worst designed console... functionally or aesthetically

[Vyothric]

I like the N64 controller, preferrably the 3rd party Competition Pro as it's a bit bigger but the official ones will do fine. The people who like those Hori pads must have really tiny hands.

The things I don't like.....

Always having to modify things to run in 60hz and output RGB, S-Video or..............Composite
The Game Gear has a crap D-Pad and a blurry screen.
Non-backlit handhelds.
The Dreamcast controller sometimes makes my hand ache.
The 32x looks pretty stupid.


Also, if everyone hates the US SNES so much why can't I ever find a cheap one?

[DreamcastRIP]

That's exactly how mine looks with the RAM pack inserted.

Maybe Ninty ought to have also released different coloured RAM packs so owners had the option of a better colour co-ordinated setup. A bit like Sega did for Dreamcast where a variety of different colour controllers were released as well as matching colour VMUs made available to purchase too.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Seriously, what were they thinking releasing a see-through lime green N64?! Yuck! And then releasing a red expansion pack? It looks like someone melted down one of Santa's elves.

The 'Jungle Green' N64 was also released as part of the 'Donkey Kong 64 Set' which, as can be seen, included the RAM pack. Pity Ninty were too damn lazy or penny pinching to bother making the included RAM pack colour co-ordinated.

[noobish hat]

They are relatively expensive, but not more so than a full price game, and much cheaper than some people spend on fighting sticks. They're not so hard to find - there are several on ebay at any given time.

The Mako Superpad is a much cheaper alternative that people seem to like.
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/XLHEwBiYPmY/0.jpg

Personall I've never had any problems with the official controllers, and I've never had one with a loose or broken stick. Perhaps I'm just turbo lucky.

[clarance]

As far as looks go, I'm not really that bothered how my hunk of plastic looks - beauty is in the eye of the owner after all.

Regarding functionality, the lack of any adequate game saving facility on the CD32 always bugs me, and the controllers are rather bad. And the disk lid eject function, and the games were pretty poor as well. It does look quite nice though...

[richie freebird]

Mega Drive with Mega-CD and 32X connected.

Three PSUs for heaven's sake... which, because of their chunky size, don't fit properly into my plug extension adaptor!

They actually made a special Sega branded extension adaptor to get around this problem. Well, they did one for the Yanks any ways, I don’t think I’ve seen a proper UK 240V supply one.

[DreamcastRIP]

Mega Drive with Mega-CD and 32X connected.

Three PSUs for heaven's sake... which, because of their chunky size, don't fit properly into my plug extension adaptor!

They actually made a special Sega branded extension adaptor to get around this problem. Well, they did one for the Yanks any ways, I don’t think I’ve seen a proper UK 240V supply one.

Thanks, that's pretty cool to know. Now you've said that it does ring a bell.

When I said "don't fit properly" I perhaps should have been more specific. The aforementioned three PSU do fit on my four-plug extension bar if I leave one socket's space. They don't fit into the sockets 100% snuggly but near as damn it and I've never experienced any connection supply issues.

That minor grumble aside, it does seem kinda crazy needing to have four plug sockets (including the TV) to play a games console!

It may be deserving of all the criticism it gets but Amstrad got one thing right if nothing else with the CPC series - one plug!

[AmigaJay]

Gameboy Color....simply for having the worst screen ever on a handheld! Unless you playing under a 60 watt bulb it was awful, couple this with the fact the GBC was underpowered by the time it finally came out...was rumoured in 1992 came out end of 1998....a short 28 months later the GBA comes out, a really poor gap filler and one piece of hardware (well along with the Virtual Boy, N64DD and Famicom Disk Drive) that is best forgotten!

[Negative Creep]

Gameboy Color....simply for having the worst screen ever on a handheld!

Clearly you've never tried a Tiger Game.com

[AmigaJay]

Gameboy Color....simply for having the worst screen ever on a handheld!

Clearly you've never tried a Tiger Game.com

Ah that's where your wrong! And I still prefer the game.com I've played them all, and those moaning about the original GBA screen should try a GBC! The GBA screen is bliss in comparison!

[Negative Creep]

Gameboy Color....simply for having the worst screen ever on a handheld!

Clearly you've never tried a Tiger Game.com

Ah that's where your wrong! And I still prefer the game.com I've played them all, and those moaning about the original GBA screen should try a GBC! The GBA screen is bliss in comparison!

Blimey! I own both and have no problems with the GBC, whereas the Game.com is so blurry it's virtually unplayable

[AmigaJay]

Blimey! I own both and have no problems with the GBC, whereas the Game.com is so blurry it's virtually unplayable

Lol yeah I was kinda joking the game.com is awful in every way! But I still have a hatred for the GBC...people don't know how lucky they are with these backlit LCD displays nowadays! Remember there used to be 20+ 3rd party add on lights for the GBC, worm lights, magnifier lights, backlit mods all sorts..they werent the best selling add ons for no reason!

[DreamcastRIP]

The game.com's screen was soooooo bad it makes Game Gear's godawful screen look like PS Vita's OLED screen in comparison!

[Megamixer]

Personally I had no problem with the GBC or original GBA screens. Going back to these systems now with experience of consoles like the DS, PSP, Vita etc. will obviously reveal how lacking the older displays were but back then we had to make do.

For me, I knew no better and just accepted that you couldn't use a GBC/GBA when light was poor. I did other things and didn't bemoan the fact that it was too dark. I think we're vastly spoilt today with backlit handhelds that we can use anywhere so it's only natural that older console look seriously poor in comparison but as products of their time, they were what they were.

[DreamcastRIP]

Personally I had no problem with the GBC or original GBA screens. Going back to these systems now with experience of consoles like the DS, PSP, Vita etc. will obviously reveal how lacking the older displays were but back then we had to make do.

For me, I knew no better and just accepted that you couldn't use a GBC/GBA when light was poor. I did other things and didn't bemoan the fact that it was too dark. I think we're vastly spoilt today with backlit handhelds that we can use anywhere so it's only natural that older console look seriously poor in comparison but as products of their time, they were what they were.

Back lit/side lit handhelds of the era:

1989: Atari Lynx
1990: NEC TurboExpress/PC Engine GT
1990/'91: Sega Game Gear
1995: Sega Nomad

Folk only had to "make do" if they refused to look beyond Nintendo.

[Negative Creep]

Personally I had no problem with the GBC or original GBA screens. Going back to these systems now with experience of consoles like the DS, PSP, Vita etc. will obviously reveal how lacking the older displays were but back then we had to make do.

For me, I knew no better and just accepted that you couldn't use a GBC/GBA when light was poor. I did other things and didn't bemoan the fact that it was too dark. I think we're vastly spoilt today with backlit handhelds that we can use anywhere so it's only natural that older console look seriously poor in comparison but as products of their time, they were what they were.

Back lit/side lit handhelds of the era:

1989: Atari Lynx
1990: NEC TurboExpress/PC Engine GT
1990/'91: Sega Game Gear
1995: Sega Nomad

Folk only had to "make do" if they refused to look beyond Nintendo.

But would have to trade that for a big increase in battery consumption