The Neo Geo Pocket is a series of handheld game consoles created and made by the Japanese company SNK between 1998 and 2001. The first model, the black-and-white Neo Geo Pocket, was released in Japan in October 1998. This marked SNK's first attempt at making handheld games and its competition with Nintendo's popular Game Boy line. It was soon replaced by the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999, a version made in larger quantities that had a color screen and could play games from the original model.
The Neo Geo Pocket Color was first sold in Japan in March 1999, then in North America in August and parts of Europe in October. It was praised for its joystick with precise buttons and a collection of games from SNK’s popular series, such as The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and SNK vs. Capcom. A smaller and lighter version, the New Neo Geo Pocket Color, was released only in Japan in October 1999. It offered better comfort and small improvements in design.
Although the Neo Geo Pocket was well-received, it had trouble selling because of limited support from other companies, poor availability in stores, and strong competition from the Game Boy Color and WonderSwan. After SNK was bought by Aruze and the company went bankrupt in October 2001, the Neo Geo Pocket series was stopped. This ended SNK’s work in making game hardware.
History
SNK, known for its popular Neo Geo arcade and home console systems, entered the handheld gaming market for the first time in 1998 with the release of the Neo Geo Pocket. At that time, Nintendo’s Game Boy dominated the market, but SNK believed the Pocket would appeal to a slightly different group of players.
The device had a black-and-white screen and was sold mainly in Japan and Hong Kong. It came with eight games at launch, including Baseball Stars, a version of a 1989 game, and King of Fighters R-1.
SNK offered the Neo Geo Pocket in several colors, such as Platinum Blue, Platinum Silver, Carbon Black, and Camouflage Blue. The system won the Good Design Award in 1998 from the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. However, it did not sell very well, so SNK stopped making the monochrome version and instead released a color model.
In January 1999, SNK introduced the Neo Geo Pocket Color, which had a full-color screen. It was released in Japan in March 1999 with seven games, including Puzzle Link and Samurai Shodown! 2. This model aimed to compete with Nintendo’s Game Boy Color and Bandai’s WonderSwan.
The monochrome Neo Geo Pocket was never officially sold in North America or Europe, but customers in those regions could order it through SNK’s website starting in April 1999. However, only two units were sold before the color model launched in the United States in August 1999.
The Neo Geo Pocket Color was first sold in the U.S. through eToys.com in August 1999. It came with six games and cost $69.95 (about $135 in 2025). The U.S. version was available in six colors: Camouflage Blue, Carbon Black, Crystal White, Platinum Blue, Platinum Silver, and Stone Blue. In its first two months, the system sold 25,000 units. By the 1999 holiday season, it was sold in stores like Walmart, Best Buy, and Toys "R" Us. SNK spent $4 million (about $7.7 million in 2025) on TV ads on channels like MTV and Nickelodeon.
By May 2000, the Neo Geo Pocket Color had a small 2% share of the U.S. handheld market, much smaller than Nintendo’s Game Boy and Game Boy Color. However, it was enough for SNK USA to make a profit.
In October 1999, SNK released a redesigned, smaller version of the system called the New Neo Geo Pocket Color, sold only in Japan for ¥6,800 (about ¥7,523 in 2024). This model was 13% smaller and had better sound.
Despite early success, the Neo Geo Pocket Color faced challenges. In the U.S., stores did not support it well, and few outside developers created games for it because of poor communication from SNK’s American team. In Japan, competition from Bandai’s WonderSwan and Nintendo’s Pokémon games made it hard to succeed.
At the same time, SNK had financial problems. In January 2000, the company was bought by Aruze, a pachinko manufacturer. Conflicts with Aruze’s leaders caused SNK’s founder and other employees to leave and form a new company, BrezzaSoft. On June 13, 2000, Aruze shut down SNK’s operations in North America and Europe. The system was still sold in Japan until SNK went bankrupt on October 30, 2001. After leaving bankruptcy, SNK did not make any more handheld consoles.
Features
The Neo Geo Pocket is a handheld video game console shaped horizontally, similar to Sega's Game Gear, unlike Nintendo's vertically designed Game Boy. It has a groove on the back for better grip, and game cartridges are inserted into a slot on the back. Both models have two action buttons, along with "Power" and "Option" buttons. A special feature is the microswitched thumb pad, which allows eight-directional control like a joystick and was considered more accurate than standard d-pads.
The original Neo Geo Pocket had a black-and-white liquid-crystal display that showed eight shades of gray. It lasted about 20 hours on two AA batteries, with a CR2032 battery used to save game data and keep the internal clock running. The Neo Geo Pocket Color had a reflective color screen and lasted about 40 hours on batteries. Both systems had a stereo headphone jack and, like other handhelds of the time, needed enough light from outside sources to see the screen clearly.
In addition to playing games, the Neo Geo Pocket and Pocket Color included simple tools like a clock, calendar, and horoscope generator.
Cables were available to connect multiple Neo Geo Pocket systems. A cable also connected the Neo Geo Pocket Color to the Dreamcast as part of a partnership between SNK and Sega. Games supported by the Neo Geo Pocket Color include King of Fighters R-2 (which links with The King of Fighters: Dream Match 1999 and The King of Fighters' 99: Evolution), SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (which links with Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000), SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash (which links with The King of Fighters' 99: Evolution), SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters 2 Expand Edition (which links with Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000), and Cool Cool Jam (which links with Cool Cool Toon).
At the September 1999 Tokyo Game Show, SNK introduced a wireless adapter for Neo Geo Pocket Color units to allow systems to communicate without cables.
Game library
The original monochrome Neo Geo Pocket had only nine games released. These games can be played on the Neo Geo Pocket Color, which is backward compatible. Six of these nine games were later released in updated color versions for the Pocket Color. Some games on the Pocket Color can also be played in monochrome on the original system.
A total of 73 games were released for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. Most were made by SNK, including games from its popular series like Fatal Fury, Metal Slug, and The King of Fighters.
Other companies also created games for the system. Sega made Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, a game based on Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which has been considered one of the best games for the system. Capcom worked with SNK to make crossover games, such as SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium and the SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters series. Namco released a version of Pac-Man that included a plastic cross ring to limit the joystick to four directions. This version has been considered one of the best home versions of the game.
Neo Geo Pocket cartridges are smaller than Game Boy cartridges. Games were first sold in small, clamshell-style plastic cases with colorful covers, similar to Neo Geo AES game packaging. These cases were seen as unique by some fans. To save money, SNK USA used cardboard packaging for the North American market, a choice that reportedly upset SNK's leaders in Japan. Later, Japanese releases also used cardboard boxes, while European games stayed in clamshell cases until the system was discontinued in that region. Near the end of the system's life in North America, games were often sold in blister packs to clear remaining stock, sometimes including titles not released before, like Faselei!.
Some Neo Geo Pocket Color games were released again through emulation on the Nintendo Switch. This began with Samurai Shodown! 2 as a bonus for pre-ordering the 2019 Samurai Shodown reboot. These games were later collected into Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 (2021) and Vol. 2 (2022), which were also released for Windows.
Reception
SNK sold more than 25,000 Neo Geo Pocket Color units in Japan and over 100,000 in Europe by the end of 1999. By May 2000, the system had a 2% share of the North American handheld market.
Later reviews of the Neo Geo Pocket were mostly positive.
Jeremy Parish of USGamer said the system was an important handheld, calling it a "connection" between the 8-bit portable era and the Game Boy Advance. He noted its strong build quality and its unique "clicky stick," which was a feature that came before similar designs in later consoles. He praised the variety of games available, including titles like SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash, Sonic Pocket Adventure, Magical Drop, and Pac-Man. Parish said the system's lack of success was due to SNK's limited retail presence and its purchase by Aruze in 2000. He concluded, "The Neo Geo Pocket Color's life may have been short, but it was still memorable for those who used it."
Ryan Lambie of Den of Geek said the Neo Geo Pocket was one of Nintendo's strongest competitors. He praised its "excellent" game library, design, and quality. He said it ended too soon, writing, "It was a premature end for a system that, although it could not beat the Game Boy, could have created its own special place in the market."
Damien McFerran of Nintendo Life said the Neo Geo Pocket, along with the WonderSwan, was one of the most "interesting challengers" to Nintendo. He praised its game collection, clamshell packaging, hardware, and battery life. He wrote, "The Neo Geo Pocket Color may not have taken market share from Nintendo, but that doesn’t mean it failed. Many fans say the quality of its games was better than the Game Boy Color’s. The great controls, long battery life, useful features, and clear screen made it a system that was still enjoyable to use even years later."