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Favourite "form factor" videogame console...


WozzyCat

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My favourite external "form factor" videogame console (as in the way the console looks by appearance)...

 

I really really like my Nintendo GameCube, but my Atari Jaguar is pretty much tied with my GameCube in terms of how it looks.

Granted, I do not have an Atari Jaguar CD attachment squatting on top of my Jaguar to make it look like a toilet lid (again, this is all subjective, in the eye of the beholder).

 

What are your favourite(s)?

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My favourite external "form factor" videogame console (as in the way the console looks by appearance)...

 

I really really like my Nintendo GameCube, but my Atari Jaguar is pretty much tied with my GameCube in terms of how it looks.

Granted, I do not have an Atari Jaguar CD attachment squatting on top of my Jaguar to make it look like a toilet lid (again, this is all subjective, in the eye of the beholder).

 

What are your favourite(s)?

 

 

I guess for nostalgia, I'd have to go with the Atari 2600 VCS woodgrain.

 

After that, I always thought the 8 bit NES really captured the 1980s / Space Shuttle kind of futuristic look to it. It was a style all in it's own that I think has been mostly lost in the 90s and 2000s. To a greater point... we're now in 2014, and quite honestly, with the exception of the "grunge" phase in the early 90s... it doesn't really feel like 1995-2005-2015 has really been all that spectacular / different. Holy shit, I've almost been out of high school for 20 years... crap!

 

As far as new systems go... I would definitely say the Dreamcast. I just really like how it's compact, just all around very impressed with it. Never really been a fan of the way the Jaguar looks, even though it's still my favorite system.

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I love six switch 2600s...they just scream late 70s/early 80s chic. The Jag both with and without the CD is the best looking console of its generation, I think. The red clawmark logo really pops.

I also love the N64 design, especially with the prototype Ultra64 logos. It really flaunted the four controller ports that the Playstation lacked.

 

3.jpg

Edited by racerx
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Actually, I really like the Panasonic 3DO FZ-1 look as well - until you touch it and realize it's made of the cheapest, nastiest plastic ever created.

 

Oddly CJ, I couldn't disagree with you more there :woozy:

 

FZ-1 is one of my favourite looking consoles, hands down. I really do think the look and feel of the console is pure quality.

 

If I had to choose G, S & B medalists in this particular sport, I'd go with:

 

NeoGeo, FZ-1 & Dreamcast. The latter is a very different style compared to the other two, but I still feel it looks fresh and modern today. Such great design...

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The Jag gets the #1 pick from me when it comes to looks (without the Jag CD attached). I also like the PS2 fat set up in a vertical manner with the (mostly unnecessary) stand, particularly the ceramic white models from Japan. It looks.. edgy? And a bit futuristic I suppose. The Sega Genesis Model 2 combined with the Sega CD Model 2 comes next for me, followed by the Dreamcast.

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My top ten:

 

1. NES: Original Model. Maybe I'm biased because I grew up with it, but it embodies that mid-80's tech/cool look that has aged well IMO. The contrast between the white/grey/black plastic with red lettering and power button gave it awesome presence.

 

first-nintendo_nes.jpg

 

2. Wii: Form follows function. Such a beautiful little console. To me it is a mix of the obelisk and Hal 9000 from 2001 A Space Odyssey. The first time I saw that blue glow of the disc slot at night it gave me chills..

 

vg.consoles.01.lg.jpg

 

3. Jaguar with CD Unit Attachment: It just looks awesome to me, fat, squat, and sporty looking. The black/red color combo with the Jaguar scratch mark on the R looks mean as hell. It always has been a rare exotic since the very beginning and I love when people ask "what is that?!?"

 

atarijaguarcd_t.gif

 

4. Gamecube: Like the wii and the imac g4 cube, the beauty is in the simplicity. Hard to argue with a compact cube, and I particularly favor the platinum model with 4 wavebird dongles in front. For me the GBA base ruins the lines.

 

game-cube-silver-001-min.jpg

 

5. Panasonic 3DO (FZ-1): It looks like a bit of roman architecture, carved from marble with columns on each side. The top even has a marbleized sort of look to it. It has presence and exudes the fact that it is a powerful and expensive machine.

 

3DOFZ1_1.jpg

 

6. Atari 2600 Heavy Sixer: The woodgrain Atari 6 switch is beautiful. It has that mellow late 70's vibe and exudes the fact that its a fun machine to play around on. It harks from an era when games were simple, were mostly for kids, and it wasn't necessary for a console to be a supercomputer. I have always preferred the "heavy" variant as the thicker sides give it more of a presence, and this guarantees it was an early model made with quality components in the USA.

 

100_0993-300x225.jpg

 

7. Nintendo 64 Translucent Series: The N64 has always been close to my heart, and I've always dug the styling. The four controller ports in the front and sleek design just scream "fun machine" and good times with friends all around. It's hard to pinpoint whats special about the n64, but I particularly like the smoke black version of the translucent series, with the expansion pack visible through the top door, just to show you are serious about your cartridge based gaming :)

 

n64smoke.jpg

 

8. Dreamcast: It's compact, has nice lines, and was I believe the first white system, which gave it a crisp, hi-tech look at the time. Now, the noise the machine makes bothers me a bit, but at the time it screamed "this thing is packing some horsepower" The subtle dreamcast swirl logo tops it off perfectly. Definitely a classic aesthetically pleasing console...

 

dreamcast_06.jpg053e14a0-319c-4ffc-8e1a-

 

9: Atari 7800: In much the same way as the NES it exudes that mid 80's retro futurist cool. I love the simplicity of the design, the attractive silver band across the middle, with discrete Atari logo. I particularly like later examples with the more low key rainbow band across the silver stripe. It's hard to pinpoint what makes it so beautiful, it just stands out to me as a nice clean design, with no clutter and no redundant features or styling cues.

 

7800.jpg

 

10: Atari 2600 Vader

 

If the wood grain six switch is your grand pappy's old over/under shotgun, then the Vader is a blacked out Benelli M4 tactical. This console looks sharp, competent, technical, and sophisticated. It takes the best classic styling cues of the 2600 and gives them a modern twist. I particularly like the silver Atari lettering. Sexy!! I do most of my 2600 gaming on one of these bad boys..

 

Atari-2600-Konsole-CX-2600-A-Darth-Vader

Edited by travistouchdown
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For me I love the Megadrive/cd combo and the megadrive 2 cd/combo. Odd with the 'mushroom' though! Panasonic FZ1 is cool as is Jag even with toilet. I love my old school 2600 Junior (the black version without the silver stripe) it's a cool futuristic '80s wedge! Multimega is sweeeeet! Game Gear too but my top love is the Lynx 2 - in my mind it is perfection. Attached is one of my set-ups. (yes I need to tidy the leads behind the TV!)

post-7413-0-67816800-1407350853_thumb.jpg

post-7413-0-30144600-1407350877_thumb.jpg

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For me I love the Megadrive/cd combo and the megadrive 2 cd/combo. Odd with the 'mushroom' though! Panasonic FZ1 is cool as is Jag even with toilet. I love my old school 2600 Junior (the black version without the silver stripe) it's a cool futuristic '80s wedge! Multimega is sweeeeet! Game Gear too but my top love is the Lynx 2 - in my mind it is perfection. Attached is one of my set-ups. (yes I need to tidy the leads behind the TV!)

 

 

Hey, if you don't mind me asking, what is that cartridge sticking out of the cartridge port of your Saturn?

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Jaguar: very minimalistic and compact but with the distinctive lettering

Wii: small, white, almost no show

2600 original: pure US 70s with the faux wood

N64: best use of black plastic except for the Jag, looks 'made for gaming'

 

Sorry, but the NES looks like a kind of lunchbox to me which is only matched in '80s design ugliness' by the Atari XEGS which has pastel-colored buttons to boot.

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