Customer Reviews

Neo-Geo Pocket Color

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4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're only buying a portable because of pokemon, go ahead and buy a Gameboy. However, if you're looking for a technically advanced system with GOOD games, buy a NGPC now. Sure, the game selection is slim right now, but wait a couple months. SNK vs. Capcom should be coming out very soon not to mention the new Sonic the Hedgehog game along with many others. Superior graphics, excellent controls, and great games make the NGPC, in my opinion, the best handheld gaming system ever.

I useally don't write reviews unless I really like what I got. Anyway,I just recently bought my NeoGeo Pocket and I was amazed. I used to own a gameboy color and a gameboy advance, but this is better than the two. This 16 bit console compared to a 32 bit gameboy advance. To me, The graphics on the NeoGeo is better. And most of the games on the GBA are from the snes. It's basically a handheld snes(super nintendo). So what I'm trying to say is, the graphics are 16 bit 'cause the snes is. The GBA does have more games than the neogeo. There is 50 on the GBA, over 1000 in the gameboy library, but the graphics are [bad] on the gameboy. The screen is a bit smaller(2.6 compared to 2.85) but It's no big deal. It's also more economical. ... The games look and play the same as the GBA. The NeoGeo also has a joystick(joy) compared to the gameboy advance which still keeps the D-Pad. The games are a bit hard to find, but worth it. This is truly a great system.

I just got my NeoGeo pocket and I was amazed! I used to own a gameboy and a gameboy advance and this is better than both of them. First of all, it has a joystick(joy) but nintendo still keeps the D-Pad. Yes, the screen will be a bit smaller than the GBA(2.6 compared to 2.85), but i didn't see a difference. It's a 16 bit powerhouse(compared to the GBA, which is 32 bit)but the games look and play the same as the GBA. Also, the Game boy has over a thousand games in it's library, but the graphics are crappy. And most of the "New" GBA games are mostly the same games from the snes. The GBA is basically a portable snes. Anyway, most of the games on the NeoGeo are likeable, like sonic pocket adventure, metal slug 1st and 2nd mission, match of the millenium SNK vs. Capcom, Biomotor Unitron(a pokemon clone) and many others. The games are a little hard to find, but are worth it. This is truly a great handheld that everyone should have a chance to play.

Since I'm reviewing the system as a whole, I'll try not to go into detail about individual games too much, but rather give you reasons to buy this system and which games you should look into.

I got my NGPC a little late in the game (about 3 years ago), but I have to say that since then, I've played it more than most other handhelds...even to this day (with only my DS rivaling it at the moment). I now have about 20 games total, including a few rare ones and not a single one of them is bad (which is a lot more than I can say for some of my GBA and PSP games).

Now I know a lot of people wouldn't bother picking one up for a few of the more common reasons:

1. Dated graphics
2. No lit screen
3. No recargable battery
4. Small game library

Well, let me address those individually. To start with, 1) the graphics on this little machine are pretty amazing. You do have to consider the time it came out, but even now, I'm still impressed with how this thing looks and plays. You have to understand that the NGPC was going up against the Game Boy Color, and the NGPC looks a LOT better than the GBC ever did in all respects. Screenshots can be easily found online, so I suggest looking some up if you don't believe me.

2) As for not having a lit screen, this is a big draw back. However, if you do some googling, you can find companies that will install front lights for a minimal charge. Basically, they take the light from a GBA SP and install it on a NGPC. It makes things MUCH nicer, let me tell you!

3)Unfortunately, at least to my knowledge, there is no rechargable battery mod for the NGPC. However, this really isn't an issue since the battery life is AMAZING. I've read reports of up to 40 hours gameplay off 2 AAs! I generally use a battery pack (which can be had online very cheap), so I can't say for certain how long 2 AAs last, but I can say that I've only had to change mine once since I got mine over 3 years ago.

And finally 4), The small library of games is a little bit of a let down, but the difference between the GB which has TONS of games and the NGPC which has few is that nearly all NGPC games are GOOD GAMES. The GB has tons of bad games which should have never seen the light of day, as do the GBA, DS, PSP, etc. Sure, the NGPC has it's share of poor titles, all systems do, but the percentage of good games vastly outweighs the bad. Let me give you a few examples from my library...

<u>If you were ever into fighting games, then you will ADORE THIS SYSTEM</u>! If you've been a fighting fan, you should know that up until recently, handheld fighters have been pretty poor compared to their original versions (Mortal Kombat on Game Gear or Street Fighter II on Game Boy, anyone?). Well, SNK has done an amazing job porting over these classic titles in such detail that you will wish they made console versions in the same style! Trust me! If you don't believe me, do some searching online for these titles:

SNK vs CAPCOM: Match of the Millenium
King of Fighters R-2 (There's also an R-1 which was on the black and white Neo Geo Pocket and is fully playable on the Color system)
Samurai Showdown!2 (Again, there's a B/W verison of NGP)
The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny
Fatal Fury: First Contact
Gals' Fighters
Rockman Battle & Fighters (Japanese only port of the Mega Man arcade fighting games)

I highly recommend all of the above, although Rockman is kind of rare now days. The games play SO much like their original versions (if there was one), you won't belive it. Unlike older handheld fighters, move lists are complete, the number of playable characters is amazing, amount of unlockables/replay value in some is just crazy, and the addition of a little joystick rather than a usual D-pad makes these fighters feel right at home.

The NGPC has it's share of good sidescrollers (Metal Slug), RPGs (Faselei!), Puzzle (Bust-a-Move), and other types of games, too. It even has a really awesome Sonic the Hedgehog game which plays just like the ones on Genesis (not like the more recent titles on GBA).

Not to mention one of the most popular NGPC games ever: SNK vs CAPCOM: Card Fighter's Clash. Look up reviews on that one and it's reason enough to get this system. If you like Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh, then you'll love Card Fighter's Clash. Even if you don't like that kind of stuff, you'll like CFC...seriously.

The bottom line is that the Neo Geo Pocket Color can be had so cheap these days (as little as $10-$20 for just the system sometimes), there's no reason not to at least give it a chance. Games can be had for as little as $2-$3, even for many of the titles I mentioned above, and are brand new. For example, for about $100, you can get a system, 6-9 games, an ac adapter, a battery pack, and an worm light. That's pretty common.

One last thing to note is that, as with most handhelds, the games are region free, meaning it doesn't matter if you get a japanese version of a game, it'll still play on a US system. SNK did one better, though, and many of the games support all the languages, too! You set what language you want on your system (it has a "bios" similar to the DS) and the games will play in that language regardless of where they came from.

THIS ISN'T TRUE FOR ALL GAMES, though, so be sure to research the specific title first, if you can't find a US or UK version. I have several JP and UK games in addition to my US ones and the only one I had that wouldn't support English was the JP version of Gal's Fighters. So if you want that one, find a US or UK version. The JP one is still playable, but the story is so hilarious, you'll want to be able to read it!

In short, if you like handhelds, games in general, or are just bored and looking for something to do, then the NGPC is a good solution for you. The system is small enough to fit in your pocket, and fun enough to give you HOURS of enjoyment for the little amount you'll pay for it.

I ordered the Neogeo Pocket Color just for the novelty of it. I hadn't even held one before, let alone played one. So I ordered two, one for my friend and one for me, not expecting anything great at all.

Simply said: SNK has created an amazing handheld experience. You may think "but it's an out-dated handheld, there's no way that I would enjoy it." And I would have agreed with you a couple days ago. SNK produced games so well for this little handheld that I have not experienced anything like it through out my years of playing videogames. These games don't feel like they should be on a handheld at all, they're as deep as any other console game and they look great! Not only are the games great, the NGPC is small and lighter then I expected. It runs off two AA batteries for 40 HOURS! I thought to myself "40 hours? That can't be right, thats impossible," but it's true! Built in clock, calander, horoscope, world time, and alarm are a GREAT addition as well.

I am a Gameboy Advance freak, with 33 GBA games in my library. I wrote this review on Dec. 12, 2003. I know next-gen gaming. One last note from a serious gamer:

I am truely dissapointed and confused why the Neogeo Pocket Color has not swept the handheld industry. The quality of this little console amazes me, even today, when gaming technology is more advanced. If only other companies would take a lesson from SNK, and start producing as GOOD a handheld experience as the NGPC.

I would recomend this gem for ANYONE. Games are few to choose from, but most you see here on Amazon are excelent.

Enjoy

I have my own neogeo pocket color and it's so fun to play. (i am 13 yrs old) the titles they have r really cool, i reccomend puyo pop. as many other people would say, the downside is the amount of games available and the popularity of the system in general. (you don't really have a need to get the neogeo pocket cable cuz no one else has a neogeo) if you want to be able to have the same system as everyone else, get a gameboy color, but if you want to try something different that's just as good if not better, than get neogeo pocket color.

Game Boy may call their latest thing Game Boy Color, but the Color is nothing compared to that of the Neo Geo. The Neo Geo was a better display, and in addition it replaces the annoying arrow keys on the Game Boy with a joy stick. The Neo geo has a much better design, with the screen in between your hands. The game cartridges are smaller and more convenient.

The one bad thing about Neo Geo is the lack of games and the lack of availibility. There aren't many games for Neo Geo and they are difficult to get a hold on.

I had basically almost all the classic portable systems that were once popular, like game gear, nomad, and gameboy. I decided to finally get a neo geo, I was amazed by the graphics and gameplay on this little device. The neo geo is way better than the gameboy color and advance, I dont know why neo geo is compared to the two. This system came out in 1999, and it was their until 2000, snk company closed their door on US and the neo geo was officially dead. But I recommend this system for anyone who wants to get a portable old system to play to kill time and for fun. theres like over 85 games that were made for this, the games I played so far are out of this world. neo geo is the best portable system I ever had. also forgot to mention the graphics and colors are awesome on this system, I almost cried because of that.

I love my NeoGeo. My brother got a Game Boy color for Cristmas, and I didn't think it was that great. The colors are really muddy and the graphics are still really blocky. I bought a NeoGeo instead and my graphics and colors are both much better than his Game Boy. I also find my NeoGeo to be more comfotable to hold than Game Boy. Another thing is that Game Boy requires a memory card (another $25) if you plan on saving any games, and NeoGeo lets you save them directly to the cartridge. NeoGeo also has a much longer battery lfe than Game Boy, I think about 3 or four times longer. The only drawback I have found so far is that it was hard for me to find games (only one place in town had them). This is probably just because its such a new system, but you might want to check around and make sure you can find games for it, or order some online before you buy.

Where the GBC fails, the NGPC takes off. Sure, the choice of games isn't as diverse as the GB, but that grandaddy has been around for near as I remember, 10 years! The neo-geo pocket color has better games, and better graphics than any other GB game i have seen.