Why Gen 1 Is the Best Generation

Alex S. from Link-Cable writes: "Welcome to the first part of our quest to determine which console generation has the right to call itself the greatest. Along this journey we will take a look at each and every generation of gaming and try to figure out which era was the best. And what better place to get this started than by taking a look at the where this whole ‘gaming’ thing started by having a look at Generation 1 and trying to determine if this era of early gaming has the right to call itself the best."

[FallenAngel1984]

Nobody speaks fondly of the Magnavox Odyssey these days

[ARESWARLORD]

I had fun on my ColecoVision not sure if that's gen 1 or Gen 2 though

[FallenAngel1984]

That's second gen and just further proves my point

[Razzer]

Those Magnavox fanboys were insufferable.

;-)

[PiNkFaIrYbOi]

This should be an interesting series of articles.

[nevin1]

Let me know when it gets to the NES-PS2 era.

[AnubisG]

Gen 1is the best? Maybe for a select few. I started gaming on an Atari 2600. It wasn't that great. Than moved to a NES which was a million times better. Than from that I went to Playstation which to me was the best generation ever. The biggest jump in video game history. From 2D to 3D.

[sk8ofmnd]

I also started on a 2600... I still have it with a cardboard box full of games. Honestly the snes gen was prob my fav followed closely by the ps2 gen.

[modelgod]

Are you comparing the entire PS Era to the NES? just curious. NES was definitely the best era, games we're difficult but satisfying, there we're an array of dif detent genres, and the library was so huge that you probably didn't get around to all the great games that the system had to offer. Mike Tyson Punch Out, Zelda, Metroid, Rygar, Kid Icarus, Bionic Commando, Pro Wrestling, Rad Racer, Super Mario Bros, and SMB3, Tecmo Bowl, Contra, Mega Man 1+2, Ghost and Goblins, Duck Tales, the list goes on. I must admit, I did enjoy my TG16 for a while. I had the Genesis as well, but there we're about 8 games that I really enjoyed on the TG-16. Also, I didn't know how great the Neo-Geo was until I had the emulator on my OG Xbox, oh how I miss the glory days of gaming. Games are way too easy nowadays!

[AnubisG]

I respect your opinion saying that your favorite era was the NES era. However to me it has to be the PS1 era.

Also:

We're means we are. You meant to say "were"

[Petebloodyonion]

Did you bother reading the article?
The author says it from the start that It would be a stretch calling gen 1 the best.

[Qrphe]

This, 5th gen was the best one

[PCGamefan]

I have fond memories of playing my C64, Atari ST and Amiga 500. Does that count?

[nitus10]

There is nothing wrong with having fond memories of older gaming systems and their games but I would never say they were the best out of all the generations. In fact, the best game is the one you are currently playing and having blast playing it.

[Rebel_Scum]

For me its a tie between 8/16/32 bit era's.

[ARESWARLORD]

I'm with you bro love the NES had tons of fun with that remember the first time I seen Mario running it was just a thing of beauty man. Then rolling over to my cousin's house a few years later he had a Sega Genesis set up to an old Commodore monitor my god did it look insane. Fired on Altered Beast all of a sudden all you hear is rise from your Graves I thought that was the Pinnacle of video games at the time.

[modelgod]

After playing Super Mario Bros in the arcade, then seeing that the NES didn't miss a beat, it was literally the best childhood a kid can have. Question.....who knew the glitch Wichita allowed you to shoot fireballs while you we're small?

[PhoenixUp]

Gen 1 doesn't even have any recognizable characters to make people nostalgic for that era of gaming

[Lon3wolf]

Not sure how recognizable a character they could do with just squares and scant resources, but just say Pong and people do get nostalgic.

[Petebloodyonion]

well White square was quite popular,
He could play hockey, soccer, football, tennis, etc..
Basically, he was the star of all games

[ARESWARLORD]

To me the generations are more summed up by the systems I had the most fun on at the time I believe it was Gen 2 when it started and I had to Cleco Vision that's all I had so that was great.

Then I got the NES and that was a total game-changer loved it. That I had the turbo Graphics 16 the Sega Genesis with the Sega CD 32x and the Super Nintendo my favorite by far hands down was to Sega Genesis of that generation.

Then I had the Sega Saturn my brother had PS1 I would have to give that generation to the PS1 hands down awesome system awesome games love Street Fighter on it love Twisted Metal.

Then I went to the Sega Dreamcast the mighty mighty Sega Dreamcast that was some good times I feel bad for anybody who missed it on only one it really was a swan song from Sega to its fans and one of my most enjoyable systems that I've ever had the pleasure of owning I was very sad when Sega killed it.

Then I had a PS2 and original Xbox they're both great but for me the game changer at that point with Halo but Killzone came close those were good years.

Then I went Xbox 360 PS3 and build a PC there was good games on everything back then it's hard to pick a favorite.

Now this Gen I have Xbox One PS4 PS4 Pro and PC hands down this Generation PS4 all day long. Sony has done such a bang-up job with it great games great graphics great sales on the PlayStation Store and very consumer-friendly the only thing I wish they did was backwards compatibility but I understand they can't do to the South and yada yada yada hopefully for next time they will have backwards compatibility with PS5.

Many things have changed over the years by five I've got a lot last time the game now but the gaming time I do have I get to spend with my son a lot of times.

If we have any other parents at their of young kids I fully recommend if you have any old system setting them up and go through some games with them I started my son off with a Sega Genesis in his room when he was about 3 years old. He plays all the new stuff now and in fact he has his own TV in his room with an Xbox 360 and a PS3 on it but it definitely gives him an appreciation of where the video game started especially for someone as young as him.

I'm pushing 40 these days so I don't know if I'll see you another five generations of games but I imagine things are going to keep on getting crazier it's definitely been a wild ride

[edeprez]

Good post man, I'm a few years younger possibly since i can't remember the coleco-vision era, but other than that i have a lot of the same feelings. It brings back a lot off good memories. My hat's off to you sir, keep the dream alive! Feel free to add me on PSN or XBL, same username as here. I'm not really crazy about MP, but its always good to have more friends that really enjoy games.

[ARESWARLORD]

Sounds good buddy you're welcome to add me as well PSN and Xbox I go by the same username as I use on this site

[sk8ofmnd]

I also had a saturn... I remember playing the port of quake on it. The sound was absolute shit and once i got a ps1 thats all it took after playing ff7

[VJGenova]

Nintendo got no love from you, huh?

N64 was the party system. Lots of great 4 way games and nfl blitz was way better on n64 than ps1.

Gamecube, most under rated system since the dreamcast. So many great games.

Nintendo lost me with the wii though. All 3rd party games felt clunky and i hated spinning the remoye to attack.

Here's hoping you played some of those systems at a friend's house! If not, you missed out.

[ARESWARLORD]

I owned them as well. Mario and Mario kart 64 and f zero GC where my favorites.

[sk8ofmnd]

The snes gen is prob my fav... Everything was just amazing

1st partys = A+
3rd partys = A+
Controller = A+

It pretty much improved on every aspect by a huge margin compared to the nes.

On topic:

It was all about that missle command... Which came out near the tail end of gen 1

[nitus10]

In many respects, it was Nintendo's NES that kickstarted the gaming industry which was in danger of failing.

[sk8ofmnd]

Thats well known... But would it make it your fav gen because of that?

[JackTheLiz]

alot of these early 'consoles' are sadly not remembered or even cared about. While most people happily celebrate Nintendo and the NES, Atari and the 2600 which arguably laid the groundwork for its big successor is left in a corner. (2nd gen tangent over.)

Even more so, the Odyssey. Good god was it incredibly basic, but so does everything just starting out. While the early gens were incredibly influential, I don't feel they're quite the 'best' gen, but I'm glad someone out here in modern gaming does care about gaming history.

[yellowgerbil]

I'd say gen 3 is the best just because of the innovation that Nintendo brought to gaming, I can't remember a single atari game where I had characters that I saw as characters. Mario made gaming.
After that I'd say probably the dreamcast- original xbox gen. So much variety that came out of these 4 very different companies. Dreamcast alone makes it great with games like jet grind radio and crazy taxi, not to mention the sony stuff like GOW and Sly COOPER that came out that gen, even Microsoft actually brought stuff to the table back then

[Petebloodyonion]

Gen1 has more to do with nostalgia.
It's gonna be a nice read in the future.

[NeoGamer232]

I still have my Coleco Telstar Colortron. My first console!

[VJGenova]

I had a colecovision, aquarius, TI-99/4A. Were those 2nd gen?

Then I had NES, SNES, N64, PSX, Dreamcast, Gamecube, PS2, XBOX, Wii, XBOX 360, PS3, PS4. Also, gameboy (original, color, advance and ds). Probably 10 or so of those black and white tiger handhelds.

Also about 10 PCs in that time frame as well. Text based adventures and all.

My favorite system, sans pc, is probably the N64 just due to the 4 player multi-player. I still hksts friends and cousins for some mario kart 64, goldeneye, mario party, smash bros, wcw vs nwo revenge, nfl blitz, etc. Runner up would be gamecube for the same reason. Great local multi-player. Miss that these days.

[KillBill]

Sorry, I have been around for each Generation and by far Gen 1 was not the best.