SNK and Plaion reveal Neo Geo AES+ with HDMI, 1080p, and original cart support
The 1990s Neo Geo AES is coming back as the new NEOGEO AES+ , a modern reissue that keeps the original cartridge format but adds low-latency HDMI, 1080p output, original AV out for CRTs, on-system DIP switches, and support for both new and original games. Plaion says the hardware does not rely on emulation or FPGA, but on re-engineered ASIC chips designed to reproduce the original system’s behavior.
For someone who never used the original console, the Neo Geo AES was SNK’s home console version of its arcade hardware. AES stands for Advanced Entertainment System. The idea was to bring SNK’s arcade games into the home with much closer-to-arcade hardware than most consoles offered at the time.
The platform launched in Japan in 1990 , and the home retail push expanded in 1991. What made it unusual was that Neo Geo games at home looked and played much more like the arcade originals, while many rival consoles got cut-down ports instead. That is why the system built such a strong reputation among fighting game and arcade fans.
Source: Plaion Replai
So in simple terms, the original Neo Geo AES was the “home arcade” console of the early 1990s. It was expensive, niche, and aimed at people who wanted the arcade experience in their living room without the usual compromises. The new AES+ is being sold on that same idea, just with HDMI, modern power use, and support for both new and original cartridges.
The downside was the price. Contemporary coverage cited in VGC says the original US console cost $649 and games sold for around $200 each, which made Neo Geo more of a premium enthusiast machine than a mainstream console. That high cost is also why original AES carts became collectible later on.
Source: Plaion Replai
Official pricing for the new NEOGEO AES+ is $249.99 in the US and €199.99 in Europe for the standard model. Individual game cartridges are listed at $89.99 in the US and €79.99 in Europe. Plaion’s EU store also lists the 35th Anniversary Edition at €299.99 and the Ultimate Edition at €899.99. For the US, GamesRadar and RetroRGB report $349.99 for the Anniversary Edition and $999.99 for the Ultimate Edition.
Source: Plaion Replai
