One Console to Rule them All

[Sarge]

If I had to choose a single console (no backwards compatibility), it's a all-out war between PS2 and SNES. Probably with SNES winning, because my favorite RPGs of all time are there, some spectacular platformers (including the best of the era, Yoshi's Island), and some overlooked classics, and that's without getting to the Super Famicom output.

The PS2 does have an amazing breadth of titles, with some spectacular RPGs as well, and some really polished gems of modern design. I'm still pretty sure it's my runner-up... today.

[ElkinFencer10]

If I could only play one console and only its library (no backwards compatibility or "virtual console" releases), I'd pick the PS3 probably, though that may change to PS4 in the coming years since that's 90% based on the availability of weeby titty anime games.

[strangenova]

This is an easy one for me, snes is my favorite console. I can't ever get enough mmx, lttp, dkc2, f-zero or ff3. There are countless other games but the library is just top tier quality to me. The controller feels good and the music in most games is phenomenonal. I might just be a snes fan boy though cause my oldest gaming memories were getting up on weekends to eat pop tarts and play street fighter and dkc with my dad.

[MrEco]

I'm not taking emulation into account. Only official libraries, including backwards compatibility or any remakes/ports.

So for me, the obvious answer is the Playstation 3. Specifically an older model that's backwards compatible with PS2 games. That way I'd have access to all my three favorite console game libraries, PS1, PS2, and PS3. It's basically no competition for me.

[alienjesus]

I don't know why everyone is saying 'not counting emulation'. If you read the first post, including things like emulation was kinda the point.

So anyone listing SNES needs to have a damn good reason to say SNES over any of the later consoles that can accurately emulate pretty much every game of note on the system.

[TSTR]

Hacked PS3 no doubt.

[darsparx]

See and if we're talking one console to rule them all. I'd love to have a computer that's built to handle and even run games as if they were on natural hardware. Add in slots, and a few disc drives to handle loading and I'd be in heaven....(retron5 kinda does this I guess but neglects 2nd gen and early disc drive systems....)

[samsonlonghair]

To all those saying without emulation PS3 wins for best backwards compatibility, consider these points:

• Playstation 3 runs PS1 games via emulation. Yes, really. Even if you put a retail PS1 disc in the drive, it runs via emulation.
• 80GB PS3 runs PS2 games via emulation.
• 60GB PS3 has real PS2 "Emotion Engine" processor, but still needs to emulate other parts of PS2 hardware.
• Even PS2 uses emulation for audio of PS1 games

So, no matter how you slice it, you're still using emulation.

[Sarge]

When emulation is discounted, I don't think folks are talking about official sources. They're talking about emulation through unofficial means. It changes the dynamics a lot for most of these systems.

If kept to official sources, and only consoles, then either a BC PS3 or Wii U becomes pretty much the only logical choices. At least to me.

If restricted only to native libraries, then like I stated before, for me it's either SNES or PS2.

[RGSPro]

Well the real point about hardware modification and software modification was to get down to what the console could really do, which is more than just computing performance. For example if you're happy with a SNES, which one? One with the 1CHIP Video processor, one with an XRGB mod on a Mini SNES? A N64 with the UltraHDMI mod to use on an HDTV, or does that not matter because your dream console would be on a PVM, or you are using a Framemeister?

I agree that the emotion engine PS3's are a good choice, but the hardware on that thing is eventually going to have some kind of failure. I am not partial to a PS3 Dual Shock compared to a 360/XBone controller.