Huge Neo Geo fans who have a knack for building stuff, including dealing with electronics components, will be glad to know that they can actually build themselves a portable Neo Geo game console, or more specifically, a tabletop Neo Geo. If you think you have the skills and dedication like Marcel de Haan of Starforce PI does, then you can follow his tips on how to build this sweet Starforce Neo portable Neo Geo game console. Though, Marcel’s creation is not quite portable as in the sense of portable, on-the-go gaming; instead, it is an all-in-one rig that allows you to game without an external display wherever you choose to as long there’s a power outlet.
If you thought the case of this single unit game console looks vaguely familiar, that’s because the casing is actually a modified Minitel 1 case from the 80s. Marcel acquired a Neo Geo rig, modifying it to fit into the tiny Minitel 1 case. The outside is as delightful as the inside, where you will find a Neo Geo MV-1B circuit board, a scanline generator, a SCART-to-HDMI adapter, as well as a pair of Neo Geo controller inputs. The integrated display is an 8-inch 480p LCD display and it is shielded by a vacuum formed curved clear plastic to mimic the curved display of a CRT monitor, while audio output is a paired of Logitech Z120 speakers, ripped and made to fit within the enclosure.
Finally, SEIMITSU joystick and buttons were added for the good’ol arcade-style control. All told, it cost Marcel around 760 euros (approximately US$860) to put together one. Apart from the not-so-cheap build, it requires tons of dedication, planning, technical skills and time, which for Marcel’s case, it took him a cool four months to realize.
Images via Starforce PI.