Neo Geo mini vs Neo Geo mini International

THIS ARTICLE

by CHE
approx. 5 minute read

If you are a fan of NEO GEO or just arcade games in general, then you most probably are looking to buy the NEO GEO mini. It is a release to commemorate their 40th year anniversary. But before you dish out the $100+ there are a few things you probably should know.

The NEO GEO mini comes in two versions, the one released for Japan and the one released internationally. 14 out of the 40 games are different between the two. Depending on the type of games you want you might want to consider getting one over the other, or maybe even both.

To make things easier I've compiled a list to compare the two.

NEO GEO mini [Japan]	NEO GEO mini [International]
N/A	3 Count Bout
Aggressors of Dark Kombat	N/A
Alpha Mission II	N/A
Art of Fighting	Art of Fighting
Blazing Star	Blazing Star
N/A	Blue’s Journey
Burning Fight	N/A
N/A	Crossed Swords
Cyber-Lip	N/A
Fatal Fury Special	Fatal Fury Special
N/A	Foot Ball Frenzy
Garou: Mark of the Wolves	Garou: Mark of the Wolves
N/A	Ghost Pilots
N/A	King of the Monsters
King of Monsters 2	King of the Monsters 2
Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle	Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle
N/A	Last Resort
N/A	Magician Lord
Metal Slug	Metal Slug
Metal Slug 2	Metal Slug 2
Metal Slug 3	Metal Slug 3
N/A	Metal Slug 4
N/A	Metal Slug 5
N/A	Metal Slug X
N/A	Mutation Nation
Ninja Commando	N/A
Ninja Master’s: Haou Ninpou Chou	Ninja Master’s: Haou Ninpou Chou
Puzzled	Puzzled
Real Bout: Fatal Fury	Real Bout: Fatal Fury
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers	N/A
N/A	Robo Army
Samurai Shodown II	Samurai Shodown II
Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa’s Revenge	Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa’s Revenge
Samurai Shodown V Special	Samurai Shodown V Special
Sengoku 3	Sengoku 3
N/A	Shock Troopers
Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad	Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad
Super Sidekicks	Super Sidekicks
The King of Fighters ’94	N/A
The King of Fighters ’95	The King of Fighters ’95
The King of Fighters ’96	N/A
The King of Fighters ’97	The King of Fighters ’97
The King of Fighters ’98	The King of Fighters ’98
The King of Fighters ’99	N/A
The King of Fighters 2000	The King of Fighters 2000
The King of Fighters 2001	N/A
The King of Fighters 2002	The King of Fighters 2002
The King of Fighters 2003	N/A
The Last Blade	N/A
The Last Blade 2	The Last Blade 2
Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy	N/A
Top Player’s Golf	Top Player’s Golf
Twinkle Star Sprites	N/A
World Heroes Perfect	World Heroes Perfect

As you can see, both are quite different in terms of particular games. For example, if the King Of Fighters series is your main priority, the Japanese version will be the best choice here. The Japanese version offers all the KOF from 1994-2003. If the Metal Slug series is your priority, then the international version would be best. Metal Slug X, one of my personal favorites, is only found in the international version.

The exterior design for both versions are very similar, but the Japanese version sports a more colorful design. It recreates the original NEO GEO cabinets introduced in the 1990s. The international version has a brand new black design that would go great with the black controller. Under the hood they both offer the same display screen, stereo speakers, HDMI port, headphone jack, USB charger, and two controller ports.

Something to consider for both versions is the controllers, which are sold separately. If you want to play all those two player games, then you will need to dish out that extra cash for those controllers. But honestly, the controllers are so awesome. It's a throw back to the NEO GEO CD days, that I can't imagine any NEO GEO fan complaining about it.

Overall both versions are equally great. I think the determining factor between the two will come down to the game lineup. Availability will also make a difference, as the Japanese version may not be easy to acquire here in the states. I hope this article helps you in making your final decision and getting this awesome arcade machine. さよなら

CHE

Is not a professional writer, but just likes writing. The article is strictly his opinion and in no way meant to be taken too seriously.