Neo Geo and variants

SNK Neo Geo

Top: The Neo Geo MVS. Middle: The Neo Geo AES. Bottom: The Neo Geo CD.
Developer	SNK, ADK
Type	Home video game console, arcade system board
Generation	Fourth generation
Release date	1990 (Neo Geo Multi Video System, Neo Geo Rental System) 1991 (Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System) 1994 (Neo Geo CD) 1997 (Hyper Neo Geo 64)
Discontinued	2004 (Neo Geo Multi Video System) 1999 (Hyper Neo Geo 64, Neo Geo CD)
Successor	Hyper Neo Geo 64, Neo Geo CD
Emulated	✓

The Neo Geo MVS (Multi Video System) arcade system was first released by SNK Corporation on January 1990 in Japan and on August 22, 1990 in NA. The Neo Geo (Advanced Entertainment System) home console was released on July 1, 1991. MVS and AES are technically the same systems, but their cartridges are not compatible with each other due to a different layout. The AES was retailed for $649.99. It had a Motorola 68000 at 12MHz and a Zilog Z80A at 4MHz with 64KB RAM and 84KB VRAM.

Neo Geo CD (NG-CD) was the CD version of the AES (not compatible with the game cartridges) released in January of '96 and $399. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12 MHz with another CPU that being a Zilog Z80 at 4 MHz. It had 7MB of RAM.

Hyper Neo-Geo 64 (HNG-64) was the successor to the Neo-Geo with 3D graphics, there was no home console release. It was released in September of 1997 and had an NEC VR4300 at 100 MHz with 16MiB of RAM.

When emulating Neo-Geo games with RetroArch, the Neo-Geo BIOS files need to be in the game directory.

Emulators

Name	Platform(s)	Latest version	NG	NG-CD	HNG-64	Enhancements	License	Active	Recommended
PC / x86
MAME		git artifacts 0.272 libretro core	✓	✓	~*	~	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
FinalBurn Neo		libretro core nightly stable	✓	~	✗	~	Non-commercial	✓	✓
RAINE		0.97.2	✓	✓	✗	~	Non-commercial	✓	~
NeoCD neocd_libretro		libretro core	✗	✓	✗	~	LGPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	~
ares		v141	✓	✗	✗	~	ISC (Permissive)	✓	~
FinalBurn Alpha		0.2.97.43	✓	✓	✗	?	Non-commercial	✗	✗
Xe		2.16.2	✓	✓	✗	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
Kawaks		1.65	✓	✗	✗	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
GnGeo		git	✓	✗	✗	?	MAME license (Non-commercial)	✗	✗
NeoRAGEx		5.4e	✓	✗	✗	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
Nebula		2.25b	✓	✓	✗	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
Geolith		0.2.1	✓	✗	✗	?	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✓	TBD
Mobile / ARM
FinalBurn Neo		libretro core	✓	✓	✗	~	Non-commercial	✓	✓
MAME		libretro core	✓	✓	~*	~	GPLv2 (Copyleft) BSD-3-Clause	✓	~
NeoCD (neocd_libretro)		libretro core	✗	✓	✗	~	GPLv2	✓	~
NEO.emu		1.5.73git	✓	✗	✗	?	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	~
FinalBurn Alpha		libretro core	✓	✓	✗	?	Non-commercial	✗	✗
Consoles
NJ-EMU		git	✓	✓	✗	?	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
Virtual Console		N/A	✓	✗	✗	?	Proprietary	✗	✓
AES4ALL		Beta 4	✓	✗	✗	?	?	✓	~
GxGeo		r23	✓	✗	✗	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
NEO4ALL		RC4	✗	✓	✗	?	?	✗	~

Comparisons

NeoCD (neocd_libretro)

NeoCD is a S(ingle) A(rcade) M(achine) E(mulator) for libretro, just like Same CDi (same_cdi_libretro) forked from MAME libretro, which is in turn a fork of MAME. It includes only the Neo Geo CD driver, and simplifies the loading of CD content to provide a 'plug and play' experience.

ares

Neo Geo emulation has undergone the most dramatic improvement out of any core with v132 version release; with a significant portion of the library jumping from "Nothing" state to "Completable".

Enhancements

Name		MAME	FinalBurn Neo	ares	RAINE	NeoCD_libretro
Graphics	Resizable Internal Resolution	?	?	?	?	?
	Sprite Replacement	?	?	?	?	?
	Widescreen hack	?	?	?	?	?
Performance	Internal Framerate Hack	?	?	?	?	?
	Overclock	?	?	?	?	?
	Frame generation technologies (LSFG, DLSS-G, ExtraSS and AFMF)	Implementing frame generation technology in an emulator is unfortunately quite challenging and unlikely to be feasible in the near future, however post-processing techniques such as motion interpolation is quite possible. Input latency will be a crucial factor, but its impact likely varies depending on the specific technique employed, it's recommended to use after applying the "Internal Framerate Hack". While AFMF or LSFG can be used with MAME, please be aware that some visual glitches and artifacts may occur at this time.
Post-Processing	Filters	✓	?	✓	?	✓
	AI-powered filter compatible (Freestyle)	?	?	?	?	?
	Shader Chain	✓	~	✓*	?	✓
	Inverse tone mapping compatible	?	?	?	?	✓*
TAS features	Macros/Scripts/Lua	?	?	?	?	?
	Rewind	?	?	?	?	?
	Fast-Forward/Turbo Speed	?	?	?	?	?
	Savestates	?	?	?	?	?
	Movie recording/playback	?	?	?	?	?
Controls	Input lag-mitigating technique	✗*	?	?	?	?
Quality of life	Pause/Resume Emulation	✓	?	?	?	?
	Built-in Graphics mod editor/manager	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
	Built-in Cheat Manager	✓	?	?	?	✓
	Built-in Patch Manager	?	?	?	?	?
	Built-in Custom resolution/CRTSwitchRes For using this on Windows OS you need CRT Emudriver. Another option is using EDID editor tool such as "Custom Resolution Utility".	Exclusive to libretro cores and GroovyMAME at the moment. Also there is a project for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
	Streamable compression format	✓	?	?	?	✓
	Per-Game Profiles	✓	?	?	?	✓
	Command Line Options	✓	?	?	?	✓
	Big Picture Mode	✓	~	✗	?	✓
Misc	Netplay	✗	?	?	?	✗
	EmuVR support	Exclusive to libretro cores at the moment.
	AI Service With the help of OCR and other techniques, the AI service can provide a live translation of a game, or text-to-speech capabilities for the visually impaired among other things, either on demand or automatically.	Exclusive to libretro cores at the moment.
	RetroAchievements NG-CD, NG	✗	✓	roadmap	?	✓
	Debug Features	✓	?	?	?	?

?

Name	MAME	Geolith
Home Console and Arcade Mahjong Controller	✓	✓
Arcade V-Liner Controller	✓	✓
Arcade Slot 2 to 6	✓

Emulation issues

• Hyper Neo-Geo 64 is mostly emulated. MAME is the only available option and, since 0.240, all games are mostly playable with only bad audio emulation. There was a notable update for the MAME driver by Haze in 2018 and in early 2023 The Hyper Neo Geo 64 has had some welcome fixes for both 2D and 3D graphics with 0.252 version and there should be more coming in the next release. 0.272 version compatibility status or you can use this link. Hyper Neo-Geo 64 is one of the last pre-2000 Arcade platforms not playable on emulators by a "big" arcade company.