When looks DO matter. Do you agree that the Genesis is the Best-looking machine ever?

I write this feeling like someone stating the obvious, saying "look, grass is usually green" or something, as I'm sure it has already been discussed a million times in this forum.

I read a feature the other day about the most important consoles, and they wrote that the PSX (#1) wasn't only the most important, but the prettiest console as well. I agree on its importance, but IMO the Genesis/SMD (model 1 of course) is the unbeaten king of handsomeness.

Master System 2 - like the Volkswagen Beetle of the game consoles. Just cute.
NES - just a brick
SNES/JP/EU - solid but looks lika a toy - SNES/US - an ugly brick, why did they do that?
Amiga CD 32 - The ugly cousin of Genesis
CDi - CD-player-i
3DO - like postmodern architecture, interesting but bulky
PSX - maybe the second most good-looking
N64 Solid, but still looks like a toy
GameCube still solid and practical, but nothing to show off
PS2 (small and big) solid, the small is very practical, but a bit plain and DVD-player like
Saturn the only contender alongside PSX and Dreamcast
DreamCast like an alternative Playstation crossed with a SNES
X-BOX - What's this? Does it even exist? (Jack Skellington voice)
Wii - Like an external PC disc drive
PS3 - Like a big ironing machine

Genesis - it looks like a hi-tech gadget with beautiful looks ahead of its time, no contest with the SNES or anything in its time, until the PSX came around. Still beautiful, I could picture a DVD/BlueRay player looking exactly like the Genesis, with the disc being in the obvious spot.

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Originally Posted by Antony

I write this feeling like someone stating the obvious, saying "look, grass is usually green" or something, as I'm sure it has already been discussed a million times in this forum.

I read a feature the other day about the most important consoles, and they wrote that the PSX (#1) wasn't only the most important, but the prettiest console as well. I agree on its importance, but IMO the Genesis/SMD (model 1 of course) is the unbeaten king of handsomeness.

Master System 2 - like the Volkswagen Beetle of the game consoles. Just cute.
NES - just a brick
SNES/JP/EU - solid but looks lika a toy - SNES/US - an ugly brick, why did they do that?
Amiga CD 32 - The ugly cousin of Genesis
CDi - CD-player-i
3DO - like postmodern architecture, interesting but bulky
PSX - maybe the second most good-looking
N64 Solid, but still looks like a toy
GameCube still solid and practical, but nothing to show off
PS2 (small and big) solid, the small is very practical, but a bit plain and DVD-player like
Saturn the only contender alongside PSX and Dreamcast
DreamCast like an alternative Playstation crossed with a SNES
X-BOX - What's this? Does it even exist? (Jack Skellington voice)
Wii - Like an external PC disc drive
PS3 - Like a big ironing machine

Genesis - it looks like a hi-tech gadget with beautiful looks ahead of its time, no contest with the SNES or anything in its time, until the PSX came around. Still beautiful, I could picture a DVD/BlueRay player looking exactly like the Genesis, with the disc being in the obvious spot.

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The original PSX was an ugly piece of sh*#. I thought that at the time, and I think that today. I think it is one of the least attractive consoles ever made. The PSX mini (or whatever it's called) is much better looking.

I'd put the Genesis Model 2 at the top of the list. I know the model 1 was superior, but aesthetically, the model 1 is a bit cheesy. The SNES is okay, but it is a bit toy like. Also toward the top of the list would be the Dreamcast. Great design, compact, aesthetically pleasing and functional. The Saturn was also a good looking system. The original PS2 was ugly as sin, and the PS2 slim is one of the better looking consoles.

the MD1 is indeed a beutifull machine. It looks hardcore, which is what it is. something about it just screams death star. Its looks complement the darker tone of the majority of its games library. The Saturn is also a sexy looking beast. It looks like the kind of console that would have goth chicks crowding around it at a metal bar. But the MD would walk along and steal those chicks from under its nose.
I dont know about your judging of the Dreamcast. personally i think it looks nicer than the ps2 and the gamecube. something about it just screams modern, its so small compared to the others and i like its looks. It looks crisp, just like its games.

I prefer the small encasement of the model 3. I also have to admit that the CDX looks great, even by today's standards!

You left out the Sleeker NES 2. (toploader) Same For SNES 2/Jr. Iagree on the SNES blockiness, though the cart ed-labels are a plus, and I prefer the color scheme to the rainbow. NES toaster is a flawed design, but interesting, and stackable. ;) (low clearance shelf locations or with stuff stacked on top, not seen again until the PS2)

M1 Genesis is coolest, M2 is simpler and Sleeker (at least the US all-black one). However the cartridge design is the best part: simple, sleek, compact, good space for cover ary (unlike the SMS) and proper end labels! (not to mention the clamshell cases)

The cases rock. They are so durable.

Believe it or not but the Japanese Mega Drive is by far the best looking variant of the MD/G. I know that on photos it looks odd or cheap or whatever you associate it with but in person it definitely looks better than the Genesis or PAL Mega Drive.

The SEGA consoles are definitely at the top of my list for style. The Sony consoles are second, with Nintendo third.

Frankly I think the
Atari 2600 looks like a classy piece of furniture from the 70s
Intellivision looks like some old answering machine phone
ColecoVision looks like a clone of an answering machine phone
Famicom looks like a Fisherprice toy, the NES looks like a 80s NASA space project, NES-2 looks updated NASA variation space project.
Sega Mark III looks like a piece of exercise equipment, the SMS looks like a ugly retro NASA space project.
Atari 5200 just looks plain ugly
Atari 7800 looks like a mixer board
PC Engine looks like a smoke detector, the TG-16 looks like another answering machine.
Genesis (model1) looks like an advanced mixer board.(model2) looks like a downsized mixerboard (model3) looks like a hockey puck.
Super Famicom looks like a ugly knock off rat system, Super Nintendo (US)looks like a updated NASA space project.(SNES-2) looks like polished rat system.
Sega CD (model 1) looks like some high-tech Easy Bake Oven. (model2) when attached to the advanced mixer board it looks like a professional audio system.
NeoGeo looks like another advanced mixer board.
PC Engine CD looks like a white CD and tape deck. Turbo Grafix CD looks even more like a answering machine. PC Engine Duo and Turbo Duo looks like a fancy George Foreman Grill,

The Genesis is certainly up there for best-looking system ever. The N64 also looks quite nice, but it isn't quite as solid, so the Genesis wins for best case ever.

And XBOX 360 looks... like an Apple rip-off... THe original Xbox was bulky and boxy, though I kind of like it, but the 360 just looks like it's trying to look better than it is...

The original CD-i looks like a VCR, and early DVD player (or early high end CD deck), and a stereo system in one, not pretty, but bland.

The 3DO (FZ-1) is bulky but cool looking.

The slimmer FZ-10 3DO was pretty sleek, the CD-i 400 series was similar but a bit more bland. The X'Eye is also similar. (and the Wondermega)

http://www.collectorscardsandgames.c...s/image002.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Real...-i_mag_450.jpg
http://www.meulij.com/wondermega/xeye1.JPG

The Commodore CD-32 looks like the FZ-10/400/X'Eye but boxier.


And the CDX is pretty sleek except for the fact that it looks like a Discman...

Master System - I really like how it looks, but it doesn't put other consoles to shame or anything
NES - nostalgic
SNES -bleh... SFC = very nice
PSX - not quite ugly, but still unattractive
N64 - I don't really like it
GameCube - looks cool in the right colors
PS2 - ugly, but the slim looks much better
Saturn - beauty
DreamCast - very nice
X-BOX - not ugly, but not pretty. Some of the varients look cool.
Wii - It does look like an external PC disc drive
PS3 - I really don't like the shape/design and the bulky size
360 - the nicest looking console today, because it at least resembles a console.

Genesis - Model 1 is beautiful, especially the japanese Mega Drive. Model 2 is plain/functional, Multi Mega/CDX is one of my favorites.

PC Engine - white and CorgeGrafx are some of the best looking consoles of all time. PCE GT/Turbo Express is probably as good as any video game device will ever look.

The PS2 reminds me of the cases of the late 90's early 2000's IBM PC's. (the black one with blue accents like the PS2)

I don' really like the 360, it looks wrong for some reason. Maybe it's the curvy style with lots of glossy while and bright accents that make it look too much like a MAC. It looks like it thinks it's better than it is.

YTF did SoJ not keep the original silver Saturn and look at that cart port.

http://i44.tinypic.com/6yciex.jpg

The Neptune is by far the sexiest system EVER. I'd have sex with this thing srsly.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n...g?t=1241923591

Master System - I like the way the SMS looks. Sleek 80's style. The SMS2 is one of the ugliest things I've ever seen, however.
NES - Very plain but at the same time, very Nintendo. I always equated it with lots and lots of cool video games. I've always hated the giant cartridges and the door, though.
SNES - I'm probably one of the few who finds something pleasing about the SNES, however the Super Famicom truly blows it away. I cannot fathom why they changed the design. WHY? They didn't change it from the MD to the Genesis.
PSX - I always liked the look of this. Nowadays it looks big and bulky, but it was very thin and sleek compared to the Saturn. The mini PS or whatever it is called looks cute, but too Playskool-ish. Maybe if I were gay I'd have one.
N64 - I really don't like this. It looks freakin' ugly. Should have been light grey like the previous Nintendo systems, not dark grey.
GameCube - This one looks pretty cool, but again it needs to be light grey ONLY.
PS2 - Very ugly. Slim looks better, but still ugly as hell.
Saturn - Everyone enjoys some chubby lovin'. The Saturn is fat but it is still awesome looking, especially in black. I prefer the oval button variety but the round button one kicks much as as well.
DreamCast - Looks awesome, but needed to be black from the beginning. Sega consoles always need to be black and Nintendo consoles always need to be light grey (close to white). And since the white man ALWAYS keeps a brutha down, it would be even more fitting.
XBOX - So average, looks like something Microsoft would design or something.
Wii - Even plainer and more boring than the NES. All it is is a boring rectangle with a finish that reminds me of an Apple iProduct.
PS3 - Way too bulky and I do not like the curved aspect.
Xbox 360 - Looks OK, much better than the original Xbox, but still kind of boring.
Genesis - The model 1 is awesome looking. I don't care for the actual "Genesis" logo, though. The Japanese model 1 Mega Drive is sweet, but the "16-BIT" signage is WAY TOO BIG and brings the looks down a bit. Model 2 is crazy ugly. Model 3 looks a bit better.
PC Engine - I love the original PC Engine and CoreGrafx, etc. But the HUGE downside to those systems is that the power, video and audio comes out of the SIDE of the machine, making it look awkward at best and poorly designed at worst. They carried this shitty tradition over to the Duo. Make sure you have a lot of space around your PC Engine consoles, they need it for all of the damn wires sticking out of everywhere!

The best looking system has to be the Pikachu N64. (As long as you have plenty of gas and matches to keep it burning)

I rember seeing those for under $20 only a couple months after they were released...

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Originally Posted by Antony

I read a feature the other day about the most important consoles, and they wrote that the PSX (#1) wasn't only the most important, but the prettiest console as well.

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Eugh, why?! I have one - for playing the paltry 2 PS imports I own - but that grey box really uglies up the place. I usually keep it in a cupboard :P Black slimline ps2 is much better :) (Slimline, mind - the original fat one looks like a videocassette player.)

My favourite MD consoles, looks-wise, are the MD1/MCD1 combo (original & best) and the Multimega. Least favourite has to be the US Genesis 2 (so plain looking!). Best Nintendo console is probably the GC (in black) although the DSL is very neat :)

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Originally Posted by Joe Redifer

PC Engine - I love the original PC Engine and CoreGrafx, etc. But the HUGE downside to those systems is that the power, video and audio comes out of the SIDE of the machine, making it look awkward at best and poorly designed at worst. They carried this shitty tradition over to the Duo. Make sure you have a lot of space around your PC Engine consoles, they need it for all of the damn wires sticking out of everywhere!

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I actually made myself a little wooden stand for my Genesis that the console sat on top of, with a one inch wall on either side to keep it from slipping off. The cart boxes sat in the bottom row beneath, which was an inch or two above the ground.

When I got my Turbo Duo and wanted to use the stand for it, I wound up having to drill a hole through the side of one of the walls for the A/V cable, so that the Duo could sit on the bottom shelf. :p

The Duo R/RX systems have everything running out the back though. :)

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Originally Posted by Joe Redifer

Master System
NES - Very plain but at the same time, very Nintendo. I always equated it with lots and lots of cool video games. I've always hated the giant cartridges and the door, though.

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Bet you'd like this though: http://www.digitpress.com/forum/show...=126091&page=3

http://www.nesworld.com/hardware/avs1.jpg
Well, the console portion at least (what the original NES would have looked like as a toploader) The Nintendo AVS home computer was indeed a bad idea. (tape deck and oversized casing with integrated keyboard)

And another early NES concept: http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...lf359/nes5.jpg Other than the backwars cart and ugly harwired controllers, it looks cool. (at least the carts are Famicom sized, and Atari did the same thing with the backwards carts, except they also had the art upside down)

This concept looks kind of cool, thogh aimpractical:
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...lf359/nes4.jpg



And the odd Saturn concept that looks a lot like the PSX
http://i39.tinypic.com/rbjeac.jpg


And thank god this Dreamcast prototype doesn't resemble the final case design...

http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...rotodc0wp3.jpg

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Originally Posted by kool kitty89

http://i39.tinypic.com/rbjeac.jpg

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Herecy! :p

Original PC-Engine looks like a smoke detector!? :confused:
http://www.retrogamingworld.co.uk/se...es/39_main.jpg
http://www.gagagames.com.br/wp-conte...ine_com_cd.jpg
I think it looks sexy and fantastic with the CD unit (I own the setup).


Genesis model 1 looks great, model 2 only average, model 3 looks sexy. I wish I had picked up a model 3 for cheap some years back :(

The CDX also looks awesome.

Neptune the best looking for me, then the Genesis/Dreamcast is a tie, MS looks pretty good; I like the shape of it.

The power base converter makes the Model 1 look like it's about to have a bug gun and treads pop out and blast somebody! Most interesting on that note.

The Neptune is still the slickest looking console I have ever seen. I wish I could find a clone of it, I'd gut it and use the case to make a Neptunized Gen2.

Aside from Sega systems, the 7800 looks best (still not as good as the Neptune).

I always thought the Ps1 looked like a Snes and a Genesis 1 had a baby.

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Originally Posted by tomaitheous

http://www.retrogamingworld.co.uk/se...es/39_main.jpg

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That's a damn short controller cord! I like my controllers to have at least two feet of cord.

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Originally Posted by Joe Redifer

That's a damn short controller cord! I like my controllers to have at least two feet of cord.

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Tell me about it ;)
http://site.videogameaction.com/imag...-Nunchucks.jpg


Seriously though many of the Japanese controllers seem to have shorter cords, at least for the early consoles. With the AV famicom's dogbone controllers this was particularly noticable. (of course, the hardwired Famicom controllers, as well as the Colecovision, and intellivision, had uncomfortably short controller cords as well)

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Originally Posted by Joe Redifer

That's a damn short controller cord! I like my controllers to have at least two feet of cord.

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I struggled deciding how to depict the pad cable when I designed my tattoo, since I also wanted to keep the pad close the system. I just used a couple loops, which looks a lot better than the unnatural way that that one was photoshopped.:p

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Seriously though many of the Japanese controllers seem to have shorter cords, at least for the early consoles. With the AV famicom's dogbone controllers this was particularly noticable. (of course, the hardwired Famicom controllers, as well as the Colecovision, and intellivision, had uncomfortably short controller cords as well)

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That's because they sat on the floor in front of the TV in their tiny homes. ;)

The North American pre-8-bit console cords were ridiculously short. Even if the console sat on a coffee table, it was still hard to play, particularly 2 player games.

the TeraDrive... (MegaDrive PC)

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/d..._TeraDrive.jpg


SEGA did make great looking consoles :rock:

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Originally Posted by Da_Shocker

YTF did SoJ not keep the original silver Saturn

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The silver paint they used scratched too easily.

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Originally Posted by ThugsRook

the TeraDrive... (MegaDrive PC)

SEGA did make great looking consoles :rock:

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Is the Teradrive 100% Sega designed?

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Originally Posted by Black_Tiger

Is the Teradrive 100% Sega designed?

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i am not entirely sure what the exact specs are.
i do know they were available in Japan, and game developers where known to use them.

heres a link to more pics of it...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290314093963

i woulda bought one of these back in the day if they were available in NA :?

$171 shipping http://www.systemwars.com/forums/images/smilies/wow.gif No effin way.

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Originally Posted by ThugsRook

i am not entirely sure what the exact specs are.
i do know they were available in Japan, and game developers where known to use them.

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Pretty crappy specs. A 286 with 2.5 MB of RAM. http://www.old-computers.com/museum/...asp?st=1&c=518 And that's for the high-end model.

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Originally Posted by gamegenie

$171 shipping http://www.systemwars.com/forums/images/smilies/wow.gif No effin way.

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Yeah, that's expensive. Even the cheapest option at $78 is a bit pricey. I'll give you $30 and you can ship it to me by boat ;). Of course that would probably take 6 months but what the hey.

Those computers do look nice though.

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Originally Posted by gamegenie

$171 shipping http://www.systemwars.com/forums/images/smilies/wow.gif No effin way.

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yea, thats a bit high, even coming from Japan. id expect it to be seriously well packed for that price.

unless it came with developers tools, its not really useful by todays standards. its just a collectors item, but i would have loved to have one back in '91 :love:


did you happen to see the date on the screen for the AUTOEXEC.BAT file? LOL

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Originally Posted by Baloo

Those computers do look nice though. I think I'll save up my money, sell off some extra games, and go and buy one. I wonder if they're able to run in English, after all they have an English keyboard.

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Probably. It runs dos by the looks of things so IIRC all you should need to do is set it up to use the correct codepage.

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Originally Posted by Silanda

Pretty crappy specs. A 286 with 2.5 MB of RAM. http://www.old-computers.com/museum/...asp?st=1&c=518 And that's for the high-end model.

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Oh those specs really are full of suck. 2.5 MB of Ram? My Tandy 1000 SX has about 1/4 of that at 640k, and it was made in 1984.

Which reminds me, I need to get a table to put that on so I can use it more.

I would have to say that a model 1 genesis sitting atop a Sega CD with the 32X above it is the most awesome looking contraption ever made, but I think the Sega Wondermega's are better looking though.

http://www.planet-sega.de/img/articl...ndermega-7.jpg

^ man that thing is severe! I think i want one, is between that and the xeye though. both have there own merits. I would get a model one sega cd to sit underneath my model 1 MD but i hear they are more prone to dieing suddenly than the later models.

I like the way the Wondermega looks, and the JVC X'Eye. After that, I would go with the MD1+MCD2. I am not a big fan of the MD1+MCD1+32X monstrosity.

In fact, as far as the 32X goes, I'd rather not plug it into my Genesis at all!