worst designed console... functionally or aesthetically

[sscott]

On the subject of the Amiga floppy drive... does anybody still use theirs?? I can't remember the last time I looked at the one in my 1200 let alone put a disk into it.. WHDload... lovely, granted not every Amiga game has been WHDefied but at the moment for the life of me I can't think of a game I've had to use floppies for, there's bound to be a few

I gonna say the original CD32 pad as well... horrible nasty tacky thing, I know this topic is about consoles but I don't really spend that much time looking at them.. the controller is just as much a part of the design... thank Christ for my Competition Pro Honey Bee CD32 pad.

I do think the N64 is a ugly looking thing... as much as I love it... who's censored idea was it to make the RAM expansions red?? pure genius right there.. makes a ugly beast into something... well.. more ugly..

I do, including the multi-multi disk swapping of the latest games on my A1200, all part of the experience, sort of.

[SexyWayne]

Nah not for me... I haven't played on my 1200 for months.. but if I did and it involved swapping floppies.. my gaming sessions on it wouldn't last very long

I can barely get the energy or enthusiasm together to be arsed to stick a cartridge or CD/DVD into a console let alone a 11 disc Lucasart point and click

[kiwimike]

The GBA Micro was one of the nicest looking consoles ever, until you add the e-reader.



Talking about the GBA the original model had a terrible screen.

The micro did bring sexyback, was really nice looking...just my old eyes found the screen too small...

[The Laird]

The Jag's pad definitely has to put it up there, simply because it was designed in a time when everyone seemed to be trying to cram more buttons onto the controller and Atari, seemingly misunderstanding the concept, did so by seemingly just adding a phone keypad on there in a way that was largely unusable.

Definately the comment of somebody who hasn't played many Jaguar games. The keypad, especially with an overlay, is an absolute god send for some games and makes them so much better. Theme Park for example is outstanding as you can use the keypad to access all the different menus and select items without having to go through loads of screens.

[r0jaws]

You really are determined to make sure the Jag pad doesn't get a slagging without a suitable retort.
I applaud your determination, it must feel a little like being King Cnut though.

[AmigaJay]

Most of Nintendos hardware looked crap design wise up until the Wii and DS lite, when they must have had new designers in who actually gave a toss what their consoles looked like!

Serious! in all honesty I think most of Nintendos hardware does look censored, obviously it's aimed at a younger market but some of the designs are pretty dire!

[TwoHeadedBoy]

The Daewoo Turbo Zemmix - I'd love one of these, it looks like an evil version of Johnny 5!

[DreamcastRIP]

... in all honesty I think most of Nintendos hardware does look censored, obviously it's aimed at a younger market but some of the designs are pretty dire!

Handhelds aside, a fair point it has to be said.

Famicom: cheap and ugly-looking, awful colour combination
NES: shoebox/breeze block monstrosity
NES model 101: looks like a child's toy
Super Famicom/SNES: looked like a Fisher Price toy
SNES (US): pass the sick bucket!
Super Famicom Jr.: bland in the extreme
N64: bland cheap-looking blob of plastic
GameCube: okay if 'cute' is your (hand)bag
Wii: cool-looking console in an minimalist/iPod kinda way... tarnished slightly by the cheap-looking finish on its silver coloured stand
Wii U: looks like an obese Wii

[kiwimike]

Wii U: looks like an obese Wii

Wii U needs Wii Fit!

[DreamcastRIP]

Wii U: looks like an obese Wii

Wii U needs Wii Fit!

It's gonna be getting it too! Ninty has predictably confirmed they'll be rehashing Wii Fit for the new console.

Reggie stated at E3 that Wii Fit U will feature "new events, new exercise routines, a new fit metre (on the Wii U Gamepad]) and off-TV play".

Amazing™!

[Ferret Oxide]

The Dreamcast pad is probably my least favourite. No second analogue stick and triggers that feel flimsy added to being (in my experience) uncomfortable to use for long sessions.

It also doesn't have the best track record for reliability in a console either (although nowhere near as bad as the 360).

I still love many DC games, I just think SEGA made some weird design choices with the hardware.

[speedlolita]

I do think the N64 is a ugly looking thing... as much as I love it... who's censored idea was it to make the RAM expansions red?? pure genius right there.. makes a ugly beast into something... well.. more ugly..

Does it not matter at all that it's completely unseen once installed?

In that respect the Saturn is a little silly, although the carts look boss.

[Liamh1982]

Saturn doesn't look silly, it's imposing.

DC's a strange one - looks alright if pristine, but the slightest bit of yellowing ruins it. Also, if you accidently scratch the plastic, the "wound" quickly turns a horrible shade of grey.

[SJ_Sathanas]

I thought the SNES was a tidy little bit o' design. IMO still the best joypad yet. N64 looked like they just melted some plastic and were like "done!". I did like the joypad though.

I really destest the Dual Shock 2 and whatever else Sony has labelled the later versions. Yeah just dump 2 sticks onto an existing design and then don't make any attempt to improve it in 20 years* no no no don't do that.
Playstation is a nice looking old thing, still looks kinda modern and almost futruistic to me. Shame about the PS2 though....

Dreamcast to me looks like the outer case is too small for the innards and they're trying to burst out or something. Like the thing is about to explode lol.
I kinda like the original Mastersystem. In retrospect it looks like something out of SNES Starfox/wing.


*possibile exaggeration.

[SJ_Sathanas]

It's pretty stupid to say a console is awful because of its controller anyway unless it only had one controller that you couldn't change. Most consoles have a selection of different controllers you can use if you choose to.

If you wanted to get technical you could cite bad design in the actual internal hardware like the terrible slow CPU and 8-bit data bus in the SNES, awful sound chip in the 7800 or the terrible sprite handling of the NES.

I've been playing SNES games for nearly 20 years and I've never once been botherd by data bus or cpu thingys. Can't say it's ever even occured to me to even contemplate such things...in other words, who cares ? And why ?