Ben Heck Makes the Neo-Geo Mini Even Better

SNK launched its Neo-Geo Mini system earlier this year, giving gamers the opportunity to enjoy their favorite titles from that era either on their TV or in a portable little unit. However, it isn't as desirable as some folks would've preferred, mainly due to its oddball control setup, with a dinky joystick and buttons that are very close together. If only someone could rebuild it in a more practical manner.

Well, someone has. After doing away with his own Ben Heck show a while ago, master techie Ben Heck has returned to YouTube with a new Benjamin Heckerdorn channel. And he's debuted in the best way possible, with a new video that shows him rebuilding the Neo-Geo Mini into something that resembles the classic Game Boy system, but with a beautiful screen and a build that does the old Neo-Geo arcade unit proud.

This follows up a previous episode from last week, in which he took the Neo-Geo apart and filled with it. It's a bit on the tech-heavy side, but something that Ben Heck fans have obviously been waiting for.

This new series promises to focus more on "making easy, low production value videos," Heckendorn explained while speaking with Ars Technica. And, yes, the team talked about mass producing the new Neo-Geo unit, which definitely looks easier to use and plays games just fine. Heck noted, "Maybe a PCB kit could be made to easily convert the Neo-Geo Mini board." Novel idea.

It's a neat little project that shows what a little ingenuity will do -- and who knows, maybe SNK will be keen to the idea and rebuild it, just as they did with the Neo-Geo Pocket several years ago, which eventually evolved into the Neo-Geo Pocket Color. (And don't forget that Neo-Geo CD unit either -- or its lengthy load times. Hey, still, cheaper games and they weren't shaped like VCR tapes, were they?)

The video can be seen above, and it's great to see Heck back in action...though how often we'll see him is beyond us. Hopefully he'll do this on a weekly basis and maybe even give us his take on what the new Nintendo Switch system might look like when it rolls around next year. Just a suggestion, anyway, Ben.

Feel free to check out his return to YouTube with his channel here and give the Neo-Geo videos a look. You can grab the Neo-Geo Mini through various retailers now. (The older version, mind you.)