It was not always this way. This is because the very first console I received, one very special Christmas in 1994 (I think), was the Sega Genesis. Looking back on it, I think I can say that if my parents had decided to get me an SNES, I would probably know a lot less than I do about PC adventure games.
It's not that the Genesis is a bad system; in fact, it was Sega's most successful console by a long shot. It broke the NES's long-standing dominance over the hearts of gamers and forced Nintendo to design a follow-up. For one or two years there, it was king. Unfortunately for the Genesis, Nintendo did pull through with a console that was better than it in every way; the SNES had better graphics, the most popular franchises, and more third-party support than you can shake a stick at. To be a Sega child was to be a spiteful one, and I didn't stick with the Genesis for very long.
Both today and then, the problem with the Genesis is that it's hard to know what games for it are any good; there are precious few franchises you can count on. When I was a kid, I stuck with crappy movie-licensed games because I didn't know any better. Now that I have the internet to inform me, what are the best Genesis games I've played? (Note I haven't gotten to any of the good Sega RPGs yet)
- The Sonic games. Recently, I replayed 1,2,3, and Knuckles, beating them all for the first time. Yup, I was bad at platformers. Sonic 3 is actually my favorite, although they're all great.
- The Treasure classics: Gunstar Heroes, Dynamite Headdy, Alien Soldier (not released in US). Gunstar Heroes is perhaps my absolute favorite. I could not put down the controller when I first played this.
- Rocket Knight Adventures (hope to talk about this game later, once I beat it)
I was always on the outside looking in, there. I had my NES, then my SNES, and you're right: it kept me from wanting to get into PC gaming. I had all I needed.
ReplyDeleteJust tried getting into Sonic again (loved those games as a kid when I borrowed or rented a Genesis for a weekend), and couldn't do it. I wasn't enjoying them at all. Something about the level design and the lame bosses made me pull out early. Sad, I know.
You just don't get it Jones. When I hear that Dun Dun of Sonic music, I get excited. Its not just nostalgia, and Mortal Kombat was best on the Genesis. Sega is what gave me an expectation of what games should be. And also the reason I became a PC gamer. Nothing Nintendo had could compete with the rush I found in Sonic, the only thing that could was DOOM. And I was a huge Fantasy Star fan. So when I switched to the PC I played Might and Magic games. Point and Click, managing Stats. So when i looked at Final Fantasy years later on the consoles, and it STILL wasn't as advanced as the PC RPGs I started on, I felt like the plastic TV boxes were useless. I still prefer to game on the PC. Its more intimate to me. Consoles are fun for parties, but if I want to be serious, I grab a mouse. And strangely, its because I had a Genesis instead of NES or SNES.
ReplyDeleteP.S.
Road Rash
When I was a kid, I thought PC games OWNED console games. But now I think they just attracted different audiences.
ReplyDeleteComputer RPGs were more complex and well-crafted than Japan's fare, point and click adventure games had the best stories, and first-person shooters had the best 3D graphics (though they haven't aged well). But on average, console games require less commitment, are more accesible, control better, and are incredibly addictive.
One of the most interesting trends to follow in recent times is how modern consoles have usurped the role of the PC. It's not just that consoles are as powerful as PCs these days, but that they've effectively adapted most PC genres (save perhaps the elusive RTS) to play well with a controller.
Jones: I agree that Sonic bosses are kind of lame, but I think at the time, it was innovative just to have unique bosses for each level (which Mario sure didn't have). Plus they get better later on in the series. As for the level design, it gets very fun starting with Sonic 2. Sonic 1 feels too slow to me.
Crash: Mortal Kombat was only better on the Genesis since Nintendo censored the blood. After the first game, they're better on the SNES. I haven't played the Phantasy Star series yet, but from what I've heard, they are a little closer to computer RPGs than Final Fantasy. Some day.
...and the Sonic music is AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteAt the time, PC did own console.
ReplyDeletePhantasy Star is great, you should play it if you get the chance.
GO SONIC!