Neo Geo AES+ is real, the king returns after 35 years

We could hardly believe it ourselves when we recently reported that a new U.S. age rating from ESRB seemed to expose a format called Neo Geo AES+, but as we all know, no such thing exists. We promised to follow up when we knew more... and that's exactly what we're doing now.

Everything we wrote about back then turned out to be true. The Neo Geo AES+ is indeed on its way to celebrate the console's 35th anniversary, and Plaion is handling the release, and we're not exaggerating when we say this is one of the sexiest retro consoles of all-time. It's a system that looks exactly like the original, but with modern connectivity options like HDMI (in addition to the AV output for CRT monitors, which is also included). The press release states:

"The new hardware comes complete with low-latency HDMI output, finally allowing the games to be enjoyed in crystal-clear HD, with resolutions of up to 1080p. On-screen BIOS and DIP switches located on the bottom of the console allow for instant switching of region and language selection, overclocking the hardware, or choosing different display modes, and the console now offers low power consumption as well as permanently saving gamers' high scores for each game."

The console is fully backward compatible with original Neo Geo cartridges, but a collection of ten classic games (with more releases promised in the future) has also been announced, complete with packaging and manuals that will be sold separate, which is a great selection to get started with this legendary format. There is also no emulation involved; instead, the console is powered by newly designed ASIC chips based on the original hardware.

Here is the full list of games in the first wave:

Plaion's commercial director Ben Jones had the following to say about this new hardware:

"Neo Geo remains peerless in the eyes of arcade enthusiasts who were never inclined to accept anything less than the authentic arcade experience. For 35 years, SNK's hardware has continued to astonish gamers with the system's game collection which includes a wealth of great titles, somehow only improving with age, and remaining timeless classics to this day. We are beyond excited to reintroduce this legendary system to modern gamers, in a way that refuses to compromise on the integrity of the original hardware and collecting experience, now priced at a level which every gamer can finally afford. We look forward to unveiling more news throughout the year and cannot wait for gamers to get reacquainted with the 100Mega Shock that only Neo Geo can provide."

In short, a collector's dream (and something we honestly hope will inspire both Nintendo and Sega to do something similar), and it will include both classic arcade joysticks and controllers with original designs. Check out the presentation in the video below.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, we can also announce that a white anniversary edition is being released for the true enthusiasts. It comes with a white arcade joystick and a white copy of Metal Slug, all in a limited edition of exactly the kind that will likely let you finance a car purchase if you sell it a few years down the line.

The Neo Geo AES+ launches on November 12 for £179.99/€199.99 and there will also be an Ultimate Edition available that includes everything listed above plus a few extra goodies for £799/€899. Here's everything you get for your money: