Here's an unboxing and mini-review made by a guy from the Neo-Geo.com forums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bel3qs80W0E
My impressions:
- The portable is top notch. Construction is solid; the unit doesn't feel like it will fall apart any time soon.
- The joystick and buttons on the portable have the same highly responsive and clicky nature that the Neo Geo Pocket's did. The exception seem to be the L1/L2 and R1/R2 buttons at the top of the unit, but they're not used in gameplay right now. If they do release new games that use those buttons, I don't think they'll be a problem -- they're just not as nice as the face buttons.
- The screen is very good for the size and cost of this portable. The 3DS and Vita screens are better, but those systems cost more (considering the portable itself will sell for $130 soon).
- Screen tearing is obvious, especially in side scrolling sections in games like Magician Lord or Metal Slug. It's not too bad, but it's there, and it's distracting.
EDIT: It's not so obvious on the handheld. You can still see it, but it's much more evident on a TV.
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EDIT: DoubleTap clarified information on the audio in his post below. The jingle on the animated intros varies per game.
I'm not sure about the audio. Most of the time it seems correct, but sometimes -- especially during the classic Neo-Geo animated intros, the sound is just a bit off from what I remember. I don't own a MVS or AES, and I don't have a PC emulation set up handy, so I may be imagining things. Watch the guys at
this thread (from page 83 onward), they will know about the audio issues for sure once they start getting systems.
- HDMI output is crap. It's upscaled to 720x480 @ 60 Hz progressive (480p) from whatever resolution the screen is set to. You can't change the screen size to 4:3 when it's in HDMI mode. Pixels are blurred. It's a mess. Other reviews say the composite output is also crap, so this may have problems on a CRT. Don't buy this strictly for playing on your home TV unless you're OK with the limitations. It's best to regard it as a bonus feature and move on.
- The USB AES-style joysticks are excellent. They're a bit lighter than I would have liked, but they're very responsive. They're using quality arcade buttons and switches in these sticks. The plastic housing feels a bit cheap, but they're sturdy. It does have rubber feet, so it's not moving once you put it down. I might not have any issue with the stick if it was a bit heavier. The initial impressions from Neo enthusiasts are that the stick is very close to AES quality, with the exception of the weight.
This system is better than the standard emulation portable. I say buy it, even with the HDMI output issues.