Favorite bios/intro screens?

[BetaWolf]

For generations 1 through 5 only. That means nothing last gen or current gen.

I just found out about the Japanese Sega Master System version 2.1 intro, and I think that one's my favorite now. It has an awesome remix of the Space Harrier theme set to a scrolling horizon with a constantly changing color.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZQjiHKhQg0

[Steve W]

I've always liked the Atari Jaguar's intro, with the 3D Atari lettering spinning into place while the old-school music "Have You Played Atari Today?" tune plays, and the texture mapped photo of a Jaguar on a spinning cube pops up.

[Emperor Megas]

I always loved the Saturn's boot animation, but I HATE the brushed metal finish texture they use for the screen when it all comes together. The original XBOX boot screen is definitely one of my top favorites, with the Gamecube's being another honorable mention. I didn't know that you could manipulate the Gamecube's boot intro until recently.

Truth be told, with all of the cooler, flashier ones there are now, my all time favorite may still be to the Master System's slatted SEGA logo intro. It has more to do with nostalgia than anything, with my best friend and I always singing "Master Sys-tuuuuum" in key with the tune. Probably because we knew that the idea behind it was 'SEGAAAAAAA', as with the original Sonic the Hedgehog intro years later, and so "Master Sys-tuuuuuum" sounded funnier.

What's weird is I've thought about making this topic for years. In fact, I wasn't sure if I ever did or not.

[BetaWolf]

I always loved the Saturn's boot animation, but I HATE the brushed metal finish texture they use for the screen when it all comes together.
How about the Hitachi Hi-Saturn intro then?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBA7emDivf8

[Emperor Megas]

I definitely like the standard (US) Saturn intro better. I really like the way the shards all swirl around and come together. I just wish the background were different.

[celerystalker]

Not sure about favorite, but there are a few I like. The Neo Geo AES and its little jingle that uses slightlty different sound effects with each game stands out, probably because that system was like a myth to me as a kid, so when I finally got one around 12 years ago, I was ready to drink it in.

The original Playstation also stood out to me. The screen wasn't super special other than the hi-res logo that seemed to jump off of the screen, but that low, long tone made it feel like something huge in scope was about to happen. Even though it sounds different, it reminds me of the THX tune up at the beginning of some movies, if that makes any sense.

I'll second the Jaguar and Saturn as well. I bought mine for... well, $20 at Kaybee! I had just played N64 for the first time, but didn't have the cash, and thought maybe I'd get a comparable experience. I learned that I needed to find somewhere to learn to fly. As I type this, I realize the Kaybee pause was in reference to another thread from Emperor Megas, where he passed on the exact same clearance price. Just thought it was funny. Anyhow, dissatisfied with the experience being nothing like the N64, a couple months later I stumbled across a Saturn at Wal-Mart for $25 and bought it. Still wasn't exactly what I wanted at the time, but I greatly prefer it today.

[Tanooki]

Not going to youtube it, but Sega and SNK had my favorites. The Saturn right down to the rocket on the CD music player was just really slick, even the Dreamcast swirly popping up was nice. And then as already said, that fold out with that classic jingle the SNK system/arcade unit had you knew what to expect at least before you even found what game was in there as it's just that distinct and well known.

In all fairness Nintendo in one solitary moment of somewhat cool thinking deserves it for the Gamecube, either the primary or the easter egg squeaky toy sounds as the blocks rolled out to form the Gamecube. And also even more obvious, Gameboy. From start to death it always had that distinctive BING you'd come to expect from it when it would boot up before starting the game. Sure it was just one note, but it was consistent.