Nintendo may be grabbing all the headlines today, but there’s another system by a beloved Japanese developer coming out soon: SNK is still planning to release the Neo Geo X, a new handheld version of their classic arcade system, in a few months. Gamers previously balked at the $200 price tag for the original Neo Geo X bundle, but today the distributor behind the Neo Geo X announced a cheaper alternative for retro gamers on a budget.
The Neo Geo X was originally announced in a $200 bundle that included the core portable system, a docking console that let’s you hook up the Neo Geo X to a TV, and an optional arcade stick. I thought it wasn’t that much (especially when you consider how much Neo Geo hardware goes for on the secondary market,) but apparently a lot of people didn’t want to drop two hundred dollars on twenty year old hardware. Players who simply want a cheap handheld will be able to buy the Neo Geo X sans the arcade stick and dock for a slightly more reasonable $130.
SNK also announced that in addition to the 20 games built into the system, the Neo Geo X will also have a card slot that will allow users to buy and load new games onto the system. People who preorder the system in Japan get an exclusive card containing a Ninja Master ROM. According to Ars Technica, the handheld runs a version of Linux and the screen sports the same resolution as a PSP.
Source: Ars Technica