How to Run NEO GEO in AES mode (fbalpha_libretro)

General Guides
#1

NEO GEO AES is the home version of the arcades, in the console versions you can change difficulty, bind controls, change language, in some versus fighters you can switch to other characters between a fight and another, among other nice features, while the arcade version MVS, we can change somethings, but not as intuitively like in the console version.

Options (KOF 97)

Sengoku 3

Options:

You’ll need: Retroarch 1.4.0 (or above) fbalpha_libretro (without tags) FinalBurn Alpha roms

The bios you’ll need is the one made for FinalBurn Alpha, if other neogeo.zip bios is used, for example; the MAME version, AES mode won’t work and the games will load in MVS (arcade) mode.

With all files above, open a NEO GEO game and press F1 to open up the menus and press Enter in Quick Menu:

Go down to Options and press Enter:

Go down until you find “NEO GEO Mode” and press ▻ in the kerboard to change from MVS to AES:

That’s it, you may press ESC to exit Retroarch, the next time you load a new NEO GEO rom, it will be loaded in AES mode.

10 Likes
#2

Nice guide. To switch between AES and MVS modes in FBA NeoGeo core for RetroArch on Wii, follow the below steps. These steps assume you have the classic controller (pro) connected to wiimote. Also note that, as of time of writing, the 1.4.x and 1.5.0 releases for Wii have problems with audio for the Neo Geo (and CPS2) core(s). The 1.3.6 release is not affected by the audio problem and so assumes you’ll be using that for Neo Geo.

  1. Load the fb_alpha_neo core
  2. Load any Neo Geo title, allow it to boot with default (green flash) BIOS
  3. Press the home button to bring back the RA menu
  4. Go to Options (note this is under Quick Menu)
  5. Set Neo Geo UniBIOS to enabled to activate the Universe BIOS
  6. Choose Close to close the content
  7. Go back to Main Menu and select Restart RetroArch
  8. FBA Alpha NeoGeo core should be loaded again. If not, load it.
  9. Load your game again
  10. At the Universe BIOS splash screen, hold down Y+B+A on controller These are mapped by default to be the C+A+B buttons respectively for NeoGeo
  11. In Region Setup, use the buttons to set your region and also console or arcade mode
  12. Just remember that by default, Y on wii classic = C, B on wii classic = A and A on wii classic = B. If you hadn’t guessed, X on wii classic = D on NeoGeo

If you would like to go into other Neo Geo BIOS settings, hold down Y+X+A on the classic controller at the Universe BIOS splash screen (which would be C+D+B on a real Neo Geo). Here you can do things like adjust the ‘software dipswitch’ settings, such as the hidden setting turn on blood in Metal Slug. Neo Geo A or B buttons (B or A on classic) to modify and C (Y) to go back out.

4 Likes
#3

Wow, I did not know that !! Thank you very much !

2 Likes
#4

Just thought I’d add it’s worth noting that it will save your settings in UniBIOS so that you don’t have to config it in a menu each time.

That’s the beauty of it for me. I can set it to AES as a standard, but at the flip of a few buttons I can put it to the Japanese Arcade version and back again.

1 Like
#5

Hi,

I tried to follow the procedure without success. Here’s a screenshot of my settings in RetroArch:

Capture du 2017-12-12 21-24-48
Capture du 2017-12-12 21-24-48.jpg895×701 189 KB

Then I quit RetroArch and restart it but when the rom is loaded, it is still in MVS mode. However, I tried another option (free play) which is working well. Any idea why my settings are not effective ?

[edit]

I’ll double check my BIOS file.

1 Like
#6

Are you using the bios from the FBA romset or from MAME, also, I’m not sure as I haven’t tested, but in my first screenshot, the setting is AES, not AES Asia.

If you’re using any other bios different from the FBA set you probably won’t have success.

1 Like
#7

mut be a bios issue. seems to work here using latest fba

1 Like
#8

Indeed, I downloaded a BIOS from FB Alpha 0.2.97.40 romset and here it works.

For my information and curiosity, has FBA added some stuff specific to it to the BIOS dump ? How can the BIOS from FBA shall be different than the Mame one since it’s a normally a dump of the real BIOS ?

1 Like
#9

I just observed severe slow down for Riding Hero in AES mode. I’ve reported an issue in the Git. Have you observed other games where this mode causes issues ?

#10

For anyone using RetroArch on Wii and using the FBA core for Neo Geo, the sound issues with that core (and CPS1/CPS2) are now fixed in the 1.7.3 release. Also the option page for that version core now allows direct setting of the BIOS types MVS and AES, aswell as the option to pick UNIBIOS and go into the UNIBIOS using the button combos shown above if you wish.

1 Like
#11

Have you been able to get HID support working under RA 1.7.3 for Wii?

#12

Anyone know the if unibios atomatically sets console/arcade mode on a per game basis.

I seem to be getting this but need to test more games

#13

I don’t know that there’s anyway to ‘auto’ set it. I know though that if you change it to USA-Console, for example, it will load it up that way the next time you launch that specific game. At one point I went through and set it for each and every title… but I’m not doing that again lol too much work for something I can do on the fly.

Dude, everytime I see your name lately my mind starts playing “scatman” in the background. “I’m the THATMAN skeepy-deepy-deep-dum-do-do-dum”

…ignore my insanity hahaha.

#14

Actually made me burst into laughter! I shall now go shake a leg to that great tune :slight_smile:

1 Like
#15

Thank you’’ is bealtyfool

#16

thank you this is very helpful

#18

For that you would use the flycast core. For bioses the best way is to ask Google