The Neo Geo AES is back, but the retro console remake is effectively the real deal reborn with HDMI

Many of the best retro consoles today are remakes, but the Neo Geo AES+ is about to bring back SNK's luxury at-home arcade system using real hardware. Rather than using emulation or replicating the '90s machine's innards using FPGA tech, it's apparently powered by "re-engineered" ASIC chips that have HDMI abilities while retaining original AV output and cartridge support.

Set to release November 12 for $249.99 / £179.99, the Neo Geo AES+ is ridiculously cheap compared to the $650 original. Yet, it's not a mini plug-and-play or even a more elaborate FPGA-based recreation like the Analogue 3D or the Commodore 64 Ultimate, as console maker PLAION (the folks behind the Atari 2600+ and Intellivision Sprint) is effectively putting the original system back into production.

According to PLAION, the Neo Geo AES "natively plays game software from both new and old game cartridges for the most authentic retro gaming experience." As I've already spoiled, it basically features the same ASIC chips as the console released in 1991, which theoretically means it's the same console released in 1991, infused with modern perks.

I would have said the big draw with the Neo Geo AES+ is its 1080p HDMI output since it'll save you figuring out how to connect the retro console to a modern TV. However, if I'm being honest, many players would have bought one just for its standard AV output. Since I'm a sucker for using old CRT TVs, I reached out to PLAION to check whether the new system still supports both RGB and composite, and it turns out it'll do both while also offering stereo sound, unlike the OG. Basically, you're getting the Ferrari of vintage arcade systems that goes for $700 on eBay, new and improved, for under $250.

Better still, the Neo Geo AES+ is accompanied by a remake of the original arcade stick, the microswitched gamepad included with the Neo Geo CD, memory cards, and a whole lineup of re-released cartridges. That means even if you're lucky enough to have the original '90s console already, you'll be able to pick up new accessories and games in the big 26, which is frankly bananas.

Launch (or should I say, re-launch) titles include Metal Slug, The King of Fighters 2002, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Big Tournament Golf, Shock Troopers, Samurai Shodown V, Special, Pulstar, Twinkle Star Sprites, Magician Lord, and Over Top. That's a chunk of the best Neo Geo games out there, and you can choose to pick them up individually for $69.99, grab the $349.99 / £269.99 white Anniversary Edition console with Metal Slug included, or go all out and spend a whopping $999.99 / £799.99 on the Ultimate Edition with absolutely everything included.

Image 1 of 3

Let's be real, you'd need to be pretty hardcore to spend a grand on a niche re-release of a retro console from 1991. That said, picking up the 35-year-old system, accessories, and games is going to upset your bank account way more, and if PLAION's promise of a remake that uses authentic hardware rings true, you're better off investing in the new version.

Yes, the idea of a '90s machine getting a remake that's a "true console reincarnation etched back into silicon" that doesn't use emulation or an FPGA chip is a lot to take in. I'm still staring at the press release, both wondering what the catch is and wishing the year away so that I can spend Christmas playing some of SNK's arcade classics on a system that has, until now, been financially out of reach.

Of course, the $249.99 / £179.99 starting price is still a lot of cash to splash, especially if you're not that interested in SNK's back catalogue of arcade hits. To get a taste for what the new AES+ system will offer, I'd think about dipping your toes in the platform's waters with the Neo Geo Mini arcade since it will beam a bunch of fighters and shooters to your TV over HDMI for less, although it has recently gone AWOL at Amazon.

Naturally, I'm trying to curb my excitement until the Neo Geo AES+ makes good on all its promises. I'll be looking to review the remake ASAP, and I'm prepared to get my hands on the real deal to check if its re-engineered chips provide all the same timings, performance, and audio accuracy as the actual hardware.

I've felt pretty bad for hardcore Neo Geo fans over the past few decades, as they've had to deal with some pretty shoddy attempts at emulation systems (looking at you, Neo Geo X Gold). So, it's nice to see the consolized arcade machine make a grand comeback that goes above even the creme de la creme FPGA remakes of platforms out there, and the fact that going back to using parts the same age as me instead of new components says a lot about the state of gaming tech in 2026.

• Retro consoles at Amazon
• Neo Geo consoles at Amazon

Looking to play classics on the go? Swing by the best retro handhelds for emulation portables and more.