Best Console Designs of All Time

[boy-better-know]

Just a bit of fun, what's your favourite home console designs of all time?

To keep it sweet, lets say top 3 and give a bit of an explanation.

1) Original PS3 (with chrome trim) - Absolutely love the beastly design, the thing weighs a ton and feels premium (it would have to at £425 in 2007). Plus, all over gloss looked fantastic, albeit for about 5 minutes.

2) Nintendo GameCube - Doesn't really need to be explained, the thing is beautiful. I remember I had a purple one, I got the Super Mario Sunshine bundle for Christmas, ahh memories. For me, it was the last really great Nintendo console and the design was spot on, I wanted to turn it on every time I looked at it.

3) PS2 Slim - Was a toss up between original PS2 and the slim. I chose the slim because it just looked like a miniature version of the fat PS2. The only thing that would have made it better would of been a slot loading disc tray. At the time, i couldn't believe how small it was.

I must admit, the PS4 isn't far behind, I love the design, maybe nostalgia stopped me from choosing it.

So, what's your pick?

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Here's a nice blog on this very topic, and what do you know, the Gamecube Panasonic Q is 1st, I know a MacRumorUser is sure to pick that as his number 1 too.

http://voxels.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/15-best-video-game-console-designs/

 

[boast]

Ps1 slim.

(That panasonic q does look interesting)

 

[0098386]

Only top 3? Let's try

3) PS3 Slim. Curved, so you can't put anything on top of it, easily accessible HDD.

2) Wii. I'd like to put the Wii U, but there's a solid consistent design throughout the Wii with it's "SD card-like" shape, with the missing corner cut off. That's spread throughout the whole system. Even in the SD resolution

1) Gameboy Micro. It's indestructible, much like the original Game Boys before it but in a magnesium alloy case (or at least it feels like it). I've replayed most of my GBA library just to use them. Currently got 3 of them: standard blue, standard pink and the Famicom Anniversary edition

 

[Jovian9]

1. GameCube - Small and simple, looked nice, fit anywhere

2. Xbox 360S (matte) - though the current version is nice, I liked the version before it. Just a great design and matched my setup well

3. Sega Master System - loved that thing. looked so futuristic for some reason




The GC Panasonic Q is obviously pretty awesome. I never had it though so I'll refrain from putting it in my list since I've never seen it in person. Always wished they would have released it here.

 

[Cnasty]

I was always a sega genesis fan and loved that design and system.

I will say the PS4 is pretty sweet in the new generation.

 

[MRU]

Yep I love my Q its awesome. Will never part ways.....


So.

1) Panasonic Q
2) Euro SNES (not the US model)
3) PS4. Sony got its aesthetics right first time, rather than 3 iterations down the line....

 

[Suture]

For TV set consoles my vote would go to the original NES. I know the top-loading design sucked, but I liked how the console looked. For handhelds... I also liked the simplicity of Gameboy Micro and the Gameboy Advance SP (even though I found both of them uncomfortable).

 

[musicpenguy]

Just a bit of fun, what's your favourite home console designs of all time?

To keep it sweet, lets say top 3 and give a bit of an explanation.

1) Original PS3 (with chrome trim) - Absolutely love the beastly design, the thing weighs a ton and feels premium (it would have to at £425 in 2007). Plus, all over gloss looked fantastic, albeit for about 5 minutes.

2) Nintendo GameCube - Doesn't really need to be explained, the thing is beautiful. I remember I had a purple one, I got the Super Mario Sunshine bundle for Christmas, ahh memories. For me, it was the last really great Nintendo console and the design was spot on, I wanted to turn it on every time I looked at it.

3) PS2 Slim - Was a toss up between original PS2 and the slim. I chose the slim because it just looked like a miniature version of the fat PS2. The only thing that would have made it better would of been a slot loading disc tray. At the time, i couldn't believe how small it was.

I must admit, the PS4 isn't far behind, I love the design, maybe nostalgia stopped me from choosing it.

So, what's your pick?

----------

Here's a nice blog on this very topic, and what do you know, the Gamecube Panasonic Q is 1st, I know a MacRumorUser is sure to pick that as his number 1 too.

http://voxels.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/15-best-video-game-console-designs/

So the PS2 Slim - it hit me that the PS2 slim looks more like a PS4 Slim than a PS2 - the shiny and matt placement is the same, the USB ports, the tiny almost unreadable buttons, - it is almost crazy how similar those designs are!

 

[-SD-]

In no particular order:

RG-M1 Wondermega
Panasonic Q
Divers 2000 CX-1 Dreamcast
Twin Famicom (V2>V1)
PC Engine Duo R/RX

And an honourable mention for the Pikachu edition N64.....

 

[Janichsan]

Definitely not the Apple Pippin.

 

[twietee]

N64 the worst for me. By far! Was a bit ashamed to put it into my room..

Top would be the Dreamcast maybe. NES a wee bit too clunky. Super NES was like the Nike AirMax for me - looked really great n' tasty (still does imho), always wanted one but never got it. Genesis/Mega Drive looked incredible badass too.

New consoles aren't something that I'd consider beautiful - Wii U would take the spot because it looks, like the wii, much more matter to fact than the others.

 

[skottichan]

1. Sega Dreamcast. Granted that a mix of nostalgia and the fact that I still have the Biohazard (Resident Evil) model.

2. N64. It was a cool looking little console.

3. Super Famicom. It was a bit more stylish than the SNES.

 

[twietee]

1. Sega Dreamcast. Granted that a mix of nostalgia and the fact that I still have the Biohazard (Resident Evil) model.

2. N64. It was a cool looking little console.

3. Super Famicom. It was a bit more stylish than the SNES.

lol, never seen the right one in reality. Left version was the default one in Germany (Europe?) - and called SNES. Extremely sexy back then. Controller too!

But N64 and cool looking? Can't agree with that one - these clumsy "feet" front left and right absolutely killed it for me. (Controller was great though)

 

[roadbloc]

Never really used consoles but the best one in terms of design has to be the gamecube.

 

[0098386]

Image

lol, never seen the right one in reality. Left version was the default one in Germany (Europe?) - and called SNES. Extremely sexy back then. Controller too!

Aye, much prefer the EU/JP SNES over the US SNES. The colour scheme on the controllers is a bit boring, too! That said I wouldn't mind one. I'm thinking about getting one so I can play US imports (or might just mod another EU one to support US).

 

[twietee]

Aye, much prefer the EU/JP SNES over the US SNES. The colour scheme on the controllers is a bit boring, too! That said I wouldn't mind one. I'm thinking about getting one so I can play US imports (or might just mod another EU one to support US).

Just wondering: where's the eject button? It didn't exist in that version?

 

[Suture]

Just wondering: where's the eject button? It didn't exist in that version?

We just yanked the cartridges out.

 

[skottichan]

Image

lol, never seen the right one in reality. Left version was the default one in Germany (Europe?) - and called SNES. Extremely sexy back then. Controller too!

But N64 and cool looking? Can't agree with that one - these clumsy "feet" front left and right absolutely killed it for me. (Controller was great though)

Image

My uncle was stationed in Japan when I was a kid, I was enamored by my cousins' Super Famicon. I saved up all my chores money and the next summer when I visited, I bought it. I felt like such a grown up when I bought it, it was the most expensive thing I'd ever bought (it was around ¥20000). It's definitely one of those things I still wish I had.

I freely admit, the N64 one is mostly nostalgia. Playing stuff like Goldeneye with my late GF and our roommates. When I look over at my console collection the N64's ugliness kinda melts away.

 

[twietee]

I freely admit, the N64 one is mostly nostalgia. Playing stuff like Goldeneye with my late GF and our roommates. When I look over at my console collection the N64's ugliness kinda melts away.

lol! same here, same here Good times, hehe! Sunk an incredibel amount of time into GE64 and MK64 - at least local 4player was possible abck then (on incredible tiny screens compared to nowadays..)

 

[boy-better-know]

So much hate for the N64. I love it. I had a see through green one.

I need to buy anothe Gamecube - absolute thing of beauty.

 

[iLunar]

So much hate for the N64. I love it. I had a see through green one.

I need to buy anothe Gamecube - absolute thing of beauty.

Same, I loved my N64 with the gray controller and gold Zelda 64 cartridge. I still have mine!

 

[Cloudsurfer]

The GameCube definitely had the most unique console design back in its day, but I don't consider it the most beautiful console.

My favourite design has to be that of the PS4, it's just such a sleek and mature design. Lots of sharp lines, very modern.

I like the looks of the Xbox 360 Slim as well, but it's not as refined as the PS4's.

Then there's the N64, perhaps the best looking Nintendo console and my favorite console of all time in terms of games and nostalgic value.

 

[0098386]

The GameCube definitely had the most unique console design back in its day, but I don't consider it the most beautiful console.

My favourite design has to be that of the PS4, it's just such a sleek and mature design. Lots of sharp lines, very modern.

Visually it looks ace but I can't get over the awkwardness of the buttons. I've had one for 5 months and I still can't remember which one is power and which is eject!

 

[Cloudsurfer]

Visually it looks ace but I can't get over the awkwardness of the buttons. I've had one for 5 months and I still can't remember which one is power and which is eject!

Going digital games only this generation, and using my controller to turn the console on and off, I've never even used the buttons on the console at all

 

[0098386]

Going digital games only this generation, and using my controller to turn the console on and off, I've never even used the buttons on the console at all

I think that's what they're hoping! I was going to go DD-only but when disc games are (here) around 25-50% off the download price I abandoned that plan.

That said Metro 2033 on PS4/PSN is only £15 and the disc version is £25. I think they're learning!