Neo Geo Pocket

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 It was quickly superseded by the more mass-produced Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999, a more widely produced model featuring a color display and full backward compatibility with the games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.

SNK, known for its successful Neo Geo arcade and home console systems, entered the handheld gaming market for the first time with the release of the Neo Geo Pocket in 1998. The market had been dominated by Nintendo and its Game Boy, but SNK believed that the Pocket would target a "slightly different" audience.

The device featured a monochrome display and was primarily released in Japan and Hong Kong. It was sold along eight titles at launch, including Baseball Stars, a port of the 1989 game, and King of Fighters R-1.

SNK released the Neo Geo Pocket in various color variations, such as Platinum Blue, Platinum Silver, Platinum White, Carbon Black, Maple Blue, Camouflage Blue, Camouflage Brown, and Crystal White. The Neo Geo Pocket received the Good Design Award in 1998 from the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. The system experienced limited commercial success, leading SNK to discontinue it in favor of a color model.

In response to the market's shift towards color displays, SNK announced the Neo Geo Pocket Color in January 1999. This upgraded handheld featured a non-backlit, full-color screen and was released in Japan in March 1999 with seven launch titles, including Puzzle Link and Samurai Shodown! 2. The Neo Geo Pocket Color was designed to compete with Nintendo's Game Boy Color and Bandai's WonderSwan.

SNK never officially released the monochrome Neo Geo Pocket in North America or Europe, though customers in these regions could mail-order the system and its games through SNK's website beginning in April 1999. However, just two units were sold before the launch of the Neo Geo Pocket Color in the United States in August 1999.