Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: Best ever video game console

GameCentral readers focus on their favorite online game consoles, from the unique PlayStation to the PC Engine.

The topic for this week’s Sizzling Subject was urged by reader Simon and impressed by the upcoming begin of the subsequent era of consoles.

We should’ve had virtually each console ever launched talked about by somebody, though we had been stunned that the Mega Drive didn’t get extra nods than it did, given it’s normally thought of the most well-liked retro console within the UK.

Nostalgia performs an element
My favorite console must be the SNES. On the time it was a little bit powerhouse of a console with close to arcade high quality graphics and sound. Mode 7 was wonderful, Pilotwings and F-Zero are actually displaying their age nevertheless it’s unattainable to state how spectacular they appeared on the time. The controller felt just about excellent and equipment just like the multitap grew to become built-in requirements in later console generations.

The library of video games was very good, together with glorious first get together video games and nice help from third events; Konami and Capcom impressed me loads (Konami knew how you can rock that SNES sound chip) however there have been many others.

I initially wished the SNES to play high quality arcade conversions nevertheless it was the primary time I had correctly performed a Tremendous Mario or Zelda recreation and I’ve been hooked ever since. Undoubtedly nostalgia performs a big half on this. Nevertheless, I feel the SNES library nonetheless holds up very properly at this time and the recognition of the mini model was testomony to that.
John

EscapismStation
For purely sentimental causes I’ll choose the PlayStation 2 for my favorite ever console.

I’d dabbled with gaming ever since I used to be a child nevertheless it was on the PlayStation 2 within the early 2000s when it grew to become an actual ardour of mine.

This was resulting from instantly being disabled and unable to do lots of the bodily actions I used to get pleasure from, however I might nonetheless discover pleasure and escapism in gaming on Sony’s second console.

For that purpose the PlayStation 2 will at all times have a really particular place in my coronary heart.
LastYearsModel

You always remember your first
Greatest console for me must be the PlayStation authentic. It was the primary console I purchased with my very own cash. Coming from a Commodore 64 to this was a large leap ahead in graphics and gameplay. I may even bear in mind the primary recreation I bought, Destruction Derby. Thoughts-blowing. Destructible automobiles? Wow. Graphics, wow. Gameplay, eh… bought outdated quick however I exchanged it for the primary F1 recreation and I bought again on board once more. Not lengthy later got here Resident Evil. My goodness, a zombie recreation for the zombie head. Gore, environment and horrible appearing. It had the lot.

Then got here the Tony Hawk’s video games and the flexibility to attach up two consoles collectively for a Doom session. So many good instances had been had with the PS1. That plus the flexibility to simply play ‘back-up’ video games made this console my favorite.

I’d put it above the PlayStation 2 resulting from that console having no correct Resident Evil video games (I had a GameCube when 4 got here out) and particular point out has to go to the Xbox 360 for the 2 causes talked about above. Zombie video games in Lifeless Rising and the implausible on-line options together with the various hours of Borderlands 1 and a pair of split-screen classes.

I favored the PlayStation 2 however I didn’t find it irresistible and I virtually hated the PlayStation 3, save for the actual fact it was a Blu-ray participant. The PlayStation 4 might push the PS1 with its accessibility to fairly low cost VR and unique video games, specifically God Of Battle, however at this second in time the PS1 s the console to beat. May very well be nostalgia speaking due to the nice recollections the console offers, not one thing that has occurred since resulting from individuals growing old, shifting and duties. Sigh.
bobwallett

Present champion
The longer the Nintendo Change has been out and the period of time I’ve performed it will increase, the extra I feel it’s fairly presumably my favorite console, if not the very best console there’s ever been. What the {hardware} is able to is actually distinctive and adjustments the way in which you play. Even simply the 2 options of getting multiplayer out of the field and the flexibility to be a house console and instantly change into a handheld are purpose sufficient to make it standout and be extra versatile than earlier residence consoles.

From the swathe of fantastic video games together with The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle to a great deal of indie releases makes the plethora of video games obtainable, each when it comes to exclusives and genres, actually broad.

If I wanted to justify and quantify why Change is likely one of the greatest consoles, I’d level to the actual fact that it’s the console I’ve doubtless performed probably the most, with a number of of the video games I’ve accomplished on it being ones I’ve the best complete playtime on. Breath Of The Wild is the only recreation I’ve amassed probably the most time taking part in, clocking in at over 300 hours and a number of other different video games topping 75 hours too. The pick-up-and-play nature of the {hardware} means you possibly can chip away at even large video games which all provides up.

Total, regardless of its restricted technical capabilities in comparison towards consoles equivalent to PlayStation 4, Change has been the platform which has captured my consideration greater than every other and for that, it sits on the very high as the very best console of all time.
thesmaul

The stage of historical past
I imagine it was the nice Deborah Harry who as soon as stated, ‘Think about one thing of your very personal, one thing you possibly can have and maintain. I’d construct a street in gold, simply to have a Dreamcast…’

It’s bizarre. as a result of she stated that in 1979 – 20 years earlier than the Sega Dreamcast got here out! I don’t even suppose Sega had entered the video video games enterprise but. Additionally, whereas dreaming is actually free Dreamcasts are most actually not. Nor are its video games. Particularly today.

It’s bizarre that it will be my favorite, as I’ve much more nostalgia for the Mega Drive and even Grasp System (sure, I’m properly outdated), the PlayStation 2 has a bigger and extra various library and there are not any 10 out of 10 video games – both on the time or to this present day. The closest you’d get is Soulcalibur, however not fairly. Had the inventiveness of the single-player translated into multiplayer, then sure. However it doesn’t, so no.

I wasn’t capable of get it on-line, I doubt that places me within the minority of Dreamcast homeowners, however Sega’s ambition there was admirable, if insane. It was too early to be releasing a console with on-line functionality. The infrastructure wasn’t there and Sega had been certain as hell in no place to create their very own.

Bu, it’s such a candy little console. It’s very fairly, the Olivia Wilde of consoles. Although holding it clear is a problem. And in good restore. Ultimately, sooner or later, each Dreamcast will develop a fault with its energy provide. Both it’s the cable or the connector behind the bottom however after some time frame the console will simply change on and off once more. You higher have saved! The implications can and have been heartbreaking.

These video games, although. They’re unbelievable. By my reckoning, Soulcalibur started a golden age of combating video games, the place not solely had been they fairly prolific however fairly ingenious to find methods to broaden their audiences. I’m fortunate sufficient to nonetheless personal Rez, Jet Set Radio, each Sonic Adventures, each Energy Stones, each Shenmue video games, Skies Of Arcadia, Resident Evil Code: Veronica, and Venture Justice. Together with some PlayStation 1 ports equivalent to Resident Evil 2, 3, and Soul Reaver.

At present, Skies Of Arcadia and Venture Justice cost a hefty penny – even the GameCube model of Skies. Can you continue to get Jet Set Radio for final gen consoles? I haven’t checked. If not, that may very well be costly too. And both that or its Xbox sequel is properly price you attempting. Chill out, I’m not loopy – I do know that Jet Set Radio has some management points. I might argue that they’re minor and practise will make excellent. I promise!

Due to its energy reduce points, I’m afraid to show the Dreamcast on as I don’t know whether or not I’ll have the ability to play for a number of hours or a couple of minutes. Which is a disgrace and I actually hope that rumoured Dreamcast Mini occurs as its glowing, charismatic library doesn’t should be consigned to the stage of historical past. Its soul nonetheless burns…
DMR

Retro Engine
I’m going to sound like a hipster right here however my favorite console is the PC Engine. I do know, I do know however I saved up my cash for thus lengthy to get that little fella and I find it irresistible. As a retro gamer virtually within the majority now it was the one main format I didn’t have till I managed to get it an a complete bunch of its video games a few 12 months.

I can’t fake I wasn’t a little bit upset once they launched a mini model nevertheless it was nice to see everybody speaking concerning the machine once more. It actually does straddle that 8-bit/16-bit crossover completely and has among the greatest 2D video games I’ve ever performed.
Colin

Little purple field
Again within the early 2000s I’d been very connected to my N64 however being a fan of that console actually was a labour of affection at instances. For each good first get together title that got here alongside it felt like an eternity till the subsequent launch of any significance and even then, lots of the video games in query had been (trying again now) fairly shockingly mild on content material.

Being a schoolboy, I didn’t comprehend on the time that that was due to the constraints of the N64 and its cartridge-based format. However it didn’t matter, as a result of now the GameCube was right here with its little discs, and it was going to convey Nintendo into the twenty first century.

Loading up Tremendous Smash Brothers Melee and watching that iconic intro video, then scrolling the by means of the menus and simply seeing what number of modes there have been was an actual ‘Welcome to the long run’ second for me.

There was a lot to love concerning the console. The compact, kitsch design aesthetic of the unit itself was distinctive and memorable – it sounds silly however urgent the button to make the discs come out was so satisfying. The controller was a splendidly well-conceived piece of equipment as properly they usually had been actually constructed to final, lots of Wii homeowners will attest to that.

And what about that software program library. Melee was and nonetheless is likely one of the greatest launch window video games ever, a bona fide killer app. Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Pikmin, F-Zero GX, Hearth Emblem: Path Of Radiance, and Paper Mario: The Thousand Yr Door had been all implausible first get together exclusives. Resident Evil 4 and Tales Of Symphonia had been two 10/10 video games and likewise exclusives on the time.

Me and my associates poured in all probability 1000’s of hours between us into Tremendous Monkey Ball 1 and a pair of and Mario Kart: Double Sprint through the years. In contrast to the darker days of the N64 lifecycle, we additionally bought one thing resembling respectable third get together help as properly – I bear in mind taking part in nice variations of the likes of Past Good & Evil, SSX, and Loopy Taxi when beforehand you didn’t at all times get to play these kinds of video games on a Nintendo console. Getting a implausible port of Skies Of Arcadia was a large bonus as properly.

I’m trying again with massively rose-tinted spectacles after all, as a result of the GameCube nonetheless suffered considerably from a comparative lack of releases, hosted in all probability probably the most disappointing mainline entries in each the Tremendous Mario and Legend Of Zelda franchises (Twilight Princess), and provided little in the way in which of any actual improvements aside from the aforementioned change to the disc-based format Nintendo’s opponents had been utilizing for everything of the earlier era.

It’d be extra smart for me to decide on the Wii, which primarily had a GameCube inside it with its excellent backwards compatibility and peripheral help, however then had lots of different nice video games and options on high.

However that little purple field will for no matter purpose at all times be the console that occupies that particular place in my coronary heart. On the time, I bear in mind Nintendo’s technique for the GameCube being all about shunning what they noticed as gimmicks (a DVD participant, a correct on-line providing, a tough drive) and placing the standard of the video games entrance and centre of their advertising and marketing pitch. It really failed pretty badly and we’ve since seen them do a 180 and launch maybe three of probably the most gimmicky residence consoles ever and discover large success with two of them.

What’s barely wavered by means of that interval although is the standard of these first get together releases – Nintendo’s video games themselves are nonetheless a byword for excellence in an period suffering from lazy remakes, annual sequels and shameless cash-ins, and for me that continued dedication to high quality is the legacy of the GameCube shining by means of.
Charlie