Neo Geo Pocket
| |
| Manufacturer | SNK |
|---|---|
| Product family | Neo Geo |
| Type | Handheld game console |
| Generation | Fifth |
| Released | Neo Geo Pocket:
|
| Introductory price | |
| Discontinued | |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| CPU | Toshiba TLCS900H core (16-bit) @ 6.144 MHz Zilog Z80 @ 3.072 MHz for sound |
| Memory | 12 KB RAM for 900/H 4 KB RAM for Z80 64 KB ROM |
| Display | 2.7", 160×152 resolution, 146 colors on screen out of a palette of 4,096 |
| Sound | T6W28 (enhanced SN76489), 6-bit DACs |
The Neo Geo Pocket is a series of handheld game consoles developed and manufactured by Japanese video game company SNK between 1998 and 2001. The first model, the monochrome Neo Geo Pocket, was released in Japan in October 1998, marking SNK's entry into the handheld gaming market and competing with Nintendo's long-running Game Boy line. It was quickly superseded by the more mass-produced Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999, a more widely produced model featuring a color display and full backward compatibility with the games for the original model.
The Neo Geo Pocket Color launched in Japan in March 1999, followed by releases in North America in August and parts of Europe in October. It received generally positive reviews for its microswitched joystick and a library of games featuring SNK franchises such as The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, and SNK vs. Capcom. A smaller and lighter revision, the New Neo Geo Pocket Color, was released exclusively in Japan in October 1999, offering improved ergonomics and minor technical refinements.
Despite its positive reception, the Neo Geo Pocket line struggled commercially due to limited third-party support, low retail visibility, and strong competition from the Game Boy Color and WonderSwan. Following SNK’s acquisition by Aruze and the company’s bankruptcy in October 2001, the Neo Geo Pocket series was discontinued, marking the end of SNK's involvement in hardware manufacturing.