What year was the best in video game history? Why?

[Anthony1]

What year, for you, was the best in Video Game History? Why?


For me, the best year would had to have been 1995. 1995 was just a really good year for me from a video game standpoint. There was an awfull lot going on in 1995. In very early 1995, I was knee deep in 3DO games, 32X games, and Atari Jaguar games. Of course, I was still playing all the great 16-bit games as well.

Then in May, you had the suprise launch of the Sega Saturn. Of course I had to get one the day that it hit. So I was not only playing the classic 16-bit games, and the 3DO, 32X and Jaguar stuff, but I also had a brand new Sega Saturn. When I first started playing games like Clockwork Knight and Panzeer Dragoon and Bug and Virtua Figher, I was a very happy gamer.

Then in September you had the arrival of the Sony Playstation.

What a great year in gaming!

[joseloco]

1977, no question about it. The year the first Chuck E Cheese opened.

The experience of walking into a warehouse-sized room full of arcade games changed me forever!

Hi-Lux (http://www.hilux.com)

[SoulBlazer]

I would say 1990. The golden year of the NES, the last great games for the C64, and the fun stuff started to come out for the Game Boy. And some nice PC games also, the year I finally started to take PC gaming seriously.

[Ed Oscuro]

*shrug* I wasn't playing on consoles until around 1997, but I have to say that 2004 looks like a good year so far :D

[Red Warrior]

1994... no question about it. 1994 was the year of the SNES. We got Super Metroid, Super Punch-Out, Final Fantasy III, Illusion of Gaia, Super Game Boy, Donkey Kong Country, Mega Man X2, Super Street Fighter II, Breath of Fire, Mortal Kombat II, etc...

I got 10 games for Christmas that year... best Christmas ever by far... and best year ever for gaming as far as I'm concerned. In 1994, I did nothing but eat, sleep, and breathe Super NES. Good times.... good times...

[Ed Oscuro]

1994... no question about it. 1994 was the year of the SNES. We got Super Metroid...

Yeah, that year really would've been my pick as Super Metroid AND DOOM (well, that was really a 1993 game, but who's counting?) came out in the same year. Not bad, not bad.

[charitycasegreg]

For me it had to be back in about 92-95 when I was 5-8 years old. I loved the nes and sega genesis and always played mario with my friends. Those were the days.....

[opcode]

1982. ColecoVision, Atari 5200, Vectrex, lots of 2600 games. Probably the best arcade games ever. Great year... 8-)

Eduardo Mello

[number6]

1978 - That was the year that Space Invaders came out and changed arcades forever. I remember being amazed by the graphics and sound of that game and I wasted all my allowance on it every chance I got. Shortly after that game many more similar games started to come out like Galaxian. I was totally blown away by Galaxian too.

[EnemyZero]

Yeahhh I'd have to say 95...i was 11 and i got my sega saturn...i got 3 dirty dwarves for xmas and i loved that game and still do...but also i still had all my older stuff and still bought games for genesis....and sega cd, then psx came out ...and i laughed....and no i never bought it untill much much later around the ps2 launch, i bought it just to have it for collecting purchases

[Oobgarm]

Late 1985-86.

Without the release of the NES, I seriously don't think we'd be where we are right now.

Although I will say that 1993 was superb as well.

[NintendoMan]

I really can't think I just one year, so for a system standpoint I would have to say in '94 when the SNES was released. And for a single game I can rememberwould have to be in (was it '89 or '90) when SMB 3 was released, or Nov.'98 when Ocarina of Time was released. Those games gave me plenty of headaches and goodtimes.
Other than that I really can't pinpoint a certain year.

[opcode]

Late 1985-86.

Without the release of the NES, I seriously don't think we'd be where we are right now.

Although I will say that 1993 was superb as well.

Politely I would say your statement isn't completely true. Just because someone had an idea first, it doesn't mean no one else would have the same idea a little later. That would be the same as to say if there isn't Atari, domestic videogames would never have existed.

Eduardo Mello

[Oobgarm]

Late 1985-86.

Without the release of the NES, I seriously don't think we'd be where we are right now.

Although I will say that 1993 was superb as well.

Politely I would say your statement isn't completely true. Just because someone had an idea first, it doesn't mean no one else would have the same idea a little later. That would be the same as to say if there isn't Atari, domestic videogames would never have existed.

Eduardo Mello

I don't think we'd be where we are right now in terms of technology. Nintendo has had a major influence on how this industry has taken shape. Anthony1 had a good topic a while ago that touched on the same kind of idea you mentioned about Nintendo not making the NES.

I don't mean that games wouldn't exist, that would be a foolish statement.

[kingpong]

Viewing it from a gamer's perspective (being indifferent to the state of the industry) I'd go with 1983. Arcades were still full with all the classic games made in the previous few years (80-82 being the years that produced the best arcade games, slipping in 83), the leading consoles were peaking, and with the crash starting games were only getting cheaper.

[dreamcaster]

The 90's were my favourite era of gaming.

From the SNES release in 1992, to the release of Dreamcast in 1999. Those were definitely 'my' years.

Out of all those, I'd safely say 1999 was the best and last hurrah of the gaming period I cherish the most. Dreamcast was out. N64 was in it's prime and the PlayStation's boundaries were being pushed further and further.

[YoshiM]

Hmm, personally I'd have to say from 1988 to 1989 was a good time. Can't really pin down a whole specific year. Why is this a good time?

-NES was pretty well established. Lots of genres to choose from and prices weren't too bad. Also a lot of accessories to pick from.

-SMS, while lacking the NES's popularity, receives a little game that got some notice in magazines. I think you heard of it: Phantasy Star?

-[Atari] 2600 from A...tari, the video system with classics galore from Space Invaders to cars that roar is still being sold as new in toy departments (at least in my area) for under $50 ($50?!) with new games available like Dark Chambers. With 2600 games still going for about $.25 to at most $1 at garage sales this was good news for budget gamers. It's also a good feeling for those who grew up with the 2600 as it showed that the ol' workhorse could still compete.

-In 1989 Sega released the Genesis. Even though (if I'm not mistaken) the TG-16 came out earlier it just got trounced. "Genesis Does What Nintendon't" was some of the best truth in advertising ever, IMO.

-Arcades look to be going strong (in my perspective at the time). Still a good mix of genres to choose from.

-Home computers were still doing fairly well IMO. Ads for Commodore 64/128, Atari ST, Apple computers and the like could be seen in game magazines and the store shelves had a decent mix of software. Hey the CoCo was still being supported during this time and that's good enough for me!

-Nintendo Power becomes available and as a subscribed advertisment it wasn't too shabby. Reviews were obviously biased but you still got some good Nintendo game information.

-Other game magazines pop up. Video Games and Computer Entertainment, Game Players and I think Electronic Gaming Monthly (or was it "Magazine"?) either just released or is relatively new during this time period. Lots of good reading material during this time.

-Game Boy's release was imminent. Love it or loathe it the system really made an impact on the industry.

I'd include the TG-16 (which I think came out in 1988 or early-early '89) but I really didn't know much about it until latter 1989/early 1990.

[IntvGene]

1982 or 1983 for sure.. classic games aplenty, everywhere you looked. In the arcades, there were so many great games, and companies were just rolling with some great ideas.

At home, you had four or five awesome home systems going, and Atari and Intellivision had some great libraries developed. It was the time where I was also getting the opportunity to play some of the first arcade ports on the home systems.

[hu6800]

1994... no question about it. 1994 was the year of the SNES. We got Super Metroid, Super Punch-Out, Final Fantasy III, Illusion of Gaia, Super Game Boy, Donkey Kong Country, Mega Man X2, Super Street Fighter II, Breath of Fire, Mortal Kombat II, etc...

I got 10 games for Christmas that year... best Christmas ever by far... and best year ever for gaming as far as I'm concerned. In 1994, I did nothing but eat, sleep, and breathe Super NES. Good times.... good times...

Im gonna agree with this.
SO MANY GAMES were just comming out i couldnt keep up.
I use to love spending some weekend nights with my snes
beating new games or rentals.
Also grabbing every neo cart and turboduo cd in sight.
Everything about games were just so much better.

[sabre2922]

1991 the year of Streetfighter2 on SUPERNES! oh what a summer that was!I couldnt push my way through the mob of friends that invaded my room.
1999 I got a DC on launch day, nothing hit me like when me and my friend (who co-purchased the system) powered up SOULCALIBUR up! That was a defining moment, the jump up in graphics quality from PS1N64Saturn was unbelievable at the time you just had to be there!

[Aswald]

Probably 1982. It was the year of ColecoVision, Vectrex, and the Atari 5200, not to mention some REALLY great arcade games. Also, the music, television, and movies were great, too.

"Whoa, check out Ladybug!"

"TEMPEST!"

[MarioAllStar2600]

I dont if its the best but 1979 was awsome. They sold aprox. 400,000 2600 units. It started what ended in teh crash of 84 to.

[spoon]

I remember getting a NES a few years after it came out. My parents got it through Fingerhut. The system came with a R.O.B. and Super Mario Bros 2. I remember calling my Mom at work to tell her I finally beat the boss of level 1.1.

I also enjoyed the launch of the N64. My parent swore up and down that they couldn't get one. On Christmas I didn't want to open what was the present for all of my brothers and I .

" Why?, it isn't an N64." I said.

It was. With Mario 64 and Wave Race 64. I still don't know how my parents pulled that off! They were almost last in line on a waiting list at Wal-mart and they paid $250 for it!


Fun times, fun times!

[ccc---]

From my point of view it was 1983, when video games had their first hey days here in Europe and I was playing them like crazy :)

[jammajup]

Early to mid 80`s here in UK
Discovering coin-op videogames for the first time,also i have fond memories of the atari 2600 (Raiders of the lost ark & Riddle of the sphinx carts were fav`s of mine).there were a lot of computers here like BBC model B & Dragon32 & Oric here too.
Also the Rivalry between kids with differant computers at high school
(1982 - 87 for me) who used to insult each other was quite amusing.
Spectrum 48k owners Vs. Commadore 64 owners usually.
But the lone kid with the Aquarius computer got insulted by everybody! LOL

:roll: I wonder if it still happens at schools today? XBOX Vs GC Vs PS2 insults

[rxd]

1983
If you lived through it you know why.
If you didn't you'll never understand why.
Enough said...

[tom]

1972, Magnavox Odyssey!!!!

Although I had to wait until 1998 to get my hands on one.....

[tom]

As for Oobgarm's statement about the NES and technology. The NES was a step backward in those terms.

Also, the NES was of no importance in Europe (who already advanced onto STs and Amigas), unless you count that it gave 'Ultimate Play The Game' a break (although if it wasn't for the NES, they would have coded for 16bit machines instead).