Neo Geo CD Is there really any reason to own NGCD now?

Joined Jul 2004
976 Posts | 1+
USA
My question is this, is there really any reason to own a Neo-Geo CD system now? The reason I pose such a question is as follows....

First of all, almost every game on Neo-Geo CD has now been ported to another system, perfectly. There are very few exceptions to this rule at the current time.

You have perfect ports on the Saturn, Playstation 2, Dreamcast, Wii, and of course the Virtual Console on the Wii. Once again, there are very few great games on NGCD that have not been ported perfectly now.

Now, there is the case of most of the Neo-Geo games on Playstation 2 and Wii do not have the arranged CD soundtrack, and instead have the AES soundtrack. This is obviously a negative. However all ports on Saturn and Dreamcast do in fact have the arranged soundtracks and CD only extras, with much less loading time.

Realistically you could own a Saturn and Dreamcast, both capable of playing imports easily, and never really need a Neo-Geo CD system at all... unless you want to play some of the more obscure games, or classic titles...which have mostly been ported to Wii at this point.

So ultimately, what do you feel is the reason for owning a Neo-Geo CD system in this day and age?
 
Dr_Ackula said:
So ultimately, what do you feel is the reason for owning a Neo-Geo CD system in this day and age?

My reasons are purely just for collecting. I don't own one but it would be nice to have one one day, if I can afford it.
 
I would say yes. My reason would be original games on the original system. They have the Neo Geo feel, if you know what I mean. They play better with the original controller, game, and system. I have some of the ports to the "other systems" and they just do not feel right.

I dream of some day owning the Neo Geo AES console. Would love to have it for the same reason.

But this is just my opinion. I know that there are others that would point out the same thing as you have. I enjoy my NGCD, even though I do have a lot of those ports. I will play them on the NGCD, and prefer it over the other systems.
 
Good answer Retro! I felt the same way for a very long time. I used to own the AES, MVS, and NGCD at the same time. Actually I had two MVS, one in a cabinet and another consolized for my TV. However I was forced to sell my entire collection for a variety of reasons that offered a worse fate than not owning games.

I definitely agree that there is nothing like having the game on the original console, and one day I'd like to be able to get another NGCD to replace my last one.

However on the subject of "not feeling right", most consoles now days have an AES style stick available for them. I think that with such a peripheral the "feel" is largely identical, in my experience.
 
I like the NGCD pad too. No other console has anything like that pad. I am so glad they put the directional button on the Neo Geo pocket color.

You do bring up a good point with the controllers. But still,...... I have the SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 for the PS2 and the games are just not the same. Maybe I am brainwashed. Or maybe I have this quirk about me. Maybe it is just a passion for the original Neo Geo stuff. And maybe my love for the NGCD is just a part of the hope and dream of someday owning the AES system. I have a passion for cart based gaming and spend most of my time gaming with the cart format.

And it is nice having all of my Neo Geo gaming on one system instead of spread out across several consoles.

I have the same kind of passion for my Turbo Grafx 16.
 
Yeah, I totally get it, you are talking to someone who used to drop up to $400 on an AES cart monthly. When I sold my Neo-Geo collection I had well over $10,000 in it at that point. I totally understand a passion for a certain console, especially Neo-Geo.

I just try to find alternatives at the present time, because my financial situation is not what it was 5 years ago. I live in a more expensive state, and have 3 other people depending on me, not just myself.

I find that once you get used to it, most Neo-Geo ports are identical to the AES, if not better than the AES (Garou on DC, KOF 95-98 on Saturn, Waku Waku on Saturn, etc) due to CD based arranged soundtracks. Which is the main reason I used to always prefer my Neo-Geo CD over my AES, the arranged soundtracks are heavenly....and were carried over to the Saturn and Dreamcast versions. I only wish the Wii would use the arranged soundtracks as well instead of emulate the AES sound chip :-X
 
Dr_Ackula said:
I just try to find alternatives at the present time, because my financial situation is not what it was 5 years ago. I live in a more expensive state, and have 3 other people depending on me, not just myself.

I find that once you get used to it, most Neo-Geo ports are identical to the AES, if not better than the AES (Garou on DC, KOF 95-98 on Saturn, Waku Waku on Saturn, etc) due to CD based arranged soundtracks. Which is the main reason I used to always prefer my Neo-Geo CD over my AES, the arranged soundtracks are heavenly....and were carried over to the Saturn and Dreamcast versions. I only wish the Wii would use the arranged soundtracks as well instead of emulate the AES sound chip :-X

I completely understand the financial part. I am also in the same situation. Money is tight, very tight right now. I may attempt to find Waku Waku for my Saturn. I remember that being fun. How much is that going for now on the Saturn? I am able to play imports on mine with the a cart I have.
 
retro junkie said:
I may attempt to find Waku Waku for my Saturn. I remember that being fun. How much is that going for now on the Saturn? I am able to play imports on mine with the a cart I have.

Usually around $30 or more, IIRC. If you have a Wii just save the money and wait for the Virtual Console release, it hits Japan any day now and should be coming here as well.

The Saturn version looks pretty crappy, the backgrounds are really pixelated, and it is plagued with slow down, the boss battle with Fernandez is damn near unplayable its so bad. It does have a nice arranged soundtrack and some extra artwork and so forth though, but its not as good as the PS2 port that came out on The Sunsoft Collection disc.
 
Well I just got one and have to say, I am loving it. Never experienced one before, love the gamepad to! :)
 
Dr_Ackula said:
My question is this, is there really any reason to own a Neo-Geo CD system now?

Nothing quite like the real thing. The NGCD offers a way to experience SNK on the original arcade hardware with real SNK gamepads/sticks. I'm sure the XBLA/Wii ports are excellent, but there is still something special about owning the original console.

While not as collectible as the AES system, the NGCD and it's games have still held their value and will likely continue to do so. Plus the NGCD makes the Saturn and Xbox look small. How many consoles can say that?

Don't get me wrong, the Virtual Console is a great way for a new generation of gamers (or older gamers on a budget) to experience the Neo Geo.
 
MaximumRD said:
Well I just got one and have to say, I am loving it. Never experienced one before, love the gamepad to! :)

Welcome! The NGCD gamepad is excellent, and I prefer it over the stick for many genres (especially shmups).
 
kgenthe said:
Nothing quite like the real thing. The NGCD offers a way to experience SNK on the original arcade hardware with real SNK gamepads/sticks.

For some reason I had forgot about that. It IS the original arcade hardware. Maybe that is a part of that "feel" that I get playing the games on the original system. It is a part of that "playing on the original system" that is hard to put into words. I'm still not entirely convinced that there has been a system that the original games have been fully reproduced in a port the way they are on the original hardware. I know that they don't seem the same on the PS2. I also have them on my PSP. Maybe it is just me, but they seem better on the PSP than the PS2.