If you had to pare down your systems, which will you keep?

[phoenixdownita]

Simple question but some rules.

 

I really would like to restrict the systems from the '70 to the Dreamcast (no PS2, OG XBOX , GC ....) and handheld excluded.

[no modern multi-in-1 like kevtris NtMini, the same no wrt an RPi .... the whole point is to decide if you could keep 5 or 6 libraries of games which ones would those be ... and at that if you have some "rare"/"odd" system (and thus libraries) you'd be willing to keep but then cut something else]

 

Back compat is not to be considered, if you like both the 7800 and the 2600 then you need 2 entries, same for MD and SMS.

Wrt to accessories it's fine if you think you'd want the MD+32X (I doubt anyone would keep the 32X just for the 32X but hey maybe there's someone) or the Famicon+Floppy, or the PCE + SuperCDROM ... one entry.

You can chose 5 or 6 but no more than that just to go thru the exercise.

These should be systems you own or used to own, not systems you are currently "drooling over" to posses.

My choice, in no particular order:

1) Sega Megadrive (maybe with 32x and/or SegaCD but that's not paramount 'cause they don't get much play here)
2) NeoGeo AES
3) Sega Saturn
4) N64
5) SNES
6) PCE Duo-R (to be fair it could be just the PCE for me as I don't play many CDs)


Just so you get a gist of what I decided to pass on (meaning they are/were in my current collection but won't make my own cut):
7800, Twin Famicom, SMS, Jaguar, CDi, 3DO, CD32, PC-FX, Dreamcast, Vectrex, NeoGeo CD, ColecoVision, GX4000, PS1, (already let go of my XEGS)

I do not have a 2600 but can play it on the 7800 and I can say I would not keep a 2600.

 

As it can be seen basically no 8 bits for me (doesn't matter here that MD can play SMS, the library I would carry is the 16bits one).

Also only one of the exotics (NeoGeo) does enough for me to want to hold on to instead of some other more popular systems.

It appears mostly 16 bits systems for me.

Note: I played my PS1 to death bitd I just don't feel the need to revisit games on it .... weird.

The Saturn has been a "recent" rediscovery wrt the 2D realm .... and the Neogeo is just something to behold, it is literally the 2D arcade at home.

The N64 is there almost singlehandedly because of Mario64 (and no, I am not a fan of Mario Kart lol).

 

 

If allowed to span systems all the way to 2010 (PS2, GC, OG XBOX, Wii, XB360, and PS3 are/were all in my collection) I may chose to keep the PS2 (ignoring backcompat) in place of the N64 or SNES though. This is to say that I have no current attachment to the more modern systems aside maybe one (spent tons of time in GT3 and GT4).

 

If allowed to span handheld systems my list would not change (and I do have/did have GB, GBC, GBA, DS, 3DS, NGCP but not using them much if at all).

[derFunkenstein]

So basically if I was locked to the library of just a couple systems I think its pretty easy.

 

Genesis with Sega CD

SNES

NES

Saturn

 

I like a lot of games on other systems but if I pared it down itd really be these four. The game libraries are just perfect.

[80s_Atari_Guy]

 

 

no 8 bits for me

 

Isn't the PCE, technically, 8-bit ?

 

Also, surely if you have to restrict your systems then surely back compat would be a major consideration ? I mean, I have a PS2 and a PS3 with the PS2 hardware inside, I would keep the PS3 purely because I would get the best of both worlds, PS2 and PS3.

[Flojomojo]

So basically if I was locked to the library of just a couple systems I think its pretty easy.

 

Genesis with Sega CD

SNES

NES

Saturn

 

I like a lot of games on other systems but if I pared it down itd really be these four. The game libraries are just perfect.

^^ yeah, like this. And I should play 3DS more.

 

Though to be 100% honest with myself, if I could only have one game machine, new or old, it would be iPhone.

[AMenard]

I'll keep my Atari ST and Amiga computers. I'm divesting my 8bits stock.

I'll probably get my hand on a few retro pc (486 to PIII era) for mid 90's to early 2000 gaming.

[+GoldenWheels]

PC Engine Duo (region modded)
NES
Atari 7800

 

I'd also have to keep my N64, just to play AKI wrestling games.But literally, just for that.

 

I'd wave goodbye to my FEKA gear likely without a tear. Atari 7800 can fill my Atari needs so bye bye 5200 and XE. Vectrex and Coleco, peace out.

 

Will likely happen someday.

[Punisher5.0]

In order:

 

SNES- Would like to be buried with one

NES

N64

Neo Geo AES

Dreamcast

[keepdreamin]

Didn't we just have one of these desert island threads?

 

If I were considering this a realistic scenario on looking to pare down systems, I'd get rid of the ones that have well established emulation. I'm not violating the thread "rules", I already have a PC, and I wouldn't be getting rid of it for this 6 system scenario. I'd simply keep consoles that emulation still needed some work before I'd consider it system replacement ready.

 

If I was making the call today, I'd just keep the Saturn and Dreamcast out of that era stuff.

Edited July 22, 2018 by keepdreamin

[trajectory]

My favorite system of all time is the SNES, so I would never part ways with it. Super Mario World and All-Stars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4: Turtles in Time, Mortal Kombat II, Tetris v Dr. Mario, and Starfox all get regular rotation from me still.

 

The Jaguar has a lot of nostalgia for me, plus some unique games that I can't get enough of, like Tempest 2000, Rayman (my favorite version of it), Wolfenstein 3D (also my favorite port), Breakout 2000, Zool 2, Iron Soldier 1+2, and Super Burnout all spring to mind.

 

Aside from these two consoles, I'm not sure anything is "untouchable" for me. I love the Dreamcast, but it just doesn't get much play from me anymore. The N64 has a few golden titles, but I've never been crazy about it. The PSone has some enjoyable titles, but outside of Ridge Racer I'm not sure I'd miss it. I learned to play on the 2600 and the NES, but I'm not sure the replay value on those is high enough for me to say I wouldn't give them up. The real playtime of retro games in my home is SNES and Jaguar.

[8_is_enuff]

I've been thinning my collection down since last winter.

 

My console keepers are: Studio II, O2, Atari 2600, Jaguar, Dreamcast

 

Possible keepers: Atari 7800, Bally Astrocade, Vectrex, Jag CD

 

Computer keepers: ZX-81, TI-99/4A, Apple IIgs, 68040 Mac

 

Most of my keepers are on the list to play. A few are on the list so I can try my hand at programming homebrews (Studio II, O2, Astrocade, TI-99/4A, ZX-81).

[F34R]

I only have a few now..

 

NES

SNES

Genesis

Supergun for jamma pcb games

GB Micro

[Lord Innit]

I'm already in the middle of paring down.

 

I'm keeping my Light Sixer, Intellivision, Colecovision, Vectrex, Master System and maybe the Saturn.

 

I recently sold off most of my SNES, Jaguar and Megadrive stuff Just a few bits left to go on them. Slowly getting there but I still have Playstation, Gamecube and Xbox to offload.

[Osgeld]

if I had to keep just one, sega genesis

[Tanooki]

Cutting down to six. The stuff with the most attachment wins and also lost durability too which removes optical and later systems as theyre more flimsy. That cuts the PS1.

 

Down to NES, SNES, N64, Gameboy/Color, Gameboy Advance, PC Engine, NGPC and if it counts as its sorta a console NeoGeo MVS cabinet.

 

Id remove the PCE, NGPC and if the arcade counts probably that too or the N64, not sure

[Video]

That would be hard, especially excluding backwards compatibility. Hardware bc makes the game boy line the most amazing thing ever.

 

2600. My first console will always be a keeper, and so many pick up and play games for people with restricted time.

 

Snes. Best of 2d and early 3d gaming.

 

Playstation. Spark and need for speed, nuff said.

 

Gba. Even if I exclude the dmg library, this is a lot like snes, though on the go.

 

Xbox. The original before Microsoft "knew what they were doing" yes, it takes a dozen people to move it, but it's got one of the best controllers of all time and so many great games that have been abandoned from newer hardware. I love the 360, but the lack of those Xbox originals or sequels basically kept it from having that magic factor of the original.

[derFunkenstein]

That would be hard, especially excluding backwards compatibility. Hardware bc makes the game boy line the most amazing thing ever.

Yeah its hard to live in a bubble where backward compatibility doesnt exist when it clearly doesnt match reality. I get that the rule makes this all about the native games (its a disguise on the question what systems had the best game libraries) but it doesnt fit with reality.

[Tanooki]

Thats why I wrote on my GB/GBC because most the GBC library is hybrid anyway so its hard to split that so I did not. I did split the GBA because its coprocessor runs the old stuff, but its entirely its own system.

 

I wasnt clear if NeoGeo arcade counted so I wasnt sure where to go with that list I put. The Nintendo stuff other than N64 is a lock. PCE and NGPC would easily go first, the other is a toss up. They all have a lot of quality games and a good pile of mediocrity or worse but so much quantity irons it out to a lifetime of things to pick from still.

[John Stamos Mullet]

Yeah easily 80% of my collection consists of backwards compatible systems explicitly for that purpose. If I werent suck a sucker for the nostalia of using real hardware I would have dumped them all and just kept my CFW PS3 because it emulates every system I ever owned before it with startling accuracy.

[Skippy B. Coyote]

I've always liked topics like this, because paring down my console selection has been a big focus of collecting for me over the past few years. I think I've done a pretty good job of it and have already whittled down my console selection to just...

 

• Atari 2600 (Light Sixer)
• Sega Genesis (Model 2) w/ Sega CD, 32X, & Master System Converter II
• Sony PlayStation
• Nintendo GameCube w/ Game Boy Player
• Nintendo Wii

and for handhelds I now have just a Game Boy Color and New 3DS XL, but because I can no longer hold my Game Boy Color comfortably due to arthritis I am planning on shelving it and getting a AGS-101 backlit original Game Boy Advance with a BennVenn voltage regulator, digital brightness controller, and speaker amp upgrade from RetroModding.com for all my pre-DS portable gaming; in black to match my black GameCube and Game Boy Player.

 

I wouldn't want to pare down my console selection any further, because I've already reduced it to just the consoles that I owned growing up and as a young adult; the ones that were really important to me at various times in my life and are still fun to play today. I am occasionally tempted to add a composite modded NES-101 toploader to the home console selection and an original Game Boy and DS Lite to my handheld rotation (all of which I did own and play back when they were current generation systems), and I very well may at some point, but for now I'm pretty happy with what I have.

Edited July 23, 2018 by Jin

[phoenixdownita]

Yeah its hard to live in a bubble where backward compatibility doesnt exist when it clearly doesnt match reality. I get that the rule makes this all about the native games (its a disguise on the question what systems had the best game libraries) but it doesnt fit with reality.

Yeah, I should have probably framed the question in terms of native libraries ... and I wasn't going after the mystical "best" but just top 5 or 6 for anyone responding.

There's some 50+ unique systems (native libraries) so I thought putting the target at around 10% to see once the tight shackles of "chose one" removed but still within some constraints what would people keep.

It wasn't really about the systems but about their native libraries (hence the exclusion of backcompat, or if you prefer one has to explicitly use up one choice for each library he cares for).

 

There have been a couple of 8bits heavy responses for example, and a couple of Jag made the cut .... somehow I would have expected more 2600s but maybe like me people starts to be having 8bit fatigue and the 2600 has a rather primitive library so it won't make their top 5 or 6. Also a bit surprised by just a couple of Playstation 1 .... I guess I am not the only one that played it when it was in its prime, enjoyed it a lot but somewhat got it out of his system for whatever reason (to the point that the best seller system pre-2000 with a library of 2300+ games won't make it to top 5 or 6).

[80s_Atari_Guy]

I don't think I will ever suffer from 8-bit or 16-bit fatigue.

 

There comes a time when you are genuinely burnt out from modern gaming. I am actually burnt out from open-world games, super shiny FPS games - I'm nearing the end of Far Cry 5 and I'm almost begging for the end. I'm burnt out grinding in Elite Dangerous, and fed up with Project Cars 2 and terrible A.I. smacking me off the track while they suffer nothing. I am looking forward to Forza Horizon 4, but again, it's more open world.

 

There comes a time when you say f*ck it, switch off the PC or PS4/Xbox One, and just go back to simpler times and more importantly, FUN times. No multi-gig updates waiting for you, No DLC to tempt you to buy, No game-breaking patch to download. Switch on my 2600, and have a blast on Solaris, while thinking to yourself - How the hell did they do that on a 2600.

[HoshiChiri]

I would keep my Atari 2600, NES, SNES, Genesis, Saturn, & Dreamcast. This would cost me my Channel F,Intellivision, Colecovision, 7800, Master System, and Sega CD, plus most of my handhelds.

 

Chopping down the pre NES era is the easy part- given the short, arcade-burst style of the games, I simply don't play that many of them for that long. My favorites are on the 2600, so it's the obvious keeper. I would definitely be missing some of my intellivision titles and the Channel F's controller though.

 

The post-NES choices are a bit tougher, but this arrangement preserves most of my nostalgic favorites. Losing the Sega CD stings, but my faves there are the Lunar games, and I have more nostalgia for the PS1 versions, which are after your cutoff (mwa ha ha.) There's also some Gameboy games I'll miss, but I simply don't revisit those too much these days.

 

Lucky for me, this is all hypothetical and I can continue to sit atop my console hoard like some sort of hipster dragon.

[keepdreamin]

What do mean by native libraries? If you're talking about physical releases, then I've already moved on. All but one system has an everdrive, softmod, or optical drive emulator solution where applicable.

[phoenixdownita]

What do mean by native libraries? If you're talking about physical releases, then I've already moved on. All but one system has an everdrive, softmod, or optical drive emulator solution where applicable.

Native library means using a PS2 with PS2 games, a PS3 with PS3 games, a Megadrive with Megadrive games etc...etc.... for the few systems that do have some manner of backcompat.

 

The question is not about a deserted island or saving space but just about choosing the top 5 or 6 native sw library you care for the most (and if you care for PS3 and PS2 and PS1 there you have 3 of your choices).

Also it is not a question to see how you can trick the genie to grant all the wishes you'd ever want by wishing to make as many wishes as you want (what a mouthful) ... that's not it.

 

Limiting the choices to pre2000 should have made it simpler as there was no PS2/Wii so the only "factory backcompat" if memory serves were 7800->2600 and MD->SMS and no-one that elected them seems to have gotten confused (there's also JP SMS ->SG-1000, forgot about this one)

[i am fully aware the CV can play 2600 with an adapter, same for the 5200 but I guess by now my intention should be clear, the fact that there are 5 or 6 systems should allow anyone to specify their preferences]

 

I am curious to see how many people are 8bit fans, how many would stray from popular system, how many exotic would even make it and if so which ones (maybe there's a soul that likes his CDi or PC-FX or Super A'Can or Apple-Bandai Pippin so much to let it in in his top 5 or 6, the Jag already made it).

 

Sorry for the confusion.

[phoenixdownita]

...

Lucky for me, this is all hypothetical and I can continue to sit atop my console hoard like some sort of hipster dragon.

^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^

(that's exactly the spirit Hoshi)

 

LOL (I prefer Barbarians)