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| A prototype of DOOM running on a NEO Geo AES |
For decades, the SNK Neo Geo AES has held out as one of the few classic gaming machines that couldn't run id Software’s legendary DOOM. That all changed last week.
The “can it run DOOM?” meme has become a rite of passage for tech enthusiasts. From smart refrigerators displaying pixelated hellscapes to pregnancy tests beeping out the first notes of “At Doom’s Gate,” id Software’s 1993 first-person shooter has been coaxed into running on almost every device with a pulse – and several without.
But one stubborn piece of 1990s arcade royalty has resisted every attempt at a port: SNK’s Neo Geo AES. Until now.
Why the Neo Geo AES Said “No” to DOOM for 30 Years
On paper, the Neo Geo AES (Advanced Entertainment System) should have been a perfect candidate. Launched in 1990 at a jaw-dropping $650 (nearly $1,500 today), it packed a Motorola 68000 CPU running at 12 MHz – the same family of processor that powered arcade giants like the Sega Genesis and the original DOOM’s beloved Atari ST. Its sprite-pushing hardware was so over-engineered that it delivered flawless 2D arcade ports at home years before the competition caught up.
So why no DOOM?
The answer, as veteran retro YouTuber Modern Vintage Gamer (MVG) explained in a recent deep-dive, lies in architectural philosophy. “DOOM runs on everything,” MVG says in his video. “Well, almost everything. The SNK Neo Geo AES console is a 2D sprite-pushing beast, but when it comes to 3D, it’s not architected to handle it.”
Unlike the PC’s framebuffer architecture – which allows direct pixel manipulation for 3D rendering – the Neo Geo was built around fixed-function sprite and tilemap hardware. Drawing a textured wall at an angle requires the console to treat each vertical slice as a scaled, stretched sprite. It’s possible, but deeply inefficient.
MVG demonstrated a proof-of-concept raycaster late last month, using vertically stretched sprites to fake walls, floors, and corridors. The result? A chugging 8 frames per second – barely playable, but proof of life. “I don’t want to say it’s impossible,” MVG cautioned, “because as soon as you say that something is impossible, the gauntlet has been thrown down.”
He had no idea how quickly that gauntlet would be snatched up.
The DoomGeo Project: From “Impossible” to “It’s Happening”
On June 7, MVG woke up, scrolled through X (formerly Twitter), and nearly dropped his coffee. Modders had already taken his basic raycaster and transformed it into something far closer to actual DOOM.
“Wow, my Neo Geo raycaster has been modified to push Doom-like gameplay through the hardware. Another step closer to Neo Geo DOOM!” – MVG on X
The project, fittingly named DoomGeo, has since exploded beyond what anyone thought possible on the 16-bit powerhouse. The development team – a small cluster of reverse-engineering wizards – have worked within the Neo Geo’s strict sprite limits to add:
- A full DOOM-style HUD with a functional status bar
- Doomguy’s iconic mugshot (complete with damage indicators)
- Ammo counters for every weapon type
- The BFG 9000 (because what’s DOOM without gratuitous plasma?)
- Animated monsters and enemies
- Multi-level corridor rendering with variable wall textures
In an update video posted hours later, MVG walked through the new build, visibly impressed. “This is no longer just a tech demo,” he noted. “They’ve basically built a playable DOOM engine that respects the Neo Geo’s limitations while pushing it harder than any commercial game ever did.”
Watch MVG’s original breakdown of why the Neo Geo resisted DOOM for three decades.
How DoomGeo Tricks the Hardware
The secret sauce behind DoomGeo is a masterclass in “fake it ’til you make it” programming. Instead of rendering true 3D polygons, the engine exploits the Neo Geo’s sprite-scaling capabilities to draw walls as tall, thin vertical strips – each one a separate sprite scaled in real time. Ceilings and floors are drawn as large, flat sprites that scroll horizontally to simulate depth.
The result isn’t buttery-smooth 60fps. Early builds hover around 12-15fps on original hardware, with occasional dips when multiple demons appear. But here’s the shocker: that’s faster than the original DOOM ran on many 386 PCs in 1993. For a console that was never designed to handle 3D in any form, it’s nothing short of miraculous.
The DoomGeo team has also implemented a clever level-of-detail system. Enemies farther away are rendered with fewer animation frames, and textures are pre-baked into the cartridge’s limited ROM space to avoid real-time calculations. It’s a hack – but a beautiful, lovingly crafted hack.
What This Means for Neo Geo Collectors and Retro Fans
For the hardcore Neo Geo faithful (a passionate, if niche, community), this port is more than a novelty. The AES has long been celebrated for perfect 2D fighters like King of Fighters ‘98 and Garou: Mark of the Wolves. But its library contains almost no 3D titles – and certainly nothing as ambitious as a first-person shooter.
DoomGeo fills a 30-year gap in the console’s legacy. It proves that even the most “unportable” game can be tamed with enough ingenuity and low-level assembly knowledge.
MVG’s final verdict? “I don’t want to say it’s impossible” – well, he said it, and the internet did what the internet always does. Within two weeks, a team of strangers turned his 8fps slideshow into something genuinely recognizable as DOOM.
See the DoomGeo project in action – full HUD, monsters, and all.
The Neo Geo Renaissance Continues
If you’re reading this and feeling a sudden urge to experience the Neo Geo’s 2D glory for yourself – or maybe to try the DoomGeo port on real hardware – you’re in luck. SNK has recently partnered with retro-focused manufacturers to produce a limited run of new AES consoles.
Preorder the NEO GEO AES+ Anniversary Edition on Amazon here – a fully re-engineered version of the original 1990 hardware with HDMI output, save states, and a built-in library of 20 classic games. It’s the perfect way to revisit the console that just refused to die… and now runs DOOM.
👉 Preorder on Amazon – NEO GEO AES+ Anniversary Edition
The Bottom Line: Never Say “Impossible” to the DOOM Community
The DoomGeo project is still in active development. The team has promised a public ROM release later this year, compatible with flash carts like the NeoSD. For now, the only way to see it in action is through MVG’s videos or the occasional grainy Twitter clip from beta testers.
But one thing is certain: the “can it run DOOM?” meme has claimed its most unlikely victim yet. If a 16-bit 2D sprite engine from 1990 can be bullied into rendering the BFG, what’s next? A DOOM port for your toaster? Oh wait – someone already did that.
The Neo Geo AES fought the good fight. For 30 years, it held the line. But in the end, DOOM runs on everything.
Sources: Modern Vintage Gamer YouTube channel, DoomGeo project team, SNK Museum archives.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you preorder the Neo Geo AES+ through Amazon, at no extra cost to you.