How Different IS Next-Gen From Past Ones

[link1110]

Seeing the sales for Next-Gen systems, and everyone saying that this generation so far is so different in that respect from all past ones has gotten me to wonder if it's that different from the 16 bit generation. I think it's really very similar, you only have to reverse the roles of consoles and handhelds.

DS is Super NES, the most popular (in Japan by far and in the US by not so much) with it having the lion's share of the best games and the most 3rd party support.

PSP is Genesis. Like it's predecessor it has a bunch of extra "features" (think Sega CD and 32x) that cost a lot of money, but in the end aren't all that necessary. It certainly has its great games and a strong fanbase, but in the end Super NES is more popular.

Wii is Game Boy. It doesn't have the best graphics/specs, but it has the games (first and third party) that make it not matter.

Playstation 3 is Game Gear. Much better specs than Wii, about double the price, a few games that make it worth buying if you like their franchises, but ultimately eclipsed by Wii's hype.

The only thing is I can't quite place Xbox 360. In Japan, it seems like Lynx's few games that make the audience want it, but its too popular in the US to have that distinction.

[Juganawt]

Current gen system's can't really be accurately compared to older systems. The industry has grown from a little underground boy-coding-in-his basement, to multi million dollar games made by teams of 100 or more.

Taking your theories into account, however, here would be my take on it:

DS is Gameboy. Cheap, cheerful, fun, and can cross all ages. Also has a HUGE 3rd party backup.

PSP is Game Gear. Technically superior to the more popular DS, but the low battery life and lack of third party support means it would never get to be the top dog.

Xbox 360 would be the Atari 2600. Everyone in the UK and USA loves it, Japan doesn't give 2 shits about it, and it has a deluge of great fun games to play.

PS3 is the 3DO. More expensive than anything out at the time, with very little software to back it up. The software it DOES have is mostly available on other, better, cheaper systems. It's a nice machine that will be largely ignored by the masses due to excessive hype and excessive pricetag.

That would leave us with Wii, which is the odd one out, as no console has quite done what Wii has... it's more like the Pong arcade cabinet. Loved by young and old, male and female, Everyone has fun with it.... but the novelty value will wear off quickly and in 2 years nobody will be playing it anymore as they'll have moved on to better things.

[diskoboy]

That would leave us with Wii, which is the odd one out, as no console has quite done what Wii has... it's more like the Pong arcade cabinet. Loved by young and old, male and female, Everyone has fun with it.... but the novelty value will wear off quickly and in 2 years nobody will be playing it anymore as they'll have moved on to better things.

I agree.

I've already beaten all the AAA titles on the Wii, out thus far. And while my 360 was getting fixed, I thought that my Wii would fill in the void.

Boy was I ever wrong.... No game - Not even Mario Galaxy - could hold my attention for more than 30 minutes. I'm currently playing NiGHTS, and I have to say, I'm really not impressed with the sequel, as I thought I'd be.... I guess it was just a sentimental thing. But it doesn't have the same impact it did, back in the Saturn era.

And as for the controllers - that novelty wore off about 3 days after bought the thing.

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I'm actually thinking about trading in my Wii and all my games for a PS3, after I beat NiGHTS. Nintendo is all but dead to me, now.

[YoshiM]

I've been kinda thinking along those lines too, though I see things a bit different.

Xbox 360 is the Genesis. After the release of the Xbox I've always kinda seen Microsoft as the "new" Sega. They've had a very in-your-face approach in both advertising and library with the big manly style games that make up the staple of play. They came out first in the next gen, following Sega's path along with having a drive attachment (ie the HD DVD drive, even though you can't play games with it like the Sega CD).

Wii is kinda like the Turbografx-16 except in a Bizzaro-world (as in it's popular). Here you've got a system that's not that far separated from the last generation in design but in the right hands it can look and play pretty sweet next to the big boys. It's got some quirky titles and your gaming staples. Of course one can't compare the controllers but really it's about the games, no matter how they are controlled.

The PS3...hmm...it's kind of a toss up. I can see it being the 3DO of this generation. Here's a new expensive "multimedia" system that plays games and movies. It's graphics are meant to blow away the competition but in many regards it kinda doesn't. The concept was to be your entertainment hub in your living room, not too far off from the 3DO back in the 90's. However I *could* see the PS3 as being the Atari Jaguar of this generation. The Jaguar came from a company with a strong history and had lots of promise with its powerful architecture but was released with mixed results. Some games really show what the hardware is capable of but most of the time the games didn't look that different from a Genesis or SNES.

PS2 is the NES. While not "next gen" it certainly has a strong stake in the modern gaming market. The NES lasted quite a while in the early 90's, with its titles readily available alongside Genesis and SNES games.

Granted some of the comparisons are a bit off (like the TG-16/Wii or the PS3/Jag/3DO) but that's about how I see things. Right now we do have similar glut in the marketplace with remnants of last gen (Xbox, PS2, Gamecube and GBA games are still available new on retail shelves, with the PS2's stuff, hardware included, being the most plentiful) along with a HUGE lineup of current gen stuff all vying for shelf space (PS3, 360, Wii, PSP, DS and if you want to count it PC games).

My 2 zenny.

[heybtbm]

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I'm actually thinking about trading in my Wii and all my games for a PS3, after I beat NiGHTS. Nintendo is all but dead to me, now.

I vote: YES.

[Trebuken]

Seems to me that the Xbox 360 is comparable to the PS2, with the PS3 holding the Xbox's spot. The Wii would be the PS1 of the orevious generation.

We could place the 360 as the SNES, the PS3 as the Genesis, and the Wii would then be the NES...

I think comparing the PS3 to the Jaguar or 3DO is ridiculous. It's sold 8 million units and is currently selling nearly at the same pace as the 360. As long as development ratchets up along with the Playstation Network I imagine it will be quite a successful platform.

The Wii is outdated, great ideas but not enough horsepower...

[swlovinist]

I think that the reference of a PS3 to a 3DO is fair. BOTH were way overpriced. BOTH were met with luke warm embracement. Both were high end machines(and built pretty tough). Both has some stupid hardware design things(3D0 did not have two controller ports, the PS3 does not have rumble feature among taking out backwards compatibility). Sorry, the 360 in the US is killing the PS3 in sales. In Japan is another story....

The reference of the Wii to Pong is fair. As for the whole lack of good games, I dont buy that. It is only a year old! Smash Bros Brawl and Mario Kart Racing are going to be HUGE. The best is yet to come. Novelty I dont think so.

The 360 to me kind of like a Euro Sportscar. It has high maintence, but can be fun when it works. The dam ring of death is irritating.

The PS2 is the new atari 2600. Around forever and has a game for everything.

The PSP is like the lynx. Better in technology, but kind of second in gameplay.

The DS is going to surpass the game boy. Other than 3D graphics, the thing is one sweet portable.

The problem with the PS3 is that it is in a catch 22. It will continue to struggle getting games with its high development costs and lower user base(over half less than both the 360 and Wii. When an older system is still selling more than a current system over a year after the system is released, there is a problem. I want to get a system for myself, but frankly, a handful of excellent exclusive games for $500 is not worth it to me. The PS3 was marketed about as horrible as it gets. I see it getting better, but it will continue to lag behind. Only time can really help the PS3 in terms of seeing if it can "outlast" the competition.

[chrisbid]

this is probably the worst thread i have read in a long time

there is no 'new' anything

the wii is the market leader and shovelware king
the 360 is very strong in NA, but despite strong efforts by publishers to diversify, the best titles are still limited in range and appeal (lots of shooters and mature rated games)
the PS3 has an awful lot of ground to catch up