Is it realistic to start collecting Neo Geo?

With all the buzz and now price drop to $100 for the Neo Geo x gold system ive been thinking more and more about starting to collect Neo Geo. Ideally id like to grab an older aes system which isnt a problem, its the games. They are so much money for a game. It makes the X system look like a bargain but im worried about its future game releases. I have a feeling this round will be its last so no more games.
If i did start a Neo Geo collection which is the best way to go? Im thinking pick up and old system and the few reasonable games i can find and emulate the rest on my wii or get the X system and hope for more games. Clearly the X system is by far the most economical way to go, Im just not sure how strong its game catalog will be.
While we are on the topic which is the better old system to get? An import or an american one? I fly to england and japan on an almost weekly basis and they are much, much cheaper over there but im worried about the compatability across the systems. Are the systems basically the same no matter were i buy it or are they a regional thing like all modern systems? Can i use an american power cable on a foreign system so i can avoid using plug adaptors if i buy one from say england?

You could start with the Neo Geo cd or pocket since they are a lot cheaper. Other than that it depends on whether you willing to spend a lot of money.

Everything about a Neo Geo is expensive so you will be paying a lot if you want to collect.

The Neo Geo CD isn't very worth it due to its archaic load times, especially in the Last Blade.
Personally, I find Neo Geo collecting way to cumbersome, and am glad that SNK has their games in a variety of platforms.

It's not too late, but it is WAY more expensive than most other systems. The cheapest, most affordable option for Neo-Geo collecting is MVS cartridges. (the actual cartridges used in arcades) These are considerably less expensive than the home console releases.

As to your international concerns, you should probably get a US system, but shop for games overseas. Neo-Geo cartridges I believe were region-free. The languages for all regions were stored on the same cartridges, and you switched between them by toggling a dip switch on the board that ran them. I think the same should hold true for the home console. (but some research would be a good idea) Home consoles in other countries are often geared toward the TV standards of that region. For playing on US TVs, a US Neo-Geo AES system would be best. But it should be possible to pick up cheap Neo-Geo games in other countries and play them in English on your US machine.