Retro gaming fans eager to lock in a preorder for the Neo Geo AES+ are running into an unexpected snag in North America. The upcoming 1:1 reproduction of SNK’s classic 1990s home console, produced by Plaion Replai in collaboration with SNK and designed to work with both original cartridges and newly produced releases, isn’t currently allowing direct preorders from Plaion Replai’s online store for shoppers in the United States and Canada.
The issue sparked immediate chatter across the retro gaming community, especially among collectors who want to secure the premium versions early. Plaion addressed the situation in a short update, explaining that the Replai store ships from Europe and that demand has been far higher than anticipated. According to the company, that surge has triggered additional tax registration requirements that must be completed across U.S. states before direct ordering can fully open up.
For now, Plaion says the easiest option for U.S. customers is to preorder through Amazon while the tax compliance process is finalized. The company expects the registration work to wrap up around the end of May, after which U.S. consumers should be able to place orders for the products they want through Plaion Replai’s store again.
In the meantime, Amazon appears to be the main preorder hub for most buyers in the U.S. and Canada. The standard Neo Geo AES+ in black is listed at $249.99. There’s also a special Anniversary Edition bundle priced at $349.99, which includes a wireless arcade stick and a special Metal Slug re-release cartridge. Amazon listings indicate a delivery date of November 12, 2026 for the re-released console.
Beyond the console itself, Amazon is also carrying the full lineup of launch content and extras. That includes all ten re-release launch cartridges, plus accessories like memory cards and additional controllers, with Prime shipping offered for eligible buyers.
The biggest complication is reserved for the most expensive version: the Neo Geo AES+ Ultimate Edition. Priced at $1,000, this factory-numbered collector-focused package includes both wired and wireless arcade sticks, a wireless gamepad, a memory card, and a custom rack designed to store all ten of the re-released cartridges. Unlike the other editions, the Ultimate Edition is exclusive to Plaion Replai’s website, meaning it can’t be ordered through Amazon. That exclusivity is why Plaion is urging anyone specifically aiming for the Ultimate Edition to wait until the U.S. ordering restrictions are resolved.
Adding to the scramble, Plaion’s parent company noted that the volume of individual preorders in the first 24 hours was far beyond expectations, reportedly surpassing what they had projected for an entire year. For collectors and long-time Neo Geo fans, that kind of demand is both exciting and a clear sign that securing the edition you want early could matter once ordering fully opens up again.
