Best looking retro console?

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07-31-2012, 03:08 AM
j_factor

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this beautiful work of art:

http://i.imgur.com/U87mJ.jpg

and this:

http://i.imgur.com/zXvC5.jpg
07-31-2012, 03:51 AM
QuickSciFi

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarMist

It depends which games those are, or to put it another way, how you would normally group arcade games amongst generations as during the 8 and 16 bit eras arcade machines were a generation ahead of home consoles. And if you're alluding to the 2D fighters those are still in fashion even if some are 3D modeled so it would be silly to exclude them. So are 2D shmups though bullet hells are quite a different breed. Anyhow I get your point but naming the 32 bit era after its relatively niche 2D selection would be like calling the SCD an arcade console just because it has a few racing, lightgun, and shooter games on it.

I wouldn't exactly use the word "few" to refer to the vast 2D library of the 32bit/5th generation (GBA NOT included). At any rate, I'm not even agreeing in the slightest with your reasoning; so don't forget that I DO consider 5th gen gaming retro (3D gaming included).

Anyways, back to that other post of yours:

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarMist

I like my definitions definitive. Rather than redefining retro every five years according to some vague and vagarious age rotation how about we just define retro as what's not in contemporary practice? 3D gaming is what's still en vogue: the Playstation generation introduced the type of gaming that is current, therefore the Playstation neither is retro nor will be till a new modus of gaming comes into place (Virtual Reality, whatever). 2D sprite based gaming is retro.

Yeah, not really. I'm not sure where you got that "vague...[five years] age rotation" of yours, but last time I checked, it's the year 2012, the 8th gen has already begun in the handheld arena (and soon to begin this year in the console arena); not to mention we're very close to entering the 20 year mark from the debut of the 5th generation (32 bit or otherwise).
07-31-2012, 09:08 AM
Obviously

Everyone's got their own definition so it really doesn't matter. Personally I always felt the imaginary line between modern and retro blurred at the Dreamcast. The 5th generation has its own clunky design aesthetics and control quirks that I consider it more of the prototype to modern gaming than the introduction. Nobody makes games that look or feel like 5th gen games today unless they're purposely designing them to be retro.

But I understand the frustration, I don't really understand why the last generation is considered "retro" by so many people when the style of the games is clearly modern.

And if we want to be really anal and pick nits: people (including me) use the word retro inaccurately. It's supposed to describe something designed to appear like it's from the past. Old video games aren't technically retro because they were never designed appear old, many were once on the cutting edge, they're simply just old. Retro sounds cooler and it has come to mean "old things that people still think are cool" though so whatever.
07-31-2012, 01:23 PM
StarMist

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuickSciFi

Anyways, back to that other post of yours:
Yeah, not really. I'm not sure where you got that "vague...[five years] age rotation" of yours, but last time I checked, it's the year 2012, the 8th gen has already begun in the handheld arena (and soon to begin this year in the console arena); not to mention we're very close to entering the 20 year mark from the debut of the 5th generation (32 bit or otherwise).

This exactly illustrates that "vague...[five years] age rotation" of mine. It's 2012 so we're very close to entering the 20 year mark from the debut of the 5th generation. Meaning, 5 years ago when all three 7th gen home consoles were on the market we were only at the 15 year mark = the 32 bit era was somehow not retro because it had yet to reach the 20 year mark. And of course in another 5 years the 6th gen will fall into twenty years behind the 8th or budding 9th gen so it will be retro (or 'vintage' or 'museum ready' or whatever floats the future majority's boat). Such a fluctuating time based definition illustrates the "vagarious" part you removed from that quote of my definition, whilst delimiting retro according to a number of years (that will vary by person) illustrates the "vague" part you left in.
@ the 2D stuff on 32 bit machines: the PS3 and X360 have a Sega Genesis Collection available. That does not make them retro machines.
Anyhow enjoy your slippery definition and your games.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheath

I am personally offended by game consoles in the shape of a shoe box.

Really that's only the PS2, mostly the fat model, and probably some oldster eluding my memory. I assume you're not averse from all quadrangles, ie the Dreamcast and Xbox. And I do agree with you in principle (moreso if we apply this principle to cars) but boxes developed with a certain amount of care can come out very slick. Given the right tones even the LunchCube looks pretty good.
07-31-2012, 01:37 PM
NeoZeedeater

I'm not sure I agree with the generation numbering system most of you guys use here. To me the Odyssey 1 (1972) represents the first console gen and the programmables starting in 1976 would be the second. So, the 32-bit era would be the sixth console gen. Either way, using numbers gets too confusing.
07-31-2012, 02:07 PM
Da_Shocker

Why did Sega change the Saturn this was so bad ass back then

http://www.shinforce.com/saturn/info...jp-450x330.jpg

And the Neptune is GORGEOUS!
http://www.gooddealgames.com/article...ga_Neptune.JPG
07-31-2012, 02:08 PM
Kamahl

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoZeedeater

I'm not sure I agree with the generation numbering system most of you guys use here. To me the Odyssey 1 (1972) represents the first console gen and the programmables starting in 1976 would be the second. So, the 32-bit era would be the sixth console gen. Either way, using numbers gets too confusing.

For some stupid reason people label consoles like the Atari 5200 and Colecovision as part of the 2nd generation. I just call it gen 2.5 so everything works out.
07-31-2012, 02:31 PM
Raijin

I have to say, my favorite looking console is easily the Genesis model 1. The design is my favorite of any console ever made. I don't really know how to explain why, it's just a really good design.
07-31-2012, 02:48 PM
sheath

Curse this forum software's not-a-search, where is that pic of the chalk white Neptune?
07-31-2012, 03:00 PM
The Jackal

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheath

Curse this forum software's not-a-search, where is that pic of the chalk white Neptune?

Ah, Jerbar120's Tipp-Ex coated Neptune, here you are:

http://oi54.tinypic.com/28kqz41.jpg
http://oi54.tinypic.com/29uq35w.jpg
http://oi54.tinypic.com/51trx5.jpg
07-31-2012, 03:12 PM
TrekkiesUnite118

Did he ever actually sell it?
07-31-2012, 03:14 PM
Obviously

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoZeedeater

I'm not sure I agree with the generation numbering system most of you guys use here. To me the Odyssey 1 (1972) represents the first console gen and the programmables starting in 1976 would be the second. So, the 32-bit era would be the sixth console gen. Either way, using numbers gets too confusing.

I do understand that, it's not really like it's official or anything. I tend to use it only when other people have already brought it into the discussion out of convenience.

Also i never thought I'd have to look at that poor ruined Genesis 2 again :( .
07-31-2012, 03:25 PM
Chilly Willy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamahl

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoZeedeater

I'm not sure I agree with the generation numbering system most of you guys use here. To me the Odyssey 1 (1972) represents the first console gen and the programmables starting in 1976 would be the second. So, the 32-bit era would be the sixth console gen. Either way, using numbers gets too confusing.

For some stupid reason people label consoles like the Atari 5200 and Colecovision as part of the 2nd generation. I just call it gen 2.5 so everything works out.

Basically, "they" label console generations by looking at when #1 and #2 by sales are duking it out. Everything else is ignored and added in later by "others" to point out that there's more to consoles than #1 and #2 by sales.
07-31-2012, 03:36 PM
j_factor

It just doesn't make sense to me that Atari 5200 and XEGS should be considered a generation apart, when they're almost the same hardware apart from memory.
07-31-2012, 04:02 PM
Guntz

Quote:

Originally Posted by j_factor

It just doesn't make sense to me that Atari 5200 and XEGS should be considered a generation apart, when they're almost the same hardware apart from memory.

I think console generations have more to do with the time period of release than the machines power. The XEGS didn't exist during the 5200/Colecovision days, it was released later on.

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