Neo Geo X Magic SD Card Adapter
A great way to open up the entire Neo Geo library on the go
The Neo Geo X Magic Adapter is a simple card that allows you to use a micro-SD card to transfer files between your PC and Neo Geo X Handheld. It doesn’t make an exciting video, so originally I just wrote an article on the topic. Surprisingly, it’s been my most popular post and certainly gave me the ability to talk about the card itself in more detail. The difference here, with this video, is the fact I’ve gone past just talking about the card and more about how I use it and what games have kept me coming back to the Neo Geo X long after the included games failed to draw me back consistently.
Basically, this card acts as a Micro-SD adapter that allows the Neo Geo X to read Micro-SD’s that you’ve formatted through your PC. The sole method of anti-piracy on the Neo Geo X Handheld (at least before the firmware upgrade) was the fact that the pins on each end were swapped.
I like the fact the Magic SD Adapter doesn’t require me to change anything in regards to the Neo Geo X (it’s plug and play) but as outlined in the video, there’s some limitations, namely the fact you can’t upgrade your Neo Geo X handheld to the latest firmware (so no save states and improved audio/visual resolution).
So after my original post, I’ve had a few comments around other products that provide the same functionality (in some cases better and cheaper). I don’t have any of the other adapters to compare, but it seems like the Neo Geo X can actually be a great emulator (Link to YouTube) for systems like MAME and other 16-bit and 8-bit systems.
The Neo Geo X handheld has had a rough trot and I’ve already made it clear that I do really enjoy the system and I’ve had a lot of use from it. I was so impressed, I parted ways with my Neo Geo CD. It’s future at the moment is unsure since SNK have withdrawn their blessing. Tommo currently maintain the rights to manufacture and distribute the system, support has certainly waned and I’m not expecting any more Mega Packs (happy to be proven wrong at the right price), so having more control over the actual hardware and how I can use it became important.
I’ve used the video to outline three games that have kept me coming back to my Neo Geo X thanks to the Magic SD Key card (games that are unlikely to get a release now).
Twinklestar Sprites – The shooters on the Neo Geo are some of the best around; big, colourful, hectic but (personally), dauntingly hard. As much as I love the genre (I’ve actually already covered Last resort on the Neo Geo CD), I found myself gravitating towards games that didn’t require the concentration and reflexes of a grand master.
Twinklestar Sprites is a sickeningly cute game that draws inspiration from shooters, as well as puzzlers and fighters. In the video, I compare it to a fighting game where you can’t actually hit each other, but playing the shooter aspect well sends attacks which your opponent can avoid, block or reverse.
The puzzle aspect is more apparent when you start lining up ‘perfect’ attacks, like leaving a gap in Tetris, where you can maximise your impact by timing your next move.
Windjammers (Flying Power Disc) – I’m a massive fan of the sports titles on the Neo Geo. They are arcade; mostly easy to play but really hard to master. The big, bright graphics and animation in a lot of the games really help drive home the fact realism takes a back-seat to fun, but I really wanted to pick ONE sports title for my list.
Windjammers is a frisbee game, a super-simple concept that works well if you’re using the Neo Geo X as a handheld but it’s at its best against a friend. It was easy comparing Windjammers to a game like Pong, but there’s powerups, an extremely tight default match timer and different characters with different attributes.
Sengoku 3 – I’m not going to lie, this is the game I was most excited about loading onto the Neo Geo X. Sure, there are other ways to play it (emulation, virtual console), but after having both Sengoku 1 & 2 on the Neo Geo CD, I was super keen to see where the series was heading and the Neo Geo X with the Magic SD Card adapter felt like the next best way to experience it.
When I got my Neo Geo CD, I purchased Burning Fight immediately (review here), Beat ’em Ups were high on my priority list but I quickly found out, that generally, they were pretty shallow and lacklustre. A lot of the Beat ’em Ups for the Neo Geo were produced early into the AES’ life, Sengoku 3 bucks the trend for a few different reasons but essentially, it was developed by Noise Factory very late into the systems life. Revamped story, characters and game engine.
I like comparing Sengoku 3 to Guardian Heroes for the Sega Saturn. While 3D was in full swing and 2D was being phased out, these are both Beat ’em Ups that take that classic formula that made games like Streets of Rage and Final Fight so enjoyable (instead of trying to reinvent itself in 3D).
Sengoku 3 carries a more in-depth fighting system, character selection and a plot-line that, although shallow, does open up a new character to pick from further into the game. Going back to that Guardian Heroes comparison, it’s kind of interesting that Sengoku 3 is more recent, but developed for older hardware whereas Guardian Heroes has all the flourishes afforded by a 32-Bit system (the Sega Saturn).
I did mention that all the games included here (and pretty much the entire Neo Geo Library) is available through the Nintendo Virtual Console, so even if you don’t have a Neo Geo X you can still come along for the ride! What I enjoyed about combining these games with the Neo Geo X, is the handheld itself is fun to play arcade games on (with the awesome thumbstick), the fact the Neo Geo X is a handheld but I still come home and plug it into the TV with twin arcade sticks (that match the original ones from the Neo Geo AES).
Is it a good system for you? No idea, you might want to read this article about why I think the Neo Geo X is worth picking up. The Magic SD Key adapter is a much easier accessory to recommend if you have picked up the Neo Geo X already. Thanks for tuning in!
