Hey, Remember That Weird Handheld Neo-Geo Thing? It Actually Exists

A number of you were incredibly skeptical when we reported a month or so ago that some mystery hardware manufacturer had licensed the Neo-Geo brand to create some kind of handheld device...thing...and frankly, you were right to be. While the reports came from reputable sources, the lack of an identified manufacturer, as well as the fact that the initial images of the device looked like a Photoshopped iPhone 4, certainly didn't build confidence in this being anything but a crappy bootleg, at best.

So how totally bananas is it that this thing is apparently real? A press release went out this morning confirming the device's existence (evidently it is called the "Neo-Geo X"), and its manufacturer. As it turns out, Blaze, the makers of a number of different Genesis/MegaDrive-related handhelds, is putting the thing together, with official licensing from SNK. The system will come with 20 Neo-Geo classics of varying levels of classic-ness. The official list reads as follows:

• ART OF FIGHTING
• BASEBALL STARS
• CYBER LIP
• FATAL FURY
• FATAL FURY SPECIAL
• FOOTBALL FRENZY
• KING OF THE MONSTERS
• LAST RESORT
• LEAGUE BOWLING
• MAGICIAN LORD
• METAL SLUG
• MUTATION NATION
• NAM 1975
• SAMURAI SHODOWN
• SENGOKU
• SUPER SIDEKICKS
• THE KING OF FIGHTERS '94
• THE ULTIMATE 11
• TOP PLAYERS GOLF
• WORLD HEROES

There will also be an SD card slot on the device, presumably for the sake of adding additional games down the road, or maybe just so you can load photos onto it or something. No pricing has been announced yet, but it seems safe to assume it'll be a tad more expensive than Blaze's previous devices, but probably at least a bit cheaper than an actual Neo-Geo.

The Neo-Geo X is loosely scheduled for a Q2 2012 release. You can "register your interest" via this website, if so inclined. Or you could just go and make us Ultimate 11 and Top Players Golf pages, because we apparently still don't have those, which is shameful, I think.

Wow, Pretty stoked!

woah

boom

Because this is bound to do well.

LOLz if this is not a front for some sort of criminal activity I will be really disappointed.

This is absolutely INSANE.

This actually looks kind of cool...

When people write shitty one word comments to try and get the first post "achievement", a rubber glove filled with sand should shoot out of their monitor and punch them in the face.

Why do I want to buy this 

sold

Crazy March strikes strikes again.

This is bana-fucking-nas!

Huh, Sega needs to try some crazy shit like this.

How random and awesome!

No Super Spy, no deal!

@Scotto said:

When people write shitty one word comments to try and get the first post "achievement", a rubber glove filled with sand should shoot out of their monitor and punch them in the face.

well, now that they have all that extra cbs money, they can totally implement this ;]

that is pretty appealing sold line up waiting on the price

This seems interesting. But we're happy to have you back with the video game side of stuff! Screened was great but Big Rigs, Robocop and Blackwater are better...well...you know what I mean.

Wow things just get crazier and crazier first the GB news and now this thing turns out to be true, I wonder if Jeff is interested in one.

Doesn't have The Super Spy, or Crossed Swords, so I don't care.

@IndeedCodyBrown said:

Huh, Sega needs to try some crazy shit like this.

I love Sega, but they would find a way to screw it up. Man I miss my GameGear with rechargeable battery pack expansion. That was literally like holding a brick in your hand. It was so damn heavy and bulky and I miss it!

I have played most of the games that I would want to play on the system via the SNK Arcade Classics Collection. If the support for other Neo Geo games is there, I will consider purchasing it.

weird

Awesome, if its the right price I might totally buy this! Can I get a lil Puzzle Bobble on this thing or maybe Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo?

GET ME LAST BLADE 2, SAMSHO2, MATRIMELEE, AOF3, AND MARK OF THE WORVES AND I AM ON BOARD. SNK vs. CAPCOM IS A COOL GAME TOO. ALSO LOTS OF WEIRD / KIND OF BAD FIGHTING GAMES TOO.

Well, now we know what Jeff is spending his money on.

Well... shit.

I want one.

Vita Price Drop incoming

year of the Neo-Geo

If this exists, I HIGHLY doubt that SNK or any other studio is going to develop new games for it.

WOW. I might actually get that if it's not too expensive.

I'll pick one up if...

Hey, Alex? I can't believe you getting paid for writing is actually a thing.

Considering that the Neo Geo Pocket Color is the greatest handheld system of all time, I am very excited.

Is it strange that I kinda want this more than a Vita? Maybe it's just because this thing actually looks like it would fit in my pocket.

How much could they get away with charging for this thing? Is the demand that high for some portable gaming system that plays games from the early 90s?

But are the L and R buttons still backwards? Because that drove me over the edge of insanity when I saw it in the last article. I MUST KNOW.

will i be able to plunge my NEOGEO cart in it and play them? (i would totally buy some cart if i could)

I must have one. HHNNNNGGGG. :|

@Stonyman65 said:

Well, now we know what Jeff is spending his money on.

Correction, that sweet ass CBS corporate money. Although I would not be surprised if he buys one for himself with his own money..... its Jeff we are talking about here.

The screen doesn't seem to be the same aspect ratio as Neo-Geo games, though. :\ Like, 4:3 vs 16:9. Could be just my eyes, though.

Alex really likes the word "apparently", apparently.

I`m wondering how expensive this One might become at the End.

The games list needs more Money Puzzle Exchanger and Magical Drop.

@theveej said:

@Stonyman65 said:

Well, now we know what Jeff is spending his money on.

Correction, that sweet ass CBS corporate money. Although I would not be surprised if he buys one for himself with his own money..... its Jeff we are talking about here.

The company will buy one and he will order one right before the company one shows up and won't be bothered to return his :)

HI ALEX!

Back when I was a retro game collector, the Neo-Geo stuff was the pride of my collection. Make this reasonably priced and I'll pre-order it.

Looks slick. I don't need one, but seems like the kind of thing I might buy while drunkenly browsing Amazon late at night at some point.

Okay I now want one again. Hopefully they'll keep up with production because if the price is within $100~150 I see it selling out quickly.

Could be neat. I hope it's not too expensive.

Somebody is Releasing a Neo Geo system and Giant Bomb is now in the same building as GameSpot. The world has gone insane.