Best/Worst Generation of Consoles?

[Sonicwolf]

Come on, they're all good in their own way.

I agree wholeheartedly. Each generation had its highs and lows. Even the golden generations like the 8, 16 and 32bit eras has tons of shitware.

Im also a sucker for really shitty game consoles so I tend to clash when people bash the generations generally considered low points.

[The 1 2 P]

The Best: last gen. The PS2 and Xbox had so many great games and the Xbox system had so many great innovations(built in hard drive, downloadable content, superior online gaming). The Gamecube was obviously the weak link of last gen but it had a handful of good games, just nothing that compared to either PS2 or Xbox.

The Worst: the time between 16 bit and 32 bit. I'm talking about Sega cd, 32x, CD-I, 3DO and Atari Jaguar. Very few good games can be found for each of these systems and they were the low point of console gaming over the last 20 years.

[CelticJobber]

N64 most horrible console of all time, made you lose the faith in quality video gaming

At the time it was one of my favorite systems ever, but as I said before its games haven't aged too well (though not as badly as PS1's library).

However, it's extremely hyperbolic to call N64 the "most horrible console of all time". It had several titles that are considered by most to be the best of all time (Mario 64, Zelda: OOT and Majora's Mask, and to a lesser extent, Goldeneye), popularized analog joystick controls, pioneered controller vibration, and I actually preferred N64 over Playstation due to the cartridge format and lack of load times. Sony didn't win me over until PS2.

[Sonicwolf]

At the time it was one of my favorite systems ever, but as I said before its games haven't aged too well (though not as badly as PS1's library).

However, it's extremely hyperbolic to call N64 the "most horrible console of all time". It had several titles that are considered by most to be the best of all time (Mario 64, Zelda: OOT and Majora's Mask, and to a lesser extent, Goldeneye), popularized analog joystick controls, pioneered controller vibration, and I actually preferred N64 over Playstation due to the cartridge format and lack of load times. Sony didn't win me over until PS2.

I think you got Majoras Mask and GoldenEye mixed up. Majoras Mask was definately not as highly acclaimed as GoldenEye was and still is.

[CelticJobber]

I think it depends on the source, some try to downplay Goldeneye's importance. While EGM ranked Majora's Mask ahead of OOT in one of their best games of all time features.

But either way, they're both still considered among the best games of their generation.

[Baloo]

Yeah, the Playstation's library is just awful when compared to today. A lot crappy 3D junk. I really can't find all that much that's good on PSX.

I actually like the Nintendo 64. There's some REALLY good games on there that are still fun to play today. Starfox 64, F-zero X, Super Smash Bros., Goldeneye, Ocarina of Time, Mario Parties 1 and 2, there's still a good amount of stuff on there, even if Mario Kart 64 has aged horribly.

[Kevincal]

1973 - 1984 = so-so

1985 - 1998 = AWESOME!!!

1999 - Present = Great.

You just can't beat the time period from when the NES was released through when the N64 was in its prime as far as classic games go. How many systems and games were released between the NES & N64? Most of them great systems with great and original games.

[crom]

Man the Ps1 games were abundant and awesome and I dont know what you guys are talking about with aging...

final fantasy 7
metal gear solid
Tekken 3
Xenogears
Silient Hill
Resident Evil
Vandal Hearts
Wild Arms
Twisted Metal
Grand Turismo
Clocktower
Legacy of Kain
Persona
Syphon Filter
Oddworld
GTA
Tactics Ogre
Die Hard Trilogy
Chrono Cross
Grandia
Wipeout XL
Tomb Raider

[AB Positive]

Man the Ps1 games were abundant and awesome and I dont know what you guys are talking about with aging...

blah blah

This is true, but you're forgetting - this is based on *generations* not specific systems.

Yeah, so you get the PS1 and the few gems on N64. Saturn has a good japanese library but the US side is crap. Now ON TOP of these, included in the generation you have:

Atari Jaguar
Panasonic 3D0
Phillips CD-i
Bandai Pippin
NEC PC-FX

So yes, the PSX was/is a great system. But it's own generation has some SEVERE drag factor that, in my mind, makes the "32-bit" generation one of the worst. The PSX was the shining jewel, the N64 and Saturn has it's positives (and I LOVE the saturn)...

but wow. Look at the above lineup they get grouped in. Ouch.




Now look at the "16-bit" era:

Sega Genesis/CD/32X (the 32X and CD could be considered a bit of drag factors themselves...)
Super Nintendo
Turbo Duo (if you want to put it here)
Neo Geo
Neo Geo Pocket Color (later made, but it IS a 16-bit system...)

and if you wanna be super technical...

Commodore Amiga
Atari ST



You can't beat that. Few drag factors, LOTS of classics.

even with the crash period included, I'd put 32-bit era dead last. Second to last? Modern era - doesn't excite me in the least.

[skad]

I'm most fond of the 16 bit era myself, and probably least fond of the current generation of systems.
We're at 3 systems now, but it seems like less choice then we've ever had. I like my 360 and my Wii, but neither of them really excite me anymore.
Can't force myself to buy the PS3. I'd rather pick up more of the old systems instead. It's rare a new game comes out that I really want.

[Sonicwolf]

I think it depends on the source, some try to downplay Goldeneye's importance. While EGM ranked Majora's Mask ahead of OOT in one of their best games of all time features.

But either way, they're both still considered among the best games of their generation.

I always found Majoras Mask underrated and underappreciated. it was a difficult, interesting and entertaining sequel to Ocarina. Its definately worth a playthrough or three.

[chrisbid]

how is the pre-crash era "obviously" the worst? people that dismiss pre-crash video games beyond novelties are not qualified to even debate this topic

[VG_Maniac]

how is the pre-crash era "obviously" the worst? people that dismiss pre-crash video games beyond novelties are not qualified to even debate this topic

I never said the pre-crash era is obviously the worse, I said the crash era itself is obviously the worse.

[k8track]

Thought this looked familiar:
The Greatest Era in Video Gaming
Least Favorite Era in Video Gaming

I already answered my least favorite, so I'll state my favorite: first and second generation (pre-crash of 1984)--no contest. A not-too-distant second would be the third generation (8-bit era). Every generation after that I enjoyed less and less, generally speaking, with occasional exceptions.

I've got an Atari VCS with a Cuttle Cart, an Intellivision with a Cuttle Cart 3, and multicarts for my Colecovision, Atari 5200, Vectrex, Odyssey 2, and Astrocade systems. Those cover most of my gaming needs, all from the 2nd generation.

[BydoEmpire]

Best is really hard to pick. I'd say the pre-crash generations if they can be lumped together: 2600, 5200, Inty, Odysey, ColecoVision, etc. So much innovation, so many great games, and they still hold up today. The Dreamcast/ps2/NGC/Xbox generation had a pretty high quality bar for the most part, and while it wasn't super innovative it hosted a lot of exceptional and polished games. I'd put that as my runner up.

Worst: this gen. Same games as last gen, only slightly prettier and more expensive. The Wii could have redeemed it, but it's basically a system of untapped potential. I haven't bought a single full-priced retail game for my 360 since I've had it (over 2 years). I'm having fun with some of the games this gen, no doubt, but I have to rank it last.

Yeah, the Playstation's library is just awful when compared to today. A lot crappy 3D junk. I really can't find all that much that's good on PSX.

I tend to agree. The "32-bit" era - ps1/Saturn/n64 would probably be my 2nd least favorite, although there is a lot of NES-era 8-bit crap as well. I could go either way on that.

[duffmanth]

Although I'm very fond of the 8 and 16 bit eras, I 'd have to say the PS2 era was my favourite. The PS2 has the greatest library of games in gaming history as far as I'm concerned. The Xbox had some great games, they just pulled the plug too soon on it. The Dreamcast had some really great games, it's just unfortunate that the console itself was somewhat unreliable and noisy. The Cube was def. the shittiest console from the last gen. of gaming though. Fucking thing looked like a Fisher Price lunch box!

[Atarileaf]

I think for the most part, you can tell the age of the person by their response. For me, the late 70's and early 80's were the pinnacle of video games. Its Atari - number 1. Period. Everything else is a pretender to the throne, that includes the mighty NES.

Genesis? Please
Super Nintendo? Nothing Super about it.
PS1? Try PS-none.
N64? Nice try.

The 90's were the worst generation for gaming, followed closely by the bile we have today. Gaming, true gaming, died in the 80's. The last great console was the Turbografx-16.

Current Gen: Overpriced regurgitated garbage on the worst built hardware EVER.

[VG_Maniac]

The 90's were the worst generation for gaming, followed closely by the bile we have today. Gaming, true gaming, died in the 80's. The last great console was the Turbografx-16.

Why would you consider the Turbografx-16 to be so great, but not the SNES or Genesis?

[Kid Fenris]

I think for the most part, you can tell the age of the person by their response. For me, the late 70's and early 80's were the pinnacle of video games. Its Atari - number 1. Period. Everything else is a pretender to the throne, that includes the mighty NES.

Genesis? Please
Super Nintendo? Nothing Super about it.
PS1? Try PS-none.
N64? Nice try.

The 90's were the worst generation for gaming, followed closely by the bile we have today. Gaming, true gaming, died in the 80's. The last great console was the Turbografx-16.

Current Gen: Overpriced regurgitated garbage on the worst built hardware EVER.

If this isn't a fake post, it's amazing enough to be.

[The 1 2 P]

The 90's were the worst generation for gaming, followed closely by the bile we have today. Gaming, true gaming, died in the 80's. The last great console was the Turbografx-16.

Aren't we suppose to get post like this on April 1st? You're almost three months too late.