[Qoo Otaku] NEOGEO mini Unboxing

In celebration of the company’s 40th anniversary, SNK released a special NEOGEO mini which features 40 iconic SNK arcade games including some of the best The King of Fighter titles, Metal Slug, and even King of Monsters!

Of course, as the title reads, this isn’t just a regular news telling you what you already know about the new mini console. With thanks to SNK for sending us a special Sample version of the NEOGEO mini, we were able to take a close look at the upcoming console! Enough with the introduction, this is an unboxing, so let’s get to it!

▍Unboxing

■ The Box

First up, the box. Each box has the iconic NEOGEO logo at the front and on each side, the slogan “The Legacy Lives On” is printed against the original NEOGEO red and blue of the original 4-cart MVS machine. Finally, the back of the box lists all the available titles in the game.

■ The mini

Inside the box lies the console itself, a USB to USB C power cable, an HDMI cable, and decorative stickers for owners to decorate their NEOGEO mini just like the original arcade machine. As a nostalgic throwback of the 90’s arcade, the NEOGEO mini captures all the key elements of the original machine. From the key color scheme to the miniature control layouts, the mini feels just like the original, only much smaller. Even the power switch for the mini is detailed with the NEOGEO logo! Each side of the machine features a port to connect handheld controllers, and at the back there is an earphone jack, DC input, and HDMI port for those who wish to play on a bigger screen.

■ NEOGEO mini pad Controller

Alongside the console, SNK has already released the NEOGEO mini pad, a handheld controller that can be connected to the mini console. Just like the NEOGEO mini, the mini pad also stays true to the original NEOGEO CD controllers. The USB C connector of the controller is also detailed with a subtle NEOGEO logo.

▍Hands-on Review

After unboxing the NEOGEO mini, there’s really only one thing left to do… try it.

As you would expect, the built-in controls on the mini are not exactly the best option to play games. Due to how small the mini is, playing with the built-in controls can be challenging. It also doesn’t help that the 3.5 inch LCD screen is so close to the controls. If you have slightly bigger hands, you’ll definitely block your own view. So let’s move to a bigger screen.

The full widescreen display is nice, but it lacks the retro charm the mini sells. Thankfully in the controls, you can change the display back to the classic 4:3 ratio display and re-live the glorious 90’s arcade gaming experience on a larger screen!

If your screen at home is too big, the mini also comes with an image optimization function which smooths out the overall graphics for larger screens. Above is an example of the graphics not being optimized and below is an example with the graphics optimization on.

Personally, the best way to play the NEOGEO mini is to just simply attach controllers to the console and play with the in-built screen. Sure, it’s not the option with the best graphics, but the flawed graphics and audio truly bring back the nostalgic experience of playing the classic arcade and home console. The SNK NEOGEO mini is exactly what it sells itself to be, a modern day retro throwback of some of the best SNK titles from the 90’s.