Console Wars: Chapter 3

[SlyBoy]

Whoops! Forgot to do Chapter 3! Anyway, you know how it goes. Select the system you prefer and discuss the choices. I voted for all of them, because I've played all five (I have an Atari 800XL, a different version of the XEGS), and I really enjoyed playing all five, so I can't truly decide.

[Chris Wood]

Could you post a brief description of each system? I'm not familiar by name with most of these. I guess I have to go with the NES since it's the only one I recognize.

[SlyBoy]

Could you post a brief description of each system? I'm not familiar by name with most of these. I guess I have to go with the NES since it's the only one I recognize.

Alrighty....

Atari 2600 Jr. - The redesigned version of the Atari 2600. It can play all Atari 2600 games (of course), and was released in 1986 and discontinued in 1991.

Atari XEGS - The repackaged version of the Atari 65XE computer. It has a removeable keyboard, built-in Missile Command, and it can use all Atari 8-bit computer hardware (disk drives, printers, modems, etc.). It was released in November 1987 and was discontinued in January 1992.

Atari 7800 - The successor to the Atari 5200. It was supposed to be released in August of 1984, but didn't get released until 2 years later. It can also play almost all Atari 2600 games without an adapter, and it was discontinued in 1992.

SMS (Sega Master System) - Sega's first system released outside of Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. It was released in June 1986, and had superior graphics compared to the NES. It was discontinued in the US in 1991, but lived in Europe/Australia until 1995, and is still being released in Brazil.

[Proto DUDE]

Atari 2600 Jr.: The last bastion of Atari 2600 stuff. Atari basically remodelled the old Atari 2600 into a tinier model and sold it for cheap.

XGES: Dunno

7800: The last line of Atari Number consoles. It featured gorgeous graphics for the time, and near perfect ports of Atari and Williams arcade games (like Defender)

NES: Who doesn't know? The NES was Nintendo's revival of video games to the American market, proving that video games weren't some 80's trend, like ripped jeans.

SMS: Sega Master System. It was technologically advanced for the time, and it had good looking sprites.

EDIT: Well, we were both on the ball, Slyboy. Two descriptions and two different views are GOOD, darn it.

[SlyBoy]

7800: The last line of Atari Number consoles. It featured gorgeous graphics for the time, and perfect ports of Atari and Williams arcade games (like Defender)

You do know that Defender wasn't released on the 7800, right (unless you count the 2600 version)? But at least Robotron was on the 7800!

[Proto DUDE]

You do know that Defender wasn't released on the 7800, right (unless you count the 2600 version)? But at least Robotron was on the 7800!

Well, you're the one who owns the thing. I only own the 2600 (with Defender).

[SlyBoy]

Ah! The Atari XE! No one, including the tech and gaming press, could ever figure out if it was supposed to be a game console or computer.

That's the Tramiels for you. Idiots. Not only were they competing with themselves, but they couldn't even define markets for their products.

Just how did Atari manage to stay in business until 1997?

NES gets my vote because there were hardly any good games for the other systems.

Ugh! Don't remind me about the Tramiels! They took one of the greatest companies in the world and dragged it down to its fiery death. At least the 7800, the Lynx, and the ST were released. Those were the only good moves they did.

[The Dork Knight]

I voted for the NES. I've always liked it, mostly because it had so many good games.

- The Dork Knight

[Tanooki]

i went solely with the nes. it is the only system i've played of those five but i think i'd like it more than the others anyway. once nintendo got into the later part of developing games for their nes, it was the start of the golden age. final fantasy was introduced to the gaming public and we all know how well that's done, and i'll always remember my brother and i playing super mario bros 3 like crazy just so we can get done in one setting because it didn't have a save feature. ahhh...good times

Falcon

[Sketch]

Gonna have to vote for the NES here. Though I give my respects to its competition... it's the king and there's no denying it.