Most Underrated Console Feature?

[8bitgamer]

I've been working on my third book, meaning I've been playing the hell out of my Genesis, which, along with my other systems, is set up in the family game room. If someone wants to watch TV in the game room while I'm playing the Genesis, I simply plug in the headphones and keep plugging away at whatever game(s) I'm playing. This got me to thinking that the headphone jack on the Genesis is a highly underrated feature.

I also think the Super Game Boy on the SNES is an underrated feature (peripheral in this case), since it gives the games color, brightness, and, obviously, a much bigger playfield (making it much easier to see and play the games).

What do you guys (and gals) think are some other underrated console features (and peripherals)?

[Baloo]

Definitely that headphone jack on the Model 1 Genesis. Stereo sound for the time was definitely a breakthrough.

Also, the Sega CD and Saturn's ability to play Audio CDs. At the time, CD players were expensive, and the ability for them to play CDs was actually very good. Sega CD can even play CD+Gs.

[8bitgamer]

Also, the Sega CD and Saturn's ability to play Audio CDs. At the time, CD players were expensive, and the ability for them to play CDs was actually very good. Sega CD can even play CD+Gs.

Perfect example!

Any others?

[onReload]

Exchangeable power/RCA cables. My PS2 and Dreamcast can both use the same power cord (which might even be from a laptop's power adapter), and I have a few of them at that. RCA cables also wear down a lot faster when you're constantly switching them in and out, so being able to replace them without needing specific/proprietary wires is a plus...though right now I'm only thinking of my FC Twin, which has three RCA jacks on the back, meaning it uses Male-Male cables - this sort of feature isn't common between official systems, no?

[TurboGenesis]

Definitely that headphone jack on the Model 1 Genesis. Stereo sound for the time was definitely a breakthrough.

Also, the Sega CD and Saturn's ability to play Audio CDs. At the time, CD players were expensive, and the ability for them to play CDs was actually very good. Sega CD can even play CD+Gs.

this can also apply to the Turbo Grafx CD player… I had mine in 1991 and it served as my music CD player as well! Turbo CD also had CD+G playback, though I never had one to ever use the feature…

as for possibly an underappreciated feature, was the turbo switches on the Turbo Grafx 16 controller… this saved wear and tear on my controller, as well as my thumb and prolonged my playtime and enjoyment!

[Gameguy]

The pause button first included with the Atari 5200(pretty sure this was the first). It's hard to believe that consoles didn't always have a pause feature, it's just thought of as normal today.

[Astrocade]

The built-in game on the Master System was kind of a throwback to the older consoles, and you be surprised how many people I knew that owned a SMS that never had any idea it had such a feature.

I always appreciated the versatility of the 9-pin controller port; it was used on everything from the VCS to the 3DO.

I don't think the NES gets enough credit for having the RCA out on it in addition to RF out. As far as I know, it was the first system to offer both options.

I remember being wowed by the Sega Genesis' stereo sound.

I'm a sucker for the Astrocade's built in cartridge rack, pistol grip controllers, dust cover and common-sense keypad. As far as I know it was also the first system to have four controller ports. That was the first system I recall thinking was built by gamers, for gamers.

I liked that the Colecovision came with a leatherette dust cover. The steering wheel module was also nifty.

The first "real" system, the Channel F, had a pause button. That seemed to be a feature ahead of its time, but sorely needed.

Good luck on the third book, Brett. I eagerly look forward to it (and the second one, which I still haven't picked up yet.)

[Kitsune Sniper]

On-system backup memory.

Useful for those people who didn't want to spend $50 on a memory cart. (Saturn / Sega CD.)

[NayusDante]

On-cartridge backup memory, for similar reasons. You don't appreciate it until the medium becomes read-only.


On a similar note, the expandability of cartridges and the usefullness of the cartridge slot is underrated. You can't put a coprocessor on an optical disk. Until consoles become modular, the launch-day spec is what you're stuck with. On the plus side, we'll never have another 32X...

[The_Chosen_One]

The Neo Geo's Memory Card (I believe the first system with a memory card) could be used in the arcade machine as well as the home system.

So if you saved Fatal Fury just before the awesome Geese Howard fight and went to the arcade and put in your card you could show everyone how badass you were.

[Steven]

By FAR (for me at least) N64's four controller port. Dreamcast did this too, and I thought it would become the standard for all future systems. I found it to be absolutely brilliant, saving us from buying a $25 multitap and also lugging it along. You just need the system and controllers. I remember really being awed by this, lol, especially after all the four player sessions my gaming group had with NBA Jam TE and Super Bomberman 1/2 on SNES

[Sonicwolf]

The 3DO's stereo headphone port and volume knob on the controller.

[Oldskool]

The X'Eye/Wondermega's microphone jack and CD+G capabilities. I mean - who actually sang karaoke on the thing?

I do have one CD+G disc, and I highly recommend it.

Information Society - the first CD. The one with "Pure Energy"

And yes, the headphone jack on the Genesis and the 3DO controllers were very innovative.

Another thing that was highly underrated, the Dreamcast VMU. I mean, how awesome is it that it can be used as a memory card, AND a miniture handheld?

TV Tuners for the Turbo Express and Game Gear. How cool is that?! Play games on the go, AND watch TV?

[tmc]

Why was the headphone jack so special? Round here all tv's had a headphone socket anyway and enabled you to just plug directly into it and achieve the same effect.

Or am i missing something?

[SegaAges]

The built-in game on the Master System was kind of a throwback to the older consoles, and you be surprised how many people I knew that owned a SMS that never had any idea it had such a feature.

THIS. I was strangely in love with the maze add-in game that came on mine, but then again, when my family was poor and got a SMS instead of NES because of price, I had to enjoy the free games, hahaha

[kedawa]

One of my favourite features of the Saturn and Dreamcast is the ability to instantly reset to the title screen and system menu in every game using the 'all face buttons and start' method.
It's fast, elegant, and I've never done it accidentally.

[tom]

By FAR (for me at least) N64's four controller port. Dreamcast did this too, and I thought it would become the standard for all future systems. I found it to be absolutely brilliant, saving us from buying a $25 multitap and also lugging it along. You just need the system and controllers. I remember really being awed by this, lol, especially after all the four player sessions my gaming group had with NBA Jam TE and Super Bomberman 1/2 on SNES

Atari 5200 and Atari 800 established this standard the first time around and it didn't take off.

Lynx right and left-handed player option

[Swamperon]

Yay for the Megadrive Headphone jack. Something we never see on consoles these days.

Also the Saturn uses the same power cable as the Dreamcast/PS2. And the Dreamcast VMU is very under rated. Very few the uses made for it were actually any good, but it was something different and inventive.

[crazyjackcsa]

One of my favourite features of the Saturn and Dreamcast is the ability to instantly reset to the title screen and system menu in every game using the 'all face buttons and start' method.
It's fast, elegant, and I've never done it accidentally.

True that. Rarely used, but a nice little feature.

[8bitgamer]

The pause button first included with the Atari 5200(pretty sure this was the first). It's hard to believe that consoles didn't always have a pause feature, it's just thought of as normal today.

The pause button on the 5200 was as great feature, but it wasn't underrated. Every gamer of the era loved it and wished the ColecoVision had it.