Best Nintendo Console

[tacoguy]

dunno dude, despite the consoles down comings, i think n64 games still hold up pretty well. mario 64, the zelda games, f zero x, star fox, banjo kazooie and mario kart are still highly playable today. i personally find the ps1 to be a console that has a ton of games that hasn't ages very well. my only problem with the n64 was that it wasn't very genre friendly. most of the games are just platformers. and on top of that, there's only about ten games worth owning for the system. so it's still a flop depending how you look at it.

N64 is awesome, fuck all the haters here. But for reals, N64 had plenty of great games on the system. I only wish it would have received some of those awesome 2d platformers and fighters that were only released on the PS or SAT. Don't care too much about the JRPGs myself but that genre defined the PS.

I was going to get this xoom tablet for awhile then they made the wiiu, I browse the internet with it with commercials on the tv its great!

Best part about the wii u is you can pay while everyone else is watching something else on the tv.

My vote goes for the Game Boy, since this poll throws handhelds & consoles together. There's simply nothing comparable to this strike of genius, not to mention that Tetris & Pocket Monsters done more for Big N than any other title, including Miyamoto's whole CV. While the first opened up gaming to masses of adults years before Sony did, the second saved them a bankruptcy or two.

The gameboy gave them so much success. If it's not their most successful system it is definitively up there. Easily their longest lasting system they ever made. Never owned one myself but i borrowed it from time to time and it was always fun. They milked that cow for all she was worth and then some.

This. Most of us are the right age to have been wowed by the snes too.

I had a Genesis during that time so I was more in that stupid fanboy mentality. The very little SNES that I played back then did impress me.

your heart = right place

...sadly, I too caved, but I voted N64 even though Gamecube is the correct answer.

I'm leaning towards the cube myself.

Even though i loved the n64, i believe that the cube had more higher quality games in comparison to the n64. n64 had the best 3d mario game and the best zelda titles.

cube had a good mario game and two good zelda titles. but it also gave us the excellent metroid prime series, the best resisdent evil game, best f-zero game, great remakes of previous gen hits like metal gear solid and resident evil, a solid resident evil prequel, eternal darkness, two fantastic star wars rouge squadron sequels, a good sequel to star fox 64, the most unique of the mario karts, and bunch of fun party games.

n64 has the edge when it comes to 3d platformers and zelda titles but cube either comes close in all other category or just beats the n64 out right. Plus some of the games still looking good for the cube where for the n64, I can't say it has aged as well.

 

[ResO]

My Red and black symphony, a mix of fiery hell and outer space. A kind of Catatonic panic, yet acceptance that things won't be changing anytime soon. I love the Virtual Boy.

 

[DZ]

N64 is awesome, fuck all the haters here. But for reals, N64 had plenty of great games on the system. I only wish it would have received some of those awesome 2d platformers and fighters that were only released on the PS or SAT. Don't care too much about the JRPGs myself but that genre defined the PS.



Best part about the wii u is you can pay while everyone else is watching something else on the tv.



The gameboy gave them so much success. If it's not their most successful system it is definitively up there. Easily their longest lasting system they ever made. Never owned one myself but i borrowed it from time to time and it was always fun. They milked that cow for all she was worth and then some.


I had a Genesis during that time so I was more in that stupid fanboy mentality. The very little SNES that I played back then did impress me.



I'm leaning towards the cube myself.

Even though i loved the n64, i believe that the cube had more higher quality games in comparison to the n64. n64 had the best 3d mario game and the best zelda titles.

cube had a good mario game and two good zelda titles. but it also gave us the excellent metroid prime series, the best resisdent evil game, best f-zero game, great remakes of previous gen hits like metal gear solid and resident evil, a solid resident evil prequel, eternal darkness, two fantastic star wars rouge squadron sequels, a good sequel to star fox 64, the most unique of the mario karts, and bunch of fun party games.

n64 has the edge when it comes to 3d platformers and zelda titles but cube either comes close in all other category or just beats the n64 out right. Plus some of the games still looking good for the cube where for the n64, I can't say it has aged as well.

So you're saying OoT is better then LttP?

 

[FilthyRear]

So you're saying OoT is better then LttP?

Link's Awakening shits all over those two.

 

[Rocko]

Nintendo 64.

 

[MattBlah]

I love Nintendo and always buy their latest console, but I don't really think any of their consoles are anything special now, apart from the Gameboy. I had a great time with my N64 at the time, but would I buy an N64 over a Dreamcast now? No. The only 'retro' Nintendo console that I keep going back to is the Gameboy, the rest had their time and I've moved on.

 

[DZ]

Link's Awakening shits all over those two.

LOL...NO

 

[SouthtownKid]

N64 is awesome, fuck all the haters here. But for reals, N64 had plenty of great games on the system.

People always say that, but then they can never name any, beyond the few we all already know and agree on.

I only wish it would have received some of those awesome...

Fighters, racing games, survival horror outside of the shit RE2 port, traditional RPGs/JRPGs, pretty much any genre that was actually important to anyone over the age of 8 years old in the mid-1990s: ABSENT on N64.

 

[smokehouse]

People always say that, but then they can never name any, beyond the few we all already know and agree on.

Fighters, racing games, survival horror outside of the shit RE2 port, traditional RPGs/JRPGs, pretty much any genre that was actually important to anyone over the age of 8 years old in the mid-1990s: ABSENT on N64.

Diversity and interface. These two things are what makes a console great. Graphics, sound, tech specs...don't really give shit. How diverse is the library for the system and how good is the controller, really, that's all I care about.

The N64 not only had one of the worst gaming controllers ever made, it also had an extremely limited library of quality titles. In those two areas, the PS1 destroyed the system in nearly every way.

So someone and their buddies loved playing Mario Kart/Goldeneye on the thing...good for them, that hardly makes a system great. Great to them? Sure. Great to everyone else? Not hardly.

 

[Electric Grave]

I agree. I do like the N64 and the usual titles which are mostly 1st party. Of course the PSX beats it like a red headed step child, it beats both, Saturn as well even though I prefer the Saturn and I prefer the gamepad over the PSX as well but like you said, it's mostly on the library and the PSX controller is actually not bad at all either, so yeah looking at what I have for games says it all. PSX is king, way more games worth playing over N64, no doubt. That doesn't make the N64 a shit system though. The few games that are good are actually excellent. The controller might look like an abortion but it does perform very well. So I dunno, I rather stay on the casual N64 gamer camp with nothing but the best titles and call it a day, not looking for hidden gems, the rarez or any of that shit for it.

 

[FilthyRear]

LOL...NO

Facts, bitch.

 

[Takumaji]

Dunno which Big N console is best and franky don't really care. The only Nintendo hardware I ever bought was the GC RE4 pack, later on I got me some other games for it and had quite some fun with them, SSBM, Killer 7, P.N.03, the Zelda collection, etc. I also bought Mario Sunshine but it wasn't my thing, even though I tried really hard to like it.

I was into Sega systems (and 8/16bit micro computers) during the NES and SNES days. Two of my friends had Nintendo stuff and we sometimes swapped consoles. Couldn't say I ever felt that I missed something, I found most of the 1st party games nauseating with all their kiddie colours and tooey-looey-kaplooey nonsense, wasn't a fanboy thing, I just was into different types of games.

 

[DZ]

Facts, bitch.

You don't even like Zelda.

 

[smokehouse]

I agree. I do like the N64 and the usual titles which are mostly 1st party. Of course the PSX beats it like a red headed step child, it beats both, Saturn as well even though I prefer the Saturn and I prefer the gamepad over the PSX as well but like you said, it's mostly on the library and the PSX controller is actually not bad at all either, so yeah looking at what I have for games says it all. PSX is king, way more games worth playing over N64, no doubt. That doesn't make the N64 a shit system though. The few games that are good are actually excellent. The controller might look like an abortion but it does perform very well. So I dunno, I rather stay on the casual N64 gamer camp with nothing but the best titles and call it a day, not looking for hidden gems, the rarez or any of that shit for it.

I guess that I look at the failure of the N64 on a broad scope. The is an amazing amount of damage that system did when you really step back and look at it.

By the end of the SNES, Nintendo had strong market share (49m SNES -vs- 30m Genesis), strong public acceptance, and strong outside industry support. Out comes the N64 and it pretty much burred all of that. They lost massive amounts of outside game designers, they lost market share (33m consoles vs 109m PS1), the lost adult gamer support. That console cost them they place as a premier console maker to a 2nd or 3d string player at best.

The failure of the N64 was so bitter that it cost the GameCube even before it was released. To this day, I see the GC as a brilliant little machine that has massive amounts of potential. The damage done by the N64 stunted the hell out of that machine, sadly.

 

[Magician]

The failure of the N64 was so bitter that it cost the GameCube even before it was released. To this day, I see the GC as a brilliant little machine that has massive amounts of potential. The damage done by the N64 stunted the hell out of that machine, sadly.

I hope something similar doesn't happen to the NX.

But with Nintendo moving on from their all-time worst selling home console in the Wii U...it seems unavoidable.

Nintendo needs an amazing name for their new console; they need to distance it as far from the Wii/Wii U brand as they can.

 

[Electric Grave]

I guess that I look at the failure of the N64 on a broad scope. The is an amazing amount of damage that system did when you really step back and look at it.

By the end of the SNES, Nintendo had strong market share (49m SNES -vs- 30m Genesis), strong public acceptance, and strong outside industry support. Out comes the N64 and it pretty much burred all of that. They lost massive amounts of outside game designers, they lost market share (33m consoles vs 109m PS1), the lost adult gamer support. That console cost them they place as a premier console maker to a 2nd or 3d string player at best.

The failure of the N64 was so bitter that it cost the GameCube even before it was released. To this day, I see the GC as a brilliant little machine that has massive amounts of potential. The damage done by the N64 stunted the hell out of that machine, sadly.

You're right, from a broad perspective Nintendo crumbled ever since the N64, if it wasn't for the Gameboy and DS systems, I don't think they coul afford the failures that they have endured throughout their console releases. I actually like all the Nintendo systems, not as a fanboy but as a casual gamer and I enjoy some titles immensely. Gamecube, Mario Strikers was the most fun I had in years with sports games since Ice Hockey on NES. The game is that good, it's tight, it's fast paced, it keeps you joked. DZ and I went through a feverish phase with that game and we're talking about getting back into it all over again. I think that all the systems have their fair share of games worth playing but from a statistics POV, hell it's surprising Nintendo has made so many poor choices, I just dunno what to think of it, seems like they're missing the beat time and again.

 

[SouthtownKid]

I guess that I look at the failure of the N64 on a broad scope. The is an amazing amount of damage that system did when you really step back and look at it.

By the end of the SNES, Nintendo had strong market share (49m SNES -vs- 30m Genesis), strong public acceptance

That doesn't even begin to cover it. In the era of NES and SNES, home video games of ANY kind were thought of and referred to AS "Nintendo" by the vast majority of the general public in the US. People forget that now. "Where are the kids at?" "Eh, they're upstairs playing Nintendo," says the parent who bought her son a Sega Genesis only three months earlier.

Out comes the N64 and it pretty much burned all of that.

What's shocking is just how short a time it took them to completely piss away all they had built and accomplished.

They lost massive amounts of outside game designers, they lost market share (33m consoles vs 109m PS1), the lost adult gamer support.

Luckily for Nintendo, they kept the grown manchild support. I wish I remembered the name Takumaji came up for Banjo Kazooie way back when. All I remember is that it made me laugh.


edit: Whoa, missed his post, but ask and ye shall receive:

nauseating with all their kiddie colours and tooey-looey-kaplooey nonsense, wasn't a fanboy thing, I just was into different types of games.

 

[SouthtownKid]

I hope something similar doesn't happen to the NX.

But with Nintendo moving on from their all-time worst selling home console in the Wii U...it seems unavoidable.

You don't get it. They still haven't recovered from N64. WiiU isn't selling so poorly because it's their worst console. Because it isn't -- not by a long shot. It's selling poorly because Nintendo has STILL not salvaged their image and reputation from the N64 debacle. Not with the general gaming public, who still associate "Nintendo" with "For Kids Only," and not with Third Party developers.

 

[Takumaji]

Kid, the original was longer but I don't remember it in full

 

[Electric Grave]

You don't get it. They still haven't recovered from N64. WiiU isn't selling so poorly because it's their worst console. Because it isn't -- not by a long shot. It's selling poorly because Nintendo has STILL not salvaged their image and reputation from the N64 debacle. Not with the general gaming public, who still associate "Nintendo" with "For Kids Only," and not with Third Party developers.

Yep.. If only they'd come back to the fold...Wii is not awful by a long shot but the revolutionary gimmick was just that, a fucking gimmick, I'm not gonna lie, I did enjoy Wii sports but other than that I can do without motion controls. WiiU could have been great but that damn tablet thing is mandatory in some games, I don't wanna use that thing for everything, I'd be happy with just the Pro controller, although is nice having the second screen for some games but just like the wii, it feels like it's just a gimmick, really. Let's go back a bit, the Gamecube, I loved it but I found the controller was made for Metroid Prime, that's it, other than that I find it not very practical.

Why can't Nintendo stop reinventing the wheel, they had a good thing with the SNES, what happened? I don't understand it. From a peripheral concept superb in design to a WTF permanent state ever since, really, WTF?! It's weird 'cause Nintendo ever since their Game & Watch series they have cared about controls, each time perfecting their formula which found a pinnacle in the NES controller and then went even further with the SNES, I don't understand what happened afterwards, it's like they refused to continue what they started, as other companies seemed to take on what the SNES left behind, Nintendo just avoided to take from where they left off.

Incidentally, WTF happened with 3rd Party support? Is it 'cause the cartridge format? Could be, but geez they lost all their momentum. Pulling out of the collaboration with Sony and the Dolphin was the worse mistake they made it seems.

 

[Magician]

You don't get it. They still haven't recovered from N64. WiiU isn't selling so poorly because it's their worst console. Because it isn't -- not by a long shot. It's selling poorly because Nintendo has STILL not salvaged their image and reputation from the N64 debacle. Not with the general gaming public, who still associate "Nintendo" with "For Kids Only," and not with Third Party developers.

I can't agree with that perspective when the Wii sold over 100 million units.

Even though the bulk of those owners probably only played Wii Sports and maybe Mario Kart Wii.

More than anything else Nintendo suffers from an image problem.

 

[Electric Grave]

Wii was big with hype, it served them well but they didn't capitalize on it, instead they let the shovelware run rampant and ruined the little bit of momentum they had going with the Wii. At the end of the main commercial life of the Wii I think everyone was ready to forget all about the system. WiiU didn't help to alleviate that feeling at all either.

Nintendo needs to go back to basics. Analyze what's going on with the current gen and tackle the problems. Less is more.

 

[bloodycelt]

Why can't Nintendo stop reinventing the wheel, they had a good thing with the SNES, what happened? I don't understand it. From a peripheral concept superb in design to a WTF permanent state ever since, really, WTF?! It's weird 'cause Nintendo ever since their Game & Watch series they have cared about controls, each time perfecting their formula which found a pinnacle in the NES controller and then went even further with the SNES, I don't understand what happened afterwards, it's like they refused to continue what they started, as other companies seemed to take on what the SNES left behind, Nintendo just avoided to take from where they left off.

Gunpei Yokoi is what happened, I think he was no longer involved with Nintendo by the time the N64 and Gamecube came out.

FWIW, I think the Motion Controls worked well with both Metroid Prime and Skyward Sword. (Not so well with Twilight Princess).

Probably the best thing Nintendo could do is make a new brand for the new console, maybe just call it NX without the Nintendo branding. Same with mature / niche titles use a different brand. The Nintendo brand in the US is like the Disney brand; hence why Disney has Touchstone.

 

[DZ]

Gunpei Yokoi is what happened, I think he was no longer involved with Nintendo by the time the N64 and Gamecube came out.

FWIW, I think the Motion Controls worked well with both Metroid Prime and Skyward Sword. (Not so well with Twilight Princess).

Probably the best thing Nintendo could do is make a new brand for the new console, maybe just call it NX without the Nintendo branding. Same with mature / niche titles use a different brand. The Nintendo brand in the US is like the Disney brand; hence why Disney has Touchstone.

He left Nintendo after the N64 came out because he hated the controller and overall direction of the system. He then died a few years later in a car wreck.

Also Skyward Sword and Metroid Prime 3 suck.

 

[HeavyMachineGoob]

Um no, Gunpei Yokoi left after the Virtual Boy, which was launched in 1995. Nintendo didn't outright fire him, they just took away any power he had in developing new products. Gunpei Yokoi left to start his own company, which would go on to partner with Bandai with the WonderSwan. Gunpei Yokoi died in a car accident (hit & run I think) in 1997.

Probably the best thing Nintendo could do is make a new brand for the new console, maybe just call it NX without the Nintendo branding. Same with mature / niche titles use a different brand. The Nintendo brand in the US is like the Disney brand; hence why Disney has Touchstone.

Did you know Nintendo marketed the Wii without the Nintendo branding? It was the first time Nintendo had ever done that with a game console. Even the Virtual Boy had full Nintendo branding all over it.