80年代開始在街機市場擁有一席之地的SNK，為了與當時的競爭對手任天堂跟SEGA爭奪家用遊戲市場推出Neo Geo AES，在當時大部分的卡帶頂多2MB~4MB的容量，效能可以支援最高到330M的超強容量，對當時的產業無疑是一大震撼，並成功將許多街機遊戲進行完全的移植。推出的售價為$600美元，因為售價過高，造成市場推廣不易，於是SNK決定在90年代推出CD主機，預計透過大幅降低遊戲製作成本來爭取更多的玩家，雖然成功從原本的平均售價破萬元的ROM卡帶，降低到均售價千元的CD版遊戲，但是因為過慢的CD單倍速光碟讀取，讓原本高期待的市場又再次失望。

NEO GEO CDZ是NEO GEO CD系列的高階版本，於1995年推出。由於其性能提升和較低的價格吸引一定的玩家群體。主要解決原版CD主機的讀取速度問題，配備一個雙倍速CD-ROM光碟機，相較於原版NEO GEO CD的單倍速光碟機，讀取速度有顯著提升，極大地減少遊戲加載時間。

主機內建68k CPU和Z80輔助處理器，並配備56 Mbit的RAM，用於處理遊戲數據。NEO GEO CDZ具備與原版NEO GEO CD相同的圖形和音效處理能力，能夠顯示4096種顏色和播放立體聲音效。這使得它在視覺和音效表現上達到當時遊戲主機的高水平。

NEO GEO CDZ的一大優點在於其遊戲庫。SNK的遊戲作品素以高品質的2D圖形和深度的遊戲機制聞名，NEO GEO CDZ能夠運行眾多經典街機遊戲的家用版本，包括格鬥、射擊、運動等多種類型。這些遊戲通常擁有細膩的畫面和流暢的動畫，能夠帶給玩家極佳的視覺享受。

然而，NEO GEO CDZ也有其缺點。儘管雙倍速光碟機提升讀取速度，但仍無法完全消除長時間的讀取問題，特別是在大型遊戲和複雜場景中，仍需忍受較長的加載時間。此外，NEO GEO CDZ的價格相對於其他遊戲主機來說仍然較高，這嚴重限制市場普及率。

NEO GEO CDZ的有許多經典作品值得一提。《格鬥天王》系列作為SNK的招牌格鬥遊戲，以其複雜的操作、深度的遊戲機制和多樣化的角色陣容著稱。《越南大戰》系列則以其快節奏的射擊玩法和幽默的遊戲風格吸引大量玩家。《餓狼傳說》和《侍魂》系列同樣是格鬥遊戲的代表作，憑藉其獨特的角色和精緻的畫面成為玩家心中的經典。

而當SONY的PS Station跟SEGA Saturn紛紛推出可支援3D遊戲主機時，也注定SNK最後的家用王牌主機CDZ的失敗。其實CDZ仍採用單倍讀取功能，只是透過增加暫存記憶體來縮短讀取速度，雖然大幅改善之前讓人詬病的畫面處理速度，但在整體效能跟發行的遊戲數量都難以跟PS競爭下，也為未來破產的命運埋下伏筆(SNK之後推出的3D化基板Hyper Neogeo 64又造成巨大虧損，終於在2001年10月30日破產。)

NEO GEO CDZ的推出代表SNK在遊戲主機市場上的一次重要嘗試。在日本只賣出2.5萬台，雖然未能取得巨大商業成功，但憑藉其優秀的遊戲陣容和提升的性能，NEO GEO CDZ在遊戲史上留下深刻的印記。即使在今天，這款主機和其眾多經典遊戲仍然受到許多遊戲收藏家和懷舊玩家的喜愛。

Starting in the 1980s, SNK established a notable presence in the arcade market. To compete with contemporary rivals Nintendo and SEGA in the home gaming market, SNK launched the Neo Geo AES. While most cartridges at the time had a capacity of 2MB to 4MB, the Neo Geo AES boasted support for up to a whopping 330MB, which was a significant shock to the industry. This allowed for complete ports of many arcade games. Initially priced at $600, its high cost hindered market penetration. In response, SNK decided to release a CD-based console in the 1990s, aiming to attract more players by significantly reducing game production costs. Although they successfully lowered the average price of ROM cartridges from over $1000 to CD versions priced at around $100, the slow CD single-speed disc reading disappointed the high expectations of the market.

The Neo Geo CDZ, a high-end version of the Neo Geo CD series, was released in 1995. Its improved performance and lower price attracted a certain player base. The CDZ addressed the original CD console's loading speed issues by incorporating a double-speed CD-ROM drive, significantly reducing game loading times compared to the original Neo Geo CD's single-speed drive.

The console was equipped with a 68k CPU and a Z80 co-processor, along with 56 Mbit of RAM for processing game data. The Neo Geo CDZ maintained the same graphics and sound capabilities as the original Neo Geo CD, capable of displaying 4096 colors and playing stereo sound effects. This allowed it to achieve a high level of visual and audio performance for its time.

A major advantage of the Neo Geo CDZ was its game library. SNK's games were renowned for their high-quality 2D graphics and deep game mechanics. The CDZ could run numerous classic arcade games' home versions, spanning various genres such as fighting, shooting, and sports. These games typically featured detailed graphics and smooth animations, providing players with an excellent visual experience.

However, the Neo Geo CDZ had its drawbacks. Despite the double-speed drive improving loading times, it couldn't entirely eliminate long load times, particularly in large games and complex scenes. Additionally, the Neo Geo CDZ's price was still relatively high compared to other consoles, severely limiting its market penetration.

The Neo Geo CDZ boasted many notable titles. The "King of Fighters" series, SNK's flagship fighting game, was famous for its complex controls, deep mechanics, and diverse character roster. The "Metal Slug" series attracted a large player base with its fast-paced shooting gameplay and humorous style. Other representative fighting games, such as "Fatal Fury" and "Samurai Shodown," became classics with their unique characters and refined graphics.

However, with the release of 3D-capable consoles like Sony's PlayStation and SEGA's Saturn, SNK's last home console, the CDZ, was destined to fail. The CDZ still utilized single-speed reading functionality but attempted to shorten load times by increasing buffer memory. Although this greatly improved the previously criticized loading speed, the overall performance and the number of released games could not compete with the PlayStation, laying the groundwork for SNK's eventual bankruptcy. (SNK's subsequent attempt with the 3D-based Hyper Neo Geo 64 also resulted in significant losses, leading to their bankruptcy on October 30, 2001.)

The release of the Neo Geo CDZ represented SNK's significant attempt in the home console market. Although it sold only 25,000 units in Japan and did not achieve great commercial success, its excellent game lineup and enhanced performance left a lasting mark in gaming history. Even today, this console and its numerous classic games are cherished by many game collectors and nostalgic players.