3 on an AES? Maybe an adapter or something? Not too good at making cables here...