45 replies to this topic

[guyjin]

Lots of people like to bag on the Jaguar, saying it's among the worst systems ever made.

What I'm curious about is, what game systems do you guys consider to be bad?

[davidcalgary29]

Any system that doesn't generate endless flame wars with incendiary posts from fanboys.

[wozencl]

The Jaguar? There are plenty to choose from.

Bad product, bad games, bad marketing and bad management (apologies to any badness  I've missed out). I'm still very fond of it mind but I certainly don't pretend the product was something it wasn't.

[theloon]

Any system that mates a joypad with buttons from a big red telephone.  Also, thinking that squeeky elephant farts make funky music for a "club" driving game.

[davidcalgary29]

Any system that doesn't have Skylar as its official mascot.

[guyjin]

davidcalgary29, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 9:59 AM, said:

Any system that doesn't generate endless flame wars with incendiary posts from fanboys.

So i'll put you down as hating the Bandai Playdia.

[sh3-rg]

guyjin, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 9:41 AM, said:

Lots of people like to bag on the Jaguar, saying it's among the worst systems ever made.

What I'm curious about is, what game systems do you guys consider to be bad?

No system is "bad" as such, I can't think of any that don't have some interesting aspects. Plenty of systems have suffered from bad games or lack of support and these are obviously the reasons the Jaguar is an easy target for finger pointers.

The Jag is far from being one of the worst ever made - on the contrary, it's one of the most interesting and is also an open platform, that makes it worth a look for a lot of people.

[Lentzquest]

Even as a fan of the Jag, I still see some game consoles as being just plain bad. The CDI and Game.com are good examples.

[Sauron]

The Jag isn't even the worst system Atari ever made, let alone the worst ever. Several of the above mentioned systems would get my vote, along with the 3DO, Atari 5200, VIrtualBoy, and Apple Pippen. Another honorable mention would the be CD32, which I'm sure will put some Amiga fans in a tizzy.

[davidcalgary29]

guyjin, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 10:35 AM, said:

davidcalgary29, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 9:59 AM, said:

Any system that doesn't generate endless flame wars with incendiary posts from fanboys.

So i'll put you down as hating the Bandai Playdia.

I had to look that one up! My love goes to any system that has an official Hello Kitty release for it.

Quote

Another honorable mention would the be CD32, which I'm sure will put some Amiga fans in a tizzy.

I bought a boxed CD32 system from a fellow AA'er about five or six years ago...and used it once before I put it away again. I do like to look at the box every once and awhile, though.

[Willard]

there are few systems that I could not justify owning because there is not a single aspect that interests me from a gameplay perspective. To an extend this may be because the platforms were not intended to serve the interactive gaming market. Some of these systems might include:
>Playdia
>Casio Loopy
>Memorex VIS
>Hyperscan
>Tiger R-Zone (Portable)
>Laseractive
>Action Max

There are a few systems that have too few good games to justify owning for most people but they do have a few gems:
>Bandai Pippin
>CDTV
>Nuon
>CD32
>PC-FX
>Sega 32X

Neo Geo CD reserves a special place inbetween because it's such a redundant system.

[Jagman]

I can find positives in just about any game system... CD-I is probably the one I would have the hardest time coming up with one though

[Jazoni]

Willard, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 12:20 PM, said:

there are few systems that I could not justify owning because there is not a single aspect that interests me from a gameplay perspective. To an extend this may be because the platforms were not intended to serve the interactive gaming market. Some of these systems might include:
>Playdia
>Casio Loopy
>Memorex VIS
>Hyperscan
>Tiger R-Zone (Portable)
>Laseractive
>Action Max

There are a few systems that have too few good games to justify owning for most people but they do have a few gems:
>Bandai Pippin
>CDTV
>Nuon
>CD32
>PC-FX
>Sega 32X

Neo Geo CD reserves a special place inbetween because it's such a redundant system.

You forgot the Virtual Boy on your second list.

The only decent game on the Pippin is the Marathon Collection, and the Nuon only has Iron Solider 3, and Tempest 3000, which makes it rather redundant even to a collector.

the CD-TV, and CD-32 may have meager libraries, but they are decent if you can get some disks of Amiga games to play on them. Which kinda defeats the whole point of owning one, but it works for me.

The PC-FX is clock full of hentai titles, and other stuff that wouldn't make sense to someone who was non-Japanese. So really, it can only be a truly decent system to someone who knows Japanese.

The 32X has a few gems that are worth playing, so I agree with you there.

Personally the CD-I is possibly the most dullest system on the planet, with no redeeming features whatsoever. Hell, I could even find more redeeming features in a toaster than a CD-I.

Sauron, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 11:23 AM, said:

The Jag isn't even the worst system Atari ever made, let alone the worst ever. Several of the above mentioned systems would get my vote, along with the 3DO, Atari 5200, VIrtualBoy, and Apple Pippen. Another honorable mention would the be CD32, which I'm sure will put some Amiga fans in a tizzy.

Hey, the 3DO is a great system.

I could name at least fifty games worth owning for the 3DO, and that's a damn sight more than the Jaguar.

Edited by Jazoni, Sat Aug 4, 2012 2:15 PM.

[Gunstar]

davidcalgary29, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 12:16 PM, said:

guyjin, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 10:35 AM, said:

davidcalgary29, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 9:59 AM, said:

Any system that doesn't generate endless flame wars with incendiary posts from fanboys.

So i'll put you down as hating the Bandai Playdia.

I had to look that one up! My love goes to any system that has an official Hello Kitty release for it.

Quote

Another honorable mention would the be CD32, which I'm sure will put some Amiga fans in a tizzy.

I bought a boxed CD32 system from a fellow AA'er about five or six years ago...and used it once before I put it away again. I do like to look at the box every once and awhile, though.

While I haven't looked into the CD32 much, I have seen it in action at game shows. I would imagine it's weak point is games, like the Jaguar. But the thing that strikes me first is that it's based on old technology (the Amiga 1985/6), upgraded over the years, and now thirtytwo-bit. The original Amiga was developed as a game console in the early 80's (supported by Atari), then sold to Commodore who decided to turn it into a next-gen computer. It may be far advanced from the original Amiga, hardly even close, but It just seem like an awfully weak attempt to enter the console market. Like if the Atari Falcon (ST/TT decendant) had been released as an Atari console, instead of the all-new design of the Jaguar. To me, that makes for a "weak" console from the drawing board.

On the other hand, though I would consider the CD32 a weak console, I do plan on owning one, one day, and I'm sure I'll like it.

The bottom line, for me, is there is no bad console just bad games and/or lack of support. There are FAILED consoles, but no real "BAD" ones. Weak ones, strong ones, successful ones, failed ones. The CD32 was a weak console that failed. The Jaguar was a strong console that failed. The 3DO was a strong console that failed. The 32X was a weak console that failed. The Playstation was a strong console that succeeded. The Saturn was a strong console that didn't succeed or fail, it just limped along to the finish line. My references to "weak" and "strong" consoles is my opinion of their comparative power based on time of release, and nothing to do with their respective libraries. Mostly the libraries are what define success or failure (and good or bad marketing). None are bad.

If a console has 20 or more "solid" games, it's a fair library, less than that it's a bad library. The 32X only has around 20 games total, and out of those 20 or so, half a dozen or less "solid" games, so it's got a bad library.
The Jaguar has more than 20 "solid" games, so it has at least a fair library. The playstation has hundreds of "solid" games so it's got a great library. This is merely the way I judge a system to be worth-while or not to own. It's not like most people (average joe's, not collectors and fanboys) ever own more than 10-20 games for each console generation they own anyway, so I figure if I can build a library on any console with at least 20 good games, I'll buy it. I have 2 consoles that I own more than 20 games.

Edited by Gunstar, Sat Aug 4, 2012 2:43 PM.

[madman]

I'd agree with the CD-I, at least in terms of mainstream systems. I don't think the 3DO and 5200 are bad systems by any means. If you get a digital controller hooked up, the 5200 has an excellent library of titles you can actually play. It's far superior to the 7800 IMO.

[Jagman]

madman, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 2:21 PM, said:

I'd agree with the CD-I, at least in terms of mainstream systems. I don't think the 3DO and 5200 are bad systems by any means. If you get a digital controller hooked up, the 5200 has an excellent library of titles you can actually play. It's far superior to the 7800 IMO.

Agreed.  3DO has a bunch of cool games and was quite a powerful system for the time,

and the 5200 despite it's hardware & crippling controller flaws had a ton of quality titles, and I would rank it over the 7800 for sure.

[high voltage]

The CD-i is not and never was a gaming console:
\


Anyway, as a system, the NES was pretty bad, and N64 and Virtual Boy (Actually, VB is best of the lot).

Edited by high voltage, Sat Aug 4, 2012 2:47 PM.

[Tenorman]

Lentzquest, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 10:52 AM, said:

Even as a fan of the Jag, I still see some game consoles as being just plain bad. The CDI and Game.com are good examples.

I've never owned a CD-i, but at least the curiosities that are the Zelda titles are a reason to get one.  Of course these aren't good games by any means, more of a conversation piece than anything.

The Game.com though may very well be the worst system I have every seen.  I can't think of one good thing to say about it.

[high voltage]

Internet, good puzzle games, touch screen, built-in apps?


Cybiko was pretty bad, the overall quality really sucked although it had some really decent games.

Edited by high voltage, Sat Aug 4, 2012 3:06 PM.

[Austin]

high voltage, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 2:39 PM, said:

The CD-i is not and never was a gaming console:

Um, no. Just stop, please. Yes, the CD-i was initially marketed with a variety of home and professional purposes in mind, but by the mid '90s Philips was absolutely bleeding money trying to get the thing to be a mainstay in the home console sector.

*edit: nevermind.

Edited by Austin, Sat Aug 4, 2012 3:23 PM.

[Willard]

Jazoni, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 1:59 PM, said:

Personally the CD-I is possibly the most dullest system on the planet, with no redeeming features whatsoever. Hell, I could even find more redeeming features in a toaster than a CD-I.

Toasters are pretty useful kitchen appliances... which game platforms compare to the utility of a toaster would be highly debatable

In regard to the CDi, it's a system that I enjoy but I can't claim that everyone will like it if they give it a chance. Alice in Wonderland is an amazing update of the Commodore 64 classic IMO and I found it really engaging once I got into it. It tripped me out more than any game in recent memory. Other games that I think stand out are Lost Ride, Steel Machine, Burn Cycle, Voyeur, Atlantis, Hotel Mario, Zenith, Flashback, Arcade Classics, Plunderball, and possibly Thunder in Paradise (if you have the gun). There are some other solid games on the system too that I wouldn't necessarily buy the system for like Dimo's Quest, 7th Guest, Inca .etc. I have given every platform that I listed a chance and needless to say the CDi did not make my list because I'm a bit of a fan

Bandai Pippin- Super Marathon is commonly known as the crowd pleaser for the system because it's a good game for a popular genre. And it was developed by Bungie. I think L-Zone is great too. Jungle Park is the best version of the game and has a small cult following for other platforms (I wasn't a big fan). Shockwave Assault has some nice enhancements over the other versions if you like it. T-Break is a good peg solitaire game. Some of the other good games are Japanese only (Gadget, Gundam .etc). There are Power Rangers and Racing days which aren't all that great but aren't the worst either. At least they show off the 32-bit capabilities of the system in ways that many other pippin games dont.

PC FX- Chip Chan Kick, Super God Trooper, and Zenki FX are above average.

Nuon- Tempest 2000, Space Invaders XL, Merlin Racing and Freefall I find playable. I do not really like Iron Solder 3, Iron Solider 1 is interestingly the only game in the series that I have ever liked. Still I don't remember the last time I played the Nuon even though it's been hooked up to my family room TV for years as a DVD player.

high voltage, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 3:02 PM, said:

Cybiko was pretty bad, the overall quality really sucked although it had some really decent games.

I always wanted one of those when I was in gradeschool, it looked even cooler once I found out there was an MP3 player addon but for some reason I never got around to buying one even after the prices fell sharply

Edited by Willard, Sat Aug 4, 2012 4:14 PM.

[danny_galaga]

another vote for Loopy. Never played one naturally, but does seem like a bad idea



Looks nice though.

CD-i seems a bad idea too. At least as far as I'm aware the Loopy made money. I'm sure the CD-i was a huge drain on Phillips...

High Voltage, what makes you say the N64? I personally can't fault it. The NES I can understand because of that cartridge connector issue...

It boils down to what guyjin means by 'bad'. People pan the Jaguar as bad because it sold only hundreds of thousands (maybe not even plural). But the design and the good games for it are fine. It's not a 'bad' console from a gamers point of view. It's atrocious from an investors point of view. NES was amazingly successful, and I personally would think that only one person here thinks it's a bad system. But design wise it does have that stupid front loader cart slot that gives people grief.

SO there are three main aspects to consider when deciding if it's bad. Commercial success, gameplay, design of console.

If you look at all aspects of 'bad' the Phillips CD-i must be up there, as it was commercially unsuccessful, and didn't offer much joy to the gaming consumer. As a CD player I'm sure it was fine...

[Jagman]

loopy had this freaking thing though!  :-)

[wood_jl]

high voltage, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 2:39 PM, said:

Anyway, as a system, the NES was pretty bad, and N64 and Virtual Boy (Actually, VB is best of the lot).

What was so bad about the NES?

[danny_galaga]

Jagman, on Sat Aug 4, 2012 8:22 PM, said:

loopy had this freaking thing though!  :-)

Jesus Christ, could that guy not have a drink of water before he talks? Seriously...