VideoGameCritic: All-time best console features

[RickR]

The Video Game Critic has a great new article about the very best console innovations.  Atari makes the list three times.  I think it's very well done.

https://videogamecritic.com/extras/info/gooddesign.htm

 

[Gianna]

I agree.

I remember when the Game Boy Advance SP was the coolest thing. I had the regular Game Boy Advance, it was no where as cool and I remember the screen was not back lit so seeing it was difficult. I bought a Switch around Christmas and I love it. It feels like a more modern DS minus the double screen mixed with the Wii.  I prefer playing it connected to the tv but I love that it is portable also. Not long ago I discovered two Nintendo downloads that include NES and Super NES games. Although it's not the same as playing them on the original consoles, they've been fun and I've discovered some I've never heard of. 

[TrekMD]

Cool, thanks for sharing!

[Control Issues]

But... didn't the Atari 5200 originally come with 4 joystick ports?  I mean, it had other issues, but the N64 wasn't the first console with 4 ports...  (and the 5200 might not even be the first, but I know it's earlier than the N64...)

[RickR]

13 minutes ago, Control Issues said:

But... didn't the Atari 5200 originally come with 4 joystick ports?  I mean, it had other issues, but the N64 wasn't the first console with 4 ports...  (and the 5200 might not even be the first, but I know it's earlier than the N64...)

You make a good point, but I think the difference is that the N64 had several games that supported 4 players at the same time.  Think of 007 Goldeneye with 4 player split screen. 

The only 4 player 5200 game I can think of is Super Breakout, and that's just the old standard one-player-at-a-time. 

 

 

[StormSurge]

That was a good list! I appreciate the fact the author took all generations into account & didn’t ignore the past or present, which is a nice change of pace. 

[Justin]

7 hours ago, Control Issues said:

But... didn't the Atari 5200 originally come with 4 joystick ports?  I mean, it had other issues, but the N64 wasn't the first console with 4 ports...  (and the 5200 might not even be the first, but I know it's earlier than the N64...)

Typical for Atari to get overlooked for their innovations in favor of other companies. Don't forget that video games began with the NES after all. 

[DegasElite]

On 5/20/2020 at 3:34 PM, Control Issues said:

But... didn't the Atari 5200 originally come with 4 joystick ports?  I mean, it had other issues, but the N64 wasn't the first console with 4 ports...  (and the 5200 might not even be the first, but I know it's earlier than the N64...)

It had a 4-port version, but it was very unstable at four ports. The 2-port version was better. Something to do with the motherboard on the 4-port model, I think.

[DegasElite]

I guess that the 2-port A5200 is much rarer than the 4-port. I have a 2-port version of it. I had to pay $400.00 for it because of the new motherboard in it. It is basically a factory-standard A5200 with everything in it. Also, it suits my needs very well. I actually like most of the games for it. Gyruss could play better on it (the shots from the player fire too slowly), but I like playing Space Dungeon the best on it. There is no fire button to fire lasers. It fires automatically in the direction of where the right-sided joystick is positioned, like Robotron: 2084. Super Breakout is the best game because the joysticks have potentiometers in them, like paddle controllers. So, that is kind of how they work on that game. Missile Command, Popeye, and Pac-Man work great on there, too. With that being said, so should Ms. Pac-Man.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I agree on the 5200 pause button. That thing was a life saver. 

I agree on the Xbox hard drive. PlayStation made me hate memory cards with a passion.  Dreamcast, too.  There was never enough space for all your games and there was always that one game that hogged a whole memory card.

I see where they were going with four controller ports.  The 5200 was first to have them, n64 was first to use them successfully.  Just play Super Smash Bros with three friends and you will understand.

4 hours ago, BlackCatz40 said:

I guess that the 2-port A5200 is much rarer than the 4-port. I have a 2-port version of it. I had to pay $400.00 for it because of the new motherboard in it. It is basically a factory-standard A5200 with everything in it. Also, it suits my needs very well. I actually like most of the games for it. Gyruss could play better on it (the shots from the player fire too slowly), but I like playing Space Dungeon the best on it. There is no fire button to fire lasers. It fires automatically in the direction of where the right-sided joystick is positioned, like Robotron: 2084. Super Breakout is the best game because the joysticks have potentiometers in them, like paddle controllers. So, that is kind of how they work on that game. Missile Command, Popeye, and Pac-Man work great on there, too. With that being said, so should Ms. Pac-Man.

Gyruss is one 5200 title I have been after for a long time now.