Console Starter Kits

[shoes23]

After searching for a similar topic for about an hour, I've found nothing on people's suggestions for starter kits for specific systems. I'm interested because I'm looking to collect some older systems that I have very little exposure to (For the Sega CD the only game I've played is Sewer Shark. The Saturn = Virtua Fighter and Lethal Enforcers. I know there are great games out there and it could be a useful, not only to me, but to other looking for a new system, but they don't know where to start.) Before I continue any further, I think it would be wise to define what the parameters of the list might be.

1) Assume someone knows nothing or very little about the games the console has to offer.

2) Try to keep games low cost (i.e. Radiant Silvergun may be the best of what the Saturn has to offer, however, the price keeps it out of the reach of many). I think we should stick to common/uncommon games that show off the system, are high in fun factor, and define the console .

3) Let's try to keep the limit to 5 games per console suggestion.

Nintendo (NES)

Console: $25

Games:
1) Punch-Out!! - Arcade style boxing at its prime. This game is easy to get the hang of, however, the difficulty spikes near the end of the game. You can find this game for $3.

2) Super Mario 3 - Perhaps the most popular game on the system. Introduces tons of fun gameplay factors (powerups, boss fights, unique worlds) into the platform genre. Cost - $2

3) RBI Baseball - A fun and simple baseball simulation. This game is very easy to grasp, uses liscensed teams and names, and provides excellent two player gameplay. Cost - $3

4) Bionic Commando - Swing around with your bionic arm, shoot green blobs at your enemies, and kill Hitler. Cost - $3

5) Castlevania - the original side scroller that has spawned more sequels than different versions of Street Fighter. A fantastic game that is considered one of the NES's true gems by many people. Cost - $3

TOTAL COST- $39.00

[Promophile]

I donno it's gonna be hard for some systems. most of the good games on a system such as, say, the Sega CD are worth a pretty penny.

[Sylentwulf]

Not really gonna be possible, with the exception of Super Mario 3 and maybe MT punch out, I wouldn't have suggested any of those.

Super Mario 1/Duck Hunt, Zelda, Super Mario 3, Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior

[AB Positive]

I like this idea, and could present a challenge. For someone that said it couldn't be done with the Sega CD, allow me to try (you don't have to get the BEST of the system, just some good games to showcase what it can do)

Sega CD (assuming you already have a Genesis to attach it to...) $20.00

Games:

1) Eternal Champions
A different title than what appeared on the genesis, with more fighters, more fatalities, more extras, and FMV goodness $5.00

2) Mansion of Hidden Souls
It's low on replayability, but it's a good little title for anyone that's a fan of Myst or the 7th Guest. $8.00 (which is what I paid for the title on eBay sealed)

3) Space Ace
Do I really have to describe this one? One of the Don Bluth classics, along with Dragon's Lair, to grace the Sega CD, and both are very nice translations. I put Space Ace here because Kimberly > Daphne $7.00

4) Android Assault
Thank maxlords for this one. It doesn't break new ground, but what it does do as a shooter it does well. $5.00

5) Sonic CD
The insert version of this is found much easier than the full cased version, but they're the same game. Many argue this as the best sonic game period. I'm not one of them, but I still say it's up there on the list. $5.00


Total: $50.00

Not as cheap as the NES bundle, but you definitly have more variation and fun with fifty bucks than you do with some brand new titles.

-AG

[Dahne]

Bumping this, since it's a really good idea, especially for systems that don't have a defining pack-in game (like the SNES had Super Mario World, and the Genesis had Sonic). I'll try one:

Playstation

1) Final Fantasy VII
The quintessential 'modern' RPG. Marked the transition from 2D to 3D, and introduced the genre to the world at large. Despite the dire consequeces of the latter, it is indeed an excellent game, with interesting characters, an engaging story, great music and one of the best bad guys ever made. Even the graphics have held up surprisingly well, considering how terrible most of the games from the era before when people realized that just because you can render things in blocky polygons doesn't mean you neccesarily should.
Price: About $5. Every giant PS1 bargain bin contains at least 4 copies. I think it's a law or something.

2) Metal Gear Solid
Tactical espionage action, baby. Grandaddy of all the stealth games that abound these days. Say what you will about Tom Clancy, but he sure as hell ain't got no cyborg ninja. Short, but very replayable. Sneak around a nuclear storage complex, knock out guards, fight a giant robot with nothing but stinger missiles, hide in a cardboard box. Combines fantastic action gameplay with a deep and gleefully bizarre storyline.
Price: $6

3) Parappa the Rapper
Punch punch punch, it's all in the mind. A weirdly addictive rhythm game where you hit buttons in time with a beanie-wearing, 2D dog who's trying to win the heart of some sort of flower girl thing in order to rap about crack crack cracking the eggs into the bowl. Once the songs are lodged in your brain, they will not leave.
Price: The guide says $15, but that seems a bit high.

4) Ape Escape
One of the very first games to really use the analog sticks, here utilizing them to swing your weapons/monkey catching net. (The drawback being that you need to have a dual shock controller to play it.) A great, fun platformer about catching a bunch of errant primates and their nefarious leader monkey. That...horrible monkey.
Price: $10

5) Tomb Raider
Back before the cavalcade of sequels lies...a pretty darn good game, actually. I'll never be crazy about the control scheme (forward moves you in the direction you're facing, left and right make you turn), but there's a simple joy in crawling through caves and shooting bats.
Price: $4

Okay, gonna cheat here:

Alternate: Resident Evil 2
Old-time survival horror. Zombies, zombies, zombies.
Price: $10

[Dangerboy]

I actually did something like this for GameShark one Christmas...

I'll try and nail a variety of genres with mine, though I will not count the hardware price because that fluctuates too much:

Saturn
The System with 2 controllers, and you're set. Make Sure the $2 battery in the back is replaced to save stuff.

1. Astal $3.
Always in the cheapie bin in the wild, a grogeous little 2D side-scrolling action game that showed of the early potential of the Saturn's 2D-ness.

2. World Series Baseball II $2
For some reason this is one of the few baseball games I can actually sit down and play. Decent graphics for the day, and the odd lighting choice makes it look like your watching an ol 70's broadcast.

3. Street Fighter Alpha 2 $10
For the US side of 2D fighters, this is the judge, jury, and combo breaker. 18 fighters, and all the combos you can shake a stick at.

4. Legend of Oasis $12
Panzeer Dragoon Saga is a bank breaker, so for an RPG Need this fits the bill nicely. I never cared for the closeness of the camera, but it's got a neat hidden 2 player mode and it's the closest thing the Saturn has to a Zelda.

5. Duke Nukem $8 / PowerSlave $8
Both versions blow the living shit out of the PSX Versions (this is coming from the BIggest PSX fan, I would know this :) ), and which one to get depends on if you want to either blow away evil pigs or evil mummies. PowerSlave does feature a HUGE patience curve with certain sections, but still a damn fine First Person Shooter.

Total Game Cost: $35 ($42 if you get both FPS)

PlayStation
What makes the PlayStation so sexy is that many of the best titles were manufactured in truckloads, so you can easily pick up a ton for cheaps....but we'll stick with the 5 game plan...

1. Metal Gear Solid $10
Required by law.

2. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night $12
You can pick up this reprinted GH new at Blockbusters. If you ever wanted that old 'Super Metroid' feeling but with a blood sucking vampire, boom badda bing.

3. Soul Blade $10
The 3D weapon based fighter by which all future weapon based games were judged, and to this day some still can't make the grade. Edge Master Mode alone is worth the coin.

4. Tetris Plus $7
While I'm not big on Tetris, this version features a cool puzzle mode where you need to form lines to rescue a researcher. PLus, you can custom edit yoru own puzzles.

5. Rage Racer $4
Best. Racing Game. Ever.

Total Cost: $43

Jason