The greatest console of all time?

Forum to discuss general gaming topics
Post Reply
User avatar
raz0red
Site Admin
Posts: 677
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:21 pm
Location: Britannia
Contact:

The greatest console of all time?

Post by raz0red » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:42 pm

Recently Don Reisinger of CNET made a post on his blog about what he considers the, "Greatest Console of All Time". His conclusion was that it is the SNES:

http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13506_1-9858188-17.html
And after playing through some of the classics from well over ten years ago, today's gaming just doesn't compare. In fact, I would gladly give up the beauty of Gears of War for just 15 minutes of Donkey Kong Country. Who else is with me?
I would have to agree, my personal favorite console of all time is the SNES. Why? Probably the biggest reason I would choose the SNES is the variety and quality of the games. The SNES was really the first console that seemed to challenge the notion that arcade games are superior to home consoles. I remember playing NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat on the SNES and the graphics were marginally different. Also, due to the fact that the games were still fairly manageable to develop (you didn't need an enormous team), you got a large variety in the types and quantity of games that were available.

Also, 2D games (which is the majority for the SNES) still seem to retain their replay value without feeling dated. To me this is especially not true for the early 3D games (or even many of the last gen games). When I look at games on the original Playstation, Jaguar, etc. they look horrendous, to the point of being unplayable. I don't have this same feeling when I play the SNES titles.

Finally, some of my favorite games of all time appeared on the SNES. Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Super Mario Kart, and ActRaiser just to name a few...

Don't agree? What is your favorite console of all time? And Why?

--Raz.

Horprodukt
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:27 am
Location: London UK

Post by Horprodukt » Thu Jan 31, 2008 2:59 am

That's a tough one. I've lost count how many consoles i have now, about 14 last count. I love 'em all for different reasons. I couldn't be without my Vectrex, C64, ZX Spectrum (if you include these as consoles? More like home computer gaming machines).... but more recently it's been real extremes: The Wii has to be for me the most disappointing console of all time, i never have the urge to play it, but the 360 is up there at the top. Maybe it's just a "honeymoon period" for me and the 360 but i love the fact it's got both classic gaming with XBLA (PacMan Championship edition rules) and superb modern gaming.

I'm tempted to think that maybe i'm seeing the 360 through rose tinted glasses as i've only had it a few months, and perhaps after time my love for the 360 will wane, but if i had to keep just one console that would be the one.
Image

LimitZer0

Post by LimitZer0 » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:42 pm

Also, 2D games (which is the majority for the SNES) still seem to retain their replay value without feeling dated. To me this is especially not true for the early 3D games (or even many of the last gen games). When I look at games on the original Playstation, Jaguar, etc. they look horrendous, to the point of being unplayable. I don't have this same feeling when I play the SNES titles
I totally agree. Sprites (over 16 colors) will always look good to me. 3D jaggies ruin older games as I remember them looking so good. I hate the fact that everything HAS to be 3D now. I think thats why I love the DS so much, It's like a handheld SNES with more power.

I think the SNES is the greatest console of all time with the PSX coming in second. I have so many fond memories of playing the SNES, it seemed like the majority of the games were great. I find myself playing more SNES games today than any other older console.

User avatar
raz0red
Site Admin
Posts: 677
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:21 pm
Location: Britannia
Contact:

Post by raz0red » Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:19 pm

Horprodukt wrote: I'm tempted to think that maybe i'm seeing the 360 through rose tinted glasses as i've only had it a few months, and perhaps after time my love for the 360 will wane, but if i had to keep just one console that would be the one.
Yeah, I thought about the 360 as well. I think its online experience is incredible, and there have been a ton of great games (and I am sure that will continue). It also could be argued that XBLA has filled the void of a lack of variety in the big budget titles.

It will be interesting to see how it continues to do. I really wish Microsoft would fix (permanently) some of the stability issues. I also am a bit concerned that they may pull the plug too early, like they did with the original Xbox. One of my other favorite consoles is the Dreamcast, but it got pulled way too early as well...

--Raz.

User avatar
Harmik
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:31 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by Harmik » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:33 pm

I love all my retro consoles 2600,5200,7800,Colecovision,Dick Smith Wizard,ECT but my favorite would have to be .......................... Intellivision :)

User avatar
raz0red
Site Admin
Posts: 677
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:21 pm
Location: Britannia
Contact:

Post by raz0red » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:49 pm

Harmik wrote:I love all my retro consoles 2600,5200,7800,Colecovision,Dick Smith Wizard,ECT but my favorite would have to be .......................... Intellivision :)
That's a great pick. I never had an Intellivision growing up, but I always wanted one. It is also one that I am definitely looking for to add to my collection.

What were some of your favorite Intellivision games?

--Raz.

User avatar
Harmik
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:31 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by Harmik » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:37 am

raz0red wrote:
Harmik wrote:I love all my retro consoles 2600,5200,7800,Colecovision,Dick Smith Wizard,ECT but my favorite would have to be .......................... Intellivision :)
That's a great pick. I never had an Intellivision growing up, but I always wanted one. It is also one that I am definitely looking for to add to my collection.

What were some of your favorite Intellivision games?

--Raz.
Im glad you said some and not just favorite Sea Battle,Shark Shark,Night Stalker,Lock N Chase,Burger Time,Bump N Jump,All the AD+D games,B-17 Bomber,Astrosmash,Auto racing and Diner you should get one its an awesome system and has some realy good two player games like the sports games,and Armor Battle and Sea Battle.I finally nagged my dad into getting me a 2600,and about two weeks later i sore the Intellivision on display at Myer (kind of like your Sears) i think i almost cried.It had the demo cart in it and looked awesome.

zodiacprime
Posts: 65
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:54 pm
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Post by zodiacprime » Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:41 pm

It would be hard to argue against the venerable SNES. Objectively or from a purely biased approach the system really did have it all. All prevelent genres were well represented. No matter what kind of gamer you were you could find happiness on it. It's hard to find a flaw with the SNES.

For a topic like this you can almost never go with the current generation. That rules out the 360 or Wii. To ever judge the greatest you have to have a sense of space and time. We are too close to these systems to judge them.

So, all that said, sometimes "best" doesn't just mean "the greatest", sometimes it means "most influential" or "most genre defining" and in this regard I would have to give the nod to the Atari VCS 2600. I mean, you could argue that this should be tops no matter what, but in the latter sense of "best" I think nothing proves its worth more than the 2600.

... so Harmik, I too am a huge Intelly fan. I've logged more hours on that system in the past year than probably all my other retro-consoles combined. Not to hijack the thread, but have you checked out any of the newer homebrews for the Intelly? Like this one: http://beeslife.com/intvgames/spacepatr ... patrol.php

User avatar
Harmik
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:31 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by Harmik » Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:10 am

Yes i will be ordering Space Patrol soon i already ordered his CC3 cart and the repo boxes off him, the repo boxes are a really cool idea it would be great if someone did that sort of thing for Atari and Colecovision. :)

User avatar
Harmik
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:31 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by Harmik » Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:17 am

That was sooner than i thought just orderd Space Patrol for Intellivision :)

AllSchoolGamer
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:28 am
Location: Australia

Post by AllSchoolGamer » Tue Dec 23, 2008 7:45 am

For me it used to be the dreamcast but these days it is definetly the megadrive...or should I say genesis cause this is an American podcast.
2 reasons

1: Strider
2: Snatcher on the mega cd

nuff said :)

Post Reply