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What's the Worst Console You Ever Played?


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The Tiger R-Zone. My grandparents bought me one with Mortal Kombat 3 and Panzer Dragoon when I was a kid. At the time I actually didn't think the games were all that bad, but what I did hate was that the sharp pointy tops on the buttons would stab into your fingers and the monocle design of the system's eyepeice would make you go cross-eyed unless you played with one eye closed. Those stabby buttons though, man... I honestly cannot think of a worse button design in the entire history of video game controllers.

 

TxgiuyI.jpg

 

OMG what were they thinking with those buttons?

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"

That's why I'm so disappointed in the 7800. "

 

That and its paltry library (not counting 2600 games) mostly consisting of stale updates of old arcade titles when much more exciting and innovative stuff was being released on the NES and SMS. That's why I wanted a NES when I had a 7800.

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The sound on it is awful because most games are poorly programmed.

While not up to the Game Boy, some games programmed by B.I.T.S. have decent sounds and graphics, such as Sssnake! and Olympic Trials, as well as some Sachen titles like Super Kong and Tasac 2010.

 

 

(not my vid, but videos of those games are rare)

 

The bendable version with the diamond D-pad is pretty poor, too. While it doesn't looks like it, the first version with the 4 buttons directions is much better as you don't risk to press all directions at the same time.

 

boite_gb2000.jpg

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For whatever reason my favourite consoles are the ones that had the best sound. Not sure why.

 

That's why I'm so disappointed in the 7800.

 

 

"

That's why I'm so disappointed in the 7800. "

 

That and its paltry library (not counting 2600 games) mostly consisting of stale updates of old arcade titles when much more exciting and innovative stuff was being released on the NES and SMS. That's why I wanted a NES when I had a 7800.

For me, the 7800 was disappointing on many levels by the time I FINALLY got to experience one. I remember mixed feelings about the 7800 back in 1984.

My parents took me to Children's Palace to buy one in 1986. They were sold out. After seeing the quality of the games, I am SO HAPPY they were. I ended up getting an NES. In hindsight, I am really glad that was the case.

 

The 7800 was not a leap over the 5200. It was more of a give and take. It had the same low resolution sprites (I was later impressed to find out it can handle high resolution sprites with limitations, but due to the limitations, they are rarely used). The sprites were more colorful, without flicker. However, the sound was like nails on a chalkboard. Many games suffered from Maria fighting for time against the main processor. (eg. Look at the odd, frame-skip like patterns in Galaga). While there were some good, smooth games like Joust and Ms. Pac-Man, it wasn't enough, especially considering that Ms Pac-Man lacked any real significant visual improvement. Galaga is not only ugly, but it is choppy, has poor geometry (due to lack of processing power?) which actually looks like frame-skipping on faster levels. (Yes, Ms Pac320 impressed me; but I cannot deal with the lack of color and bounding black boxes on a "next gen" system. The 7800 was half-a$$'d in my opinion.)

 

The 7800 was not my most disappointing system, but it was a disappointment. I couldn't help but chime in, as this strikes a sadness deep inside of the disappointment when I finally got to see the "pro-system" in action.

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The Odyssey 2 really needed a port of Wizard of Wor with the Voice.

^^***This!****^^

 

I couldn't agree more. I wish I knew how to program games. I would think it wouldn't be too terribly difficult to do this game on the OD2 even if it just uses the built in character set.

Edited by pboland
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^^***This!****^^

 

I couldn't agree more. I wish I knew how to program games. I would think it wouldn't be too terribly difficult to do this game on the OD2 even if it just uses the built in character set.

Right? I mean, the Odyssey 2 seems predisposed to grid-based/maze games anyway. The KC games, Monkeyshines, Take The Money And Run...Wizard Of Wor w/ Voice would be a best-selling homebrew.

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The 7800 was not a leap over the 5200. It was more of a give and take. It had the same low resolution sprites (I was later impressed to find out it can handle high resolution sprites with limitations, but due to the limitations, they are rarely used). The sprites were more colorful, without flicker. However, the sound was like nails on a chalkboard. Many games suffered from Maria fighting for time against the main processor. (eg. Look at the odd, frame-skip like patterns in Galaga). While there were some good, smooth games like Joust and Ms. Pac-Man, it wasn't enough, especially considering that Ms Pac-Man lacked any real significant visual improvement. Galaga is not only ugly, but it is choppy, has poor geometry (due to lack of processing power?) which actually looks like frame-skipping on faster levels. (Yes, Ms Pac320 impressed me; but I cannot deal with the lack of color and bounding black boxes on a "next gen" system. The 7800 was half-a$$'d in my opinion.)

 

The 7800 was not my most disappointing system, but it was a disappointment. I couldn't help but chime in, as this strikes a sadness deep inside of the disappointment when I finally got to see the "pro-system" in action.

 

Plus the 7800 controller design was seriously outmoded by the time it was supposed to compete with the NES in North America. Even if the games had been better, the awful controller still would have ruined it.

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my definition of "console" is a unit that plugs into a tv i had a game.com and i liked its solitare but all the action games stunk i also had the network cable to hook up to my 9600 modem and i actually a few times went to the newsgroup alt.c64 till my dial up provider stopped the telnet and went to only ppp

 

so i would say the game.com but its a handheld

virtual boy is weird i would call it a handheld with a stand

 

they have all been said i want to say the 32x but it was an add-on so its not a "console"

 

i would have to pick the jaguar

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In my book, the Action Max is not even a video game console. It's an electronic game, but that's like calling the laser games or paintball games video games.

 

It's a clever confusion between "a game that include a video support" and " a game that produce a video signal"

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I don't throw the rock to anyone that fell into the trap devised by the conceptors of this thing. I'm just saying that I won't even even think about getting one, because it's not a video game system.

 

 

but I gotta say, it made me discover that a similar system was devised, the Control-Vision, that used VHS for movie, but ALSO to store program data. Apparently, the FMV games Sewer Shark was rexorded for this system first. And as poor as it can be, this qualifies as a video game system.

 

Edit :

There is also the "View-Master Interactive Vision" that from what I can read, was released, that used VHS for interactive cartoons, with some crude arcade style game phases loaded from the VHS tape. That qualifies as a game system as well.

Edited by CatPix
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What is interesting about this thread is that I'm realizing that I really haven't played that many consoles on their own hardware. Of the ones I've played, I might have to pick something rather mainstream like the N64 or 7800. Also - Colecovision = meh. I suppose I am truly blessed that I never wasted my hard earned money on what I would consider a stinker of a console.

 

If I was forced to pick, I think the 7800 gets saved by its backwards compatibility, but without that it is the worst. Terrible controller and lackluster game lineup.

 

The Odyssey 2 is certainly unimpressive in a general sense, but I still kinda like it. However, I guess it has to be the worst from all those I've played. I'm still not getting rid of it any time soon though.

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If I was forced to pick, I think the 7800 gets saved by its backwards compatibility, but without that it is the worst. Terrible controller and lackluster game lineup.

 

 

Really? Only if you ignore the arcade conversions and controller alternatives maybe. Asteroids, Galaga, Pole Position, Centipede, Ms. Pac-Man, Basketbrawl, Food Fight, Commando, Ikari Warriors, Joust, Dig Dug, DK/DK Jr., Mario Bros., Robotron, Xenophobe, Xevious… these are all good-great first party arcade translations! Then there's Kung-Fu Master, Rampage and *cough* Double Dragon. lol

 

One-on-One, Choplifter!, Winter/Summer Games, Impossible Mission, Mean 18 and maybe one of the flight sims… we were all playing those types of games between '84-'88 on more expensive computers.

 

And what about all the great homebrews? No way I could ever list the 7800 as being one of the "worst" consoles I've ever played. :love:

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Today, I can play pretty much everything you mentioned elsewhere besides maybe Food Fight. And I mostly play those in MAME anyway (where FF is available). I'd also rather play them with a different controller. I don't think modern controller adaptations save a console from being bad. Nothing you mentioned is really in any way exclusive to 7800 (and I've given up on a cheap copy of Basketbrawl).

 

Are you really going to give Impossible Mission as a reason the 7800 is not the worst console? That game is a reason for it to be listed as worst.

 

Was the C64 more expensive than a 7800?

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Today, I can play pretty much everything you mentioned elsewhere besides maybe Food Fight. And I mostly play those in MAME anyway (where FF is available). I'd also rather play them with a different controller. I don't think modern controller adaptations save a console from being bad. Nothing you mentioned is really in any way exclusive to 7800 (and I've given up on a cheap copy of Basketbrawl).

 

Are you really going to give Impossible Mission as a reason the 7800 is not the worst console? That game is a reason for it to be listed as worst.

 

Was the C64 more expensive than a 7800?

 

There's Possible Mission now (its been fixed so you can beat it, so yes - that's a fun PC type game).

 

And yes, the C64 was nearly double the price of the 7800. Add a disk drive and now quadruple. ;)

 

Am looking at it from an early release perspective - '84-'88, not comparing to MAME on a modern PC.

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And what about all the great homebrews? No way I could ever list the 7800 as being one of the "worst" consoles I've ever played. :love:

 

This is a thread about the worst console peopel have experimented. If the 7800 is in his own opinion, the worst, well then you can only assume he had a very pleasing gaming experience elsewhere :P

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The worst system I've played was the Atari Jaguar. I was actually really excited about trying it out, but the games and the controller .. just dreck. The only game I kinda liked was Tempest, but I mean... it's Tempest. Nothing a system from that gen should have as its best game. Just a depressing little thing, and rightfully pulled the plug on Atari.

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This is a thread about the worst console peopel have experimented. If the 7800 is in his own opinion, the worst, well then you can only assume he had a very pleasing gaming experience elsewhere :P

No need to come to anyone's emotional rescue there Cat. Said *I* could never call the 7800 the worst system I've ever played. Wasn't "ripping" on *his* opinion. Just a little surprised, considering all the good stuff available.

 

Now, if all the 7800 had BITD were the non-arcade translations and only some of the computer stuff, you're left with the originals such as Fatal Run, Motor Psycho, Scrapyard Dog, Crack'd, Desert Falcon, Fight Night, Hat Trick, Jinks, Meltdown, Ninja Golf, Planet Smashers, Real Sports Baseball, Sentinel, Mat Mania, Title Match, Super Skateboardin, etc. *I* would agree 100% in calling the entire library (back then) lackluster.

 

Guess I'm saying I agree that a good percentage of the original library is lackluster. But the homebrews today more than make up for it. :grin:

 

Definitely think had the system been allowed to mature and stay on the market since mid '84, things would have been different. Or not. :(

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