The Best Gaming Consol...

[Desert Drifter]

There's been topics entitled "What are you playing right now?", "Your Favorite Games Of All Time...", "Your Most Memorible Boss Fights...", "Which Is The Best Game You Played Ever?", "Who's Your Favorite Old School Character?", and "Whats your favorite Old school games No one Else seems to care about?", but none of mentioning your favorite gaming consol of them all...

So, what is it?

- The Super Nintendo
As standing next to the Nintendo 64, it was my very first "owned" gaming consol while friends had the NES or Sega Geneses, I had the Super NES, but one thing's for sure: they were over my house. ;) Between the numerous titles, as of fighters, shooters, RPGs, and even a few from the arcades, it was a blast. We would rent a couple of multiplayers at the end of every week, such as "King of The Monsters", "Mortal Kombat", etc. and stay up for endless hours with potato chips and soda cans piling around us. Those where the memories, while Nintendo made it possible - from 1991 to 1997. This would make my most favorable gaming consol of all time...

+ Personal Favs: (Optional)

*Brain Lord
*Chrono Trigger
*King of The Monsters
*Kirby's Dream Course
*Magic Sword
*Mario Paint
*Shadow Run
*Soul Blazer
*Super Mario All Stars
*Super Mario RPG: Legend of The Seven Stars
*Super Mario World
*Super Metroid
*Yoshi's Island
*Zelda: Link To The Past

Have fun & happy gaming... ;)

[ulaoulao]

Mario Paint LOL dork..

Ya I second snes. Metroid, zelda, battle toads..

Ahh I remember it so frigged well...

There I was standing in between my destiny and my ... well mom.

Laying my eyes upon that resplendent graphic display of color. Seeing a kupa walk past a cube and comparing it to the legendary nes. His shell gleaming at me, with vivid reds and green shades I never knew existed. Mario in all his definition and clarity. Graphics, animation, sprite that were like candy to the eyes. I take a step closer.. Backgrounds full of detail, sounds more cripst then before and a controller... What not 2 but 4 buttons.. whats this.. shoulder buttons.. no hard edges, so ergonomically fitting for a true gamer... As I take my last step breaths away from my destiny my gaze is disrupted to an ever echoing phrase.. " not till Christmas "

oh wait now who is the dork...

[Calixo]

i have to say, although i agree that the older consoles were good, specially for the abilities they had, but the tech were getting into for the next gen consoles is just so much more intense that what we had 20 years ago, or even 5 years ago.

The 360, and even the PS3(although not so much the PS3, since Sony's ability to produce a lot of games, and to take advantage of the power those consoles have wasn't very good) have just so much more to offer, bigger games due to the systems ability to use more data, project even more graphic and detailed environments, and to enhance the gaming experiance for the play, has made it so in my opinion, although PS1 was good, and no one can shizz on the Super Nintendo. the 360 and others, and the consoles of the future, will just get better and better and better...

hell, i can't wait till i can actually be put into a game and be the FPS character or whatever.

[JoshM22]

The very first console my Dad bought me was an SNES. I was so young when i got it i didn't know what the hell it was. Naturally the SNES is and always will be my favorite console of all time. I still have it too. The games i have are Mortal Kombat II, Jurassic Park,Zelda: A link to the Past,Top Gear 2,Killer Instinct (Black Cartridge edition),Super Metroid, and Super Mario 3. Not much of a collection, but it worked for me back in the day.

The new consoles have some mind blowing graphics. The new titles like Fall Out 3 and Reistance 2 just look like you could reach out and touch the aliens in the game. Yes the graphics are that good. I can't imagine how games are going to look within the next 5-10 years. As far as a favorite next gen console PS3 takes the cake.

[Mupen64 Man]

its all about the Nintendo64 for me,

[ulaoulao]

its all about the Nintendo64 for me, - on that topic.. Personally I though the controller was very ergonomic ( most disagree) . I also though the 3d was the best I have seen. granted the system was a bit memory challenged and was not the best graphically but all in all I enjoyed that system. I use that controller for mame over the psx style also. I think the only downfall was the limited games, but I think it may have to do with ultraHLE ( speculation ).. They were emulating by 2000, during production. I rememebr playing zelda on my PC when my friend was playing on the console side by side.

[TchuBacha]

PSP. Not for the official games that have been released but for what hackers (White/grey hats) have unlocked.

[Mupen64 Man]

- on that topic.. Personally I though the controller was very ergonomic ( most disagree) . I also though the 3d was the best I have seen. granted the system was a bit memory challenged and was not the best graphically but all in all I enjoyed that system. I use that controller for mame over the psx style also. I think the only downfall was the limited games, but I think it may have to do with ultraHLE ( speculation ).. They were emulating by 2000, during production. I rememebr playing zelda on my PC when my friend was playing on the console side by side.

Yeah, but despite all that, its still the best, in my opinion,

[Desert Drifter]

its all about the Nintendo64 for me,

+

Yeah, but despite all that, its still the best, in my opinion,


I agree – the N64 was a remarkable system, they really pushed the envelope with their impressive “next-of-the-line” piece of hardware in 1996, while I was one of many to be the first to buy it ($650 at the time) along with Super Mario 64 ($70) and LoZ: Ocarina of Time ($85) – (though wished for seven years long years of a release of a Metroid and Mario Bros., but never to shed light). Damn, this was probably the most anticipated system of all time with experimental releases and endless mutiplayers (though right, maybe the graphics were a bit polygraphical, but I didn’t care, it was a blast). A few friends and me partied all night long – for those were the times of the “next big thing”. Of course the controls were pretty “un-user friendly” (as Ulao states above) being quite “touchy”, though Nintendo did improve with their next types (Gamecube - taking the system was what really needed improvement…). But – yes, that’s right – the SNES was what really grabbed my attention, the “eye-candy” Ulao was talking about, that made me buy it after of two years being on the shelf. I was never really crazy about the 8-bit NES nor the 32-bit Sega Geneses, for my attitude was “I already have an Atari and I’m not a Sonic fan, what’s the big deal” plus taking I can just play over a friends’. Because of the SNES, the N64 was a definite consideration, otherwise I would of just "ignored" Nintendo just as I did with Sega and Playstation. Anyhow, my N64 shares the shelf along with my SNES, being the two systems that hit the “milestone” of gaming…

[retroguiden]

Personally I think N64 was one of the worst game consoles ever. Bad graphics, poor catalogue of games. Weird game pad... Yuck. but hey, I don't mind if you like it.

My favourite console would probably have to be the 16-bit Sega Megadrive/Genesis. Not for Sonic, mind you, but for sheer speed and games catalogue. The Snes lacked speed, The NES comes close but the graphics were often very bad and the Master System had too few games to really be considered.

Close second would be Sony Playstation.

[Desert Drifter]

Personally I think N64 was one of the worst game consoles ever. Bad graphics, poor catalogue of games. Weird game pad... Yuck. but hey, I don't mind if you like it.

My favourite console would probably have to be the 16-bit Sega Megadrive/Genesis. Not for Sonic, mind you, but for sheer speed and games catalogue. The Snes lacked speed, The NES comes close but the graphics were often very bad and the Master System had too few games to really be considered.

Close second would be Sony Playstation.

True, Nintendo has always been "behind" on the bit wise (as someone I knew back in 97 stated...), but really depends on taste. While you may be a hard-core shooter/fighter kind of guy, I'm the platform scroller kind of guy. Don't get me wrong, Geneses was okay and don't have anything against Sonic, I just prefer Nintendo. While the 32-bit Sega and over 68-bit Playstation One had better improved graphics, Nintendo was there first in line... ;)

[JoshM22]

Personally I think N64 was one of the worst game consoles ever. Bad graphics, poor catalogue of games. Weird game pad... Yuck. but hey, I don't mind if you like it.

My favourite console would probably have to be the 16-bit Sega Megadrive/Genesis. Not for Sonic, mind you, but for sheer speed and games catalogue. The Snes lacked speed, The NES comes close but the graphics were often very bad and the Master System had too few games to really be considered.

Close second would be Sony Playstation.


Oh yeah by the way. Thanks for your approval on the fact that i can like the Nintendo 64. Thanks DAD!

[Desert Drifter]

Oh yeah by the way. Thanks for your approval on the fact that i can like the Nintendo 64. Thanks DAD!

Ha ha, you go Josh! Get that Sega/PS sucker. LOL :p

[Mupen64 Man]

Personally I think N64 was one of the worst game consoles ever. Bad graphics, poor catalogue of games. Weird game pad... Yuck. but hey, I don't mind if you like it.



Close second would be Sony Playstation.

hmmmmm, i dont know what you mean by bad graphics, you see some exellent graphics in games like Majoras Mask, and on the catalogue of games, they had plenty of games, alot of them were exellent, and i was perfectly comfortable with the Controller, always made me feel at home ^.^

[albertjames]

Reviews agree that the PlayStation 3 is technologically superior to the Xbox 360 -- at least on paper. However, the same experts also say that it's going to take years for game developers to really take advantage of the PS3's horsepower. Right now, reviews say graphics quality and realism for PS3 and Xbox 360 are equally excellent. Also, Xbox has a much larger library of games. Both systems can play games in high-def if you have an HDTV.
---------------------
albertjames
Lifetime ads (http:// www.drivenwide.com)

[retroguiden]

True, Nintendo has always been "behind" on the bit wise (as someone I knew back in 97 stated...), but really depends on taste. While you may be a hard-core shooter/fighter kind of guy, I'm the platform scroller kind of guy. Don't get me wrong, Geneses was okay and don't have anything against Sonic, I just prefer Nintendo. While the 32-bit Sega and over 68-bit Playstation One had better improved graphics, Nintendo was there first in line... ;)

Oh, back then I was a platform kind of guy too. And I do have something against Sonic. But looking at the consoles from a broader perspective I like Sega's consoles better. Anyone remember the slogan: (Sega does what Nintendon't). :D


Oh yeah by the way. Thanks for your approval on the fact that i can like the Nintendo 64. Thanks DAD!

Well, if you're acting like a child, I can certainly treat you like one from now on...? :dry:


hmmmmm, i dont know what you mean by bad graphics, you see some exellent graphics in games like Majoras Mask, and on the catalogue of games, they had plenty of games, alot of them were exellent, and i was perfectly comfortable with the Controller, always made me feel at home ^.^

For its time the graphics were not very good. The resolution is too low. Doesn't have enough memory. The cartridge can't hold high-res textures etc.
Compared to other consoles of its time, heck, compared to the previous Nintendo consoles it didn't come close to the number of quality titles. And the number of titles overall were not that many, again, compared to other consoles.

Having enjoyed the success with NES and SNES, the N64 was a failure for Nintendo. It was cheap, it still had cartridges, the memory was too small (until they released the expansion pack) etc.

Sorry, you could be as nostalgic as you want about it but I can't disregard these facts when I name the best console ever.

[Mupen64 Man]

well, determining the best gaming console ever is really a matter of preference, so, in actuality, every console can be the best one ever, just matters what we like better,:)

[THANAMELESS]

i don't know if somebody already said it, but i think the pc:happy:... you might wonder what the hack are you doing here?:mad: but i am now more used to other consoles. but i always used to play RTS games wich works best on the pc. but now i like platformers the most

[retroguiden]

i don't know if somebody already said it, but i think the pc:happy:... you might wonder what the hack are you doing here?:mad: but i am now more used to other consoles. but i always used to play RTS games wich works best on the pc. but now i like platformers the most

Well, a PC is *not* a console so...

[THANAMELESS]

Well, a PC is *not* a console so...

no i know it isn't but it still something you can game on so its a ''kind off'':D

[Desert Drifter]

Oh, back then I was a platform kind of guy too. And I do have something against Sonic. But looking at the consoles from a broader perspective I like Sega's consoles better. Anyone remember the slogan: (Sega does what Nintendon't).


Sega finished what was started - no argument there. ;)

Not that I didn't like the Geneses, just didn't seem to grab my attention at the time as the SNES did (title and character wise, plus playing over a friends' house), though "Cool Spot" was gnarly. I was addicted to that, almost like a 32-bit candy-eye drug. Even grew found of "Ristar". They were a blast, better then the hedgehog line in my opinion. As for Sonic, just ticks me off with his annoying "arrogant" personality, including that clueless yellow furbal that follows behind. Besides, the game seems to get me ticked off then anything - taking I have a short temper when it comes to repetitive and pointless games... LOL A good excuse is better then any, right...? ha ha



Well, if you're acting like a child, I can certainly treat you like one from now on...?


Heh, I was just cheering on a true Nintendo fan "go get tem!"... You got to honor his dedication though. ;) I've bashed Nintendo during their "ToasterCube" and "Wii Floppy Drive", due to them leaving their originally that worked during the NES, SNES, and a bit during the N64. What fueled me off was the missing Metroid 64 and Super Mario Bros 64 that was promised while waiting seven long years for - that never came. They became hypocrites and blew it off with their Dolphin project (GameCube), which was the end of Nintendo for me, as they seem to worry more about production then satisfaction - now a thing of the past as their line of once great games...



For its time the graphics were not very good. The resolution is too low. Doesn't have enough memory. The cartridge can't hold high-res textures etc.

Compared to other consoles of its time, heck, compared to the previous Nintendo consoles it didn't come close to the number of quality titles. And the number of titles overall were not that many, again, compared to other consoles.

Having enjoyed the success with NES and SNES, the N64 was a failure for
Nintendo. It was cheap, it still had cartridges, the memory was too small (until they released the expansion pack) etc.

Sorry, you could be as nostalgic as you want about it but I can't disregard these facts when I name the best console ever.


Have to disagree on that one... True, the graphics were "behind" and "blocky" on most the most part while it didn't have the many great numerous titles as the previous monsters, plus pain-in-the-@$$ analogs, but there's a few that really pushed the line (Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, GoldenEye 007, Hybrid Heaven, Jet Force Gemini, LoZ: Ocarina of Time, Perfect Dark, Turok, and Win Back - to name a few) while the other few (Mario Party, Mario Tennis, Paper Mario, Star Fox 64, Super Mario 64, and Super Smash Bros.) proved to be great titles without being the most graphic. So I disagree: wasn't a failure, but a new line of gaming for Nintendo - although they did choose otherwise with their next of the line garbage. Guess I can't say the same for them now...

[retroguiden]

Not that I didn't like the Geneses, just didn't seem to grab my attention at the time as the SNES did (title and character wise, plus playing over a friends' house), though "Cool Spot" was gnarly. I was addicted to that, almost like a 32-bit candy-eye drug.

You mean 16-bit drug? ;)
Anyway, did you know Cool spot was a game developed to advertise 7Up?


As for Sonic, just ticks me off with his annoying "arrogant" personality, including that clueless yellow furbal that follows behind.

Well, that's actually Sonic 2, but it wasn't much better than the first anyway.


What fueled me off was the missing Metroid 64 and Super Mario Bros 64 that was promised while waiting seven long years for - that never came.

Ok... I take it you don't mean Mario64? Which really is a Super Mario 64.


but there's a few that really pushed the line (Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, GoldenEye 007, Hybrid Heaven, Jet Force Gemini, LoZ: Ocarina of Time, Perfect Dark, Turok, and Win Back - to name a few) while the other few (Mario Party, Mario Tennis, Paper Mario, Star Fox 64, Super Mario 64, and Super Smash Bros.) proved to be great titles without being the most graphic.

I'm not saying there wasn't some great games, there just wasn't enough.


So I disagree: wasn't a failure, but a new line of gaming for Nintendo - although they did choose otherwise with their next of the line garbage. Guess I can't say the same for them now...

I mean failure in the sense that the console didn't do well and Nintendo lost market shares because of it. The N64 sold so-so and made a few bucks but considering it came from nintendo, and considering the consoles that came before (NES, SNES) it really was a failure. This is more fact than personal opinion.

[Desert Drifter]

Anyway, did you know Cool spot was a game developed to advertise 7Up?


Uh, yeah... My best bud won it in a "Coca Cola" guzzling contest they were having on the boardwalk during the summer of 93. Never pissed out so much soda in my life... LOL



Well, that's actually Sonic 2, but it wasn't much better than the first
anyway.


I don't know, they all look and play the same to me... but still manage to tick me off...



Ok... I take it you don't mean Mario64? Which really is a Super Mario 64.


No: METROID 64 ( http://www.vgboxart.com/view/10056/metroid.64/ ) - that never came until Retro Studios developed "Prime" for the ToasterCube, which "First-Person" view was a serious back pain...

Super Mario Bros. 64 (A.K.A Super Mario 64 2) was planned to star Mario and Luigi on the same screen - that also never came (instead: Super Mario Sunshine, which was a total disaster...)



I'm not saying there wasn't some great games, there just wasn't enough.


True, but they had a few, so all hope wasn't lost. ;)



I mean failure in the sense that the console didn't do well and Nintendo
lost market shares because of it. The N64 sold so-so and made a few bucks
but considering it came from nintendo, and considering the consoles that
came before (NES, SNES) it really was a failure. This is more fact than
personal opinion.


Sounded as you meant otherwise, but now understanding: your probably right. After the SNES, people expected more...

[Hrothgar]

Favorite gaming console... That's a steep question. I'll probably have to say two, being SNES and N64. Snes because it's what I grew up with, and great games like Chrono Trigger, Zelda: Link to the Past, Kirby Super Star, and Super Mario World. N64 because the idea of '3D' graphics was just dazzling to me. I grew up laying Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64, and Banjo Kazooie. I mean these games (along with others of course) are some of the greatest games of all time.

Also, I felt like the Gamecube controller was the most comfortable controller, for me anyways.


well, determining the best gaming console ever is really a matter of preference, so, in actuality, every console can be the best one ever, just matters what we like better,

I agree, except the CD-i is excluded from that.


Sorry, you could be as nostalgic as you want about it but I can't disregard these facts when I name the best console ever.

Sega wasn't more powerful than Nintendo, it just kept on strapping on awkward add-ons "Oh no Super Nintendo is gaining in sales, SLAP 32X, SLAP CD... NOTHING'S WORKING!!!"... Lol, jk. I owned a Genesis and a Playstation too, but I felt Nintendo just still had better titles. Just preference.

[retroguiden]

Quote:
Sorry, you could be as nostalgic as you want about it but I can't disregard these facts when I name the best console ever.

Sega wasn't more powerful than Nintendo, it just kept on strapping on awkward add-ons "Oh no Super Nintendo is gaining in sales, SLAP 32X, SLAP CD... NOTHING'S WORKING!!!"... Lol, jk. I owned a Genesis and a Playstation too, but I felt Nintendo just still had better titles. Just preference.

You can't just take something I wrote in a previous post out of context like that. The quote you took was about the limitations of the N64, which by the way are facts and not up för interpretation. What you're talking about is the Megadrive which had a lot of failed add-ons. And just to make things clear: The SNES had better sound and graphics but since the Megadrive was a lot faster it really were a bit more powerful.
But it all depends on how you look at it I guess.

[Hrothgar]

You can't just take something I wrote in a previous post out of context like that. The quote you took was about the limitations of the N64, which by the way are facts and not up för interpretation. What you're talking about is the Megadrive which had a lot of failed add-ons. And just to make things clear: The SNES had better sound and graphics but since the Megadrive was a lot faster it really were a bit more powerful.
But it all depends on how you look at it I guess.

I suppose you didn't see the jk part. Look if you go by the power of a system alone to determine whether it is the best gaming console of all time, than PS3 is the current best console, but I don't think that's the aim for this topic. This topic is up for opinion, and probably more subject to discussions of nostalgia rather than tech specs.

[retroguiden]

Look if you go by the power of a system alone to determine whether it is the best gaming console of all time

I never said that. But it is an important thing to consider. The sheer speed of the Megadrive/Genesis for example makes games more playable than their SNES versions.


This topic is up for opinion, and probably more subject to discussions of nostalgia rather than tech specs.

Of course. I just stated that I can't disregard specifications if I am to name the "best" console. Were it just up to nostalgia I would probably say Master System. But if I consider every part of a console (games, specs, quality etc) I come up with a different answer.

[JoshM22]

I really liked the Nintendo 64 too. Got the console on the day it came out back in 1996. My Dad bought two systems on launch that was the one i mentioned and the original Playstation.

Anyways I am shocked to hear the Nintendo 64 didn't do well with sales. I really do not belive that. The N64 was an amazing system for its time. Mario 64,Mario Kart 64,Doom 64,Wipeout 64,Ocarina of Time,007 Golden Eye were all great titles. I am sure 007 Golden Eye was a big seller when it came out so to say the Nintendo 64 was a failure is a little much.

[alcoatjez]

Anyways I am shocked to hear the Nintendo 64 didn't do well with sales. I really do not belive that. The N64 was an amazing system for its time. Mario 64,Mario Kart 64,Doom 64,Wipeout 64,Ocarina of Time,007 Golden Eye were all great titles. I am sure 007 Golden Eye was a big seller when it came out so to say the Nintendo 64 was a failure is a little much.

I also had a N64 in those days. I agree there were a lot of excellent games, but there just wasn't enough choice.
It was tough competition against the PSX, which easily had 2 or 3 times as much games. Also, there were almost no RPGs out for it.

[retroguiden]

Anyways I am shocked to hear the Nintendo 64 didn't do well with sales. I really do not belive that.

Why, because of nostalgic feelings? Believe it or not, or check with video game historians. They will tell you what I've been saying here. The key to this is really what one would consider to be 'good' sales figures. Compared to
competitors and previous consoles and market shares and whatever, the N64 did perhaps ok. But that is really a failure on Nintendos part.


The N64 was an amazing system for its time.
You'll get no argument from me there. On a side-note: The chip from Silicon Graphics was actually offered to Sega first to be used in what we know as the Saturn. One of many idiotic decisions from Sega of Japan was to turn it down. The developers then went to Nintendo.


I am sure 007 Golden Eye was a big seller when it came out so to say the Nintendo 64 was a failure is a little much.
I've really mentioned this previous in the post but here it goes again. Compared to other machines the N64 just didn't have enough quality titles. That doesn't change how much you want it to. :(


Edit: Wohoo, post number 200! ;)

[Zach]

The N64 did NOT have a lot of killer titles.

In fact there are only a few games that really kept it going in the game during its time on the market. Marior 64, Mario Kart, Starfox 64, Perfect Dark, and maybe a couple others. Truth is it bombed compared to other Nintendo consoles and even compared to competitors.

It had a great launch, but once the hype died down its flaws and limitations became glaringly clear. Yeah the graphics chip was capable of some nice stuff, but the fact it was a CART based system really did it in. The games were TOO limited, especially when you compare when system like the PlayStation could do with CD based media on HALF the system memory and no 3D acceleration. SanFranciso Rush is a perfect example of the technical limitations of the system. That game was a FOG fest, and we all know that fog of war like that is used to hide the fact it could not keep up with really fast rendering, much less at a distance and maintaining any semblance of a quality image.

If the N64 had been a CD based system, it would have been almost ahead of its time, it would have had more developers intereated in it beyond the traditional third party loyalist houses, and the quality of the games would have been tremendously better as a whole.

It really drove home the point though, that Nintendo has made with consoles like GameCube and the Wii. Nintendo is a family company, and games on those systems were made primarily for little kids and games they could play with their families. A few decent mature titles seeped through the cracks but overall you can see it was the clear transition point where Nintendo decided to make its move towards promoting the idea of a kiddie console and fun for the whole family.

[retroguiden]

I agree with most of what you wrote, but I don't think that Nintendo consciously made the transition to the family market until Wii. I think they wanted a lot more with the N64 and GC but other circumstances made them even more family friendly than what they were aiming for.

[JoshM22]

Well said Zach. I really think the Wii is more of a kiddie system though. Look at Wii Sports, Paper Mario,and games like it. Those are kiddie games. The N64 did have some kiddie titles. The 4 i can think of were Banjo Kazooe,Mario 64,Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majoras Mask.