The most common reason a Neo Geo game fails to launch in RetroArch (resulting in a black screen or a kick-back to the main menu) is a missing or incorrect BIOS file.
Here is a general guide to get you playing. The specific menu names may vary slightly depending on your device. neo geo roms for retroarch
Selecting a core is the first critical step, as each has different requirements: The most common reason a Neo Geo game
To play Neo Geo games, you must understand two critical rules regarding your files: Selecting a core is the first critical step,
Neo Geo ROMs are typically .zip files. Do not extract them; RetroArch scans them as-is.
The Neo Geo BIOS is a set of low-level instructions the emulated hardware needs to boot. Without it, your games will not start. The filename you'll be looking for is neogeo.zip .