What are your top 10 favorite video game consoles/handhelds/computers?

[ZetTheLegendaryHero]

1 being the best and 10 being not quite as good.


Mine are:

1. Nintendo Game Boy Advance
   
   
2. SNES
   
   
3. Sega Genesis
   
   
4. NES
   
   
5. Nintendo Game Boy Color
   
   
6. Nintendo Game Boy
   
   
7. Commodore Amiga CD32
   
   
8. Commodore Amiga 1200
   
   
9. Commodore Amiga 500
   
   
10. Commodore 64
    

[Kriven]

I've been thinking about platform preference a lot lately. In the past I would try to choose a "favorite platform" based on its library, but with backwards compatibility being kind of all over the place and so many games these days being on everything (even moreso than in the past I would say, since back in the SNES and Genesis era you would have say Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on both consoles but they would actually be different games, and emulation is now exceedingly accurate) that doesn't seem like a legitimate position. Lately I've been looking at things like controllers, which ones do I prefer, what is the primary delivery system for games, etc. when deciding on preferred consoles, but I haven't really put too much thought into it. Let's see.


Fifteen minutes have passed.

I've come to the conclusion that it's somewhat silly to favor a specific platform when isolated from its library. You can say "Hey, I like the Wii because of motion controls" or "I like the PS3 because it uses Blu-ray discs instead of DVDs" but at the end of the day there isn't a whole lot of difference. Yes, the controllers matter--they matter enough that I chose to support Xbox One over PlayStation 4, but in most cases the controller is only superficially different. It's a different size, a different shape, has a different D-Pad, but with modern consoles the layout is the same across all of them. Only first-party developers build games for their controllers, and even then the gimmick is usually halted after the first year or so. Old consoles with interesting controls (such as the Genesis) often see their titles ported to modern consoles with more traditional controllers--or even the PC, which allows you to use whatever controller you feel like configuring. The only two platforms which offer experiences that are unique to themselves are the Wii and the DS family. In the case of the DS family that's primarily because it's very difficult to port those games to other devices without seriously changing the entirety of the game. With the Wii it's because of forced game design decisions most of the time (such as waggling in Donkey Kong Country Returns). There are a few experiences which depend on motion controls, but for the most part their inclusion is hacky or superficial.

The only reason anybody upgrades to the newest console is because of the lack of a unified delivery format for video games (and in PC where that isn't a problem, it's because eventually the games become so demanding that new hardware is necessary to operate them). For the most part end-users have no idea about what's going on with the guts of a system. To most people a console is a block that plugs into your TV and a controller with two sticks, a d-pad, four shoulder buttons and four face buttons. All the same. Even the Switch. The Switch you can at least take with you. Anyway, point is, consoles don't offer tremendously different experiences between them. My favorite console is going to be whichever one lets me play the most games with a control setup that suits my tastes and with the least overall financial investment and manual hassle. It would have been easy for me to pick one in years past. I could have said "The Wii U, because I can play almost every Nintendo game that has ever mattered on it." I could have said "The DS Lite, because I can play GBA on it as well" and my God if they had simply allowed it to handle older Game Boy games that would have been great.

But ultimately, almost three decades into my life and the majority of that time being a gamer, having used it all from the Atari 2600 to the Nintendo Switch, I have to say that I'm just disenchanted with closed platforms. Disenchanted with the proprietary delivery systems, disenchanted with "the same but different" network environments, disenchanted with having to buy the same game over and over again if I want it to be as readily accessible as the rest of my contemporary collection. People keep telling me that all of this proprietary stuff will lead to "competition and innovation" but all I'm seeing is stagnation and bullshit artificial limitations. So you know what? I don't have a favorite platform anymore. I'll keep buying them because I want to keep playing games, and I'll find some sticking point that will make me prefer one over the others, but I just don't care very much about how I experience the games anymore so much as that I get to experience them. Yeah, I love all the little logos, and the jingles, and my God do I love "GameCube Smell," and I might get a little nostalgic for that on occasion but it's never going to be the consoles themselves I look fondly back on but the games.

I'm sorry for the derail and for not actually answering your question. I tried, but I realized partway through that I would be lying.

[ZetTheLegendaryHero]

I've been thinking about platform preference a lot lately. In the past I would try to choose a "favorite platform" based on its library, but with backwards compatibility being kind of all over the place and so many games these days being on everything (even moreso than in the past I would say, since back in the SNES and Genesis era you would have say Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on both consoles but they would actually be different games, and emulation is now exceedingly accurate) that doesn't seem like a legitimate position. Lately I've been looking at things like controllers, which ones do I prefer, what is the primary delivery system for games, etc. when deciding on preferred consoles, but I haven't really put too much thought into it. Let's see.


Fifteen minutes have passed.

I've come to the conclusion that it's somewhat silly to favor a specific platform when isolated from its library. You can say "Hey, I like the Wii because of motion controls" or "I like the PS3 because it uses Blu-ray discs instead of DVDs" but at the end of the day there isn't a whole lot of difference. Yes, the controllers matter--they matter enough that I chose to support Xbox One over PlayStation 4, but in most cases the controller is only superficially different. It's a different size, a different shape, has a different D-Pad, but with modern consoles the layout is the same across all of them. Only first-party developers build games for their controllers, and even then the gimmick is usually halted after the first year or so. Old consoles with interesting controls (such as the Genesis) often see their titles ported to modern consoles with more traditional controllers--or even the PC, which allows you to use whatever controller you feel like configuring. The only two platforms which offer experiences that are unique to themselves are the Wii and the DS family. In the case of the DS family that's primarily because it's very difficult to port those games to other devices without seriously changing the entirety of the game. With the Wii it's because of forced game design decisions most of the time (such as waggling in Donkey Kong Country Returns). There are a few experiences which depend on motion controls, but for the most part their inclusion is hacky or superficial.

The only reason anybody upgrades to the newest console is because of the lack of a unified delivery format for video games (and in PC where that isn't a problem, it's because eventually the games become so demanding that new hardware is necessary to operate them). For the most part end-users have no idea about what's going on with the guts of a system. To most people a console is a block that plugs into your TV and a controller with two sticks, a d-pad, four shoulder buttons and four face buttons. All the same. Even the Switch. The Switch you can at least take with you. Anyway, point is, consoles don't offer tremendously different experiences between them. My favorite console is going to be whichever one lets me play the most games with a control setup that suits my tastes and with the least overall financial investment and manual hassle. It would have been easy for me to pick one in years past. I could have said "The Wii U, because I can play almost every Nintendo game that has ever mattered on it." I could have said "The DS Lite, because I can play GBA on it as well" and my God if they had simply allowed it to handle older Game Boy games that would have been great.

But ultimately, almost three decades into my life and the majority of that time being a gamer, having used it all from the Atari 2600 to the Nintendo Switch, I have to say that I'm just disenchanted with closed platforms. Disenchanted with the proprietary delivery systems, disenchanted with "the same but different" network environments, disenchanted with having to buy the same game over and over again if I want it to be as readily accessible as the rest of my contemporary collection. People keep telling me that all of this proprietary stuff will lead to "competition and innovation" but all I'm seeing is stagnation and bullshit artificial limitations. So you know what? I don't have a favorite platform anymore. I'll keep buying them because I want to keep playing games, and I'll find some sticking point that will make me prefer one over the others, but I just don't care very much about how I experience the games anymore so much as that I get to experience them. Yeah, I love all the little logos, and the jingles, and my God do I love "GameCube Smell," and I might get a little nostalgic for that on occasion but it's never going to be the consoles themselves I look fondly back on but the games.

I'm sorry for the derail and for not actually answering your question. I tried, but I realized partway through that I would be lying.

I have to say those are interesting points.

[Paraemon]

In terms of experience with the machines, it is in this order, with others to include what else I've played on:

That did not make the cut?
Gameboy Color. A great handheld for its time, but lack of backlight made it difficult to play it at will.
Nintendo 64. Loved it, but due to some sort of mix up 16 years ago, I've not played on one. If I had more time on it, it'll be in the 10.
Nintendo Wii. I honestly struggle with the wiimote and I've played a very minimal amount on it (excluding Skyward Sword).
Playstation 3. Not had a lot of exposure to this console, but I'll say I've had some enjoyment on it.
Playstation 4. Had more exposure to this console than the PS3, and really only play it at my brother's place or at a friend's place.

And then those that did.
10. XBox One. Only this low down the chain because of impracticality in setting up the machine in student halls.
9. Gameboy Advance. Only this low because of the backlight issue, but so nostalgic from my experience with it.
8. Playstation 2. It allowed me to have a wider exposure to the Sonic series, amongst other games, but can't beat the original PS.
7. SEGA Genesis. My first console and secondary introduction to video games. Many of the early days were spent on this.
6. Playstation. Nostalgia reasons, it's a damn fine machine and I would heartily get one again if the games I wanted weren't so expensive.
5. Nintendo DS. Backwards compatability with GBA games and a great selection of games for itself? Take my money.
4. PC. My first introduction to games, I started with the PC trio of Sonic & Knuckles Collection, Sonic CD and Sonic 3D.
3. Nintendo Gamecube. Hours upon hours of Zelda games.
2. XBox 360. The first console I bought for myself, and it just felt right to me.
1. Nintendo Switch. Yes, it's the newest of the lot, but by the Elder Ones, it's so handy and enjoyable.

[Sparkbomber]

IDK, I've played a lot of games, but not that many consoles compared to the sheer number out there.
Soooo.... just personal experience basis.

1. Modern PC
   
2. NES. Mine stopped working well OVER 20 YEARS after I got it. Under heavy use, and the library? Fantastic.
   
3. SNES. Loving it, loving the games, but its a little more fragile than the NES
   
4. Nintendo New 3DS. Mixed bag, bit gimmicky, but plays well
   
5. Playstation. Clunky CD machine, but wow what a library
   
6. Sega Dreamcast. Good console, but few games available and... kinda too experimental
   
7. N64. Awful controls
   
8. Sega Master System II. Not a lot of fun
   
9. GameBoy Advance. Eye damaging, drains batteries
   
10. Apple II. Awful in a word
    

[Shin FireyPaperMario]

Bump!

---

Here's my top 10 list:

1. Hyperkin Supaboy (It plays SNES & SFC games on the go, who would say no to that?!?)
   
2. Hyperkin Retron 5
   
3. Nintendo Switch
   
4. Gameboy Color
   
5. Nintendo 3DS
   
6. Nintendo DS
   
7. Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
   
8. Nintendo Gamecube
   
9. Evercade (It's not out yet, but trust me, it's promising)
   
10. Atari 2600
    

[sorapapu]

In no order.

PS2
Nintendo 64
Gameboy Advance
Sega Dreamcast
Sega Genesis/Megadrive
PS3
PS4
Nintendo Gamecube
Snes
Playstation 1