Faux wood effect is for losers

Ever wished your video game console would blend a little more effectively with your IKEA home entertainment unit? Or have you long desired to purchase a Neo Geo system that blows away the competition when it comes to aesthetic appeal? Look no further, friends — the Wooden Neo Geo MVS is here.

Produced by Analogue Interactive — a group committed to creating innovative retro products — the wooden MVS system is fashioned from 100% walnut, and comes with a dazzling array of outputs.

The guys themselves describe it best, so here goes:

Our goal was to create the best Neo Geo Consolized MVS. Premium wood is the ideal choice for a Consolized MVS. Rather than use pre-built plastic or metal enclosures, we designed and built ours from the ground up with a premium wood that offers unmatched natural aesthetic beauty, functionality, durability and style.

Aside from looking really awesome under your TV, this MVS system has other notable benefits. Neo Geo MVS cartridges are, on the whole, much cheaper than Neo Geo AES carts. For those of you that don't know, the games themselves are identical - the only difference is that the MVS (Multi Video System) format was intended for arcades, while the AES (Advanced Entertainment System) format was aimed at home users.

The actual data on the carts was the same, although to prevent people swapping between the two, the cartridges were physically different. You can read a bit more about this legendary format in our hardware focus feature.

Consolized MVS units have become increasingly popular with collectors, as they allow you to enjoy the vast array of classic Neo Geo titles for a fraction of the price of the 'true' AES home versions. However, CMVS units (as they're affectionately known) do tend to look a bit messy, which is hardly surprising as they're essentially arcade units crudely modified by inexperienced fans to run on standard television sets.

This classy wooden example cannot be described as messy, and could represent the ideal way for gamers to enjoy SNK's super-powerful console after experiencing the great (but currently limited) number of titles already available on the Wii's Virtual Console.

If you're interested in owning one of the greatest retro systems ever in a case made out of a tree, then head over to Analogue Interactive's site. Full-scale production begins next month, and the units are being sold for $649 - which, as any MVS collector will tell you, is a pretty competitive price.

Shameless retro lovers that we are, we've actually got one of these unique systems on its way to Nintendo Life Towers. Expect a more in-depth review next month.