1990s TOP 3: Video Games Vol 1
My top 3 video game consoles of the 90s
This 1990s top 3 is based on video games. I'm going to list my top 3 video game consoles of the 90s, than in my next article I will list my top 3 favorite games for each console.
#3 Sega Genesis [Mega Drive 2] (1993)
The Sega Genesis was originally released in the late 80s, but the mega drive 2 was released in 1993 and was the most common model used by every kid I knew. Sega Genesis was a 16-bit system that offered a huge variety of games.
The controller was very basic and included a D-Pad, 3 buttons (labeled A, B, & C), and a start button. The system offered two controller ports which allowed to people to play games with each other. The 1993 North American version of the Genesis had a very sleek look to it. It was lightweight and solid black.
#1 Nintendo 64 (1996)
The Nintendo 64 is by far my favorite console of the 90s and my favorite Nintendo console ever! Nintendo had a lot of completion is the 90s. They had to compete with the Sega Genesis, the Playstation, and other consoles that were trying to revolutionize the gaming industry. Nintendo had one last trick up their sleeves in the 90s and that trick was the N64! The N64 had the same look in all countries unlike Nintendo's previous consoles. The standard N64 was solid black with a gray top loader slot and gray controller ports. The N64 was Nintendo's first home console to offer four controllers ports so four people could play a game together.
The N64 had an expansion slot on top if you wanted to add the expansion pak. The expansion pak increased the console's 4MB memory to 8MB.
On the bottom of the N64 was another slot which I never used and no one else I knew used either. It was for a disk drive add-on. It was only released in Japan but it failed horribly.
The controllers for the N64 were very unique and offered a lot of new features. The controller had its usual D-Pad, A and B buttons, start button, and the left and right triggers. It introduced the joystick to the Nintendo controller, a trigger button, and 4 C buttons. The controllers had a slot on the back where gamers could insert a rumble pak or a memory card. Another awesome innovation that the N64 offered was color. You could buy a N64 in a variety of colors. You also could buy controllers in different colors. There were many different bundles for the N64 which included a variety of different games and colored equipment.
At the time of its release I didn't own the system; I had to patiently wait until I could afford to buy it. The Nintendo 64 was the first console I ever bought with my own money. That money came from hustling Pokemon cards at school. After obtaining a few holographic Charizards and other holographic Pokemon cards, I went to the local comic book store and sold them and got enough cash for the N64. It was a proud moment of my life.
Gaming in the 90s was very memorable. I was content playing as a plumber or a blue hedgehog unlike gamers today who need their games to be as realistic as possible. In my next article I will go in-depth on my top 3 favorite games for each console listed above. Thanks for reading and if you missed out on any of my previous articles, you can find them in the links below.
1990s TOP 3: Movies (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/5312/)
Wonderful World of the 90s Part 1 (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/3961/)
Wonderful World of the 90s Part 2 (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/5233/)
Wonderful World of the 90s Part 3 (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/5338/)
90s Video Game Consoles
#3 Sega Genesis [Mega Drive 2] (1993)
The Sega Genesis was originally released in the late 80s, but the mega drive 2 was released in 1993 and was the most common model used by every kid I knew. Sega Genesis was a 16-bit system that offered a huge variety of games.
The Genesis from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe looked similar but altered in color. The Japanese version had a power switch instead of a power button. This version of the Sega Genesis usually came bundled with a game. The bundled systems usually came with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or 6-Pak. 6-Pak was a 6 in 1 game. The games that were included in 6-Pak were Columns, Streets of Rage, Sonic the Hedgehog, Revenge of Shinobi, Super Hang-On, and Golden Axe. I was hooked on the Genesis from the start, I even quit an after school club I belonged to so I could play it longer during weekdays. This version of the Genesis was discontinued in 1998.[/align]
#2 Super Nintendo (1991)
Sega's arch nemesis was Nintendo and Sega Genesis's arch nemesis was the Super Nintendo. There was a rivalry between fans of both systems similar to the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 rivalry we have today. I was more of a Super Nintendo fan because it was one of the first consoles I ever owned. We had a NES but it was my older brothers and I couldn't call it mine. In Japan and Southeast Asia the console was called the Super Famicom. The European (Figure A) and Japanese (Figure B) version of the Super Nintendo looked identical. The North American version looked different. The North American version was gray and box shaped. The system was a top loader unlike the original Nintendo Entertainment System. The power and reset switches were purple and in between the switches was an eject lever. Like the Genesis the Super Nintendo had two ports for controllers which gave players the option of multiplayer gaming. The Super Nintendo was a tad bit heavier than the Sega Genesis.
One negative thing that I noticed on the Super Nintendo was that the gray plastic transformed into an unattractive yellowish color over time. The Super Nintendo was also commonly bundled with a video game. The two common bundled games were either Super Mario World or Super Mario All-Stars. Super Mario All-Stars was a 4 in 1 video game (sometimes 5 in 1). It included 4 classic Mario games from the original NES. Those games were Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario: The Lost Levels.
The bundled version of All-Stars included Super Mario World. I spent countless hours with my Super Nintendo and still do today. The Super Nintendo was discontinued in 1999.
***Just another reason why I think Super Nintendo is better than Sega Genesis!
#2 Super Nintendo (1991)
Sega's arch nemesis was Nintendo and Sega Genesis's arch nemesis was the Super Nintendo. There was a rivalry between fans of both systems similar to the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 rivalry we have today. I was more of a Super Nintendo fan because it was one of the first consoles I ever owned. We had a NES but it was my older brothers and I couldn't call it mine. In Japan and Southeast Asia the console was called the Super Famicom. The European (Figure A) and Japanese (Figure B) version of the Super Nintendo looked identical. The North American version looked different. The North American version was gray and box shaped. The system was a top loader unlike the original Nintendo Entertainment System. The power and reset switches were purple and in between the switches was an eject lever. Like the Genesis the Super Nintendo had two ports for controllers which gave players the option of multiplayer gaming. The Super Nintendo was a tad bit heavier than the Sega Genesis.
The bundled version of All-Stars included Super Mario World. I spent countless hours with my Super Nintendo and still do today. The Super Nintendo was discontinued in 1999.
***Just another reason why I think Super Nintendo is better than Sega Genesis!
#1 Nintendo 64 (1996)
The N64 had an expansion slot on top if you wanted to add the expansion pak. The expansion pak increased the console's 4MB memory to 8MB.
On the bottom of the N64 was another slot which I never used and no one else I knew used either. It was for a disk drive add-on. It was only released in Japan but it failed horribly.
The controllers for the N64 were very unique and offered a lot of new features. The controller had its usual D-Pad, A and B buttons, start button, and the left and right triggers. It introduced the joystick to the Nintendo controller, a trigger button, and 4 C buttons. The controllers had a slot on the back where gamers could insert a rumble pak or a memory card. Another awesome innovation that the N64 offered was color. You could buy a N64 in a variety of colors. You also could buy controllers in different colors. There were many different bundles for the N64 which included a variety of different games and colored equipment.
At the time of its release I didn't own the system; I had to patiently wait until I could afford to buy it. The Nintendo 64 was the first console I ever bought with my own money. That money came from hustling Pokemon cards at school. After obtaining a few holographic Charizards and other holographic Pokemon cards, I went to the local comic book store and sold them and got enough cash for the N64. It was a proud moment of my life.
I still play the N64 today and it is commonly used in most student apartments around my college. The Nintendo 64 was discontinued in 2002.
Gaming in the 90s was very memorable. I was content playing as a plumber or a blue hedgehog unlike gamers today who need their games to be as realistic as possible. In my next article I will go in-depth on my top 3 favorite games for each console listed above. Thanks for reading and if you missed out on any of my previous articles, you can find them in the links below.
1990s TOP 3: Movies (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/5312/)
Wonderful World of the 90s Part 1 (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/3961/)
Wonderful World of the 90s Part 2 (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/5233/)
Wonderful World of the 90s Part 3 (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_articles/5338/)
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