What's the Best Game Console of All Time?

The C|Net Crave blog has up an article exploring the history of console gaming, and wonders aloud about the pecking order of the various systems. "Gaming is so subjective that there is no single "greatest" system ever. It might sound like a cop-out, but it really depends on what standards you're using and what generation you grew up in. I loved the SNES, and would personally call it the greatest system of all time. However, the NES and PlayStation could both easily be called the best, based on the standards they set and the advances they presented to gaming." The Guardian follows up this piece, noting that the article's rose-colored recollections of the SNES days may not be entirely accurate. Subjective or not, it's a good question: which consoles have a valid place in history and which ones should be forgotten?

The Phantom, hands down

[Anonymous Coward]

I have yet to play a game on the Phantom that I hated. No other console can boast that claim.

Re:Lose the Nostalgia, Do a Trade Study

[cayenne8]

Nah easy answer here. Atari 2600 wins hands down.

Hell, look at the 'icon' for this article...and see which console controller they picked!!

Re:Which game system is it?

[Enuratique]

Rumor has it that's the launch title of the Phantom [wikipedia.org]

Re:Lose the Nostalgia, Do a Trade Study

[skavenger]

My thoughts exactly. The article reads like countless conversations I've had with friends over lunch in the school cafeteria. As far as I can tell the author isn't even concerned with consoles, just the games that are played on them. It seems like he unwittingly endorses the PC running emulation software as the greatest system of all time. Pointless.

Re:Huh?

[gEvil (beta)]

What exactly is Super Mario Brothers the first of?

It's the first of the "Super" Mario franchise--it's the first game featuring Mario where he could go from regular Mario to Super Mario. This is something that never occurred in any of the Mario games before that, but that occurs in just about every Mario game after that.

I'll answer for all of you

[indros13]

"The [console name] is the best one, because I played it when I was 12."

Dreamcast for the drunk

[Zebraheaded]

Sorry, but Dreamcast has to win. If for no other reason than the (sad) realization that more alcohol was consumed in college in front of Virtua Tennis than in front of tits. :(

Re:Lose the Nostalgia, Do a Trade Study

[eldavojohn]

You must be a blast at parties

eldavojohn: Excuse me, ma'am, I couldn't help but notice you chose to wear Crocs [wikipedia.org] to this party.
Party Goer: Oh yes! Do you like them?
eldavojohn: Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to take a look at this matrix of quality I recently had an independent group do.
*pulls out a sheet of paper*
eldavojohn: You see, while you have some strange perception of them being 'cute' & 'fashionable' my data indicates that they received a 1/10 in both odor and appearance. Which puts them just below wooden clogs.
*the woman writes 0% on the paper*
eldavojohn: What's that?
Party Goer: The odds that I'll sleep with you tonight.
eldavojohn: Well, that's ok because after further research among my colleagues I've discovered it's also the probability you're STD free.

No "Virtual Boy" love?

[elrous0]

Come on! The headaches weren't THAT bad.

Of ALL time?

[Dirtside]

Well, clearly the best game console of all time is the Playstation 7. Since we'll reach the limit of Moore's Law right around then, all subsequent consoles will just be cheap imitations.
 
...but perhaps I've said too much.

Re:Hmmmmm

[Anonymous Coward]

A bottle of JD?

Ha, that reminds me of how my buddies and I used to play: we called it "Super Smashed Bros." Basically, when you win, you take a drink. It evens out the playing field quite a bit, but unfortunately the most skilled player tends to wind up on the floor.