Neo Geo Gold gets a release date and price

Theannouncementof the Neo Geo Gold came as quite a surprise to most of the gaming industry, as most of us had assumed that the Neo Geo brand was a long-since buried brand, albeit a fondly remembered one. Now, the console that gained cult fame as a haven for hardcore shmups and fighters is all set for a return.

However, some fans might not be all that pleased to learn that the console is currently set for a $200 introductory price. It's scheduled to launch this holiday season on December 6, 2012. While we're pleased that it'll be hitting this year, the price leaves something to be desired. The original Neo Geo was partially famous for its extravagant price tag. It debuted at $649.99 way back in 1990. Which would be about $1,065 today.

So the good news is that if you've been holding out, waiting for the Neo Geo's price tag to drop: now's your chance! Buying the Neo Geo Gold will save you $865 off the original price (plus a big discount in games.) The $200 price tag gets you the handheld console, a replica joystiq, and a nice list of games:

3 Count Bout
League Bowling
Art of Fighting II
Magician Lord
Alpha Mission II
Metal Slug
Baseball Stars II
Mutation Nation
Cyber Lip
Nam 1975
Fatal Fury
Puzzled
Fatal Fury Special
Real Bout – Fatal Fury Special
The King of Fighters ’95
Samurai Shodown II
King of the Monsters
Super Sidekicks
Last Resort
World Heroes Perfect

We're just wondering if this is a good enough deal for $200. At that price, 99% of gamers would likely rather pick up a new console or a new handheld with access to cutting edge games. At $200, it's hard to see more than just hardcore retro gamers picking up the device. Especially with some compilation Neo Geo games still lurking on the PS2.

The hardest thing to stomach is the need for unique hardware to run this. Similar games like Metal Slug and King of Fighters have already appeared on iOS. And some machines like the Commodore 64 have had full-fledged iOS emulators.