WHAT PLAY YOU!? Version 3.0

[FLips]

I would also consider the Gamecube better than the PS2. It’s all personal preference, and not to say I didn’t love my PS2. Smackdown HCTP, Vice City, Tekken Tag and Final Fantasy X were staples for me growing up but in hindsight the Gamecube benefitted from not being a primary console for sports games because while the library was smaller it was quality over quantity. 
Your obvious entries like Zelda and Mario, but also new entries like Luigi’s Mansion, Animal Crossing, Warioware and Pikmin. Metroid, Starfox and F-Zero all got entries too, and Smash Bros Melee, Mario Party 4 & 5 and Mario Kart Double Dash really cemented the Gamecube as a console for those looking for games that aren’t GTA or FIFA. I will argue til I’m blue in the face it was the best console of the three for local multiplayer.

3rd party games like Resident Evil 4 and the remake of Resident Evil 1, Viewtiful Joe 1 and 2, Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Twin Snakes pushed the reputation of the console even higher as some were exclusive or timed exclusives. 

Gamecube was probably the last great console Nintendo did in terms of feeling like it was neck and neck with the other consoles, and before it relied on gimmicks to differentiate itself. Not to say the Wii, Wii U or Switch are bad, but they’ve always been viewed as backup consoles or second choices because Xbox and PS are so far ahead now.

[RedTwoster]

Just now, Ironic Indie Lad said:

Might be an idea to have a separate thread on this but @RedTwoster mentioned the Gamecube being better than the PS2. What actually is the best console from each gen?

I suppose it's relevant to the retro gaming thread, but to answer your question :

(I'm not going to include devices like the Amiga, since you have specifically said 'console' - I'm also going to start from gen 3, as I don't have any opinion on what came before)

Generation 3: NES - It's hard to make a case for anything else, I think. How can you compete with Super Mario Bros 3, Zelda and Metroid? I don't think you can - as far as the other consoles are concerned. 

Generation 4: SNES - I'm glad I don't have to answer 'what was better, the SNES or the Amiga?' as I don't know the answer to that one. But SNES, Mega Drive or whatever else came out that gen? Easy. The SNES had Mario World, Super Metroid, A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country, Chrono Trigger - and although they didn't come out here, Super Mario RPG and Final Fantasy III/VI. The Mega Drive had some great games, but nothing that could compete with these classics. 

Generation 5: PS1 - This is a really hard one. Super Mario 64 and the Zelda games on the N64 make that console a legitimate choice; but ultimately, the depth of the PS1 library makes it hard to look past. Some of my favourite games ever are on that console - Final Fantasy VII, Tekken 3, Crash Bandicoot 3, Spyro, Ape Escape, Metal Gear Solid...I could go on, but I won't. Aside from anything else, the PS1 is the console that made gaming cool, and helped evolve it into what it is today. 

Generation 6: Gamecube - Yes the PS2 was extremely popular, but I don't really remember it or its games anywhere near as fondly as I do the library of the Gamecube. The Nintendo games from this generation have aged far better - and they take more creative risks than pretty much anything on the PS2. Paper Mario TTYD, Chibi Robot, Luigi's Mansion, Wind Waker, Mario Sunshine, Pikmin, Metroid Prime and others did new things and took creative risks that PS2 games generally didn't, and the console is packed with games that have not aged as a result. 

Generation 7: PS3/Wii (tie) - I struggled to decide on a winner this gen, so I've allowed myself a tie. The PS3 is packed with great games - Uncharted, The Last of Us, Infamous etc and great third party games like Fallout New Vegas, Skyrim and GTA 5 - but the Wii did something completely different, opening up gaming to an audience that hadn't considered it as being for them up until this generation. Plus, it has a ridiculously underrated library of games - Mario Galaxy, Xenoblade, Pandora's Tower Boom Blox, The Last Story, Munchables, Skyward Sword, Smash Bros Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, Zack and Wiki, Little King's Story, the virtual console - there's so much to love about this machine.

Generation 8: PS4 - I'll always have a soft spot for the Wii U, but it's hard to look past the PS4 this gen. The Last of Us 2, Spider-Man, Infamous 3, God of War, Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Final Fantasy VII Remake...Sony really brought it with the exclusive games this gen, whilst Xbox really didn't; relying on cross-platform releases far more than the PS4 did. 

Generation 9: Nintendo Switch - I know that the Switch is technically a generation 8 console, but it blurs the line a little given its lifespan and for that reason I'm including it as a gen 9 console. It would beat the PS4 too though - it's easily my favourite ever console. Its library is so deep, and there are so many games on there that are among the best I've ever played. The fact it's handheld when you want it to be is another bonus - being able to start a game on your TV, then take it with you while you travel is brilliant. But as far as the library is concerned...you have BOTW and TOTK, Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 & 3, almost every Final Fantasy game, The Witcher 3, Skyrim, Metroid Prime remaster, every Pikmin game, Smash Bros Ultimate, Live-a-Live, Dragon Quest XI, Pokemon, Triangle Strategy, Mario Kart 8, Mario Wonder and so much more on one console, AND it's portable. It's amazing - I love my Switch, and I can't wait for its successor to come out. But what a legacy to live up to...

[The Gaffer]

That was one of the last generations where the console warz thing could at least be buoyed by each system being relatively unique enough that you could take one console over the others to heart as your favourite, which is cool. I got an Xbox at launch and was a proper horsepower supremacist for the thing as an edgy young teenager because for the first few years of it as a brand it was more or less a stand in for a gaming PC, only Momma Gaffs wouldn't shell out for one of those. Even the PC had its own completely unique identity back then. I know PC people now will say it still does, but everyone's more or less playing the same games and - if you're into it enough - just cracking one out to Digital Foundry videos telling you where you can get the five extra frames per second. 

Of course, there's a snarky side of me that's more tempted to relegate it to objectives when thinking of the sheer might of the PS2 back catalogue. The GameCube will never be the better system, despite how many videos the Nintendo lot make saying "Yeah but have you played Super Monkey Ball? Now that's a hidden gem!" 

The original Xbox, of course, was the clear loser of the three in being almost completely pointless outside of Halo. Which they ended up surviving because it was such a good game - and it was such a short console lifecycle that time around - that that one title and its sequel really did carry the entire project.  

[Ironic Indie Lad]

PS2 is clearly one of the most successful consoles of all time and has an unbelievable library of games. If anyone told me that it was their favourite of all time I don't think I would even blink.

HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT...I think I just might prefer the GameCube as well.

Its such a weird console when you really think about it. It reminds me of the approach to sequels in games in the 80s. If you think back to the NES, you could make a case that some of the most important influential games are Super Mario Bros, Zelda and CastleVania. Mario Bros 2, The Adventure of Link and Simons Quest were all radically different to the originals.

The GameCube took a lot of beloved franchises and made some crazy choices. Metroid retained its fundamental style of play but was now an FPS, Zelda became a beautiful cel shaded cartoon, Mario was spraying water all over the place, Sega made an F-Zero game... even the fact it launched with Luigis Mansion as the main first party title is mental. It was a crazy time.

Some of my fondest gaming memories are attached to the Gamecube. I was in high school at the time and everyone had a PS2 and Halo had sold quite a few on the Xbox. It was only really me who had a 'cube and it made me so protective and loyal. I spent so much time trying to tell very disinterested people that Metroid Prime was way better than Halo, explaining how cool Pikmin is etc. 

There is definitely more quality on the PS2 but if you wanted to argue a top 5 or top 10 from each system then the Gamecube could hold its own for sure. 

[TheScarlettChad]

51 minutes ago, Ironic Indie Lad said:

Might be an idea to have a separate thread on this but @RedTwoster mentioned the Gamecube being better than the PS2. What actually is the best console from each gen?

Fourth Gen: SNES

Fifth Gen: PS1

Sixth Gen: Xbox

Seventh Gen: PS3 (Though the cell processer limited it)

Eighth Gen: PS4 

And Ninth Gen: Too early to tell, but I'm leaning towards Series X.

 

PS5 Pro announcement tonight too.

[BomberPat]

I'm sure I've done my console journey on here before, but....

C64 > Master System > Mega Drive > PS1 > PS2 > XBox 360 > Gamecube > Wii > Dreamcast > PS4

the 360, Gamecube and Dreamcast all being things I picked up second-hand, hence them being weirdly in that list. I also had a Game Boy, Game Gear, DS and 2DS over the years. And my ex-partner had a PS3 and a Wii U, so I've played them without ever owning them.

For Gamecube vs. PS2, I think I remember the Gamecube more fondly than the PS2, even though I owned it after its heyday, and like most Nintendo consoles the highlights of what was available for the Cube would hold up to, or surpass, any rival console. The PS2 falls in a weird spot where I must have owned and played so many games on it, but I have none of the fond nostalgia for it that I had for the PS1, probably as much for the time in my life I owned them. There are very few PS2 games that really fire up those feelings for me, though I must have sunk countless hours into some of them. 

 

I contemplated buying a PS5 last year, but just couldn't justify it. I mentioned that I was thinking about it to a mate of mine, and he said, "why, is your PS4 broken?". That was the only reason he could think of to upgrade. There's such a tiny list of exclusive titles, and the improvement in tech and graphics is iterative rather than transformative, so there isn't that wow factor of seeing how much better everything looks and needing an upgrade. Final Fantasy VII has so far been the only game tempting me to upgrade, though it sounds like Astro Bot might be up there too.

[TheScarlettChad]

7 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

I'm sure I've done my console journey on here before, but....

C64 > Master System > Mega Drive > PS1 > PS2 > XBox 360 > Gamecube > Wii > Dreamcast > PS4

the 360, Gamecube and Dreamcast all being things I picked up second-hand, hence them being weirdly in that list. I also had a Game Boy, Game Gear, DS and 2DS over the years. And my ex-partner had a PS3 and a Wii U, so I've played them without ever owning them.

For Gamecube vs. PS2, I think I remember the Gamecube more fondly than the PS2, even though I owned it after its heyday, and like most Nintendo consoles the highlights of what was available for the Cube would hold up to, or surpass, any rival console. The PS2 falls in a weird spot where I must have owned and played so many games on it, but I have none of the fond nostalgia for it that I had for the PS1, probably as much for the time in my life I owned them. There are very few PS2 games that really fire up those feelings for me, though I must have sunk countless hours into some of them. 

 

I contemplated buying a PS5 last year, but just couldn't justify it. I mentioned that I was thinking about it to a mate of mine, and he said, "why, is your PS4 broken?". That was the only reason he could think of to upgrade. There's such a tiny list of exclusive titles, and the improvement in tech and graphics is iterative rather than transformative, so there isn't that wow factor of seeing how much better everything looks and needing an upgrade. Final Fantasy VII has so far been the only game tempting me to upgrade, though it sounds like Astro Bot might be up there too.

Even less reason to buy the Pro when it comes out. 

 

[Ironic Indie Lad]

PS5 Pro seems incredibly fucking unnecessary to me. But what do I know? Maybe there's a legion of people desperate to upgrade so they can get 8k resolution at 120fps or whatever. 

On the subject of the Xbox, has any console ever been carried by a single franchise before? Imagine that console with no Halo Combat Evolved? Would never have gotten off the ground.

I like the OG Xbox and do think there's a lot of good games but I don't know of too many games that sold that many systems on its own.

[RedTwoster]

1 hour ago, TheScarlettChad said:

PS5 Pro announcement tonight too.

This has to be the most unnecessary upgrade ever to a console generation. The jump from the PS4 to PS5 is so marginal that it's hard to see what the Pro could actually offer anyone, outside of increased storage. I hard the VGC lot speculate that it might come without a disc drive to keep costs of producing the machine down - that would give me even less reason to consider it, even if I was tempted (which I'm not). I'm curious to see how this sells, but if I were to guess I'd assume that we're looking at another PS VR-2. 

[TheScarlettChad]

1 minute ago, RedTwoster said:

This has to be the most unnecessary upgrade ever to a console generation. The jump from the PS4 to PS5 is so marginal that it's hard to see what the Pro could actually offer anyone, outside of increased storage. I hard the VGC lot speculate that it might come without a disc drive to keep costs of producing the machine down - that would give me even less reason to consider it, even if I was tempted (which I'm not). I'm curious to see how this sells, but if I were to guess I'd assume that we're looking at another PS VR-2. 

8K support is my guess. I have no idea why its a thing. The disc drive will be optional like the Slim. So you can use the one from that on the Pro, I would assume.

[RedTwoster]

2 minutes ago, TheScarlettChad said:

8K support is my guess. I have no idea why its a thing. The disc drive will be optional like the Slim. So you can use the one from that on the Pro, I would assume.

That would surely be a hard sell, given that launch PS5 came with a boast of '8K ready' on the box. '8K, but for real this time!' would be a bold approach to take. 

But ultimately, I'm not sure anyone cares - they just want more good games from Sony. 

You might be right though, I could absolutely see them leaning heavily on that, and ray-tracing. 

[TheScarlettChad]

1 minute ago, RedTwoster said:

That would surely be a hard sell, given that launch PS5 came with a boast of '8K ready' on the box. '8K, but for real this time!' would be a bold approach to take. 

But ultimately, I'm not sure anyone cares - they just want more good games from Sony. 

You might be right though, I could absolutely see them leaning heavily on that, and ray-tracing. 

Oh nobody cares, but Sony will market the shit out of it, Inlcuding as you say RT. Its going to be expensive, pointless and I won't be buying it.

[The Gaffer]

I think the Pro's pretty much going to just be doing what the PS5 was always meant to do, right? Which stymies it as an upgrade so much as a "Sorry, here's the real one." We've not exactly gotten 60 FPS 4K for most titles this generation - even for cross gen stuff getting upgraded - which I'm pretty sure was a basic selling point pre-launch of this generation. It's been the generation of performance vs. quality in your settings menu. 

It would surprise me if they've thrown millions of quid at Rockstar or worked with them side by side to ensure they can slap a 'Best Way To Play GTA VI!' on the marketing next year. That alone would ensure it's a success. 

[Merzbow]

This gen is weird, PC tech right now has leaped so far over what the current consoles can deliver already and with yet another generation of GPU's knocking at the door. Optimisation seems to be even tougher than before, there are PS5 games running below 1080p let alone 8 fucking K.

[LaGoosh]

1 hour ago, RedTwoster said:

I could absolutely see them leaning heavily on that, and ray-tracing. 

I remember the ray tracing thing being a big deal when the PS5 was announced and years later I still have no idea what it is and if I've ever seen in it in any of the PS5 games I've played.