This is the step where most beginners fail. The Neo Geo hardware had a system BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) that handled the boot-up sequence, memory card management, and system settings.
Running Neo Geo games in RetroArch delivers arcade-perfect performance and excellent features like save states and shaders. However, the setup is more involved than with most other consoles due to a specific BIOS requirement, finicky ROM sets, and core choices. Once configured correctly, it’s arguably the best way to play Neo Geo games on modern hardware.
Unlike Nintendo ROMs, Neo Geo ROMs are tightly tied to specific emulator versions. You generally need: