Neo-Geo Information

Advanced Neo Info:

As stated before the AES and MVS systems use the exact same hardware and the exact same chips (or ROM's) in their respective cartridges. The only difference between a AES cart and a MVS cart is the size and most notably the price. I can't emphasize enough that even though it's two different carts, its really the same game! The only thing that determines what version you get on your TV is the BIOS of the machine your playing it on. So if you plug in a Japanese AES cart into a USA AES, you're Japanese cart will play in English and have all the accompanying censors.

The AES Debug BIOS (from the NeoStore)

That's right I said censors. When most Neo games are played on a US AES system you will not have red blood, or "bouncy" breasts on the female characters. Most of the time you could bypass the censorship with a code of some sorts, however today most people get around this with a AES "Mod", or modification. Most of the time this entails replacing the BIOS in your AES with one that allows you to select the region of your console (USA or Japanese), as well as play with other game settings (MVS or AES version, developer debug features, etc.). These mods almost always include options providing the AES with Stereo output (yes the AES originally only outputted mono sound unless you used the headphone jack), as well as S-Video and/or RBG video output.

The MVS for the most part has been immune to these limitations. Due to the fact that you can edit most settings (blood, etc) in the "Setup" of the MVS board by turning on Dip Switch 1 of the system when you turn it on. In fact, most MVS boards come with a multitude of features that put it on par with the AES. This includes a headphone jack, a memory card reader, and even AES joystick ports on some MVS boards! However there are a few rare cases of censorship and limitations that exist on the MVS hardware. But much like the AES there are mods to get around these.

Most noteworthy of these is the MVS 4X Bios mod. This allows you to select the region of your MVS board, as well as the type of board (MVS or AES). This allows you to play most MVS games as if they were being played on an AES!

Holding true to it's roots, the AES and it's carts have become collectors items. Hence the price for an AES system is still extremely high (ranging from $150 for a low-end system to over $700 for a fully "Modded" system). And if you think that's bad, a good majority of carts now sell for well over their original prices. This includes some of the best games on the Neo, including fan favorites like Last Blade 2 ($400+), Mark of the Wolves ($550+), and the incredible Metal Slug ($2,000+)! I kid you not when I list these prices, in fact these are MODEST estimates (and people wonder why emulation is so popular)!

In contrast, MVS games are much, much cheaper. You know how Metal Slug 1 on AES can cost up to and above $2,000? Well the MVS version is $60 for a loose cart. Places like MD Gamesales and Cosmico specialize in providing low cost MVS carts. I must warn you however, they specialize in getting Arcade Operators the cheapest carts. Hence the physical condition of the carts are almost always in less than admirable condition. However the games always work perfectly, and if all they have are bootlegs for a certain title, they will tell you what it is before you purchase it.

Because of this, the Neo-Geo MVS has actually become a viable home gaming system. In fact it's almost as much money to buy a full MVS Arcade cabinet and a few games, as it is to buy the same setup on the AES!

The !Arcade! Phantom-1 Converter

Their are other ways to play MVS games at home, most notable is the Phantom-1 converter. This device, manufactured by !Arcade!, allows you to play MVS carts on a AES system. And because you are playing on the AES hardware, the MVS carts play as if they were AES carts. However there have been some reported compatability problems that have come up with the Phantom-1 and some older AES systems.

The MAS SuperNova

This is where the popularity of SuperGun's come into play, allowing you to hook up any arcade board to your TV. These devices are normally cheaper than either a cabinet or a AES+Phantom-1 setup. However they have been plagued with being incompatable and ugly, usually reqiring the arcade PCB to be stored outside of the SuperGun. And let me tell you, arcade PCB's are not normally pretty to look at. Plus they don't always offer the best controller layouts, especially if you want to play more Neo Geo games over Capcom games. Obviously if you've noticed anything about the focus of my Neo-Geo section, you know that I built a custom SuperGun that eliminates most of the disadvantages you would have with one. Please check out my HomeMVS section for more info.

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