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[laserghost]

The original, cabbage-green GameBoy. Sure, the GBA is a total improvement and can still play those old games anyway... but there's something about playing GB games on a GB. The simplicity of it all. It's refreshing in a way. Link's Awakening, Metroid 2, Donkey Kong '94, Faceball 2000-- It's amazing what they did with that system.

SirNiko brought up an interesting point: considering the system separately from the games. In that regard, I've always had a soft spot for the Gamecube. Comparatively, not as many great games as other consoles, but I liked a lot about the system itself. I liked the name, and how it actually was a cube, that played games (I'm easily amused, I guess). I liked the operating system (or whatever it's called), with the soothing sounds and purples, blues and blacks. I liked the controller (so sue me..). I liked the color 'spice' that it came in. I liked the tiny little cds it used (bring those back, they're cool!). I liked the way it connected with the GBA (despite that never really being used much, but the games that did were pretty cool). I liked the handle at the back that let you carry it around. I liked how it fixed the blurry textures of the n64. All in all, I thought it was a solid system with pleasing aesthetics and it's only downfall was the perception that it didn't have "enough" good games.

[Tanner]

Yeah, agreed on the GC. When it had good games, though, they were really good. That controller is awesome, no matter what people say.

[Inanimate]

Yeah, agreed on the GC. When it had good games, though, they were really good. That controller is awesome, no matter what people say.

I recently re-bought a lot of my old GC games... wow, they are great. They have so much personality to them! Billy Hatcher is a true under-appreciated treasure.

[[RM8]]

I also love the GC controller, it just works flawlessly for Nintendo games like Luigi's Mansion, Mario Sunshine, Melee/Brawl, Mario Kart, etc.

[HöllenKobold]

I'd say the PS2 because I can't say SNES because I never actually owned one.
I would say PS1 but most of the games then seem more like stepping stones to later iterations on the PS2. Maybe, I don't know.

[JimmySH]

Playstation 2.

Its controllers especially, the (today) simplistic hardware, and it doesn't overheat.

SirNiko brought up an interesting point: considering the system separately from the games.

That makes sense, we can be happily unknowing of a good game, but it's hard to play a good game on a dodgy console.

I have to say, I really liked the Dreamcast.

I like it too, but its analog control stick is a bit floppy, compared to PS2 etc.

Yeah, agreed on the GC. When it had good games, though, they were really good. That controller is awesome, no matter what people say.

How is its analog stick compared to N64 and Wii?

[Player Ʒ]

In no order:

Wii - Sure, some of the games may seem...erm...cheap, but if you get it right, The Homebrew Channel is the bigger purpose for hobbyist programmers. Quake and DOOM are already ported. Heh heh. Not to mention the Linux installments. I personally don't like the Nunchuk attatchment. It seems weird when you spread joystick and controller far enough apart. Did I mention all the emulators that exist?

NES - I can easily say that this system started all the modern gaming we know and love today. Games that SAVE DATA (Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, etc.) became a huge rave along with the password systems. Plus it has a 6502 microprocessor, so homebrew for the NES should be a breeze if you're experienced in programming for a Commodore 64 or Apple II.

Atari VCS/2600 - Never owned one of these. It seemed more like an arcade at home, not wasting quarters every time you play. Also uses the 6502 microprocessor, so homebrew should also be easy. Note that you also have to program a kernel for each game (or go the ActiVision way and reuse the same kernel for all your games).

GameCube - Love the controller. Just gotta admit. The funny thing is that most third party companies could not make games with visuals that match up to the first party ones. Look at the styles of Super Mario Sunshine and LoZ: Wind Waker. Pretty doggone sweet, if I do say so myself. Now look at some of the other generic games, like Medal of Honor. Those games either have basic gourad shading or none at all. The MiniDVDs used were also cool (1.5GB of data) compared to the Wii's larger DVD discs (4.7GB).

[Tanner]

I'd say the analog stick is better on the GC than on Wii.

[Vino]

Maybe "casual" is the wrong word.

[SirNiko]

The Gamecube also had that secret that if you plugged in four controllers and held Z on all of them, it had different sound effects when the game loads.

That was awesome. I wonder if any other consoles had hardcoded secrets like that.

[moonmagic]

Pc Engine is my favorite console by far, and then the Dreamcast. I love HuCards, playing Twinbee with my wife, the best home version of R-Type ever, and the time I took it with me to Minneapolis and spent two weeks playing Nectaris with my best friend.

[JimmySH]

I'd say the analog stick is better on the GC than on Wii.

Sounds promising, the one on the nunchuk is very precise.

[Tanner]

I'm going by feel. The one on the nunchuk has too much "give" in my opinion.

[SirNiko]

The gamecube analogue and the wii Nunchuck feel pretty close to me. The C stick nub was just perfect for what it did, though. Playing Metroid Prime felt so silky smooth when you just shifted your thumb over to quickly switch visors.

The indention in the XBox analogue is great for keeping your thumb right in the dead center, though I agree it feels a little more "Loose" than the gamecube analogue. The playstation sticks are my least favorite, they feel like little squishy sticky marshmallows. I like the feeling of a firm stick with a nice groove under my thumb.

[superflat]

DC, PS2 and SNES.

[Ushi-kun]

Personally, it's not really a matter of which console is the best.
It's more of which console has my favorite game series.

Like I'll say the SNES rocks because it had Chrono Trigger.
And the PS2 rules because it started off the Disgaea series.
But I could also say, the DS and PSP is cool because they have remake/ports of these awesome titles.

I bought a PS3 the day when Disgaea 3 came out in Japan.
I guess, that's one thing I like about "modern" consoles, like the DS, PSP, PS3, etc.
You don't have to do anything weird to play Japanese games with a console you bought in the US. Had to mod my PS2 and do weird disc swapping to play anything from Japan.

I just bought a Dreamcast yesterday, currently rocking Ikaruga. Any game suggestions?

Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Cannon Spike, Marvel VS Capcom (both), Sonic Adventure (both), Bangai-O, Power Stone (both), Skies of Arcadia. That'll keep you busy for a while

Second the Crazy Taxi goodness. Also, I loved the DreamCast version of Chu Chu Rocket.

[JimmySH]

I'm going by feel. The one on the nunchuk has too much "give" in my opinion.

The gamecube analogue and the wii Nunchuck feel pretty close to me. The C stick nub was just perfect for what it did, though. Playing Metroid Prime felt so silky smooth when you just shifted your thumb over to quickly switch visors.

The indention in the XBox analogue is great for keeping your thumb right in the dead center, though I agree it feels a little more "Loose" than the gamecube analogue. The playstation sticks are my least favorite, they feel like little squishy sticky marshmallows. I like the feeling of a firm stick with a nice groove under my thumb.

I see now, cool. Thanks for elaborating. I haven't tried an original GC controller yet.

I actually like the loose elasticity of the PS2 sticks, letting the thumb relax, so maybe that's more my style than the GC one.

[skaldicpoet9]

PC, just due to the sheer variety of what is available for the platform. I can plug in a USB controller and play some retro-style platformers or use the mouse/keyboard combo and get down on some excellent team-based first-person multiplayer shooters online (and for free).

If your talking strictly television based consoles, I would have to say the Nintendo Wii, it has multiple generations worth of console games (NES, SNES, Genesis, Neo Geo etc...) a fun, diverse catalog of games ranging from your more casual stuff to arcadey goodness like Madworld, House of the Dead: Overkill and Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom, and has one of the best modding communities out there with a great deal of excellent homebrew (even a port of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup).