Confession of an old Retro-Gamer

[ubikuberalles]

I've been playing video games - off and on - for about twenty five years. I own a bunch of different video game systems including the VCS, Game Gear, GBA and even Intellivision. So I'm no video game NooB and yet, despite this, I've discovered an appalling gap in my gaming experience: I have never played a game on an NES. Heck I don't think I've ever physically touched an NES. Oh, I've seen the NES on store shelves but I've never had the desire to take one down and purchase it (even a used one at a Retro store).

I can say the same thing about the N64, Game Cube, X-box, PSP and even **shudder** the Colecovision.

Is this wrong? Am I missing something by not playing NES? Or do my GB,GBCand GBC systems make up for this lack?

[jonathonwillie]

...you poor soul

[evil_genius]

Hang this man in the streets.

[kedawa]

Although most of my friends had them as kids, I didn't get my first NES until around the time the PSX came out, and I only used it to play a 76in1 bootleg cart.

Even if you aren't into pirating ROMs, you could avoid the NES your whole life and only miss a handful of good games, since almost everything has been (or will be) ported to some other platform.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Y'know, it's not just you. I got an NES from a forum member a few years ago, and I have about 20-25 games for it...and I almost never play it.

Paradoxically, I have an AV modded Famicom and about as many JP-exclusive games, and oddball stuff like mahjongg carts, and I play the Famicom more than I do the NES. To an old-old-old-school gamer like me, the NES era is when the genre homogenization begin that the industry still suffers from today. The NES has a huge library, but unless I'm just playing precisely the wrong games for it, its variety doesn't thrill me - it's possible to have a huge library with a narrow variety.

Besides, while everyone else was playing the NES, I was playing games and programming on the Apple II and later the PC. And I don't think I would go back and do it the other way around if given the chance.

[Bloodreign]

It's never too late to purchase an NES, there's quite a library of good titles to choose from, that is quite a gap though that you missed out on. There are some titles for it that are rare and fetch high prices, but you wouldn't regret purchasing a top loader, or classic front loader NES if you can find on. Handhelds do not replace a console system even if they too are nice to have around.

Happy hunting if you decide to go out and purchase an important part of videogame history.

[dcescott]

Wasn't the home video game industry almost dead until the NES revived it?
I played vs. excitebike in the arcades. Great game. I saw it at my friends house, it looked and played relatively the same. That's what sold me on it. Given the arcade version has 2 more tracks and something called "excitebike" where you don't overheat until you crash again.( Someone told me you can acheive that by lapping the computer players twice, don't quote me on that.) The NES version however doesn't have the bonus stage either.
But the NES version has a design a course. Very cool.
There's a crap load of crap titles but check out the top 20 here in DP. That's about the jest of it, with the exception of a few here and there.

[dreamcaster]

Whilst I appreciate what the NES did for the industry, as a console, I find it very unappealing. Sure, I've somehow acquired 40 games for it, but most of this has been me trying to get the acclaimed games that people rave about on this machine.

I still don't see the console's appeal. There are very few exclusives that warrant it's existence, multiplatform games were ALWAYS better on the superior Master System platform (and any Commodore/Amiga ports too), the hardware is over-complicated and unreliable (front-loading system = pointless) and the system's capabilities are very limited.

I can understand the appeal of the console for those who had one 'back in the day, but for me, buying one in 2002 really showed how badly it's aged and I get hours more fun and enjoyment out of my Master System.

[kedawa]

Besides, while everyone else was playing the NES, I was playing games and programming on the Apple II and later the PC. And I don't think I would go back and do it the other way around if given the chance.

My parents bought me an Amiga instead of a NES, and I'm eternally grateful for that.


Whilst I appreciate what the NES did for the industry, as a console, I find it very unappealing. Sure, I've somehow acquired 40 games for it, but most of this has been me trying to get the acclaimed games that people rave about on this machine.

I still don't see the console's appeal. There are very few exclusives that warrant it's existence, multiplatform games were ALWAYS better on the superior Master System platform (and any Commodore/Amiga ports too), the hardware is over-complicated and unreliable (front-loading system = pointless) and the system's capabilities are very limited.

I can understand the appeal of the console for those who had one 'back in the day, but for me, buying one in 2002 really showed how badly it's aged and I get hours more fun and enjoyment out of my Master System.

Hell yeah!

[Tron 2.0]

Never too late to try a NES period.

There's still a good used market for it ;)

The system did help start the console market again afther all 8-)

As for me had one love it sold it now i miss it again.

Still this time i'm going the famicom route. I to like try those, games that are uncut and.. try titles that didn't have a NA release.

[EricRyan34]

Thats no big deal. If you do plan on purchasing an NES, like said before, there are a whole bunch of good, and cheap!, games to choose from. I am not sure if you will get the same "feel" for it as most people do, the ones who had it when it first came out.

[KingCobra]

Am I missing something by not playing NES? Or do my GB,GBCand GBC systems make up for this lack?

You really didn't miss all that much overall, since you've been playing GameBoy handhelds anyways. If you really wanna catch-up on the NES stuff? Just get a GameCube with the GBA Player, most of the good NES/SNES games have GBA ports and you can check it out and trip on some Cube games at the same time.

If your really a lover of Retro gaming? and still play your old INTelle and VCS stuff? You should check out an Colecovision and a pair of Super action controllers, it's quite awesome IMO.

[Niku-Sama]

i can say the same thing hes saying about NES but about:

coleicovision, x-box, saturn, master system, neo geo,....

but i am only 20 and i do OWN an intellivision system with quite a few common games.....people my own age that like games have no clue what it is though....which is very cool because i blind them with its awsome power!

[attilathehun]

I've been playing video games - off and on - for about twenty five years. I own a bunch of different video game systems including the VCS, Game Gear, GBA and even Intellivision. So I'm no video game NooB and yet, despite this, I've discovered an appalling gap in my gaming experience: I have never played a game on an NES. Heck I don't think I've ever physically touched an NES. Oh, I've seen the NES on store shelves but I've never had the desire to take one down and purchase it (even a used one at a Retro store).

I can say the same thing about the N64, Game Cube, X-box, PSP and even **shudder** the Colecovision.

Is this wrong? Am I missing something by not playing NES? Or do my GB,GBCand GBC systems make up for this lack?I never owned a Nintendo product but played them all but the Virtua Boy. I have a model one dreamcast and I prefer to play the Nester DC instead buying a nes and games.

If you are a 8 bit freak obviously get nintendo roms or a nes. The big console sellers of 8 bit is atari 2600 and it's successor the nintendo entertainment system. Rom route is the best except for the hardcore collector/nintendo freak.

[Sothy]

This thread...... Why was I more dissaponted that you never played Xbox than NES?


Altair fuck it man.

Whatever you wanna play is cool. Cuz you are.

NES yer missing some good shit no doubt.

But Xbox.... We will never kill a Chinese helicopter together online....

What is the greatest tragedy? I am not sure. But Beef and potato burritos are awesome!

/me is drunk

[Ernster]

That's quite unbelivable? You never played a NES, N64 or even Xbox? Gee Im surprised you have played a PS2 @_@

LOL Nah jk but what systems have you been playing over the years, surely one of your mates had a NES or N64.... :/

It's not too late to pick up a NES etc but really you will never experience the thrill of owning one of the above consoles unless you played in back in their time...I feel sorry for you :(

Good luck anyway...

[zerohero]

I can't imagine going all those years without playing Mario 3....

[Graham Mitchell]

The NES is really interesting for me because different developers have titles that look, feel, and sound similar to their other titles. At times the differences between, say, a Konami title and one developed by PonyCanyon (or whoever we're deciding those people are), is so great that it's almost like you're playing an entirely different console. So, following a developer through all their NES titles in kind of like following a band throughout their career. It's neat, and there are a lot of really awesome, underappreciated games on that machine. Try one, they're fun.

[Flack]

You should buy an Xbox, mod it, and then put NES and Colecovision emulators on it. Problem solved! LOL

If you want an NES, remind me the next time we'll be anywhere near each other -- I have half a dozen of them lying around the house. Games can be picked up for a buck or two, so the cool thing about owning one is no matter where you go thrifting or shopping you can always find an NES game lying around that you can pick up for a couple of bucks and play when you get home. Personally I think the NES has a pretty high signal to noise ratio (lot of junk out there) and has a lot of games that I might play only if for some reason all my other games quit working that day.

N64: Debut of the 3D platformer, popularizer of the 4-player party game. I can't see either of those tickling your fancy.

Gamecube: Has some console-specific games; if you don't care about those, you can skip it. It's not a bad system, and you can get one used for $50'ish.

Xbox: For years I only had a PS2, but now that I have an Xbox it's growing on my and has almost replaced my PS2. It's a good system, but again, it stresses a lot of 3D graphics and audio options and stuff I can't imagine would thrill you.

Can't help you on the PSP or Coleco; I've never touched either of those myself.

You need to plan a trip to Oklahoma that we can coordinate with the Arkansas crew (PDF and Icbrkr) so you can play 'em all.

[Neil Koch]

I still don't see the console's appeal. There are very few exclusives that warrant it's existence, multiplatform games were ALWAYS better on the superior Master System platform (and any Commodore/Amiga ports too), the hardware is over-complicated and unreliable (front-loading system = pointless) and the system's capabilities are very limited.

I can understand the appeal of the console for those who had one 'back in the day, but for me, buying one in 2002 really showed how badly it's aged and I get hours more fun and enjoyment out of my Master System.

The NES got to the market first and their licensing agreements with third parties got them a lot of exclusive games.

I agree that many games haven't held up, but it was a HUGE leap in graphics/sound/control back when it was released.

You were going from seeing little blocks on the screen to "realistic" graphics, no music to fairly complicated BGM, one button joysticks to 4-button controllers. Stuff like Zelda and Metroid was pretty much unimaginable (at least to me) during the Atari days.

I was (and still am) a SMS supporter myself, though. The NES had more games, but it seemed to have a much higher crap to good ratio vs the SMS.

[poloplayr]

Hi everybody,

I'm a hardcore gamer for approx. 20 years now but I have never played a 'video game'. Do you think it's time for me to take the plunge?

Grateful for suggestions.

[rbudrick]

Burn the witch! BUUUUUUUUUURN HIIIIIMM!!!!

This wins the most amazing thread award. I'm blown away.

No NES? How do you live with yourself? LOL

All the opinions in this thread that indicate any system was ever better than the NES are basically wrong, so sayeth I. Since that's fact and not opinion, I'm awesome. 8-)

Sothy, you're not gonna shoot him? Sober up! LOL LOL

-Rob

[Arcade Antics]

Is this wrong?
No. Play what you like. :)


Am I missing something by not playing NES?
Most definitely. But how much that matters to you is your call.


Or do my GB,GBCand GBC systems make up for this lack?
Not by a long shot. ;)

[gepeto]

To understand the nes or any other system you missed you had to be playing the systems in its time.
Creativity was at an all time hi. Game developers were pushing the envelope. Software outpaced hardware. Now hardware out paces software. Them glorious times are gone. all you can do now is maybe pickup a system and find out what the hubbub was about. My condolences

All I can say is try to play the new systems during there life span because once they are dead they are dead. You can revive a dead system but as we all know dead things somethimes stink.

[Pantechnicon]

I had no idea you were in the midst of such an existential gaming crisis. You're supposed to reach out to your friends when this sort of thing happens you know.

Come on by the house sometime (I'm closer than Flack, you know) and I'll solve as many of these mysteries as I can for you. The NES, Colecovision and N64 are all hooked up and ready for you to feel up and play. We'd probably better get you acquainted with the Master System (the real one, not the Game Gear) while we're at it.

You should really be ashamed about the Coleco thing, if nothing else :shameful:

[le geek]

Well being an old(er) fart myself, I used to blindly follow the Atari Video Computer System but enjoyed playing Nintendo at friend houses...

NES will never be the universal bomb diggity (there is no bomb diggity) it's more about which system popped your videogame cherry...

that being said here are some of my top games for it...

The Legend of Zelda
R.C. Pro Am
Castlevania II
Punchout!
Pinbot
Rygar
Excitebike

Cheers,
Ben

[christhegamer]

I've ever physically touched an NES. Oh, I've seen the NES on store shelves but I've never had the desire to take one down and purchase it. I can say the same thing about the N64, Game Cube, X-box, PSP and even **shudder** the Colecovision.


*O_O gasp O_O*

My god, he's a heretic! Quick, everyone, bring forth the torches; we shall give him a thousand and one slaps with a wet noodle!!! MAY HEAVEN HAVE MERY ON YOUR SOUL...

(well, actually, I've never played a Game Cube, X-box, PSP, or a Colecovision, either; looks like we'll both be getting the noodle tonight! :villagepeople:)

[rbudrick]

looks like we'll both be getting the noodle tonight!

Uh huh huh huh huh. Hmmm Hmm Huh huh huh.

-Rob

[Bloodreign]

I still have my NES after 17 years, it doesn't work as well as it used to, but I still pull the old NES out, pop in a game, and enjoy myself (Bubble Bobble purchase from Kamino recently got me playing it again). The SMS had some great games for it, but basically very little third party support (I rom every game for the NES and SMS, so I keep a balance) which doomed it here in the states, yet in Europe and Brazil, the system thrived in popularity.

NES revived a dead market from the game crash of the early to mid 80's, if Sega had the same third party support as Nintendo had, there would've been a furious console war in the US, even before there were console wars (Colecovision, Intellivision, and Atari wasn't really a war as Colecovision had fewer titles, but greater games graphically than both Atari and Intelli, Intelli wasn't really pushed as much as Atari and Colecovision, and Atari had some of the ugliest graphics of it's time, then again the 2600 debuted in the late 70's, giving it a mighty headstart).

[Ed Oscuro]

To everybody saying "the NES this or that"

...for shame, it's time to remove the blinders from your eyes.

Get only the best titles, if that's what you want, but at least try them out so you can honestly say "oh, I played that game" instead of using the lame excuse of "well, I'm just the kind of sort who blows off one of the most popular video game systems in history."

Also: the village people emote is rather amusing.

[Graham Mitchell]

To everybody saying "the NES this or that"

...for shame, it's time to remove the blinders from your eyes.



Hey, I preferred the SMS for years, but I have way more fun collecting and investigating NES games because there are so damn many of them. I don't expect all of them to be good, but there are a LOT of good games on that system. I just played Xexyz for the first time ever last week. I had never played the Magic of Scheherazade until about this last April. There's always a gem on that machine that you haven't discovered yet. It's not all about SMB 3. Compile, Kemco-Seika, Hudson, Culture Brain, Falcom, Irem, and many more made some total classics that still feel very vital today, even when playing them for the first time.

[Ed Oscuro]

To everybody saying "the NES this or that"

...for shame, it's time to remove the blinders from your eyes.


Hey, I preferred the SMS for years, but I have way more fun collecting and investigating NES games because there are so damn many of them.
Well, I was just trying to put the ol' heat on a couple folks who wanted to just dismiss the NES as a system. I've no problem with PDF saying the NES embodied certain trends, because it did...but at this point buying a game secondhand isn't going to fuel the Evil Machine :P

Schezerade...I'm gonna kill a certain somebody if he mentions that game to me again. Haven't played it yet myself.

[Graham Mitchell]

Oh, sorry, Ed. I thought you were knocking the NES. "The NES this or that" isn't very specific, you know! LOL

Scheherazade: you better play it, dude. You know it's gona be awesome. Cross Final Fantasy with Zelda, Scheherezade is what you get. 8-)

[Kid Ice]

From one old timer to another, I'm not crazy about it, but you should pick one up for the handful of worthwhile games, and historical significance.

[boatofcar]

....so you've never played Super Mario Bros.? The most influential video game of all time (IMO)? You owe it to yourself to pick up either a modded xbox (like Flack said) or a cheap NES from someone on the boards. Heck, I've got one I'll sell you.

[Tan]

perhaps the virtual console for the revolution will open up a new stream of fans yet

[Sothy]

I cant wait for 15 years from now....

Noone wants to hear about your boring shitty old Saturn collection old man! Its all about the old school PS3.

[Ed Oscuro]

From one old timer to another, I'm not crazy about it, but you should pick one up for the handful of worthwhile games, and historical significance.
There's more than a "handful" of good games for it. If you really want to know, the system pretty much trounces any of the pre-crash systems in terms of the game selection (and, thanks to the faster processor and larger storage space, they look better and play longer, in many cases).

[ubikuberalles]

Keep in mind that I have no negative opinions of the NES or the other systems I never touched - basically I have no opinion at all. They were either under my radar or I had other interests in mind (although I do admit that when the NES first showed up it looked to me that it was aimed at kids and I didn't see any titles that interested me).

During the 80's I was primarily focused on the Atari computers for gaming. A lot of that was because I had other priorites: college, career, new house, new car, life, etc. I don't think I was even aware of the NES until four or five years after it came out. In the early 90's I got a Game Gear and also spent a lot of time on games for my new PC. It wasn't until World of Atari and CGE that I considered other systems (since CGE I've bought a whole bunch of different consoles).

Sorry Sothy but the reason I don't own an X-Box is because I've never paid more than $100 for a console and I'm not going to start now (the only exceptions have been my Atari computers - my very first Atari 400 and my Atari STs - but I bought those for use as computers and not game machines, the gaming came later). Even the 2600, which I got relatively new, was given to me when my father lost interest. Maybe, someday, I'll get an X-box used but I have no plans right now.

Thanks for the offers Flack and Pantechnicon, I might take you up on them. Please don't misunderstand me, however, my original post wasn't intended as a call for help or a handout; I was simply voicing a recent revelation I made.

Another gap in my gaming knowledge is in the older Sega systems. I have a Game Gear and a Dreamcast but I've never played a Genny, Saturn, 32X or a Master System (I have a Master converter cart for my GG but Pan is right - I'm sure it's not the same as the real thing). Am I missing anything here or does the GG and the Dreamcast cover the other, older, systems?

[Ed Oscuro]

Well, we're all glad you did it. I hadn't actually plugged in my own NES - i.e. nothing outside of emulation, besides the few times I'd actually played an NES, until the late months of last year.

Make sure they put a new cartridge connector in there...my NES was basically brand new but had a hell of a time keeping games connected. Hmm, maybe I should try cleaning the cartirdges, too...

[Pantechnicon]

Another gap in my gaming knowledge is in the older Sega systems. I have a Game Gear and a Dreamcast but I've never played a Genny, Saturn, 32X or a Master System....Am I missing anything here or does the GG and the Dreamcast cover the other, older, systems?

Once again...all these mysteries can be solved on your next visit. Dreamcast can do most of this via emulation (so could your PC, for that matter), but if you want to try out the real deals for the consoles you mentioned then we really ought to set up a playdate before the Spring semester becomes too much of a crunch for either of us.

[Tan]

"I can say the same thing about the N64, Game Cube, X-box, PSP and even **shudder** the Colecovision.

Is this wrong? Am I missing something by not playing NES? Or do my GB,GBCand GBC systems make up for this lack?"

i can't say it's wrong, but it's funny how one of your listed jobs under your avatar is hyrulian king when you've never played zelda on the nes, n64 or gamecube
@_@

[Fighter17]

Another gap in my gaming knowledge is in the older Sega systems. I have a Game Gear and a Dreamcast but I've never played a Genny, Saturn, 32X or a Master System (I have a Master converter cart for my GG but Pan is right - I'm sure it's not the same as the real thing). Am I missing anything here or does the GG and the Dreamcast cover the other, older, systems?

For the Genesis, there were a lot of famous games for the Genesis and the Sega CD, I would recommend buying the systems because they are cheap (the Sega CD is an CD attachement).

I played the NES rarely, I'm not a big fan of the system, mostly because I grew up in the 16-bit generation and I perfer 16-bit over 8-bit. Time to time I'll play an 8-bit system like the MSX computer, and the SMS.

[Rogmeister]

Now I'm a real old gaming fart...by the time the NES came out, I'd already gone through 3 systems and gotten bored with gaming so I gave it up for awhile and completely missed the entire NES era. I did get an NES eventually, after I'd had the SNES for a couple of years, and it made the NES look fairly ordinary by comparison. So I played the NES for awhile, kept it around for a few years and then finally gave it to a friend.

There's probably all systems we've probably never played (Intellivision and Vectrex for me) or found in our own opinion to not be all that special.

[Bloodreign]

Schezerade...I'm gonna kill a certain somebody if he mentions that game to me again. Haven't played it yet myself.

Would that be Kupomogli Ed? He's still trying me to fire up that game, but there's too many other NES treasures I'm still addicted to.

[graboid9]

i went a long time without a NES. the first christmas they were out in the us my parents couldnt find one so they got me a SMS. and every since then ive been a hardcore sega system fan...got my first nes about 2 years ago...and only about 15 games.

[Ed Oscuro]

Schezerade...I'm gonna kill a certain somebody if he mentions that game to me again. Haven't played it yet myself.

Would that be Kupomogli Ed? He's still trying me to fire up that game, but there's too many other NES treasures I'm still addicted to.
Yes. Looks like graham's quote got cut but somebody left the first tag in! ;)

[Zing]

I have to go against what most people here will think and say that now is not a good time to go back and try the NES.

I really feel sad for gamers that missed out on the NES in the late 80s (especially what I feel was its peak period, 88-89). However, I don't advocate anyone buying a NES and trying to enjoy it now. I literally fantasized about owning a NES for a year before I got mine (parents didn't get it for me the first christmas) and it is my second all-time favorite game system. Yet, I sold off my NES and collection because, honestly, the games just do not hold up well 20 years later. The NES is in this awkward middle ground between "looks like a bunch of squares on the screen, playing beeps and boops" and "32,000 colors with transparencey and multiple scrolling backgrounds, playing 8 channel stereo sound".

Anytime I get the NES urge, I load up NEStopia, and the craving is quickly satisfied. I will never forget the extreme joy the NES gave me in the past, but as proven others' comments, getting a NES now will only result in it collecting dust. Instead, enjoy the really old systems while they are still working.

[Ed Oscuro]

However, I don't advocate anyone buying a NES and trying to enjoy it now.
Some of the games haven't aged well, but others are as good as ever - like Jackal or Metal Storm.

[ubikuberalles]

i can't say it's wrong, but it's funny how one of your listed jobs under your avatar is hyrulian king when you've never played zelda on the nes, n64 or gamecube
@_@

Like in real life I have the jobs I can get. I'm not picky. :) Hyrulian king is from the NES? I had no idea. :D

[ubikuberalles]

UPDATE: I am no longer an NES virgin. Friday evening I visited Pantechnicon's house and he showed me what I've been missing. I played a couple games on the system and I even witnessed the infamous "NES blink" (repeatedly). I also got to play a couple games on Pan's Genesis, another system I never touched.

I brought Mr. Flibble along and now he's no longer an NES virgin:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/ubikuberalles/Mr-Flibble/NES.jpg

:)

[Fuyukaze]

Somehow I doubt you were able to enjoy either near as much now, as you would have when they were a curent system being sold at any major retail chain. If I sound as if I'm saying anything ill by that, it is not intended.

I for one know first hand what it's like to play something older then the current generation of gaming when I played the Oddy 2. A family member found one at a garage sale and picked it up with some games. We fired it up and played for a few hours, but all the time I played it I kept thinking to myself how bored I was. Though I could see where select games were to me better then what was released on the 2600, I was in the end, bored and wanting for something else to do. Did that make the games bad? No. Did that mean I couldnt apreciate it for what it was? To a degree, yes. I could see the progression of gaming from it to current, and yet I couldnt apreciate it as a gaming system because in the end it had nothing to offer me that systems which came after couldnt offer better. Not simply in graphics, but in gameplay as well as music and sound effects. That does not make the Oddy2 a bad system, it just makes it obsolete.

In the end, I think you missed out on alot. Sure, the system had alot of outright trash to it. I'd venture to say it had atleast a 2/3 ratio of good games to bad. That's my opinon, and I'm sticking to it. Now, on the other hand with well over 600 games for it, that is also saying the system had well over 200 games that were worth playing for it. Even if the percentage of good games was below 50%, that is not a bad amount. Compared to curent gen systems it doesnt look much different either.

In the end, if you found yourself able to enjoy any of the missed systems a pleasure to play, I would say it's time to find out what all games you've been missing and go hunting. On the other hand, if you did not enjoy them much, well, consider it a lesson learned because you realy aint missing much you didnt already miss out on. There's to many new games coming out to try playing catch up at this point in time. Go, venture forth and buy more games!

[ubikuberalles]

Actually I think if I got an NES now I would enjoy as much as I would if I bought it 15 or 20 years ago. For me, it's not the graphics that make a game but its playability. That's where you and I are different, Fuyukaze and there's nothing wrong with that. I bought a Power Boy Voyager a couple years ago and it is basically a Famicom clone. There are a lot of old games on that machine I never played and I really enjoy a couple of them (there are also a bunch of games in it I have played before and I enjoy them even more).

I played a couple NES games at Pantechnicon's house and I could tell, if I spent the time on some of them, I would enjoy playing them a lot. There were also a couple I would probably pass on. O_O

One thing that could turn me off on the whole NES thing would be the "NES blink". A couple times Pantechnicon had problems getting the system to work properly when he put in a new game. The system would turn on for a few secconds, a flash would appear on the screen and the system would turn off briefly. One time it took a couple minutes before Pantechnicon could reseat the cartridge so that the system would work right. That would get old very quickly. :/

The biggest reason I didn't get any of these systems in the 1980's was that I used my Atari computers to satisfy my gaming needs. I had a couple Atari 8-bit computers in those days and I also had a couple Atari STs. The STs had a couple great games that I played over and over. One game, called "Empire: Wargame of the Century" was my major gaming obsession for the decade (see my review/homage to Empire in this blog entry. (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/weblog_entry.php?e=576)

I also had college, full time job, buying a new car, new house and other things to distract me from the NES and other systems of that time. :)

[Fuyukaze]

I believe I may have sounded harsh when it wasnt intended. As that appears to be the case, I apologize.

It is good that I was proven wrong. So many people I meet who skip from generation to generation are stuck on only what they originaly set out with or what ever is current and are unable to see the charms or beauty of what they missed. The NES had that in spades. Concerning your reasons for missing out on it during its retail life, well, life happens. Sometimes there are more important things then playing games. Some here may not agree (and they scare me) but jugling college, relationships, work, and everything in general is an expensive and time consuming task.

As to the blinking, it would be an outright lie if I said I never had to deal with that. God, I hated the blink. Exspecialy when the only fix I knew was to insert a second game to hold it down. That trick got old when I didnt have a second game handy. The best solution I can give if you ever get one is to keep your carts clean, never be overly forcefull when inserting the cart, and if a top loader is out of the question, get a game genie and use it. Even if you never use its code features, that can help some.


P.S.
I have never seen a Neo-Geo home console first hand. Only pictures. I didnt own a Saturn or Genesis till almost 2 years after the DC was out. I still dont own a N64 and never plan to. I have 2 games for the Gamecube, yet I dont have a Gamecube and I have no imediate plans to get one.

Well, there's my admisions of guilt!

[Flack]

Hey Altairboy, if you don't have either an NES or a Genesis by the time OVGE rolls around this year, remind me and I'll bring you one of each. I have multiples of these in my "spare" pile.