What's in a Name?: Best & Worst Named Consoles

[Ascending Wordsmith]

It might not really matter, but I think a console should have a pretty good name. There's something to be said about a console that has a suave, creative title.

For me, I think the console with the best name is SNK's Neo Geo.



The word 'neo' is indicative of new and different things. The Neo Geo was just that at the time of its release; new and different (perfect arcade ports in your home!). The logo is nicely drawn plus, and this is crucial, it rhymes!

The worst named console is the XBox. Anyone else think the whole 'X' thing has been done to death? 32X, Streetfighter EX, Megaman X, Revolution X, 19XX... give it a rest! Thanks Microsoft for showing us your ability to aptly name things!

[omnedon]

I always thought the TurboGrafx 16 had a kind of cheesy name.

The best, well, the SEGA Master System is by far the Master of the named consoles, and the rest are subservient. too bad it wasn't the Master of the games, or popularity, or availability....

[scooterb23]

Just going by name alone, I like the Adventurevision...it just sounds like you are going to get wrapped up by the games...

Worst name, there's a three way tie...XBox, GameCube, and Super Nintendo...all three are just so...blah.

[kobunheatforum]

I'd call the name 'Xbox' less a fault of marketing stupidity and more the fault of the system being the world's worst-kept secret in the years preceding its release. The name Xbox (or X-box or whatever) had been used internally and in the press for years before MS ever officially announced the console.

So the name had stuck, and apparently MS felt it was best to continue that marketing buzz they already had.

The above doesn't change the fact that it is in fact a stupid name. But then, most all console names initially sound incredibly stupid, from the Playstation to the Dreamcast to the Gamecube. It's funny how fast people get used to them after the initial period of "What the..."

Anyway, my vote for best is Game Boy. It's short, it flows, it's weathered the test of time, and most importantly the name itself was a poke at Sony for not coming up with the idea first.

[GENESISNES]

Xbox is a TERRIBLE name. it goes along with the words box, cube, etc. Whats next? The Quadrilateral System?

I also didnt like nintendo, because it came up with people always saying it wrong, like neentendo. Also, it is used all of the time. Well bob, how did you get so good at shooting? Nintendo.

I like the name Atari, but it is too commonly used now. it lost its zing.

[Chunky]

Announcer: "Krusty the Klown" is brought to you by the new Gamestation 256: It's slightly faster ... to the max!

Bart: [watching on TV] 256? [groan] And I'm stuck with this useless 252? [he drop-kicks the system into the fireplace, where it slowly melts]

252: Don't destroy me! I can still make you happy ... to the max!

[JeffD]

I'll vote for the Dreamcast. Wtf is Dreamcast supposed to mean anyway.

Xbox is pretty lame too.

[zektor]

I don't know why, but I just hate the name "Virtual Boy". I kind of thought the name "Game Boy" stunk when it was released, but I loved the machine however. But Virtual Boy? Ugh...

[christianscott27]

heh somebody got to it first but yeah virtual boy is the worst. imagine telling someone who doesnt know games that you really like playing with your "virtual boy" ewww.

dreamcast is super lame too, we've just gotten used to it, sounds like a bad queensryche album doesnt it?

playstation sounds like a gay bar, really, it does.
________
Naruto Dicussion

[ROBOTRON]

Prototype name for the DC was "Katana"...that was a cool name....then "DREAMCAST" came along I was like..."Yuk!"

Although I hated it at first, it later grew on me. :/

[jaydubnb]

Best console names:

PC Engine

Mega Drive

Worst console names:

Xbox (wouldve been cool about 10 yrs ago, but X anything is soooo played out)

TurboGrafx-16 (now with more cheese!),

Playstation (sounds Fisher Price-ish)

Gamecube (see Playstation)

Honorable Mention: It isn't a console, but Bare Knuckle sounds a hell of a lot better that Streets of Rage.

[cerex]

nintendo dolphin yuck......

[Keir]

Funy, I actually like the name Dreamcast! But then, I also like Queensryche

I think Sega has the best console names. Besides Dreamcast, I think Genesis and Saturn are pretty cool too.

Nintendo has the worst names of all. Even Atari came up with better names than that!

But by far, the BEST name for a console is the APF MP-1000. That means something..... I just know it does....

[Nature Boy]

I've always liked "Genesis" as a console name. Sort of along the same lines as the Neo Geo line of thinking. And Jaguar was a good name for a console.

I agree that the whole X thing is totally played out but I disagree that Xbox is the worst name ever. I think Nintendo's machines (even though I love them the best) have the worst names. They're boring. At least they gave the Gamecube a name instead of calling it the Mega NES or the Nintendo 256.

[Asylum Seeker]

My vote goes to the Amiga CD32

The marketing guys must have really sweated over that one...

"Well it plays CDs and its 32bit.....what will we call it?"

"Maybe Samurai?"

"Nah - let's call it CD32"

"Great idea"

[Tempest]

Funny you should bring up the APF MP-1000, I was going to mention that but I figured it was too obscure for people to care about.

Best: Saturn, Genesis. These systems just sound so cool.

Worst: NES, Super NES, N64, SMS - I don't like it when a company makes it's name part of the system title. I mean you could just say Saturn or Genesis you didn't have to put Sega in front of it, but you couldn't just say Master System or Entertainment System. I also disklike names that are just part numbers like APF MP-1000, Sega SG-1000. It's just so unoriginal. Of course Atari did that...

Oh and for some reason I never liked the name Channel F. It always sounded like a hick TV station to me (Hey ma! Turn that dat dar Tee-vee to Channel F. I want to see the farm report). Then again maybe its just me...

Tempest

[kobunheatforum]

I also didnt like nintendo, because it came up with people always saying it wrong, like neentendo. Also, it is used all of the time.

Well, actually...

... it IS pronounced Neen-ten-do, in Japanese.

[Raedon]

Nintendo 64.. completely unoriginal.. but I love the system

[scmsx]

Worst names: Xbox, GameCube, Applevision (weird Brazilian Atari 2600 clone, nothing related to Apple II computer), Top Game (other Brazilian console)... :/

Sergio

[Lady Jaye]

Am i the only one to think that Dolphin was a more poetic name than GameCube?