So this is what 55 Megs looks like - A Neo-Geo post

Earlier this year I decided to get serious about my retro gaming and I did what I used to think was impossible...or at least out of my reach. I got a Neo-Geo Advanced Entertainment Console (AES for short). Yes, if you know anything about the Neo-Geo you know it ain't cheap. Thankfully however I was able to flip a handheld Turbo Express I acquired earlier this year and combined with the deal for the AES, I had very little out of pocket expense.

This makes the 16th home console in my collection. Trying to cram another system into my already crowded set up was challenging, but ultimately I was able to make a home for this monster of a console. Bundled with my system was a loose cart of a Fatal Fury fighting game. Fatal Fury Special I believe. While I'm not against fighters, I prefer other game genres...such as shooters, or shmups. Hence the topic of this post.

AES games aren't cheap. Well at least not now. Apparently I missed the boat on cheap AES games by a few years. Outside of a few common Neo-Geo titles, most of the AES games command $100 and up. Some even bring in 4 digits! While doing my research before pulling the trigger on the deal, I had compiled a list of games that I deemed worthy of purchasing an AES. I try not to buy a system these days for 1 or two games, though I've done that before (NEC PC-FX).

One of the games that hit my want list early on was a Capcom 194X style vertical shooter called Ghost Pilots. It was released on CD as well, but I've owned a Neo-Geo CD system before and I can't be bothered by the horrendously slow load times. I knew I wanted Ghost Pilots to be one of the first, if not the first AES game purchases for me. I looked all over the interwebs trying to find the best deal, ultimately landing at Classic Game Source, Inc.

This is actually my 2nd boxed, complete AES game purchase. I shouldn't have been surprised to feel the heft of box when pulling it from a sea of packing peanuts, but I was. I'm still amazed at the sheer size of these AES cartridges. Maybe it's just because I'm new to the Neo-Geo collecting scene, but man what a rush it is to receive a new game.

I've got a lot going on at work right now so I haven't actually found the time to play the game yet...but I'm aiming for this weekend. I know I'll never amass a huge Neo-Geo collection due to the cost of the games (and in some respects due to the size of the carts - I like to display my games in an orderly fashion), but while there may have been a small amount of buyer's remorse initially, I can tell you that feeling has been replaced with sheer excitement.

Even though my interest in retro gaming has increased ten fold over the last year or two, it doesn't mean I'm giving up on Transformers and the like. Actually I've been enjoying the Combiner Wars toys from Hasbro and there are a few 3rd party items that are on my radar as well. Trying to manage all my hobbies as-is was difficult, so imagine adding something like the Neo-Geo to that and you can guess I've got a lot of stuff fighting for my dollar these days.

Early on in my searches I found that certain games can be had for $40 or less if you're OK with a loose cart. This point has driven me crazy as I'm one of those collectors that like to have everything complete. I'm OK with loose NES games since the box was cardboard, but things like Sega Genesis...and now Neo-Geo AES games must at least have the case. I mean, they are just so beautiful and look so good displayed upon a shelf.

At least with Genesis games having the box only adds a few dollars generally to the overall price. With these AES games, it can sometimes double the going rate of a loose cart. Ah, #adultproblems

I still can't get over how huge these carts are!