Comments on: The SNES is the greatest console of all time

Don Reisinger spent the last few months playing old video game consoles to finally decide which was best. And although Don was able to find merits in all of them, the SNES easily took the prize.

[sting7k]

N64 is the best. All those games mentioned on SNES are great and will never die. But really their N64 brothers are even better. Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Donky Kong 64, Golden eye, Perfect Dark, 2 Legend of Zeldas that have yet to be surpassed (IMO), and all that with at least a billion other 3rd party titles many which were awesome. I have more games for my N64 than any other console. Donky Kong 64 has to be my fav. of all time, rareware was at the top of their game on this one.

[prelude619]

I disagree. There is NO way there was as much enjoyment with N64 than with NES and SNES. NONE. There was break through titles SM64 and Z-OOT, and yes the console was good for it's time but I have NO memory of me enjoying the N64 as much as I enjoyed NES and SNES and the GREAT library of games. (N64 had no SF2!) You may have more games for N64 than any other console but it's a FACT that N64 doesnt even have close to number of games NES and SNES had. My only favorite title on N64 was Zelda OOT. And I was NEVER a Zelda fan but this one was awesome. 3rd party titles for the N64? What planet are you coming from? N64 was known for the lack of 3rd party support. OVERALL I agree SNES was the best!

[C_Miner]

I agree with this. While the N64 had its fun/great games, there were really only a few. Didn't come close to the SNES, and neither has much else. The SNES was made in a time where graphics were good enough that you could tell what was going on, but they weren't the main point of the game; Plot and gameplay were.

Even beyond the classics mentioned in the article, there's Megaman, Star Fox, Lufia, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Tales of Phantasia, and of course Chrono Trigger. Many of the games in that time, and many today even, focused so much on graphics that gameplay and storytelling fell by the wayside.

[cyde01]

I'm with you!!!! SNES was the best. Everything else after that just seems like incremental improvements, although I've wondered whether I feel that way simply because I grew up in that era. Many current major franchises got their start on the SNES and many others who started earlier with the NES achieved their current cult status with their SNES versions. The first Mario Kart, DK Country, FF IV-VI, SNES Zelda, the list goes on and on. There hasn't been that much of a leap since then, besides the 3D revolution that followed in the 32 bit era. For the most part, games have only improved with graphics, while gameplay is only marginally improved or sometimes worse than before.

[worddoctor36]

SNES was my first and last console, and I fondly recall Civilization, Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy (which I rented), and many others.

[photographboy]

I've got my Super Famicom plugged in at the moment as I've been replaying some old favourites just recently. I completely agree that it's the best console ever. A close second would be the Dreamcast, but with Super Mario World, Metroid 3, Zelda III, Actraiser, Axelay, Mario Kart, Turtles in Time, Pilotwings, FF6, etc, etc the Super Famicom is impossible to beat.

[kornsterking]

this is by far the WORST and most BIAS game article i've ever read.

the entire article is full of subjective terms like "i", "remember", "i think", "you generally remember". all these terms are used over and over again, a strong sign or a weak article.

you don't go into any facts. you claim the SNES had an great library but never touched on the fact that the PS2 had the LARGEST library in game history.

you clam the SNES to be revolutionary, but left out the fact that the PSX was the FIRST 3D CONSOLE TO MAKE IT.

you claim the SNES deserve best console ever because it succeeded the NES. but never went into the fact that the PS2 succeeded the PSX (which sold more units than the NES) and is the birth child of what is the closest thing to a universal game console.

you haven't brought up any resources, any objective information. your entire article is just about YOUR OPINION based on YOUR memories as a child, nostalgia is one of the worst biases.

i know i sound like a sony fan boy but im not. i don't own a PSX, i got the PS2 when the 360 was launch, i play more 360 and DS than any thing else. i just know my games. i know the history and the culture around games. i can think about game culture on an objective level. you you sir.... obviously can not.

[aztec92154]

"the entire article is full of subjective terms"
He's a subjective writer... thats not a secret.

"you don't go into any facts. you claim the SNES had an great library"
Um... are you suggesting that SNES didn't have a great library? 'cause in that case you'd be wrong.

"i know i sound like a sony fan boy but im not."

If it walks like a duck...

"i just know my games."
Oh well then you should be on a game show or something... Oh wait... you're not.

"i know the history and the culture around games."
I believe you... not.

"i can think about game culture on an objective level. you you sir.... obviously can not."

"you, you sir"? Who says "sir" these days anyway. How old are you son?

[eigokyoukan]

Sir, you quite honestly shouldn't be complaining about article writing... but I'm not the grammar police.

You say PSX was the first 3d console to make it. First there where 3d abilities in SNES games (sometimes looking better than a psx game...) well before Sony even thought about getting into consoles. Speaking of facts... there would be NO Playstation consoles here if it wasn't for the SNES and Nintendo's bad choices. PSX STARTED AS A SNES ADDON.

So far as library of games... you do not say where your fact of largest library of games come from.... but if you look at quality of titles (something touched upon in this article) then SNES wins again....

Sir your history of the culture of games is flawed. Before you start to bash others on these interwebs, close your eyes, think for a sec.... and for gods sake re-read what you type so you don't sound like an idiot.

[Brolix]

umm, this is not an article...it's a blog. Blogs are meant to contain what articles cannot:subjective opinions. Don Reisinger could have said "an empty kitchen sink was the best game console ever," and he'd be right.Why? Because opinions are what blogs were created for. Those are my two....no, three cents.

[Sledfang]

This is a blog. It is subjective. Furthermore:

"you don't go into any facts. you claim the SNES had an great library but never touched on the fact that the PS2 had the LARGEST library in game history."

He doesn't have to go into facts. There are NO facts when it comes to what games are better than others, only opinions. If you think a larger library equals a better system, you are entitled to that opinion, but it will be my opinion that you have down syndrome. Also, there are more Gameboy games than Playstation games.

"you clam the SNES to be revolutionary, but left out the fact that the PSX was the FIRST 3D CONSOLE TO MAKE IT."

Let's assume that the PSX was the first successful 3D platform (it wasn't). How does that take away from the SNES being revolutionary? All facts aside, please explain your logic. Actually the Sega Saturn was a fully 3D platform and was released before the PSX in Japan and was successful. So even if you don't count the minor 3D capabilities that even the SNES had (look at Mario RPG or Star Fox or Donkey Kong Counrty 1, 2, or 3) there was still that system that beat out the PSX.

"you claim the SNES deserve best console ever because it succeeded the NES. but never went into the fact that the PS2 succeeded the PSX (which sold more units than the NES) and is the birth child of what is the closest thing to a universal game console."

I'm not going to comment about the PS2 part of this comment because your first statement here is wrong. He never claimed that the SNES was superior to the NES because it surpassed it. Even if he did, what does your coment have to do with anything?

[Trufforce]

in my view N64 and SNES are equal in top place, the only thing that would put SNES ahead is Super Metroid.

[ReyBrujo]

With Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Terranigma and Lufia 2, and being myself a RPG specialist, there is no doubt the SNES was the best one.

Now I find kornsterking's comment funny. Not because of his rant, but because I said that you were obviously Sony biased (at http://blogs.cnet.com/8601-13506_1-9853559.html?communityId=2017&messageId=300356&pageNum=2#300356 - in another article). No matter what you say, you will always find detractors ;-)

[ReyBrujo]

Actually, I said there you were a Microsoft fan, so maybe you were just forced to choose a Nintendo console ;-)

[solidsnake2006]

Sorry, but this review is mega bias.

SNES isn't the best console of all time. Just NO.
PS2 has that honor. I am not a Sony fanboy, far from it, I love all consoles.

But PS2 has the biggest and best library of all time with games that rival blockbuster movies in depth, storyline and experience.
You got games such as Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 which are interactive blockbuster movies. Great storyline, allot of heat and gameplay to match it.
RPG's there is Kingom Hearts, Xenosaga, FFX, Dark Cloud 2
Action titles you got Devil May Cry, RE4, God of War
Quirky titles such as Guitaroo Man, Mr.Mosqito,We Love Katamari
FPS well we got Timesplitters, Black,
Scary titles such as Silent Hill
Platformers got Rachet and Clank, Sly Cooper and Jak which all give Mario a run for his money

The PS2 has the most diverse library of all time and includes most of the great classics of old that can be put on the system other than stuff like Metroid,Zelda, Mario all due to being Nintendo property.

But for the PS1 not bringing anything to gaming. PS1 made console gaming mainstream, accepted. It was the first console to really succeed with using disc format (notable exception would be PC Engine CD-Rom). PS1 brought us huge worlds to explore, voice acting unseen before, brought us Hollywood Style epics that are still loved such as FFVII, MGS. PS1 brought gaming into true 3-D, not just blocky graphics along with other such merits. To say PS1 played no significance in gaming is bias, and unprofessional.

[Sledfang]

It's a blog. It is supposed to be this guy's opinion. The PS2 being the best is YOUR opinion. The SNES being top is his opinion and mine. My criteria is simply nostalgia. I own a PS2, but I have never played a game on it that I enjoyed as much as Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy 3 or Mario RPG or Super Mario World or Yoshi's Island or Link to the Past. There you go, simple as that. I think you just misunderstood the point of the post. He was telling us what his favorite console was.

[Muhammad I.]

I could list just as much things for the SNES as you listed for the PS2. SNES was revolutionary, PS2 was just going with the flow.

I love all system though, some more than others, though I can't actually pick a favorite.

[sivartrenrag]

Yeah, mega-bias. I could just as easily say "I'd give up Donkey Kong for 15 minutes of Shenmue" and claim the DC to be the best console ever.

I would claim the DC to be the best console anyway, but that's because I'm a fanboy.

And because it's the best! =D

[DraconumPB]

Ah yes, the Dreamcast. The Dreamcast was definitely my favorite, but I think every console has had its merits. Though I'm pretty convinced that the Playstation series only makes it because of the massive number of games and basically nothing else. Whoever said that the PS2 having a massive catalog makes it great is insane - you're including every piece of shovelware - of which the PS2 has more of than any other console (no statistics but please try to debate this, I'd like to see it). As far as I'm concerned, the Dreamcast was the best combination of UNIQUE and GOOD at the same time. Jet Grind Radio is all I've got to say (but when the Dreamcast had a gem it HAD A GEM. I love my european DC Shenmue II dearly! And don't get me started on the year that disappeared to playing PSO on a daily basis.)

But hey, I have a Wii/DC/PS2 thing going on at my house, and soon to add an original Xbox I'm getting for free. Don't forget my DS and (bricked) PSP. I couldn't live without my PS2, for sure (one thing it DOES have lots of is music games and RPGs!). But I'd rather just have every system and get it over with :)

[TheSalt]

Nah bro....the best console is the PlayStation 1. Dont worry I am not a PS3 fanboy. Im on xbox live and have been for years.

Its all about the breathtaking games of the time and the PS1 had so many more all time great games than any other console.

You claim there was no individual, creative games on this console. I disagree, in fact the diversity and development of genres exploded on this console and that everyone has been copying these since or at least working on the themes developed here, some that became mainstream, developed their titles into 3d world....just look at the Franchise's still in play....they are still active/well known titles some 10 years later -

Lets look at this...

Resident Evil - Horror Survival (3rd person shooter)
Tomb Raider - Adventure/Puzzle (3rd person shooter)
Gran Turismo - Racing Sim, Exotic cars, Tune car, parts, grow garage
Tekken - 3d fighting master
Soul Calibur - 3d fighting with weapons
Final Fantasy VII - *** RPG - turn based, large spell, CGI driven, stylistic
Twisted Metal - Apocolyptic battle car genre
Driver - Pre-cursor to GTA going 3d (had record playback functionality within game footage)
Tony Hawk - most extreme sports games coolboards, dave mirra bmx etc all play like this game
Time Crisis - Light gun
Metal Gear Solid - stealth 3rd person shooter
Syphon Filter - elite agent 3rd person shooter
Tenchu - samarai 3rd person/stealth
Colony Wars - attempted at removing linear gameplay with multiple choice storyline development/space adventure/galactic battles
Music 2000 - make your own beats on a console - a sign of the times
Shane Warnes Cricket 2000 - best cricket game made
Pro Evolution soccer - took the title of best soccer game on this console
Vandal Hearts - turn based strategic RPG

This was the 3d generation - where the games took their franchises and turned them into 3 dimensional gaming and graphics, better camera angles, providing that sense of putting the gamer in the players shoes and opening up the in game environments. That cant be disputed.

The system also introduced Storage Devices so you could load your save on other consoles.

Playstation made CD/Disks the new format of choice over other cartridge based systems - meaning chipping consoles also became popular at this time - this was the system that took all that to a new level.

[darkdreamr]

sorry korn.. but your wrong.. 3d gaming lived on consoles long before the playstation. systems like SNES and 32x utilized 3d engines. althou primitive. still were 3d.

startfox and the other handful of FX chip games brought 3d into console. (unless you count wolfenstein 3d which also was on SNES)

the only thing playstation brought to the table was the mainstreaming of CD consoles. it took what sega and other systems did..and improved on it..

but even 3d platforming wasnt good until n64 came alone with mario 64.

SNES is the most ground breaking system nuff said.

[irulealot]

Two words: Street Fighter II. Oh wait, that's three. DAMN IT!

[nsdjoe]

Retards, of course there is a bias. This is what's known as an EDITORIAL. Jesus.

[TheLastMaster]

Mortal Kombat for the sega genesis is the best video game ever!

[bigbobpop]

you guys are all crazy. the colecovision was the best console ever.

[LocalToast]

I pretty much have to agree with this. The N64 and NES had legendary games, but for me, there's just something about that old system that makes me want to play it the most.

Plus, don't forget the peripherals! Super Scope anyone? 5-player Bomberman? Gameboy games? :P

[skipdog172]

agreed!! SNES=win

[matt187andee]

i would put Neo Geo in the first place seat

[bender77]

For all you PS fan boys please remember that psx was originally Nintendo's development.
SNES is my all time favorite,then the N64.

[nashy008]

I agree with the article being biased, these people must be in there high 20s early 30s and remember it from their childhood...

I think it is the PS2.. It had graphics, decent game collection that continues on even though there is next gen consoles around... The way the console went from opening game to next gen titles was impressive. What impressed me is the fact it has unique games like singstar (cant stand it) guitar hero... They are amazing party games..

Btw.. I owned the Xbox... And sega master system and snes...