The Funtech Super A'Can is missing, not that anyone cares. Also, the Stellaview didn't allow online gaming, just downloads of games. And Atari (or one of the 2600's third party developers) had the same technology 10+ years earlier.
Sega is interesting. They're inability to let a system gain traction (except the Master System and Genesis) before releasing a new system was mind boggling. I had a "friend" that had the Genesis, 32X and Sega CD. He thought his collection of crap was better than the SNES. "Rage in the Cage is better than Royal Rumble because it has more wrestlers AND videos!"
"Friend" = Anybody with a Genesis had scum bag like tendencies.
It blew everything else out of the water specs wise, and it had some REALLY awesome games some of which have held up (Nights into Dreams, Sonic Adventure 2) And others which are admittedly aging poorly (the first Sonic Adventure)
My legacy - Colecovision > NES > Sega Genesis > Sega Saturn > PS1 > N64 > PS2 > Wii > PS3. I would love to get a PS4. I was lucky that my dad was a gamer himself and always bought new games / systems.
Atari 2600 > NES > SNES > PS1 & N64 (though not at the same time) > PS2 > PS3 > Eventually a PS4. That's not including a very long history with PC gaming, especially adventure games from both Sierra and LucasArts.
I've never been one for Xbox since I was turned off it from day one because of the giant controller and then other reasons as time went on. Nothing against anyone that prefers X-Box, as both systems have their pros and cons. I've disliked how Nintendo has gotten more and more gimmicky over the years. I thought the Wii was gimmicky as all hell and too few games really worth getting the system for. I say that ten-fold with the Wii U.
My legacy: some sort of Pong Game (I think the odyssey, I was 5 or so) Intellivision Intellivision 2 Colecovision Atari Adapter that plugged into Intellivision and let you play all the atari games I swear there was an intellivision 3 I had NES Sega Genesis Sega Saturn Playstation One N64 (barely played it) PS2
PS3 Wii (bought for 7 year old daughter)
I also used to play PC games extensively in the mid 80s to mid 90s
Genesis, SNES, Pico, NES, 32X, N64, Saturn, PlayStation, Sega CD, Dreamcast, GameCube, PS2, Wii, 360, PS3, Wii U.
This infographic has a couple of errors. For instance, the Satteliview didn't actually allow for competitive online gaming, but the XBAND did, and it came out in late 1994. Also, I don't really think stuff like the "Sega Saturn Skeleton" should count as new consoles, any more than the Special Pikachu Edition N64.
The Sattelliview was more comperable to the Sega Channel... but that ALSO came out in 1994.
In my case, most of what I learned came from a book I picked up years ago. It's not on hand at the moment, but I do remember it being a pretty good history of the industry up to Sega's collapse/Microsoft's rise.
An amazing slate of fighting games and arcade ports, plus a truly unique, eclectic mix of first- and third-party games that were unlike anything else on the market (Seaman, Space Channel 5, Jet Grind Radio, and a bunch of others).
It lead to the invention of "Super (Let's Get) Smash(ed) Bros" at a party
Now to pick up Saints 4 and enjoy one of the least Nintendo franchises on the planet! (on that note, i thought Saints 3 was divisive--but holy shit The new one is getting everything from 1-10 by all kinds of critics. With that much controversy I have to take a look)
I know it got good reviews at the time, but I played it when it first came out and was left feeling unimpressed. Coming from someone that loved the Genesis titles.
Check out this site: http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/ . This dude has everything, with full articles, ratings, and specs on pretty much every system ever made.
What was the XBAND? I remember hearing about it, but never knew anyone that had one. And yeah, Stellaview was more like the Sega Channel, except that the Sega Channel was running 24/7 and Stelllaview was working once a week for an hour or 2. Not home when it's working? Fuck you.
Also, there are a couple errors. As I said below, the FM Towns Marty, Super A'Can, and the LazerActive (which may or may not count, depending on your opinion of what a "console" actually is), as is the RDI Halclyon (which may have never even got a commercial release) and the Jag CD. And he even has a pic of the Jag with the CD add-on (which is called the 3D0, but I assume that's just a typo). And the "Sega Saturn Skeleton" definitely shouldn't be there, if anything the Saturn that they released with Nights and the analog Saturn controller should be there.
Man, that guy below was right in calling me a nerd. While the rest of you guys were reading comic books, I was playing any video game I could me hands on.
Is it a bold choice that may not pay off artistically? Sure. Are we being arrogant by outright ignoring the already limited boundaries of our storytelling medium? Absolutely.
Will we keep doing this even if it leads to diminishing returns? Without question.
Wow, I had no idea PS 3 had so many sales- just goes to show you how much more mainstream video games have gotten, because I would have SWORN that the NES and Super NES would have sold more units. Sony's eventual dominance is pretty crazy considering they weren't even in the business until the original PlayStation, but I recall that era very well- they had ELITE games that nobody else had, a great advertising strategy (making their rivals look incompetent and uncool at the same time- Saturn having shittier versions of a few PS-X games helped), and more. Add in Sega's incompetence and Nintendo getting into the game late, and you had the makings of a one-sided beat-down.
Nintendo coming flying back with the Wii is even more impressive with all that knowledge.
Ah, for the days when every family would only allow ONE video game system, meaning that kids had to take sides on SNES (vs) Genesis. That was an INTENSE rivalry, too, and a fun one to watch as a fan. My Genesis-having-scumbag friend would often wonder if I was lying about the SNES having more colors and diss the immortal greatness of Mario Kart for Rock n Roll Racing, which he was OBSESSED with. I could never even play that game properly.
THIS- by the time the Dreamcast had come out, Sega had fucked over fans with the 32X first (a "32-bit" upgrade for the Genesis meant to let poor kids play Saturn-ish games, but really just an excuse to throw more colours onto ugly Genesis games) then the Sega Saturn, which failed to release a good Sonic game, showed inferior version of many PlayStation games (their version of Toshinden looked AWFUL, and this was when Toshinden was thought of as highly as Tekken was), and then they just sort of gave up on it. And despite having some REALLY good exclusive games, the Sega-CD failed to live up to expectations, too.
So Dreamcast really had it's work cut out for it right from the beginning. Focusing on a lot of genres that were on the downswing (it was the only system that could handle 2-D fighters well) didn't help.
Well it makes more sence with Saints 4...It's not really a GTA clone anymore.
You play as the same crime boss as before--but he's since been elected president, granted super powers, trapped in a digital world reminiscent of the matrix, and is fighting to win America back from the evil Zin empire of Aliens by rescuing his kidnapped "Homies"
Saints 1+2 were decent GTA clones.
Saints 3 was GTA on drugs.
Saints 4 is it's own batshit insanity.
Oh yeah, all that plus the fact that the combat in GTA 4 is ASS! I'm not purchasing 5 until I confirm that I have fun causing mayhem rather then get frustrated with overly stiff controls and a questionable targeting system.
Not directly--but third party developers didn't want to invest in making games for a system where piracy was so easy. Less third party support makes it harder to sell the console to people because of it's lack of games. The inability to sell it to people causes Third party developers to become even less interested. It's a vicious cycle from there.
"I would have SWORN that the NES and Super NES would have sold more units."
Well, think about it, a SNES or NES (once you deal with the 10NES chip issues) will last forever, all the new systems are built like mid-90s American cars. In other words, like shit. Over the past 10 years I've had 5 (yes, five, and people wonder why I say Fuck Sony...) PS2s, 2 Wiis, 3 Gamecubes, and 2 XBoxes, and I have some cash set aside for when I inevitably have to buy 360 #2 (my brother is on 360 #4, BTW). Meanwhile, over the same period my NES and my fucking NEO-GEO CD (often called one of the most unreliable systems ever made) have never given the slightest hint of trouble.
The Jag (with the "crapper" CD attachment) is in the pic, but it's mislabeled as the 3D0. And as for the 3D0? I can pick one up with a bunch of the best games for $100, and it's probably worth it at that price, outside of the fact that the 3D0 controller is one of the worst controllers ever made. There's a lot of great games for it though, and it would have caught on if it didn't cost 700 fucking dollars (in 1995!). I understand why it cost so much, but still, how did someone not say "This isn't going to work".
Yeah I want to play saints row 4, i enjoyed the insanity of the third one, but it's a little redundant to me right now, heck it might even tire me out on crime sandboxes before i get to GTA.
BTW I fully agree with shooting mechanics being the weakest aspect in all GTA games, but I'm 99.99% certain they are using the max payne 3 system for shooting, which is like going from non brand microwaved dinners to prime A grade gourmet rib, because it's one of the best shooting mechanics for any game. I'm sure they have a video online explaining this. Either way I'm sure your qualms have been heard and sorted out.
Ah, I WONDERED why there were two 3DOs in there, and why one looked different! I even see the little "Jaguar" logo now that I look closer.
Aren't there warrantees for the systems? Though it's pretty damning that the systems keep breaking down and people are forced to buy new ones- though I guess if every company fucks the consumer up the ass like that, then people can't really switch systems out of rage. Good ol' market collusion.
It was $700 because 3D0 didn't make the systems themselves, they licencened it out to other companies. Console companies usually sell their systems at a loss, but make money off every game that's sold. The companies that actually produced the 3D0 weren't getting that money, so the only way to make a profit was to charge an obscene amount for the hardware.
Nintendo 64-life
ReplyDeleteThe Dreamcast should have done better
ReplyDeleteScrew the Genesis! I'm a Nintendo guy 4 life!
ReplyDeleteThat said, the console wars (NES/SNES vs. Genesis) was something else.
The Funtech Super A'Can is missing, not that anyone cares. Also, the Stellaview didn't allow online gaming, just downloads of games. And Atari (or one of the 2600's third party developers) had the same technology 10+ years earlier.
ReplyDeleteSega is interesting. They're inability to let a system gain traction (except the Master System and Genesis) before releasing a new system was mind boggling. I had a "friend" that had the Genesis, 32X and Sega CD. He thought his collection of crap was better than the SNES. "Rage in the Cage is better than Royal Rumble because it has more wrestlers AND videos!"
ReplyDelete"Friend" = Anybody with a Genesis had scum bag like tendencies.
NERRRRRRD!
ReplyDeleteCool stuff. SNES is still the king.
ReplyDeleteAlso missing: The Pioneer LazerActive. Again, I'm sure no one gives a fuck.
ReplyDeleteIt should have, it was a great system, problem was the company that made it. It was almost nothing more than a beta test for the X-Box.
ReplyDeletei remember a kid in elementary school who had a Sega Master System! Lepers in ancient Rome were treated better than that poor soul ;_;
ReplyDeleteWant to see a fair chunk of these systems in action?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2B009153AC977F90
I'm a gamer, but not a hardcore gamer, so please explain why everyone loves the Dreamcast so much.
ReplyDeleteThe WCW and WWF games on N64 are still my favorites; Revenge and No Mercy especially.
ReplyDeleteIt blew everything else out of the water specs wise, and it had some REALLY awesome games
ReplyDeletesome of which have held up (Nights into Dreams, Sonic Adventure 2)
And others which are admittedly aging poorly (the first Sonic Adventure)
PS2 and piracy killed it
My legacy - Colecovision > NES > Sega Genesis > Sega Saturn > PS1 > N64 > PS2 > Wii > PS3. I would love to get a PS4. I was lucky that my dad was a gamer himself and always bought new games / systems.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how anyone would feel differently.
ReplyDeleteHow did piracy affect the Dreamcast?
ReplyDeleteYou could copy the games with any computer that could copy music CDs.
ReplyDeleteHate to break it to you but Nights is a Saturn game.
ReplyDeleteTo piggyback off White Thunder, my legacy:
ReplyDeleteAtari 2600 > NES > SNES > PS1 & N64 (though not at the same time) > PS2 > PS3 > Eventually a PS4. That's not including a very long history with PC gaming, especially adventure games from both Sierra and LucasArts.
I've never been one for Xbox since I was turned off it from day one because of the giant controller and then other reasons as time went on. Nothing against anyone that prefers X-Box, as both systems have their pros and cons. I've disliked how Nintendo has gotten more and more gimmicky over the years. I thought the Wii was gimmicky as all hell and too few games really worth getting the system for. I say that ten-fold with the Wii U.
I had NES, Genesis, SNES, PSone, PS2, Dreamcast, and currently play PS3. Least favorites were Dreamcast and NES out of those.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget about Crazy Taxi. Man, did I ever play the shit out of Crazy Taxi.
ReplyDeleteAnd the first Sonic Adventure was never anything special. Subpar gameplay and embarrassing voice acting.
I was waiting for you to mention Shenmue. What a stupid game.
ReplyDeleteIntellivision
ReplyDeleteNES
SNES
3DO
Bandai Playdia
Sega Saturn
Playstation
Playstation 2
Playstation 3
Nintendo Wii
My legacy:
ReplyDeletesome sort of Pong Game (I think the odyssey, I was 5 or so)
Intellivision
Intellivision 2
Colecovision
Atari Adapter that plugged into Intellivision and let you play all the atari games
I swear there was an intellivision 3 I had
NES
Sega Genesis
Sega Saturn
Playstation One
N64 (barely played it)
PS2
PS3
Wii (bought for 7 year old daughter)
I also used to play PC games extensively in the mid 80s to mid 90s
Don't forget Sega unleashing new systems all the time caused consumers to lose faith in them.
ReplyDeleteMy legacy:
ReplyDeleteNES -> SNES -> N64 -> Gamecube -> Xbox 360 -> Wii -> PS3
Getting a Wii U in a few months. Earthbound on the V.C. should be awesome.
Has anyone played the No Mercy mods, they are ridiculous.
ReplyDeletei prefer wm2000 to no mercy.
ReplyDeletethere is too much slow down in triangle ladder matches
I had all of the Nintendo consoles up until the Wii, but didn't really become a gamer until the Playstation 2. Even then I was late to the party.
ReplyDeleteIn order:
ReplyDeleteGenesis, SNES, Pico, NES, 32X, N64, Saturn, PlayStation, Sega CD, Dreamcast, GameCube, PS2, Wii, 360, PS3, Wii U.
This infographic has a couple of errors. For instance, the Satteliview didn't actually allow for competitive online gaming, but the XBAND did, and it came out in late 1994. Also, I don't really think stuff like the "Sega Saturn Skeleton" should count as new consoles, any more than the Special Pikachu Edition N64.
The Sattelliview was more comperable to the Sega Channel... but that ALSO came out in 1994.
The Jag is in the pic, it's just mislabled as a 3D0.
ReplyDeleteIf you play on an emulator there is no slow down.
ReplyDeleteNES, GEN/SNES, N64/PS1, GC/PS2, PS3, Wii U
ReplyDeleteI still own all but the SNES (my 1st one finally burnt out a couple years ago, after 15+ years.) and the N64 (Don't know why I never replaced it yet.)
Also, the Sega Channel was the bomb back in middle school, I picked up so many good games that I probably would have never heard of otherwise.
OMG, yall mofos are serious about this.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of half these systems.
In my case, most of what I learned came from a book I picked up years ago. It's not on hand at the moment, but I do remember it being a pretty good history of the industry up to Sega's collapse/Microsoft's rise.
ReplyDeleteAn amazing slate of fighting games and arcade ports, plus a truly unique, eclectic mix of first- and third-party games that were unlike anything else on the market (Seaman, Space Channel 5, Jet Grind Radio, and a bunch of others).
ReplyDeleteGenesis does what Nintendon't.
ReplyDeleteNintendo is what Genesisn't.
ReplyDeleteThey're a bastard to get to work, but they are pretty nuts.
ReplyDeleteVjpw 2 man. It's the Ajpw version of 2000, with the beginnings of No Mercy sprinkled in.
ReplyDeletePlus, no fucking save glitch.
ReplyDeleteMother Fucker you're right!
ReplyDeleteWell that certainly proves the point about Sega systems being released way to close together!
Sonic adventure received rave reviews when it came out
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gamespot.com/sonic-adventure/reviews/sonic-adventure-review-2540626/
http://ca.ign.com/games/sonic-adventure/dc-10140
Age has not been kind to it and I find it unplayable these days, and that's as someone who loves both SA 2 and Sonic Heroes.
P.S. Hell yeah Crazy Taxi was awesome!
and back in the days when there was a Blockbuster it was stupid easy to get your hands on a disc to copy--rent it for $5 and you're set
ReplyDeleteI grew up a Nintendo kid and never let it go.
ReplyDeleteIt lead to the invention of "Super (Let's Get) Smash(ed) Bros" at a party
Now to pick up Saints 4 and enjoy one of the least Nintendo franchises on the planet!
(on that note, i thought Saints 3 was divisive--but holy shit The new one is getting everything from 1-10 by all kinds of critics. With that much controversy I have to take a look)
My favorite console is tied between N64 and PS2.
ReplyDeleteI'm mostly a comp guy y'see.
Controver$y Create$ Ca$h.
ReplyDeleteHEY HEY HEY IT'S TIME TO MAKE SOME CAH-RAAAAAZY MONEY
ReplyDeleteI know it got good reviews at the time, but I played it when it first came out and was left feeling unimpressed. Coming from someone that loved the Genesis titles.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this site: http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/ . This dude has everything, with full articles, ratings, and specs on pretty much every system ever made.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the XBAND? I remember hearing about it, but never knew anyone that had one. And yeah, Stellaview was more like the Sega Channel, except that the Sega Channel was running 24/7 and Stelllaview was working once a week for an hour or 2. Not home when it's working? Fuck you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there are a couple errors. As I said below, the FM Towns Marty, Super A'Can, and the LazerActive (which may or may not count, depending on your opinion of what a "console" actually is), as is the RDI Halclyon (which may have never even got a commercial release) and the Jag CD. And he even has a pic of the Jag with the CD add-on (which is called the 3D0, but I assume that's just a typo). And the "Sega Saturn Skeleton" definitely shouldn't be there, if anything the Saturn that they released with Nights and the analog Saturn controller should be there.
Man, that guy below was right in calling me a nerd. While the rest of you guys were reading comic books, I was playing any video game I could me hands on.
Does Commodore 64 count?
ReplyDeleteIs it a bold choice that may not pay off artistically? Sure. Are we being arrogant by outright ignoring the already limited boundaries of our storytelling medium? Absolutely.
ReplyDeleteWill we keep doing this even if it leads to diminishing returns? Without question.
but piracy wouldn't be an explaination for the lack of sales of the Dreamcast itself, would it?
ReplyDelete(For the record, I loved both. But one phrase deserves the other.)
ReplyDeleteps3 catching up to xbox 360 sales is pretty awesome considering it was deemed to be a total complete failure at launch.
ReplyDeleteI like the saints row series, but why anybody would buy that weeks out from gta 5 is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteI'm a UK gamer, and have NEARLY every PAL/European release for the Dreamcast. Just a few shitty sports games that interest me and - sigh - Taxi 2.
ReplyDeleteIt's the best 'arcade in your home' system ever made.
Crazy Taxi became worthless the moment GTA3 came out.
ReplyDeletePrice cut helped, but mostly it was a bad moves on Microsoft. The RROD and lack of exclusives.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Fairchild made decent bank in the early/mid 80's pursuing their cartridge patent against a few companies.
ReplyDeleteI never actually read the Bischoff book, so is that a quote from it or something?
ReplyDeleteNot decent enough, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteWow, I had no idea PS 3 had so many sales- just goes to show you how much more mainstream video games have gotten, because I would have SWORN that the NES and Super NES would have sold more units. Sony's eventual dominance is pretty crazy considering they weren't even in the business until the original PlayStation, but I recall that era very well- they had ELITE games that nobody else had, a great advertising strategy (making their rivals look incompetent and uncool at the same time- Saturn having shittier versions of a few PS-X games helped), and more. Add in Sega's incompetence and Nintendo getting into the game late, and you had the makings of a one-sided beat-down.
ReplyDeleteNintendo coming flying back with the Wii is even more impressive with all that knowledge.
Ah, for the days when every family would only allow ONE video game system, meaning that kids had to take sides on SNES (vs) Genesis. That was an INTENSE rivalry, too, and a fun one to watch as a fan. My Genesis-having-scumbag friend would often wonder if I was lying about the SNES having more colors and diss the immortal greatness of Mario Kart for Rock n Roll Racing, which he was OBSESSED with. I could never even play that game properly.
ReplyDeleteTHIS- by the time the Dreamcast had come out, Sega had fucked over fans with the 32X first (a "32-bit" upgrade for the Genesis meant to let poor kids play Saturn-ish games, but really just an excuse to throw more colours onto ugly Genesis games) then the Sega Saturn, which failed to release a good Sonic game, showed inferior version of many PlayStation games (their version of Toshinden looked AWFUL, and this was when Toshinden was thought of as highly as Tekken was), and then they just sort of gave up on it. And despite having some REALLY good exclusive games, the Sega-CD failed to live up to expectations, too.
ReplyDeleteSo Dreamcast really had it's work cut out for it right from the beginning. Focusing on a lot of genres that were on the downswing (it was the only system that could handle 2-D fighters well) didn't help.
Well it makes more sence with Saints 4...It's not really a GTA clone anymore.
ReplyDeleteYou play as the same crime boss as before--but he's since been elected president, granted super powers, trapped in a digital world reminiscent of the matrix, and is fighting to win America back from the evil Zin empire of Aliens by rescuing his kidnapped "Homies"
Saints 1+2 were decent GTA clones.
Saints 3 was GTA on drugs.
Saints 4 is it's own batshit insanity.
Oh yeah, all that plus the fact that the combat in GTA 4 is ASS! I'm not purchasing 5 until I confirm that I have fun causing mayhem rather then get frustrated with overly stiff controls and a questionable targeting system.
...meanwhile the Wii U crashes and burns epically.
ReplyDeleteNot directly--but third party developers didn't want to invest in making games for a system where piracy was so easy. Less third party support makes it harder to sell the console to people because of it's lack of games. The inability to sell it to people causes Third party developers to become even less interested. It's a vicious cycle from there.
ReplyDelete"I would have SWORN that the NES and Super NES would have sold more units."
ReplyDeleteWell, think about it, a SNES or NES (once you deal with the 10NES chip issues) will last forever, all the new systems are built like mid-90s American cars. In other words, like shit. Over the past 10 years I've had 5 (yes, five, and people wonder why I say Fuck Sony...) PS2s, 2 Wiis, 3 Gamecubes, and 2 XBoxes, and I have some cash set aside for when I inevitably have to buy 360 #2 (my brother is on 360 #4, BTW). Meanwhile, over the same period my NES and my fucking NEO-GEO CD (often called one of the most unreliable systems ever made) have never given the slightest hint of trouble.
The Jag (with the "crapper" CD attachment) is in the pic, but it's mislabeled as the 3D0. And as for the 3D0? I can pick one up with a bunch of the best games for $100, and it's probably worth it at that price, outside of the fact that the 3D0 controller is one of the worst controllers ever made. There's a lot of great games for it though, and it would have caught on if it didn't cost 700 fucking dollars (in 1995!). I understand why it cost so much, but still, how did someone not say "This isn't going to work".
Yeah I want to play saints row 4, i enjoyed the insanity of the third one, but it's a little redundant to me right now, heck it might even tire me out on crime sandboxes before i get to GTA.
ReplyDeleteBTW I fully agree with shooting mechanics being the weakest aspect in all GTA games, but I'm 99.99% certain they are using the max payne 3 system for shooting, which is like going from non brand microwaved dinners to prime A grade gourmet rib, because it's one of the best shooting mechanics for any game. I'm sure they have a video online explaining this. Either way I'm sure your qualms have been heard and sorted out.
http://www.kayfabenews.com/eric-bischoff-only-answers-questions-with-questions/
ReplyDeleteAh, I WONDERED why there were two 3DOs in there, and why one looked different! I even see the little "Jaguar" logo now that I look closer.
ReplyDeleteAren't there warrantees for the systems? Though it's pretty damning that the systems keep breaking down and people are forced to buy new ones- though I guess if every company fucks the consumer up the ass like that, then people can't really switch systems out of rage. Good ol' market collusion.
It was $700 because 3D0 didn't make the systems themselves, they licencened it out to other companies. Console companies usually sell their systems at a loss, but make money off every game that's sold. The companies that actually produced the 3D0 weren't getting that money, so the only way to make a profit was to charge an obscene amount for the hardware.
ReplyDelete