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Most modern games are bloated generalized vomit, created by, or bastardized by committees. Games from the early days were created by individuals/small-groups that loved games and computers. They enjoyed solving puzzles. They wrote their dialogue from an adult perspective, not as an adult trying to think like a kid. Their games were intelligent. These are attributes that have been lost, or get filtered out for the masses. Even games like Sam & Max don't hold up to their MCGA counterpart. The old games felt like truly interactive stories/adventures, I rarely get that now days, even with all of TEH GRAPHIX.
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Haha. I think I'd agree with this. My vote is still for the NES 8-bit era with SNES/Genesis as a close 2nd. I'm 30 years old and have owned the following systems during their generation:
C64, Coleco, NES, Sega MS, all Atari's except the Jaguar, SNES, Genesis, N64, NGC, Sega Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, Nintendo Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360 (and lots of PC/Mac gaming).
My console list is rather sparse compared to yours. 
You just need a PS3.
My friend had an Atari 5200, but we never played it and one of my really good friends still has his Jaguar.
You just need a PS3.My friend had an Atari 5200, but we never played it and one of my really good friends still has his Jaguar.
Someone gave us an intellivision back in the day. That was my first. I literally had a box full of games. This was about second grade for me. Don't remember much...batteship, some robber themed pac man clone, and a few others.
Remember my head exploding the first time I saw/played Super Mario 1. And remember that damn robot game for the NES...was cool when I was young. Remember trying and trying to be as cool as that kid in Wizard with my friend's rented power glove. Trying to play that car game and Punch Out.
I voted for the SNES/Sega though because those are the games Im buying on VC...
Paul
Remember my head exploding the first time I saw/played Super Mario 1. And remember that damn robot game for the NES...was cool when I was young. Remember trying and trying to be as cool as that kid in Wizard with my friend's rented power glove. Trying to play that car game and Punch Out.
I voted for the SNES/Sega though because those are the games Im buying on VC...
Paul
IMHO - 10,000 BC was the best generation...
oh the fun we had with a stick and that expensive new hardware was amazing.... they called it 'the wheel', well actually they called it 'grunt grunt cough grunt' but heck it was pure innovation....
These days meh!
oh the fun we had with a stick and that expensive new hardware was amazing.... they called it 'the wheel', well actually they called it 'grunt grunt cough grunt' but heck it was pure innovation....
These days meh!
Me too, I much prefer handhelds. Currently hooked on Kirby Ultra Star thingy, and Pokemon Pearl.
IMHO - 10,000 BC was the best generation...
oh the fun we had with a stick and that expensive new hardware was amazing.... they called it 'the wheel', well actually they called it 'grunt grunt cough grunt' but heck it was pure innovation....
These days meh!
I heard that the wheel was just two round rocks taped together with a stick added on. It's clearly a fad. :]
IMHO - 10,000 BC was the best generation...
oh the fun we had with a stick and that expensive new hardware was amazing.... they called it 'the wheel', well actually they called it 'grunt grunt cough grunt' but heck it was pure innovation....
These days meh!
Don't forget about the overrated fire!!
I'm 36, have been gaming for almost 3 decades (still have my VIC-20 and 2600 to prove it!), and while I revere my roots, I think that some may be letting nostalgia cloud their judgement.
First, it is impossible to choose one Generation of gaming as the best. Each one had its own great contributions to the cause, but it is the continuum as a whole that has made gaming what it is.
Secondly, if I was forced to pick just one Generation, it would be this one (or inevitably, the ones coming up in the near future). I'm sorry, I too spent countless hours scouring Hyrule, jumping and ducking in the Mushroom Kingdom, and engaged in combat with tanks made out of 3-4 pixels, but at the end of the day, those games are not as well-crafted or immersive as today's offerings. Sure, there are a few out there that have transcended time with epic storylines (FF series immediately comes to mind), but on the whole, give me the nearing believability graphics and immense story of a Bioshock over a classic like Mario 64 any day of the week.
I've kept my systems for nostalgia sake and to play whenever the urge strikes me. I haven't fired up any of them in quite a few years. My spare N64 gets more use from my sons than it does me.
We must remember the past to be sure, but moving forward into the future is truly the only way to go. Some here may disagree and stay with 2D side scrollers or top-down gaming, and that's cool. I miss it myself sometimes, but not enough to give up what I have today.
First, it is impossible to choose one Generation of gaming as the best. Each one had its own great contributions to the cause, but it is the continuum as a whole that has made gaming what it is.
Secondly, if I was forced to pick just one Generation, it would be this one (or inevitably, the ones coming up in the near future). I'm sorry, I too spent countless hours scouring Hyrule, jumping and ducking in the Mushroom Kingdom, and engaged in combat with tanks made out of 3-4 pixels, but at the end of the day, those games are not as well-crafted or immersive as today's offerings. Sure, there are a few out there that have transcended time with epic storylines (FF series immediately comes to mind), but on the whole, give me the nearing believability graphics and immense story of a Bioshock over a classic like Mario 64 any day of the week.
I've kept my systems for nostalgia sake and to play whenever the urge strikes me. I haven't fired up any of them in quite a few years. My spare N64 gets more use from my sons than it does me.
We must remember the past to be sure, but moving forward into the future is truly the only way to go. Some here may disagree and stay with 2D side scrollers or top-down gaming, and that's cool. I miss it myself sometimes, but not enough to give up what I have today.
For me, this question is incontrovertibly a war between nostalgia and immersion, at least on the surface.
I chose SNES/megadrive, because that was the pinnacle of 2D gaming, and the end of an era in regards to game design philosophy. Then, game difficulty (and thus, the encouragement of developing skill) was the way to create length of playtime. Beating a game was a testament to skill and dedication. Modern games, in the large part, have gotten to the point where cognizant individuals can almost certainly navigate their way to game completion. This fundamental difference represents the fact that modern games are becoming more and more narratives in comparison to their ancestors.
That being said, I've devoted more hours to Morrowind than I care to admit. I am very appreciate of the resources that go into making modern games, and the gems this effort can produce. However, in the SNES era, gaming still didn't quite have the mainstream feel where you'd equate it as an industry like the movie business as people do nowadays. The feel that that gave, plus the inherent simplicity in games those days represents something very different than what we have today. The evolution of this industry is quite a marvel, but because of the degree of change it has endured, it is difficult to compare the different eras.
I chose SNES/megadrive, because that was the pinnacle of 2D gaming, and the end of an era in regards to game design philosophy. Then, game difficulty (and thus, the encouragement of developing skill) was the way to create length of playtime. Beating a game was a testament to skill and dedication. Modern games, in the large part, have gotten to the point where cognizant individuals can almost certainly navigate their way to game completion. This fundamental difference represents the fact that modern games are becoming more and more narratives in comparison to their ancestors.
That being said, I've devoted more hours to Morrowind than I care to admit. I am very appreciate of the resources that go into making modern games, and the gems this effort can produce. However, in the SNES era, gaming still didn't quite have the mainstream feel where you'd equate it as an industry like the movie business as people do nowadays. The feel that that gave, plus the inherent simplicity in games those days represents something very different than what we have today. The evolution of this industry is quite a marvel, but because of the degree of change it has endured, it is difficult to compare the different eras.
Nice comment. I agree as well. I have most nostalgia about the 16 bit generation, but voted for 32 bit because my mind was blown by SEGA Rally in 3D, at home.
I feel far too many games tried to be 3D when they should stay 2D, and by the Dreamcast era, things were shaping up for the way of today (though that's 10 years now!).
I get most current enjoyment out of the Dreamcast... see my blog
Nostalgia vs Immersion? I'm not sure about that, for me at least.
I got Fallout 3, Bioshock and L4D during the Steam sale a few weeks back. Around that time I got the new Castlevania OoE. Despite them big modern PC games gaining high review scores left right and centre and looking stunning on my PC... I've put much more time into OoE simply because I find it a better and more enjoyable game
And OoE is a PS1 quality 2D game.
I got Fallout 3, Bioshock and L4D during the Steam sale a few weeks back. Around that time I got the new Castlevania OoE. Despite them big modern PC games gaining high review scores left right and centre and looking stunning on my PC... I've put much more time into OoE simply because I find it a better and more enjoyable game
And OoE is a PS1 quality 2D game.
Well Bioshock was immensely fun for me, CoD5 was awful. Just opinion.
As you can tell from my blog, I love the SEGA games of old. There are some really, really good games there. Much better than the generic FPS crap brought out today.
I'm almost 30 (one month to go), and I picked the SNES generation. We used to have an Intellivision when I was little, and I played some games on the C64 (Maniac Mansion!!!!), but the SNES was my first proper gaming console. I also had a Japanese backup system ("Super Wild Card" ) that would copy games to floppy disks (and load them). After a while of renting/copying games, I had a HUGE collection which i foolishly sold later when I got my Playstation. A year ago, I finally caved in and bought a SNES on Ebay just to play the most important classics again. Good times!
) that would copy games to floppy disks (and load them). After a while of renting/copying games, I had a HUGE collection which i foolishly sold later when I got my Playstation. A year ago, I finally caved in and bought a SNES on Ebay just to play the most important classics again. Good times!
I bought a Wii to play all the important classics and have got all but two of the games that I really enjoyed back then, that I can recall.
BuckRogers and Starflight for Genesis, where are youuuuuuu?!!!!
BUY Mass Effect Jimmmmmi. Very enjoyable PC game.
BuckRogers and Starflight for Genesis, where are youuuuuuu?!!!!
BUY Mass Effect Jimmmmmi. Very enjoyable PC game.
I remember when Best Buy was closing them out and had them in their Sunday Ad - $39.99 for the system and $9.99 for games.
I got there way too late - a lot people were in line at the checkout with them....
My friend loves the Dreamcast. He has tons of unmarked CDs for it. Anyways, he buys used Dreamcasts when he finds them for cheap. He keeps spares around as backup units.
Anyways, he buys used Dreamcasts when he finds them for cheap. He keeps spares around as backup units.
BUY Mass Effect Jimmmmmi. Very enjoyable PC game.
It's on my to play list along with other dialogue heavy games. All I really play at the moment are TF2, L4D, Castlevanias etc. Stuff that I can relax to after another 12 hours nonstop work
The dreamcast really needs to be put in with the N64 and the PSone. I mean that is when it came out.
My fav is my Japanese dreamcast for sure, although at the time I was also playing with my Genesis then too.
My fav is my Japanese dreamcast for sure, although at the time I was also playing with my Genesis then too.
It's on my to play list along with other dialogue heavy games. All I really play at the moment are TF2, L4D, Castlevanias etc. Stuff that I can relax to after another 12 hours nonstop work
Mass Effect can be sooooothing.
The problem I had, is that it would consume me to the point I couldn't stop playing!I played through twice and I started on a 3rd run. But finish Castlevania first before buying ME.
L4D only eats up about a hour with friends, so it shouldn't get in the way of Mass Effect.
I said the Dreamcast, Xbox, Gamecube, PS2 era because that was the time of my life when I played the most video games, although I have fond memories of the 8bit era.
I still remember when one of the local shops was selling a Japanese Dreamcast for $1000 CAD because it wasn't released in North America yet and when the PS2 was $400+ (I got an Xbox and Gamecube for $400+ each back then).
I still remember when one of the local shops was selling a Japanese Dreamcast for $1000 CAD because it wasn't released in North America yet and when the PS2 was $400+ (I got an Xbox and Gamecube for $400+ each back then).
Started with a Colecovision (Smurf's Nightmare!!!!) and theNES always brings back fond memories, but I had to vote for the SNES/Genesis era. I've always primarily been a sports games fan, and, as such, I had a Sega Genesis. Man that system had some seriously good sports games. NBA Live 95 was soooo overplayed by me - and I don't really even like basketball! World Series Baseball, Triple Play Baseball, NHL Hockey - some seriously great sports games.