Which non-mainstream system would you pick?

[Adrian M]

I'm kind of curious as to which uncommon system people here would go for given the opportunity. If you could get any 1 of the following systems for free (along with 3 games for that platform), which would you choose? Take into account the existing library as well as the pros and cons of each system. Do you crave the raw power, the game library, or does your selection represent a system that you've always been interested in but never got around to acquiring. Pick carefully and explain your selection!

 

1. NEC SuperGrafx

2. X68000

3. Neo Geo MVS or AES

4. NEC PCFX

5. Bandai Playdia

6. Apple Pippin

7. Amiga CD32

8. Commodore CDTV

9. Bandai Wonderswan

10. FM-Towns (CPU or Marty)

[Raijin Z]

FM Towns Marty for me. It was always the most batshit system ever advertised in the back of EGM. That, and it's got a few nifty games and mods...

[ubersaurus]

Gee, free neo and games? Where do I sign

 

Samurai Shodown 5 alone is worth the price of admission.

[Lost Monkey]

As tempting as the NEO is... I gotta go with the Super Grafx.

 

And since Adrian is obviously hinting that he wants to give one away, he can PM me for my address...

[oesii]

cool, you included the x68000. I've always loved its arcade ports and I usually like classic computers over consoles. Additionally, it would give me a chance to learn a foreign language in order to get around its DOS

[Scooterb23]

Neo Geo with Baseball Stars, Neo Turf Masters, and Metal Slug.

[The Eidolon]

The X68000 looks like it had some very nice arcade ports, though

I haven't seen one personally. I'd still have to go for a NEO GEO

though, if money and space weren't a factor. I love arcade machines

and NEO GEO is about as close as I could ever get without buying

a bunch of arcade cabinets.

 

As for more "mainstream" systems, I've always regretted I never

bought a SEGA Saturn. Especially on the Japan side it has a

fantastic collection of scrolling shooters, which is pretty much what

I buy a console for. For some reason I've always had a prejudice

against SEGA, associating them with racing, sports and fighting games

(which aren't my cup of tea). But I have to say the Saturn looks like a

fine system.

 

--The Eidolon

[Major Havoc 2049]

Amiga CD32. Some great classic 16-bit computer games and I think it plays the CDTV games as well.

[Atarinvader]

AES... although if a supergun was on the list then that would be a different story, then you could have the generally cheaper MVS games aswell as JAMMA boards.

[AtariDude]

If I were told that I could take any one of those systems for free, I would select the Neo Geo.

[Jasoco]

Well, as an Apple fan, I would want the PiPPiN. I learned about it too late, and would love to have that. Even if the library is so small you can barely see it.

[JB]

I hear the call of the WonderSwan.

It sounds kind of like a duck with a sore throat...

 

Anyways...

GIBBORZ ME TEH SWANCRYSTAL!111

 

That or a NeoGeo.

 

 

Games...

Dunno.

I'd have to select some. But unlike, say, the SuperGraphics, there's actually some choices.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Neo Geo

Everyone would be so envious, plus it has some great freaking games for it.

[Agent X]

Amiga CD32.  Some great classic 16-bit computer games and I think it plays the CDTV games as well.

 

I would pick the CD32 for the same reasons. My second choice would be the CDTV. I've always liked Commodore's computers, and feel these would be great additions to my collection.

[raindog]

I'd probably take the CD32 as well, having been an amiga nut for a long time, but what about older and equally obscure machines like the Emerson Arcadia 2001/Leisurevision, or the Astrocade?

[SteveW]

I think i'd take the Amiga CD32 also. I'd like to play Alien Breed. Never got to play that one with my old Amiga 1000.

 

The Apple Pippin is pretty tempting though. I'd like it, not so much for the games, but for Apple geek cred.

[sku_u]

I'd have to go with the Super Grafx.

 

The Playdia isn't much of a system, BTW. It's similar to a pico, except that there were some "adult" games released for it later on. For the most part, you don't actually "play" the games on the playdia.

 

The Woderswan comes in a close second on my list of choices.

[AtariDude]

On second thought, if I could get a decent number of games, I would get Pippin. Granted it was not a very popular system and managed to get a few supporters in Japan but not enough to make a real dent.

[Clock]

I don't really want any but if I did it would be either Neo Geo or Amiga CD32 I have no interest in any of the others

[Adrian M]

As for my choices, it would be a toss up between the X68000 or the SuperGrafx.

 

The NEC SuperGrafx has a small library of games (6 or 7 tops), but they're all winners. Plus, the conversions of Ghouls N Ghosts and 1941 are absolutely superb. A buddy of mine imported one of these sysems back in the day and I developed a great fondness for the hardware's design as well as the games. As an added bonus, you have full 100% compatibility with the existing PC Engine library!

 

The X68000 is one of those systems that is probably unknown to all but 1% of American gamers. It's pixel perfect conversions of Capcom classics like Strider, GNG, FInal Fight and SFII are worth the cost and difficulty in acquring one of these uncommon systems. Only problem being that the game are all disk based (the older low capacity floppy disks too) and sometimes it can take MANY disk swaps to load a game. I've read that Fatal Fury Special takes some 9 disk swaps to load.

NEvertheless, it's obscure and it's powerful...can't help but to be impressed with it!

[msaeger]

I would get the AES Neo Geo. There are a ton of great fighting games for Neo Geo.

[DeV0]

For me it would be the NEC SuperGrafx if only for the simple reason of it only being available on import here. Id want pac land and,, mmmm, well any 2 other games.

 

Oh, i have a cd32 and the cd's are like impossible to find anywhwere.

[adams_ale]

To tell the truth I haven't heard of any of the listed systems except Neo-Geo and the Wonderswan. Any system that I do know of would still be nebulous in comparison to my most wanted game system, the Neo-Geo. Even today owning a Neo-Geo is considered prestigious in the gaming world. My first time seeing the Neo-Geo was at this gutted warehouse which was filled with different systems for rented playing time :Atari 2600, Nintendo, Genesis, Super Nintendo, Turbo-Grafx, and the Neo-Geo. You paid 5 dollars at the door for an hour of playing time on any system you wanted during that time(from recollection around 60 t.v.'s connected to different systems). The Neo-Geo was new at the time and needless to say it entranced me with it's amazing graphics and great gameplay. I spent a lot of money at that place, but it went out of business as everyone had the systems being played with the large exception of Neo-Geo. I still want this system today and the games I would choose are Turf Masters(golf game), Blazing Star(2-D shooter), and the well known Metal Slug(any of them).

[Saikyo]

Neo Geo With Three KOF Games these have not been released in the UK

so just to play them would be excillarating!

[cryptik76]

Hmm, Wonderswan for me.

 

I want to buy a Wonderswan Color (SwanCrystal's a little too expensive for my blood) with a game, just to have it.

 

They're getting pretty inexpensive now.