Neo-Geo Pocket Color
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The Neo-Geo Pocket Color (or NGPC) was released in 1998 in Japan. It was a 16-bit color hand held game console designed by SNK, the makers of the Neo Geo home console and arcade machine. It came after SNK's original Neo Geo Pocket monochrome handheld, which debuted in 1998 in Japan (and was released in the United States in 1999). The U.S. version of the Neo Geo Pocket Color had an exclusive launch on the website eToys in 1999. eToys also sold the initial launch titles in the preferred plastic snap lock cases.
In 2000 following SNK's purchase by Japanese Pachinko manufacturer Aruze, the Neo Geo Pocket Color was dropped from both the United States and European markets, purportedly due to commercial failure. Remaining stock was bought back by SNK for repackaging in Asia. Before SNK was bought out, the Neo Geo Pocket Color was being advertised on US television and units were being sold nationally in Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Toys "R" Us, and other large retail chains. In June 2000 SNK of America (and Europe) tried recalling most of the backstock of systems and games to be flashed and re-sold in Asia where the system would continue to be sold and supported. Some of the backstock of US NGPC hardware and software started showing up back on the marketplace in the US and Asia in 2003. These units frequently appear bundled with six games, and are readily available online, and are sometimes available in video game stores.
The system seemed well on its way to being a success in the US. Indeed, it enjoyed a greater success than any Game Boy competitor since Sega's Game Gear. However, it was hurt by several factors, such as the Neo Geo heads' (the Barone family) notorious lack of communication with third-party developers, and anticipation of the Game Boy Advance. The decision to ship American games in cardboard boxes in a cost cutting move rather than the much loved hard plastic cases that Japanese and European releases were shipped in may have also hurt the American sales.
The system has a language setting on the handheld device, and games display text in the language selected (provided the cartridge supports that language). Other settings can be set on the handheld such as time and date, and the system can provide customized horoscopes when one's birthdate is entered.
Cables for linking multiple systems were available, as well as a cable to connect the NGPC and the Sega Dreamcast for Gundam and King of Fighters themed games. There was a wireless connector released in Japan that allowed several players in proximity to play together, with some cartridge mouldings reshaped to hold it. An MP3 audio player add-on was developed but was not released due to SNK's closure.
Technical specifications
| Handheld game consoles
|
| Early units |
|---|
| see Microvision and Handheld electronic games
|
| Nintendo handhelds |
| Game & Watch > Game Boy line | Game Boy | Game Boy Color | Game Boy Advance | Nintendo DS | |
| Bandai handhelds |
| WonderSwan > WonderSwan Color | Swan Crystal
|
| GamePark/Holdings handhelds |
| GP32 > GP2X | XGP | XGP Mini | XGP Kids
|
| SNK handhelds |
| Neo Geo Pocket > Neo-Geo Pocket Color
|
| Sega handhelds |
| Game Gear | Nomad | Mega Jet
|
| Sony handhelds |
| PocketStation > PlayStation Portable
|
| Other handhelds |
| Atari Lynx | Watara Supervision | Game.com | Gizmondo | N-Gage | TurboExpress | Pepper Pad | GameKing | iRiver G10 |
| Comparison |
- CPUs: Toshiba TLCS900H core (16-bit), 6.144 MHz, Z80 at 3.072 MHz for sound.
- RAM: 12 k for 900H, 4k for Z80
- ROM: 64 kbit boot ROM
- Interfaces: SIO 1 channel 19200 bit/s, 5-pin serial port
- Resolution: 160x152
- Colors: 16 palettes per plane, 48 palettes. 146 colors on screen out of 4096.** NEO GEO POCKET color mode, 20 colors out of 4096.
- Sprites: 64 sprites per frame, 4 colors per sprite*.
- Scrolling: 2 scrolling planes, 8x8 character tiles, 4 colors each*.
- Sound: PSG 6 tone simultaneous output. Stereo sound.
- Cartridges: Maximum 4 MB (32 Mbit) with 4-16 Mbit flash memory.
- Batteries: 40 hours on 2 AA batteries. Lithium CR2032 battery backs up memory and clock.
Today
Lik-Sang offers packages of Neo Geo Pockets with six games; however, none of these items are in their original packaging. The same packages, usually retailing around US$70 apiece, are also carried at Discovery Stores and through various online stores which primarily sell amateur development kits for other portable game systems.See also
External links
- [Neo Geo Pocket] at the Open Directory Project
- [NGPC.info] All about NeoGeo Pocket (reviews, data, tips, videos, studies...).
- [NeoGeo Pocket Hardware (Planet-SNK)] "All about NeoGeo Pocket!"
- [NeoPop] portable open-source Neo Geo Pocket Color emulator.
- [Sector: NGP from Classic Gaming] Neo Geo Pocket Color info and game reviews.
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