CAS FAN
Outstanding Member
Just something a bit different from - "what's best, the PS2 or X-Box?" or even "what's your fave console or game ever?".
I was just pondering this and I guess there have been 6 main generations of consoles over the past 30+ years or so. It would be interesting to hear which generation of machines that people have enjoyed the most - to date.
I would say that the generations line up as such (there are obviously consoles like the DC and N64 which are almost in between generations to an extent but this doesn't need to be exact):
1st Gen---1972-1976---TV games like Pong, Grandstand etc
2nd Gen---1977-1984---Atari 2600, 5200, Colecovision, Intellivision
3rd Gen---1985-1988---Master System, NES, Atari 7800
4th Gen---1989-1992----Megadrive, PCEngine, SNES
5th Gen---1993-1997----Saturn, PS1, N64, Jaguar
6th Gen---1998 to Present----Dreamcast, PS2, X-Box, Gamecube
Obviously that's not an exhaustive list of the console ever made (there's another thread for that) but it gives a reasonable idea of the separate generations.
Looking over the list, there have been classic, defining games in each generation. Personally I would say that the 4th Generation is my favourite period for the reasons listed below:
- True arcade quality gaming comes to the home
- The 2 main consoles in Europe (Megadrive & SNES) are both fantastic with stacks of classic games on each machine.
- Streetfighter2, Bomberman, Mario Kart, Thunderforce IV, Gunstar Heroes, Afterburner, Outrun, Gauntlet IV, Ghouls & Ghosts, Strider, NHL Hockey, Super Probotector, Herzog Zwei etc..
- Cartridges were great at the time - just stick em in and bingo there's your game - no loading times etc!
- The CD format was first seen during this era with the Mega CD, giving us a glimpse of the future potential of the medium.
- Games were on the whole were great new original titles and there wasn't the mountain of annual updates from EA etc. Back in this era EA games were actually fresh and exciting with the first Madden, NHL, FIFA games hitting the market!
- Because gaming wasn't a mass market media format at this time, it felt more special to me. Everything wasn't as much profit driven and new ideas hit the shelves all the time.
So that's mine - I do like the other generations and would put the last 2 generations up there quite highly as well. For me though it's the MD & SNES all the way!
I was just pondering this and I guess there have been 6 main generations of consoles over the past 30+ years or so. It would be interesting to hear which generation of machines that people have enjoyed the most - to date.
I would say that the generations line up as such (there are obviously consoles like the DC and N64 which are almost in between generations to an extent but this doesn't need to be exact):
1st Gen---1972-1976---TV games like Pong, Grandstand etc
2nd Gen---1977-1984---Atari 2600, 5200, Colecovision, Intellivision
3rd Gen---1985-1988---Master System, NES, Atari 7800
4th Gen---1989-1992----Megadrive, PCEngine, SNES
5th Gen---1993-1997----Saturn, PS1, N64, Jaguar
6th Gen---1998 to Present----Dreamcast, PS2, X-Box, Gamecube
Obviously that's not an exhaustive list of the console ever made (there's another thread for that) but it gives a reasonable idea of the separate generations.
Looking over the list, there have been classic, defining games in each generation. Personally I would say that the 4th Generation is my favourite period for the reasons listed below:
- True arcade quality gaming comes to the home
- The 2 main consoles in Europe (Megadrive & SNES) are both fantastic with stacks of classic games on each machine.
- Streetfighter2, Bomberman, Mario Kart, Thunderforce IV, Gunstar Heroes, Afterburner, Outrun, Gauntlet IV, Ghouls & Ghosts, Strider, NHL Hockey, Super Probotector, Herzog Zwei etc..
- Cartridges were great at the time - just stick em in and bingo there's your game - no loading times etc!
- The CD format was first seen during this era with the Mega CD, giving us a glimpse of the future potential of the medium.
- Games were on the whole were great new original titles and there wasn't the mountain of annual updates from EA etc. Back in this era EA games were actually fresh and exciting with the first Madden, NHL, FIFA games hitting the market!
- Because gaming wasn't a mass market media format at this time, it felt more special to me. Everything wasn't as much profit driven and new ideas hit the shelves all the time.
So that's mine - I do like the other generations and would put the last 2 generations up there quite highly as well. For me though it's the MD & SNES all the way!