In Honor of the 7th Console Generation

[bikingjahuty]

I was at Best Buy today looking at TVs (my current TV's screen is slowly going out) and having my unhealthy obsession with video games, I had to wonder over to the game section of the store and browse. One thing I noticed as I wandered around the video game section at my local Best Buy was that the Wii, DS, 360 and PS3 sections have become noticeably smaller since I was last in about a month and a half ago. Perhaps for the first time since the new console generation started (Wii U, PS4, XBONE) I realized the 7th gen is quickly on its way out. I felt a sense of sadness and nostalgia upon this reality setting in. It seems like not that long ago that I was sitting in line in front of the same Best Buy back in 2005 with a friend of mine who had been camped out for 18-hours to be one of the few that got an XBOX 360 on launch day(I only camped with him for about 3-hours of that, but still crazy). Or when I picked up my Wii on launch day along with one of my most anticipated games of all time, Zelda: Twilight Princess. At the same time it does seem like forever ago, especially when considering how the feeling toward the 7th gen has gone from highly hyped to fading appeal.

While I do have many fond memories of the 7th gen, I also can't help but resent it a little, seeing how I feel it was in many ways the greatest generation of gaming ever, but also the worst, especially when viewing it from the point of view of the gaming industry as a whole. During no previous generation were there so many underhanded tactics and greedy cash grabs by gaming companies, as they seemed more interested in sucking the consumer dry than delivering a solid gaming experience. Of course there were many exceptions to this, and it was those exceptions that made this last generation great!

So instead of me rambling on, what do you remember most fondly and/or reluctantly about this now past generation of gaming? What memories do you have, and what did the 7th gen mean to you?

[90snostalga]

I know this is out of left field, but I just got my 360, PS3 and my Wii U (plays my Wii games) all in this past December so I don't have any memories to share unfortunately.  I will share a memory if I may, of the PS2, Gamecbue, Xbox era.  Me and a friend of mine loved Driver 1 and 2 on the PlayStation so much.  We stood up all night long calling wal mart over and over to see if they had the new Driver 3 out for the PS2.  Well, Gamestop had it and we begged his mom to take us the next morning to the mall to grab it.  We bought it, took it home, and it sucked so horribly lol.  We were so disappointed and could not believe we stayed up over it.  The worst experience ever.  I want to go back and try it out but I remember then, it was awful. 

I guess technically, the 7th generation while it was present, means nothing to me since I was still playing old skool games.  I will say I do hate how the 7th generation has really began the start of internet first gaming consoles which is very sad to me.  Some folks were upset that the Wii Mini does not have internet access which is a shame because in my personal opinion, if you want to use the internet, buy a computer or laptop.  That's what they are for.  A gaming console is a console, not a computer but that's just my point of view. 

[theflea]

Lets see....

When Xbox 360 was first released I didn't pick one up til about 3 months after launch. I had to replace or repair that console five times. It was the third system i played online, and yes I think the gaming industry is far to much into online and only add a tacked on single player. (I'm talking to you Call of Duty) This is also the Generation that started DLC, where you buy 80% of a game and have to pay for any extras. Also this Generation started releasing games before getting all the bugs out, now they can just add an update (assuming your online) I loved the achievement system and loved being able to play co-op games with friends.

When PS3 was released, I waited all night at a Toys R Us to get a pre-order, I remember being 3rd in line behind resellers. When I got my Backwards compatible PS3 80g (still works today) It was my first blueray player and I honestly only played PS3 Exclusive games on it. I mostly used my 360 for the 7th Gen. Mainly because I liked Microsoft's Online service and I hated how most games on the PS3 eat up your hard drive in order to play. (now with PS4 & XBone we're stuck with this)

I had a chance to buy a Wii on launch day, but bought the PS3 instead, I really didn't think the Wii was all that special. Then found out the Wii was sold out everywhere, where the PS3 sat on store shelves. I finally found one at a Target three months later and picked it up. At first EVERYONE wanted to play it, I used to drag that thing to parties all the time. Then no one cared about it real quick. I think the last game I was excited to play on it was Super Smash Bros. I hate Gimmicky games and the Wii was nothing but a big gimmick.

Then there's the Handhelds, I didn't get a PSP or a DS til much later. My 1st PSP was bought at a garage sale about 3 years ago. My 1st DS was given to me from a Friend who owed me money. lol

Let us remember the consoles that didn't survive the 7th Generation.

- Mattel Hyperscan
- ZapIt Game Wave
- Gizmondo (mainly released in Europe)
- Zeebo (only released in Brazil, Mexico & India)
- The Phantom (never released)

[MJMaranan]

MICROSOFT
While not as horrible as Wii's motion gaming, jelly buttons just did not work well with me.  Overall, in my opinion, Xbox 360 was more tailored for shooter and racing titles.  Rating: **

NINTENDO
Wii was a horrible piece of crap.  Only liked several video games and motion control was horrible, for the most part.  The DS was the redeeming value as the screens offered so much to gameplay, and a decent library of games.  Rating: ***

SONY
Enjoyed DualShock since the original.  Also collected a decent, moreover intimate, collection with the PlayStation 3 and PSP.  PSP took a while getting used to with the controls, although it was a decent dive to portable gaming.  Rating: ****

I admit I'm biased toward Sony and PC but at the very least I made an effort to try all of the consoles and/or their respective handhelds.

[argyle]

Man, some of you really hated last gen.    I admit there were negatives, but IMO every gen has had those.  I prefer to focus on the positives, and there were quite a few for me.  Here's some off the top of my head:

* This was the gen I finally got into the Tales of... series, after trying since the PSOne.  Vesperia just clicked with me, and I've absolutely loved every game since then (and am looking forward to picking up my Symphonia Chronicles CE this Tues!).  Great games, and they're also finally getting a fair shake in the US with the next major title in the series being the first one that will release in the US & Japan at the same time.

* This gen could be described as the "rise of the indie".  Independent devs have breathed fresh air into many stale or forgotten genres, and created many quirky games we never would have seen from major publishers.  Games such as Braid, Super Stardust HD, Flower, Bastion, Limbo, Fez and the list goes on & on. 

* Just when I had written off the Wii completely, along comes a little game called Xenoblade that became my favorite game of the gen.  A fantastic game that showed that the JRPG can successfully borrow ideas from newer Western RPGs that work without losing their identity and uniqueness. 

* I'm certainly not above a good AAA-game either, and we saw several new franchises this gen that I loved including Bioshock, Portal, Uncharted, inFamous, Assassin's Creed, the Batman: Arkham games, Resistance, Dead Space and Borderlands.  Sure, there are some duds in some of those series, but there are also some of the best games I feel this gen had to offer. 

* While I know this one especially will be somewhat controversial, for me trophies & achievements pushed me in many games to do things I never would have done otherwise.  When done correctly, they provide a great way for a developer to help a player explore their games to the fullest.

[badATchaos]

Being a pessimist I'll talk about all the stuff I loved to hate.

I fondly hated Mario Kart Wii.  "Rubberbanding" AI, Bullet Bill returning from MKDS. The extra level of randomness from the added 4 racers on the track all shooting of blue/red shells, lightning. It was too easy to go from first place to tenth and then back up to first again.

Ohhhh boy, then there's the modern Call of Duty series basically ruining shooters for everyone else. COD is designed to make the player feel like they're always achieving something even if they're really not. Leveling up, Kill Streaks, Death Streaks, thrilling guitar rifts for stepping on a twig, etc. Then with this false sense of skill these players go play other shooters like Team Fortress 2 or Red Orchestra 2 where they flat out fail. Decided that it's the game fault and not themselves, they then b**ch about how the game isn't COD, hence no good. It's actually getting harder to market games that aren't COD-like.

EA Origin.

Nintendo's abysmal usage of online multiplayer.

The rise of Facebook games. The one thing I liked about FB games is that it gives Adobe Flash one last ray of hope.

The App Store. You might have spent a year developing a game or tool, but if it doesn't sell in the first few days it gets berried forever under an endless filth stream. I'm kind of afraid the same thing might happen to Steam with their intention of allowing anyone to sell anything through their store front. Now... it is really cool as a developer to have instant access to a huge install base to sell your game to but similar to App stores its also going to get very easy to get berried. Hopefully Valve will find a way to remedy that.

A lot of developers skipping out on PC ports. This might change in the newest generation since the major platforms are using x86 architectures.

The game Catherine. It's a puzzle game with a love triangle story attached. No need to freak out.

Piracy. Don't like always online and DRM? Than tell your friends to stop pirating games. It's not the "greedy" corporations; you only have the gaming community to blame.

GameStop trade-ins: what a rip-off.

And I also agree with what theflea said above about DLC. The kind of games where you buy about 80% of the game at launch and then have to pony-up an extra 10-20 dollars for the last 20% that probably should have been in the game in the first place.

Edit: And as mentioned bellow some publishers not creating physical manuals for their games anymore.  :'(

[disgaeniac]

* While I know this one especially will be somewhat controversial(?), for me trophies & achievements pushed me in many games to do things I never would have done otherwise.  When done correctly, they provide a great way for a developer to help a player explore their games to the fullest.

Why "controversial"?

I completely agree & feel the exact same way about the introduction of Trophies & Achievments.

I know that some gamers seem to *Literally* REALLY Hate on them...I don't understand why.

I mean - for those who enjoy & appreciate them = they're there...For those who don't like them, can't stand them, and want nothing to do with them; well...they can very easily just ignore them and turn off the "trophy notification" 'Chime' (that many give as their "Immersion-Breaking" reason/justification for hating on them.

As someone who appreciates logic & common sense - I've yet to understand how MORE options (as long as they're not forced on you, and you can just ignore them and/or turn them off) -and- As Long As They're Not At The Cost/Expense Of Anything Else...can EVER be seen or considered a "BAD" thing...by anybody 

I suppose that the parts of the gen that left the worst tastes in my mouth are:

- the whole 'push' to digitalize everything & try to move away from physical media (I have no problem with releasing both a physical AND a digital version of something, because...again...IMO, more consumer options ALWAYS = a "GOOD" thing.

- The over-abundance of shooting, action, and racing games along with the marked decrease in the number of RPG's & JRPG's (especially when compared/contrasted w/ the previous gen).

- The moving of (the majority) of JRPG's (Hell...J-Games in general) from consoles to handhelds, and

- Selling physical games w/o MANUALS 

(cheap & lazy fuckers) 

[burningdoom]

Time to start loading up on 360 games! I also need to bulk up my DS collection, a bit.

I completely missed the PS3 and PSP. Never had one (I plan on picking up a PSP at some point). But I do have a 360, a DS, and a Wii. I have no complaints about any of them.

360 really had a large and varied library that probably can give PS2 a run for it's money. Yeah there was a big focus on FPS and TPS from the media, but if you look, there's plenty more than that.

DS was a fan-freaking-tastic handheld that is still living on through my 3DS. Touch-screen controls are great when implemented well.

And the Wii, the black sheep of the 7th generation, was highly underrated. Yes, there was a lot of crappy shovelware on it, no doubt. But the Nintendo First-Party games were fantastic, as usual. Great light-gun shooters on it. It has a bit of hidden gems that most people don't know about (Pandora's Tower anyone?). And the Virtual Console is a godsend for those games that are just to expensive in physical form or too hard to find.

[sin2beta]

I loved the 7th generation. It's probably my favorite after the 4th generation (Genesis/SNES). I actually consider them to be very similar. The 16-bit days were 2D gaming with worked to perfection. I feel like the 7th generation is finally 3D gaming done correctly. We've figured out how cameras work, etc.

I believe the 360 will be the Sega Genesis of my adult years.

And much like when the Saturn came out, I'm having too much fun with the system I currently have to feel like I'm missing out too much on the new generation... yet.

I've been buying XBox games and loving every bit of it. This will be a fun several years ahead of sweet gaming deals for a great generation of consoles.

[soera]

I particularly like the 7th gen. PS3 is the best system out atm. Ni no Kuni is the best game ever. I also really think the Wii wasnt given its respect that I feel it deserves. Motion controls are pretty silly but on a lot of games, it works. The DS/3DS is the best portable system of all time (I consider the DS and the 3DS the same thing).

The bad side of 7th gen. Xbox 360. Seriously, Microshaft needs to get out of the gaming world forever. That is all.

[disgaeniac]

I particularly like the 7th gen. PS3 is the best system out atm. Ni no Kuni is the best game ever. I also really think the Wii wasnt given its respect that I feel it deserves. Motion controls are pretty silly but on a lot of games, it works. The DS/3DS is the best portable system of all time (I consider the DS and the 3DS the same thing).

The bad side of 7th gen. Xbox 360. Seriously, Microshaft needs to get out of the gaming world forever. That is all.

Really?!

While I'll admit that the 3DS has the bigger & better library - after seeing/playing games on a Vita + the Vita's cross-play & functionality with both the PS3 and the PS4...and, did I mention that amazingly amazing-looking sweet, sweet OLED screen & how exquisitely beautiful everything looks on it 

We're almost always on the same page, buddy -but- I've gotta' say that, IMO, the Vita is hands down & by far the best hand-held ever...it just doesn't have the greatest library (although, if you count all of the Vita, PS1, PS2, PS3, AND PS4 games that you can play on it...it's far from a *small* library, too:) 

[burningdoom]

I really liked the DS, too. But best of all-time? Nah, I'd give that to the GBA-SP.

[disgaeniac]

I really liked the DS, too. But best of all-time? Nah, I'd give that to the GBA-SP.

"Best" in what way(s)?

[brunauss]

The 7th Gen console generation was a big deal for me, just not the way most would think. Especially in terms of the PS4. Unknown to most everyone in the industry, Sony was actually having trouble with keeping the size of their console down and was new to the reality of so many CPUs sharing the space with the GPU. Frankly it had not been done before. After following Mark's postings online, I decided to jump in and lend some advice and tips from my own Cerberus project. The engineers actually thought clustering all the processors together would cook the console as much if not more than the PS3. People forget half the heat produced in a computer system comes from the circuit pathways connecting the components. Cut down the distance... reduce the heat. A LOT. Clustering also makes the entire system more efficient. I even sent them PDFs on how the existing PS3 could have been designed the same way. The second part of my contribution was suggesting they implement the same cooling architecture as Apple has been using on their laptops for over a decade now.

Of course I thought it fair to recommend the same things to Microsoft. They were short and not as receptive to me. In fact, in their own kind business way, they told me to piss off and stick to what I know and leave the designing to actual qualified engineers. They also said no one would listen to the likes of me, with something so basic. Well here we are now and the new xbox is this huge hulking console, that requires ventilation all over the box to keep it cool. Meanwhile Mark and Sony actually thanked me for the input and rewarded me with PlayStation store credits.

Of course you can see the PS4 is a much more attractive and cooler running machine too.

Cheers.

[argyle]

I've historically never been much of a handheld gamer, but I currently own both a 3DS & Vita and wouldn't part with either.  The 3DS wouldn't have as big of an appeal if it wasn't for the DS library, but since I never played the majority of that it gives the system a big boost for me.

But as far as which is technically better there's no contest - the Vita is an amazing piece of hardware that's incredibly powerful and comfortable to use.  It also has a really good and growing library of games, especially if you like more niche Japanese stuff.  The PS4 remote play functionality is just icing on the cake.  If I *had* to part with one, it would be the 3DS - but again, I don't plan on losing either system.