Consoles I've Had
Posted by in Tech at 3:45 p.m. on Nov. 03rd, 20062 Comments 0 Pings
My crippling fear of the Wii, which I wrote about the other day, has led me to some nostalgic, wistful contemplations on my history as a video game-playing couch tater. I’ve been a bit out of the loop lately, as far as keeping up with the latest and greatest systems goes, but it seems like I’ve always had something around.
So here, for your amusement (actually my own), I’ve gathered together the This is Your Life lineup of the consoles that I’ve had.
1976 Sears Telegames Pong System
This may not be a picture of the exact system my dad brought home for Christmas in ‘76, but it’s pretty darn close. The whole family had a high time with this little device. But I think it broke after about two months. Not bad, considering the vicious tempers that the men in my family tend to have; we break stuff when we lose.
Favorite Game: Pong.
Overall Impression: Revolutionary parlor-fun for any home!
1979: TI-99/4A Home Computer
This was actually a home computer, and not a video game system. But the only ‘computing’ I did on it was typing in the craptacular games that came printed in Compute! magazine every month. Games were loaded using an audio cassette player and/or a plug-in cartridge. This system came to a sad, bitter end when I tripped over the cassette cable and ripped the motherboard clear out of the case.
Favorite Game: Tunnels of Doom!
Overall Impression: Nice keyboard. Pretty to look at. Crappy system.
1978: Atari Video Computer System
My first ‘modern’ console system, with plug-in cartridges, remote controllers, and all the other niceties we’ve come to take for granted. Also, the VCS (later 2600) was the only computer system I’ve ever owned with simulated wood grain panelling. This was also the first system that had a nemesis: The Mattel Intellivision. I reviled anyone who owned the Intellivison on principle, despite the lovable George Plimpton.
Once the system became obsolete, I inherited cartridges from everybody who’d ever had one. I still have about 200 games and a working system in my mom’s attic.
Favorite Game: Yar’s Revenge. Or River Raid. Or Warlords.
Overall Impression: Classic.
1982: Atari 5200
I still can’t believe my parents bought this for me and my brother. It cost something like $200.00, way back in 1982, and the game prices were outrageous. Still, it’s probably my favorite system I’ve owned, despite the risible controllers. This system was relatively rare compared its predecessor; it was practically unknown relative to the 2600. Nevertheless, a bitter hatred developed between owners of the 5200 and the Colecovision. Rich boys had Colecovision.
Favorite Game: Dreadnought Factor, one of the Best Games Ever. Or maybe Star Raiders.
Overall Impression: Awesome-looking box; best game selection at the time.
1983: Mattel Aquarius
Another ‘Home Computer’ entry. Despite being released five years after the TI-99, the specs weren’t any more impressive. I did actually learn to program BASIC on this computer; it also had a spreadsheet, called FinForm, and a word processor, called FileForm. Both of which sucked ass.
Favorite Game: Utopia.
Overall Impression: Crappy keyboard, crappy games. A better BASIC implementation than the TI, though.
1988: Nintendo Entertainment System
After five years, I had finally played my Atari 5200 to death. The automatic RF-switcher had stopped working, the controllers were all broken, and replacement parts were impossible to find. Heading off to college, I decided that I needed to drop 250 bucks on a video game system. Despite the fact that I blamed Nintendo for Atari’s bad fortunes, I ponied up the cash for this little beauty, along with a light gun. I’m still completely baffled how the light gun worked.
This system, along with Super Mario Brothers, was 100% responsible for flunking my freshman year roommate out of Georgia Tech. Sorry ‘bout that, Ernie.
Favorite Game: Super Mario Bros. Or Genghis Khan.
Overall Impression: Underpowered, less fun than the 5200, but not bad.
1992: Sega Genesis
Once I got tired of waiting for a decent hockey game to come out for the NES, I finally decided to pick up something with a little more oomph. Since I worked at a toy store, I was confronted every day with the 16+-bit consoles that all the cool kids were buying. Turbografx, Super Nintendo, Jaguar. All of them were enticing, but my ex-girlfriend had had a Sega, so that was the deciding factor. I bought the Genesis, which came with Sonic the Hedgehog, and plunked down another 30 bucks on NHL Hockey ‘94. I never bought another game, even though I played just about every single day. I still can’t figure out why NHL ‘94 never got old.
Favorite Game: NHL ‘94 or Sonic; that’s all I ever bought. I can’t stress enough that I played the crap out of these games. For years and years.
Overall Impression: First console I ever had with stereo sound. I’m not sure why I think that’s awesome, but there you go. Awesome.
2006: Nintendo GameCube
I can’t believe I didn’t buy a gaming unit for almost 14 years! I actually wanted to get an XBox, have it mod-chipped, and run it as a game console and a front end for my MythTV server. But that would’ve cost about 300 bucks, even without buying any games for it. The PlayStation 2 was also very seductive, but they’re still chargin over $200 for it.
So, I dropped $70 on the less-capable, three-year-old GameCube, which came with the excellent, if weird, Mario Smash Football. The games are cheap, if you buy from Amazon, and some of them are excellent. Also, since people are upgrading to XBox 360s, you can get loads of cheap used games. That will probably just increase now that the Nintendo Fanbois are buying Wiis.
Favorite Game: SSX 3: Snowboarding without freezing your nards off. Metroid Prime kicks a little butt, too.
Overall Impression: A year or two past its prime, but a lot of fun on the cheap, as far as recent consoles go. Also, a great-looking piece of equipment. Unfortunately, the ol’ console magic of the Genesis and the 5200 just isn’t there.
So, what’s next?
Maybe I’ll get myself an XBox 360 at some point. I like the XBox Live concept, and there are some good-looking games out there. There’s no way in Hell I’m dropping 600 bucks on a PlayStation 3, so it’s the most logical choice.
So here, for your amusement (actually my own), I’ve gathered together the This is Your Life lineup of the consoles that I’ve had.
1976 Sears Telegames Pong System
This may not be a picture of the exact system my dad brought home for Christmas in ‘76, but it’s pretty darn close. The whole family had a high time with this little device. But I think it broke after about two months. Not bad, considering the vicious tempers that the men in my family tend to have; we break stuff when we lose.
Favorite Game: Pong.
Overall Impression: Revolutionary parlor-fun for any home!
1979: TI-99/4A Home Computer
This was actually a home computer, and not a video game system. But the only ‘computing’ I did on it was typing in the craptacular games that came printed in Compute! magazine every month. Games were loaded using an audio cassette player and/or a plug-in cartridge. This system came to a sad, bitter end when I tripped over the cassette cable and ripped the motherboard clear out of the case.
Favorite Game: Tunnels of Doom!
Overall Impression: Nice keyboard. Pretty to look at. Crappy system.
1978: Atari Video Computer System
My first ‘modern’ console system, with plug-in cartridges, remote controllers, and all the other niceties we’ve come to take for granted. Also, the VCS (later 2600) was the only computer system I’ve ever owned with simulated wood grain panelling. This was also the first system that had a nemesis: The Mattel Intellivision. I reviled anyone who owned the Intellivison on principle, despite the lovable George Plimpton.
Once the system became obsolete, I inherited cartridges from everybody who’d ever had one. I still have about 200 games and a working system in my mom’s attic.
Favorite Game: Yar’s Revenge. Or River Raid. Or Warlords.
Overall Impression: Classic.
1982: Atari 5200
I still can’t believe my parents bought this for me and my brother. It cost something like $200.00, way back in 1982, and the game prices were outrageous. Still, it’s probably my favorite system I’ve owned, despite the risible controllers. This system was relatively rare compared its predecessor; it was practically unknown relative to the 2600. Nevertheless, a bitter hatred developed between owners of the 5200 and the Colecovision. Rich boys had Colecovision.
Favorite Game: Dreadnought Factor, one of the Best Games Ever. Or maybe Star Raiders.
Overall Impression: Awesome-looking box; best game selection at the time.
1983: Mattel Aquarius
Another ‘Home Computer’ entry. Despite being released five years after the TI-99, the specs weren’t any more impressive. I did actually learn to program BASIC on this computer; it also had a spreadsheet, called FinForm, and a word processor, called FileForm. Both of which sucked ass.
Favorite Game: Utopia.
Overall Impression: Crappy keyboard, crappy games. A better BASIC implementation than the TI, though.
1988: Nintendo Entertainment System
After five years, I had finally played my Atari 5200 to death. The automatic RF-switcher had stopped working, the controllers were all broken, and replacement parts were impossible to find. Heading off to college, I decided that I needed to drop 250 bucks on a video game system. Despite the fact that I blamed Nintendo for Atari’s bad fortunes, I ponied up the cash for this little beauty, along with a light gun. I’m still completely baffled how the light gun worked.
This system, along with Super Mario Brothers, was 100% responsible for flunking my freshman year roommate out of Georgia Tech. Sorry ‘bout that, Ernie.
Favorite Game: Super Mario Bros. Or Genghis Khan.
Overall Impression: Underpowered, less fun than the 5200, but not bad.
1992: Sega Genesis
Once I got tired of waiting for a decent hockey game to come out for the NES, I finally decided to pick up something with a little more oomph. Since I worked at a toy store, I was confronted every day with the 16+-bit consoles that all the cool kids were buying. Turbografx, Super Nintendo, Jaguar. All of them were enticing, but my ex-girlfriend had had a Sega, so that was the deciding factor. I bought the Genesis, which came with Sonic the Hedgehog, and plunked down another 30 bucks on NHL Hockey ‘94. I never bought another game, even though I played just about every single day. I still can’t figure out why NHL ‘94 never got old.
Favorite Game: NHL ‘94 or Sonic; that’s all I ever bought. I can’t stress enough that I played the crap out of these games. For years and years.
Overall Impression: First console I ever had with stereo sound. I’m not sure why I think that’s awesome, but there you go. Awesome.
2006: Nintendo GameCube
I can’t believe I didn’t buy a gaming unit for almost 14 years! I actually wanted to get an XBox, have it mod-chipped, and run it as a game console and a front end for my MythTV server. But that would’ve cost about 300 bucks, even without buying any games for it. The PlayStation 2 was also very seductive, but they’re still chargin over $200 for it.
So, I dropped $70 on the less-capable, three-year-old GameCube, which came with the excellent, if weird, Mario Smash Football. The games are cheap, if you buy from Amazon, and some of them are excellent. Also, since people are upgrading to XBox 360s, you can get loads of cheap used games. That will probably just increase now that the Nintendo Fanbois are buying Wiis.
Favorite Game: SSX 3: Snowboarding without freezing your nards off. Metroid Prime kicks a little butt, too.
Overall Impression: A year or two past its prime, but a lot of fun on the cheap, as far as recent consoles go. Also, a great-looking piece of equipment. Unfortunately, the ol’ console magic of the Genesis and the 5200 just isn’t there.
So, what’s next?
Maybe I’ll get myself an XBox 360 at some point. I like the XBox Live concept, and there are some good-looking games out there. There’s no way in Hell I’m dropping 600 bucks on a PlayStation 3, so it’s the most logical choice.
Comments
Rube
November 4, 2006 at 1:33 p.m.:Kalafan,
Y'know, as much as I love playing FPS shooters, I just can't bring myself to play them online any more. Watching all those twitchy fourteen year olds bunny-hopping around just takes the fun out of it for me. There really should be a cool-down time for jumping.
Maybe that would be a reason to find a clan to play with.
Kalafan
November 4, 2006 at 2:52 a.m.:I had an NES, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, PS2, and now an Xbox. Halo 2 is great fun on Xbox Live if you can find a clan or group of friends that is teamwork-oriented. Even that old-ass ORIGINAL Ghost Recon game still has dozens of players using Live. 360 will be acquired about a year from now, along with some random ultra-photorealistic WWII FPS.