Todd Gill has recently listed rubber replacement “feet” for Neo Geo AES consoles and control sticks. I wanted to check them out to see how they compared to the original. Yes, this is a review…of rubber feet.
One set of four is $4 + shipping: https://stoneagegamer.com/neo-geo-aes-controller-rubber-feet-4-feet-retro-frog.html?afmc=retrorgb
The AES stick and console, both had soft “feet” on the bottom that needed to be removed or cut in order to access the inside. This resulted in many people’s AES feet getting torn, thrown out or damaged over the years:
Even people who never opened their console or stick are probably seeing them dry out and start to come apart. The fact that they were more of a felt / paper material and not rubber really stunted their durability:
Well, Todd managed to find a replacement that’s the same exact size (see the top pic), but made from rubber to increase durability. Also, the solid rubber should be easier to remove and replace than the original “paper” feet:
I removed the cut up feet from my AES stick and cleaned the area with isopropyl. It took awhile to scrape off all the remaining glue and paper left from the original; I used a combination of a q-tip and a plastic “scraper” tool. They fit perfect, but felt slightly different from the original:
The first difference was the height of the controller after adding them – The thickness of the rubber was definitely noticeable. I’m not sure if the originals were so worn that it caused an even bigger contrast, but it’s safe to say that you should expect your console and stick to sit higher after installing these.
The next difference was the grip: The original feet allowed the controller to slide around a bit, while the new feet gripped my table. Basically, the difference between a felt-like material and rubber.
So, my conclusion is this: If you’re looking for a functional upgrade for your Neo Geo’s aging feet, this is an excellent choice. The rubber feet are easier to remove, more durable and grip your table better. That said, if you’re a hardcore Neo Geo collector that wants a 100% original look and feel, these aren’t for you. Hopefully Todd can someday source replacements that are more accurate to the original, to keep both gamers and collectors happy. Personally, I’m happy with the upgrade.
