# Best Neo Geo Pocket emulator: ares, the Gold Cartridge pick

Page: https://whichemulator.wtf/ngp/ · Reference: WEM-NGP-XCNQ

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SNK Neo Geo Pocket / Neo Geo Pocket Color, SNK, 1998. Covers the 1999 Neo Geo Pocket Color.

## Recommended: ares

whichemulator.wtf calls its recommendation for each system the Gold Cartridge pick. For the Neo Geo Pocket, the Gold Cartridge pick is ares.

ares has the most accurate Neo Geo Pocket emulation available and wraps it in a proper desktop app. Most NGP emulators descend from the old NeoPop code, which plays the games but cuts corners on timing. ares doesn't.

Runs on Windows · Mac · Linux. Open source. Download: https://ares-emu.net

## Alternatives

- [Mednafen](https://mednafen.github.io) (Windows · Linux, open source): Based on NeoPop and plays most games well, but it's command-line only with no proper menu. Choose it if you already use Mednafen for other systems.
- [MAME](https://www.mamedev.org) (Windows · Mac · Linux, open source): Mednafen's own docs point homebrew developers here. Clunky for just playing games.

## RetroArch cores

- Beetle NeoPop: Mednafen's NeoPop-based code; the usual choice
- RACE: Much faster; for very weak devices

Either core is fine on phones and handhelds. RACE only matters on very low-end hardware.

## Hardware

- CPU: Toshiba TLCS-900H, 6.14 MHz
- Sound CPU: Z80, 3.07 MHz
- Resolution: 160×152
- Colours: 8 greys (Pocket) / 146 of 4,096 (Color)
- Library: ~80 games

## Notes

### A small library that's easy to run

SNK's handheld only lasted a couple of years, and its library is small: under a hundred games, many of them excellent fighting games and puzzlers. Any modern machine runs it at full speed.

The original 1998 monochrome model only got a handful of games. Almost everything you'll want is a Color release, and every emulator here handles both.

### Why accuracy barely matters here

The NeoPop-based emulators have known inaccuracies in CPU timing, but in practice they play the commercial library fine. ares is the pick because it's both accurate and pleasant to use, but if you're on a phone or already in RetroArch, Beetle NeoPop will serve you well.

## Support the developers

- [Star on GitHub](https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares)

## Questions the Ask API answers

- [Which Neo Geo Pocket emulator should I use on Android?](https://whichemulator.wtf/ask?q=Which+Neo+Geo+Pocket+emulator+should+I+use+on+Android%3F&page=%2Fngp%2F&via=page)
- [Which RetroArch core should I use for the Neo Geo Pocket?](https://whichemulator.wtf/ask?q=Which+RetroArch+core+should+I+use+for+the+Neo+Geo+Pocket%3F&page=%2Fngp%2F&via=page)