What is the Japan Neo Scene Like

I don't think these are stupid questions, and I'm not deliberately trying to ask the obvious, because truthfully I don't know. How does the Japanese Neo scene compare to the American Neo scene? Is it bigger, better, and badder than ours?

Just wondering, because truthfully, I'm suprised at the amount of popularity the Neo has here in the US, and to me it's really overwhelming the amount of interest it has. I know we get the games from Japan, but that doesn't mean that Japanese gamers are supporting it more. Maybe they are, I don't know, I want to find out either way.

Do the Japanese collect English releases? Is used Neo software readily available in game shops all over the country? Anything you know to compare between the US and Jap Neo scenes would be cool to share with us. Thanks

Dont hold me to it, but I think we(the US) adopted it more so than the japanese, not to say that japanese didnt, but its a bigger here, and I think the hardcore scene is mostly in western europe. UK and stuff.

It can be a lot cheaper to get into. Friend of mine who just came back from 'dere was scoring all kinds of good deals. Well, enough to realize that if you like Neo Games, it might as well be enough to a make a trip over there actually worthwhile.

Otherwise, I fear the Samuari, and I dont want to inspire their wrath, so I won't be going anytime soon.

And I don't like the japs one bit.

<small>[ August 01, 2003, 08:36 PM: Message edited by: Rade Kuruc ]</small>

Yeah I'm Rade's friend who just got back from Japan. The Neo scene there is not huge but any arcade owner worth his salt has a crap load of MVS machines in their arcade. The mvs games go for so little there that its insane. And the home games are really cheap. There are many stores in Akihabara especially Traders that sell Neo Geo games for well below their market value. Mint condition games for half or even less of what you would pay for them here. One thing I noticed is that the japanese know how to take care of their games.

Even when you get out of akihabara if you can find a small store that carries these games and many don't really know their full worth. Its worth looking around. And yeah the plane ticket maybe pricey but if you buy enough games you can pay off your ticket and if you know people there who will give you work it works out even better . I am definately going to have to go back because lets face it its the best place to look for neo games and you'll find them dirt cheap. And Rade I promise to bring you back some awesome games so you don;t have to travel to the scary land. buttrock

SNK is a Japanese brand.

SNK products, NeoGeo on top, are mostly filled with unique Japanese style and appeal, and are a Japanese pop culture product to the end.

Here in the whole west, i would say NeoGeo may result eveno more 'magical' to us due to some kind of an 'exotic' appeal mark up.

But we're in the shadows, my friend.

What we know about the NeoGeo it's just the top of an icerberg.

Japan used to have monothemed magazines on the Neo, SNK live tour and infinite SNK bonanza.

We may feel we're hardcore, and maybe some of us really are mostly doing the Neo looks even more 'special' from this distant from its homeland, but the pure fact is NeoGeo is a JAPANESE hobby.

Wasnt Turbo DUO the most popular Japan console? I thought that NEO GEO MVS did very well in Japan but the console did not do so well.

blackride:
Wasnt Turbo DUO the most popular Japan console? I thought that NEO GEO MVS did very well in Japan but the console did not do so well.

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PC Engine was pretty pupular in it's day, but the Super Famicom usurped it. After the SF, PSX, and PS2 swiftly took over the east.

I honestly do not know how huge the neo home system ever was, but I think it was small compared to the arcade version's popularity.

<small>[ August 02, 2003, 07:50 AM: Message edited by: Rade Kuruc ]</small>

Rade Kuruc:

And I don't like the japs one bit.

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Rade Kuruc why don't you like the japanese??

Also, although games in Japan are less expensive than here, you will never find metal slug 1 for say 300 dollars. The Japanese store owners are not stupid and know the value of big time carts. This can easily be seen because almost all Japanese game stores keep the really big carts locked up in glass cases. Also, contrary to what was said earlier, I would not recommend making a trip to Japan just for the Neo. If you are a hardcore nintendo or pc engine collector, then it is definitely worth it, but stores that carry the neo are getting less and less. Finally, having just come back from a month long trip in Japan, I found that Osaka's Nipponbashi district had a much better selection of Neo titles than Akihabara. That being said, I did see Samurai Spirits 1 being sold for 200 yen (a little under 2 dollars). Anyway just my 2 cents.

Eldios:

Rade Kuruc:

And I don't like the japs one bit.

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Rade Kuruc why don't you like the japanese??

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<a href="http://www.neo-geo.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=007572" target="_blank">damned japps</a>

I think this link explains it. Otherwise, my toungue was planted firmly in cheek. smirk

blackride:
Wasnt Turbo DUO the most popular Japan console? I thought that NEO GEO MVS did very well in Japan but the console did not do so well.

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Talk to teenagers in Japan and ask them about neo geo and for the most part you will get a confused look spock . Howeever, talk to some people in their mid to late 20's and they'll get this glow in their eye because they are the ones that remember it. I know tons of people in Japan that have the or had the system. It used to be huge in Japan now most of the games are being sold to foreigners.

I've got some friends in Japan and had asked them about the Neo before.
apparently, the Neo MVS' used to be big there long ago(the AES versions never did too well) but there's far more Neo lovers in the USA then in Japan.
as far as price goes, well I had spoken to a friend there recently who told me he picked up some Neo games(didn't specify if they were MVS or AES) for 100yen each. 100yen comes out to about 80cents USD.

My friend called me up today and said 'let's hang out'. Usually we hang out in Shinjuku, but this time I told him to come out to the countryside (Nishitokyo is total and utter suburbia) and we'll hang out there.

We decided to meet at Tanashi, which is the biggest station around where I live. I walked there from my house, and while I waited for him I found an arcade that had four (!) SVC cabs, they were set up in two pairs, head to head. Some guy in a suit was on his lunch break playing, so I sat down and challenged him (the other two cabs were totally free, everyone was clustered around the DDR machines). He was already playing Shiki, and he had already figured out a standing A + standing A into SDM combo, I was Ryo and I got my ass handed to me (Again. This is not the first time I have challenged a stranger and lost).

After that my friend arrived, and we bought some beer at a convenience store then went to a park and drank it. Then we went to Nakano 'cause my friend told me it's the cheapest place to drink in Tokyo. He was right, we found a place that had an all-you-can-drink special: 1000 yen for 1 hour, plus free karaoke. So we drank and sang ourselves stupid (I sang 'Ue Wo Muite' and 'My Way', he sang some 'Crazy Ken Band' songs), then we made our way back to Shinjuku. We walked through the Hostess/ Massage Parlour district, then the Gay Bar district just to see the nightlife in action, then had a final beer at an open cafe near the station, then took our respective trains home (I got to sit beside a Rastafari woman from Addis Ababba).

And that, basically, is the Neo scene in Japan.

Go further in Nishi Tokyo to Koganei. 50 yen arcades and they have tons of MVS cabs. The new stuff and all the old stuff. Awesome stuff.

kobylka68:
Go further in Nishi Tokyo to Koganei. 50 yen arcades and they have tons of MVS cabs. The new stuff and all the old stuff. Awesome stuff.

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Tanashi is far enough into Nishitokyo for me thanks!

Seriously though, Musashi Sakai has an arcade with all games, including SVC, for 50 yen. They've got about 20 or so MVS cabs, including RBFFS, lots of KOF's etc.

I take it you used to live on the Seibu Shinjuku line... how long were you here for?

Thanks for the replies to those who are from Japan or have been there! Your opinions are like gold on this matter. I suspected that the Home Cart system was more popular in the west because of all the activity here at NG.COM, but I wasn't sure. Thanks again!

Seriously though, Musashi Sakai has an arcade with all games, including SVC, for 50 yen. They've got about 20 or so MVS cabs, including RBFFS, lots of KOF's etc.

I take it you used to live on the Seibu Shinjuku line... how long were you here for?

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I used to live on the Chuo Line in Musashi Koganei. Right outside Higashi Koganei station there are two arcades loaded with tons of games and alot of mvs games too and they are always full especially late at night. A great place to play after work. I left Japan 3 weeks ago but I am planning on returning maybe in January.

kobylka68:
I left Japan 3 weeks ago but I am planning on returning maybe in January.

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Good, because you are going to get me some NGPC shit, mofo. And you are going to love it.

And one of those fancy, self-aware Japanese robots that wipe yo ass with a spirt of water and clean your neo collection for you with questioning your puny human mind.

EDit: What are you doing Monday? You should entertain me with some fighting games. We need to play more KOF99,2k1, MOTW etc...get peter this time too.

<small>[ August 02, 2003, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: Rade Kuruc ]</small>

Probably the Neo games over there are cheaper than they are here.

kobylka68:

Seriously though, Musashi Sakai has an arcade with all games, including SVC, for 50 yen. They've got about 20 or so MVS cabs, including RBFFS, lots of KOF's etc.

I take it you used to live on the Seibu Shinjuku line... how long were you here for?

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I used to live on the Chuo Line in Musashi Koganei. Right outside Higashi Koganei station there are two arcades loaded with tons of games and alot of mvs games too and they are always full especially late at night. A great place to play after work. I left Japan 3 weeks ago but I am planning on returning maybe in January.

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Shoot me a PM if you come, we can hang out and hit the arcades then go for a beer or two in Shinjuku's Shonben Yokocho.

If the Neo is less popular there.... and more popular here...... how come they NeoGeo Land and two NeoGeo Bowls?

Nesagwa:
If the Neo is less popular there.... and more popular here...... how come they NeoGeo Land and two NeoGeo Bowls?

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Because the Japanese play these games to death in the arcades. The arcades are huge there its just that after they drop so much money in the arcade machines they won;t spend the big money to buy the home cart. The Neo Geo arcade scene is huge there but the home cart scene is very small.

tsukaesugi, I'll definately send you a pm, it'll be cool to play neo and get drunk. Japan's night life is the best. But in Shinjuku I went to the arcade near the gap and they had a row of KOF 2K2 machines, lucky me I picked the machine with the level 8 cpu. Rugal was tough as hell.

kobylka68 I lived a while in Higashi Koganei (at the apple house guest house - ever heard of that crazy place?) and I used to go to those same arcades by the station. Arcades in Japan have a different vibe. As good as old Namco arcades that closed down a couple of years ago in central London. That was a brilliant place for vs matches on SNK and Capcom games. And there where some skillful people there I can tell you..

DevilRedeemed:
kobylka68 I lived a while in Higashi Koganei (at the apple house guest house - ever heard of that crazy place?) and I used to go to those same arcades by the station. Arcades in Japan have a different vibe. As good as old Namco arcades that closed down a couple of years ago in central London. That was a brilliant place for vs matches on SNK and Capcom games. And there where some skillful people there I can tell you..

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haha yeah that was the same place I stayed at. I stayed at one of their places in higashi koganei the frist time and last time at one of their places in musashi koganei. Crazy place with some wierd ass rules. But sometimes you could go to the arcades after work and just hang out and play. You could meet lots of people, you wouldn't even talk to them that much just meet up and play KOF every night or something until 1am and it was cool. I'd go there after I woke up and it would be full of high school kids and then in the evening with business men and guys in there 20's with the odd, usually cute, girl in there playing one of the beatmania games. It was awesome. It was the atmosphere that made me keep coming back. I own KOF 2K2. But that didn;t stop me from going to the arcade every night and pumping cash into the machines to play it with others.

<small>[ August 03, 2003, 02:34 AM: Message edited by: kobylka68 ]</small>