In May of 1998, seemingly out of nowhere, SNK made an important announcement. It didn't change the world, it didn't make a big splash, and it even went overlooked by many at first. At the same time, Sega was busy revealing their new Dreamcast console to the press and public, which naturally overshadowed SNK's announcement of a new 16-bit handheld game system to compete with the Gameboy. SNK's new Neo Geo Pocket had the potential to link up with the Dreamcast which kept it from being pushed totally aside so easily though. At first, SNK had some ambitious plans for the new handheld, which they listed in their first press release

The Neo Geo Pocket officially launched on October 28th 1999, and it came in eight different color shells. Along with it were a varied group of launch titles to choose from. On day one, the system came in: Crystal White, Carbon Black, Camouflage Blue, Camouflage Brown, Platinum Silver, Platinum Blue, Platinum White, and Maple Blue. Unfortunately, not all planned launch games were ready right away. Baseball Stars, a longtime favorite among gamers, and a big title for the NGP, wasn't ready to go until much later on. All that aside, The Neo Geo Pocket made a good impression with the brave people who decided to take a chance on a system based on only faith in SNK. Despite all good things about the system, it had the misfortune of launching about a week or so after the Gameboy Color. Even though the NGP was more powerful, it now had to deal with the fact that the Gameboy finally had color.

The period after the launch was pretty quiet. SNK was slow to follow up with new games after the NGP debuted. Despite that, many informed people seemed to like the system and its early games. Eventually, SNK finally brought out new games. In December of 1998, two big games finally reached stores: Samurai Spirits and Baseball Stars. To go along with Samurai Spirits, SNK also released a special edition NGP box set that included a limited translucent NGP, Samurai Spirits, and a strap for the system.

As good as the NGP was, SNK needed to do more to attract developers. They decided that releasing a color version of the Neo Geo Pocket was their best bet. This did not come as much of a surprise to most, considering SNK already had a prototype Neo Geo Pocket Color on display at the Fall Tokyo Game Show 98.

SNK set the date for NGPC's launch to correspond with the start of the spring Tokyo Game Show 99. The color NGP launched officially on March 18, 1999, shortly after the launch of Bandai's Wonderswan. NGPC shell colors included: Camo Blue, Carbon Black, Crystal White, Stone Blue, Platinum Blue, and Platinum Silver. Despite launching late in the week, King of Fighters R-2 performed well on the sales charts. Unfortunately, due to poor planning, King of Fighters R-2 was one of the only worthwhile new titles available at launch, and for some time afterwards. KOF R-2 was, however the first game linkable with the Dreamcast, and it featured the new making mode that provided great replay value for a fighting game.

The Spring TGS 99 also marked the announcement of the long rumored collaboration between SNK and Capcom. The long time arcade rivals finally came together and SNK announced this alliance at the show. Not only would there be an arcade fighting game involving both companies, but SNK decided they would make both a card battle game and a fighting game for the Neo Geo Pocket. This was a monumental announcement, and it finally ended the rumors that the two groups were teaming up. NGP helped to bring longtime rivals together.

In May, SNKUSA decided to bring the NGPC to the US through direct web sales. Sadly, SNKUSA could not keep their promises, and the sale date slipped through the month. Despite that disappointment, the NGP had a good showing at the Electronics Entertainment Expo. The unit, while still a niche item, made a good impression on showegoers and the press. People really liked the unit, and the games at the show impressed many who tried them. Gamefan especially liked the unit and the games, and have given the unit generous coverage since. Dango, one of the editors rated Samurai Spirits2 and Metal Slug among the top games of show; an amazing feat for portable games, when compared to console games. The NGP also received second place for best hardware of the show, behind the Dreamcast, of course. All in all, SNK had a good showing, and the NGP made its mark.

In early June, shortly after E3, SNKUSA finally made good on their promises and the NGPC was finally available officially in the United States. Not only that, Fatal Fury: First Contact, and Metal Slug: First Mission, two highly anticipated games, were both available from the start, with Samurai Showdown 2 following closely behind. Despite all the delays, it worked out as SNK had a better, more diverse lineup of titles for people to choose from.

August saw the release of the NGPC to retail, but sadly, it also marked the end of the plastic clamshell boxes NGP gamers loved. Despite that, the cardboard boxes still featured a nice design. In my opinion, it was a small price to pay for the NGP making it to retail. Regardless, NGP finally making it to retail is kind of a milestone, as I was not sure if it would ever happen.

The NGP won yet another honor recently. At the Playdate 99 show in New York, retailers voted the NGP a hot product to watch. The NGP for a long time has been getting good reviews from those who have used it, and this is yet more evidence of the NGP's high quality.

Just recently, October 21 to be precise, SNK released the slightly smaller New Neo Geo Pocket Color in Japan along with both versions of SNK vs. Capcom Card Battle, and Densha De GO!, the first 32 megabit game; two big games for SNK to be sure. It has been only a year, but it has been a long road to this point. The NGP hasn't revolutionized the videogame industry; it hasn't made everyone switch handhelds; but the NGP is a solid, powerful game system that has provided many people with hours of quality gaming, thanks to its strong library of games, which, while small, oozes quality.

The Future

Where do we go from here? The first wave of SNK vs. Capcom is upon us, it is a reality, there is no going back. Will it boost sales considerably? Who knows. The fighting game is on the way; 32 megs of 2D goodness. The NGP is responsible for these two rivals coming together, and if the NGP is not remembered for anything else, it will always have this. There are plenty more games ahead, and SNK seems ready to compete with the Gameboy Advance with a more powerful machine of their own. Even so, the NGP still has plenty of time left as SNK's primary concern, and we the gamers will reap the benefits of that. The NGP has made this last year a lot more enjoyable, and I look forward to the next.