Systems Really worth having.

[Gamerforlife]

On the other hand, if you wanted some street cred with the hardcore gamer I'd say get a Saturn and a Dreamcast. A Saturn collection is quite an impressive thing, with quite a few "holy grail" games and tons of awesome imports.

Dreamcast really hasn't got all that much of those hardcore games (except the 2D fighters, which are plentiful though), I think Saturn is better there. The scale might tip on Dreamcast's favors when it comes to fighters, but Saturn has the SHMUPs.
Dreamcast=Experimental and unique games
Saturn=Regular games that have been polished to perfection

If you really want to impress, I'd say get a Neo Geo with a couple of its high priced games.

How on earth can you compare Neo Geo to to PS2/SNES/Gen/NES. It's by no strecth in any way a must have console with a large and diverse game library. It has a fairly small library of games, too large amount of it's library consists of sequels to fighting games (if you have the best in the series, there's not much point in owning all the 3-6 others games if you aim for a diverse, high quality collection rather than just owning every game ever released for the system) and many genres aren't represented at all in it's library.

When it comes to having a large and diverse game library (with a lot of high quality titles), it goes like this
1. PS2
2. SNES, Genesis, NES
3. Saturn, Dreamcast
PS1 stands somewhere between 2 and 3, Saturn beats PS1 in the genres it excels at (2D) but overall PS1 has more variety, unique one of a kind games and a much larger library of games.

I think you took what I said about the Neo Geo out of context. It was more about having one just for the cool factor of having one. A Neo Geo collection is impressive just due to the cost of having one, and also the legendary (that's probably exaggerating a bit) status of some of its games like all the SNK stuff and the Metal Slugs.

The PS1 was great, but the only reason I don't recommend it is because a lot of people can't handle those early era 3D graphics anymore. Less of an issue with the PS2.

[Menegrothx]

I think you took what I said about the Neo Geo out of context. It was more about having one just for the cool factor of having one. A Neo Geo collection is impressive just due to the cost of having one, and also the legendary (that's probably exaggerating a bit) status of some of its games like all the SNK stuff and the Metal Slugs.

It is impressive, but I don't think I'm even exaggerating if I say that majority of the systems best games can be found from Saturn, Dreamcast and PS2 for much cheaper, and you can put that money into so much better use on other systems.

The PS1 was great, but the only reason I don't recommend it is because a lot of people can't handle those early era 3D graphics anymore. Less of an issue with the PS2.

Yeah, no point mentioning PS1 on it's own when PS2 is backwards compatible. There's plenty of 2 and 2.5D to be had on the PS1 though. Klonoa, Lomax, Oddworld, SOTN, Tombi/Tomba and Heart of Darkness. And those are just platformers that are PS1 exclusive (ignoring PC and Japanese Saturn releases). There's plenty more 2D to be had in other genres, multiplatorm titles etc.

I don't think any retro gamer should be refusing to play games with early 3D era graphics, because there's so many good games that you'll otherwise miss. Though I admit that a lot of early 3D games were garbage, but if we're looking at consoles, I think that N64 is more affected by that than the PS1, even though it has it's share of 2D games like Paper Mario and Mischief Makers too. Even some of Saturn's best games were 3D, like PowerSlave and Panzer Dragoon Saga.

[CRTGAMER]

The PS1 was great, but the only reason I don't recommend it is because a lot of people can't handle those early era 3D graphics anymore. Less of an issue with the PS2.

Yeah, no point mentioning PS1 on it's own when PS2 is backwards compatible. There's plenty of 2 and 2.5D to be had on the PS1 though. Klonoa, Lomax, Oddworld, SOTN, Tombi/Tomba and Heart of Darkness. And those are just platformers that are PS1 exclusive (ignoring PC and Japanese Saturn releases). There's plenty more 2D to be had in other genres, multiplatorm titles etc.

Then there is that SoundScope Music CD player in the PS1 console, I think the best of any console. In addition, the parallel port is sweet for instant load of cheat carts and bypassing the opening loadup screen.

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sony/ps1 ... ners-guide

Advantages PS1 Has Over a PS2
Because there is no reliance on an ejecting CD tray, the PlayStation tends to have a longer lifespan than the PS2.

Certain PlayStation games are not compatible with the PS2, or with specific models. A few will run but experience technical problems. These games do not work at all: Fighter Maker, Judge Dredd, Monkey Hero, Poy Poy 2. Tobal 2 typically has trouble on the PS2, though may work on later PS2 models. The PAL version is apparently ok.

Final Fantasy V sometimes glitches while saving on PlayStation 2. Mortal Kombat Trilogy only works on one model PS2, only when it’s the Greatest Hits copy. But even this version freezes when the player beats arcade mode.

PS2 3000X models have trouble running Legend of Dragoon, Lunar Silver Star Story, Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete, Metal Gear Solid: Special Missions, and Final Fantasy Tactics

Some games including Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo, Driver, and Syphon Filter 3 do not work on the PS2 Slim at all. Since some of these are good games, it’s well worth it to pay the extra few bucks to use them.

Many of the peripherals for the PS1 do not work on the PS2, especially anything that used the parallel port.

[Effinae]

I originally planned on my first post to be pics of my game collection but after reading the first page of this thread I just had to chime in. Why all the N64 hate? The system has a fantastic library including multiple games that show up on best games ever list.

[dsheinem]

I originally planned on my first post to be pics of my game collection but after reading the first page of this thread I just had to chime in. Why all the N64 hate? The system has a fantastic library including multiple games that show up on best games ever list.

Read this, where many of us explain our "hate" of the system over many pages of sometimes interesting debate: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=41219

[Menegrothx]

Why all the N64 hate? The system has a fantastic library including multiple games that show up on best games ever list.

Because Saturn and PS1 (through PS2) are more "really worth having"

[Effinae]

Why all the N64 hate? The system has a fantastic library including multiple games that show up on best games ever list.

Because Saturn and PS1 (through PS2) are more "really worth having"

I'll submit to the PS1 but I think most would agree the Saturn is fairly niche and expensive to collect. I know I might sound crazy but I would choose my 64 and Cube over my PS1&2 without blinking.

[Menegrothx]

Sure Saturn is more expensive to collect for and the (US/PAL copies) of games are harder to find, but it still has more high quality games that have stood the test of time

[Pislit]

My NES is still working, amazingly, though the cartridges aren't (cockroaches galore) so that's a must-have . But I believe that Sony consoles should be avoided because of the sheer reason that PlayStation consoles are mostly backwards compatible by virtue of re-releases (much cheaper too). But if you collect everything and don't like digital versions of the game, go ahead. But for me, Sega's and Nintendo's are must haves because they get rarer (and otherworldly expensive) by the second. There are no second chances. Virtual console can be a solution for seemingly extinct Nintendo titles, but good luck with waiting. Sony releases HD releases or ports rather quickly, so there's that.

[Retrogamer0001]

My NES is still working, amazingly, though the cartridges aren't (cockroaches galore) so that's a must-have . But I believe that Sony consoles should be avoided because of the sheer reason that PlayStation consoles are mostly backwards compatible by virtue of re-releases (much cheaper too). But if you collect everything and don't like digital versions of the game, go ahead. But for me, Sega's and Nintendo's are must haves because they get rarer (and otherworldly expensive) by the second. There are no second chances. Virtual console can be a solution for seemingly extinct Nintendo titles, but good luck with waiting. Sony releases HD releases or ports rather quickly, so there's that.

Though I agree with you where Sega is concerned, there are many, many, Nintendo titles that see and have seen releases on the VC and been re-released for other systems, especially the very popular ones. For example, Ocarina of Time and Mario 64 have seen handheld releases recently, and the VC has the majority of quality SNES/N64 games easily available (most recently Earthbound was released), so I'm not sure what you mean. If you're talking obscure titles, then the PS1 and PS2 have hundreds and hundreds of those as well.