Old consoles

[AJB88]

Sorting through the loft the other day as moving houses and found my old SEGA Master System 2 and games.

Connected it to the TV via Ariel port and tuned it to find it still works! Sorting through the 30 odd games I have now



Found a few websites offering to convert it to RGB and also add a 50/60hz switch so might get that done, hoping to set it up in the new home office when I move in!

At the time when I had this, I was jealous of all my friends, they all had either Megadrive, SNES or N64 etc and I was stuck with this, eventually it was replaced with a PS1.

What are other people running? I have a few friends who run old consoles still,also found my Japanese PSP.

[Boobonman]

I feel like the memories are probably best left as memories, can't see this old tech being that captivating now when your phone has more graphical capability.

[anonymous-user]

Boobonman said:

I feel like the memories are probably best left as memories, can't see this old tech being that captivating now when your phone has more graphical capability.

I tend to agree. I got one of those mini NES when they came out. There are 30 games on it. It’s just not what it was

It’s not the graphical fidelity of modern games that does it. It’s the immersion and gameplay that has leapt forwards. I now get far more enjoyment from my racing sim playing Assetto Corsa Competizione.

[Welshbeef]

If you can sell do so - plenty of people love the retros and having never completed the old games want to do so now.

Offload while the market exists and it can help towards your removals cost

[eltawater]

I wouldn't bother getting the RGB / 60hz switch work done. I briefly considered it on mine but then discovered that every once in a while, a fully modded master system 2 will appear on ebay for about £35 so I bought one of those instead
Don't forget that you'll also need a properly wired RGB scart lead to din port if that's how they've connected it up.

Played alex kidd on my modded one for a few weeks last year then it's all been packed off back into a box again

I currently have:
Interton VC4000
Master system 2 modded
Snes
Megadrive 2 + mega cd 2
2x Atari 4MB STE
Amiga A1200
2x Game gear
Gameboy colour clone
Atari Lynx 1
Atari Jaguar
Ericsson MC12 (it runs solitaire on winCE2 and that's about all it's currently good for :P)
Nintendo 64
PSone
PS2 Slim
PS3 original fat + PS3 slim + PS super slim (triple monitor Gran Turismo :P)
Japanese PSP
Flip Gameboy advance with upgraded LCD screen
Nintendo DSi modded
Nintendo 3DS modded
Nintendo Wii modded

Modern variants:
Snes Mini
Megadrive Mini asia edition with 2x 6 button controllers
PC Engine Mini
Playstation classic

Currently toying with the idea of picking up a Wii U or a PS Vita Slim but prices and condition of these are a bit crazy at the moment. Not sure if I can be bothered with filling the gaps with a NES, 32X, Saturn, Dreamcast or Gamecube as prices are silly, probably going to buy an ultrasatan for the Atari STEs instead.

Edited by eltawater on Wednesday 10th March 08:48

[ch37]

Boobonman said:

I feel like the memories are probably best left as memories, can't see this old tech being that captivating now when your phone has more graphical capability.

I've stuck with mainly 'retro' gaming, I hate where things have gone with free to play mechanics, loot boxes, online play, grind etc.

Early 3D stuff like the PS1 and Saturn have aged really badly, but the predominantly 2D eras still look and play brilliantly to this day. As an example, I've genuinely not played a better hockey game than NHLPA 93 even to this day, it still gets played a lot in our house. As it happens I played through Psycho Fox on the Master System a few weeks ago, it's incredibly hard and unforgiving compared to modern stuff. Currently working through Quackshot, one of my favourite games of all time.

I do have a Switch as that's the nearest thing to keeping it simple, but Mega Drive aside (still set up on the main TV via Scart) most of my gaming is now on the RG351P (handheld android based device), I boxed everything up and put it in the loft, and crucially, deleted everything on the RG351P and only loaded stuff I own on to it. By far the biggest issue with emulation is not having any curation at all, 5000 games to choose from is no choice at all, sticking with stuff I have and know has meant I've got far more out of it than I would have otherwise.

[TommoAE86]

Boobonman said:

I feel like the memories are probably best left as memories, can't see this old tech being that captivating now when your phone has more graphical capability.

I hear this alot but despite everything my PS2 get's more use than my PS4 or PC, maybe I just can't move on from my childhood It does however have to be the right game so I do agree to some extend, I can't play my PS1 for long periods as the graphic's just aren't what they are and I get a headache but the PS2 seems to be a good mid-spot.

My most played game is GTA: Vice City - I just upgraded my PC's graphic card and am playing the steam version all over again and having loads of fun.

[deckster]

TommoAE86 said:

My most played game is GTA: Vice City - I just upgraded my PC's graphic card and am playing the steam version all over again and having loads of fun.

Vice City was a real pivotal moment in gaming history: the first game I ever played that had a genuinely cinema-worthy plot and (at the time) visuals that just made it all seem so real. Plus of course, the soundtrack was catnip to an 80s boy like me. And Phil Collins, of course. Just a great, ground-breaking game - Rock Star took everything they'd learned from GTAIII and really nailed the whole thing.

If they re-released it with graphics updated for 2021 I'd be all over it like a rash.

[dudleybloke]

I dug the PlayStation out last year for a blast but haven't bothered since.

[anonymous-user]

I still have a Nintendo 64, purely so I can play Goldeneye against my brother

The Goldeneye multiplayer 'shoot each other' mode is still to this day one of the greatest for outright fun. I have 4 controllers for it, and on a modern 'big tv' it is still hilarious to play with friends.

As for other old games, I bought a RetroPi thingy from a friend who builds them, and it contains pretty much every game from every console up to the PS2 era, and every game from every 80's/90's home computer system. Atari, Spectrum, Amstrad, Amiga, Acorn, PC, you name it.

Some of the games have dated really badly as you would expect, and have pretty much shattered my rose-tinted spectacles for some of the games from my childhood on the Amstrad CPC and Amiga 500, but many are still hugely playable and more fun than modern games.

If I had to faff around with old consoles and buying old games, I honestly wouldn't bother, but having 5000 games on a box the size of a fag packet that plugs into my TV's HDMI makes it so convenient that I can flick through loads of games and amuse myself about the 'good old days'.

[AJB88]

Going to give it a run tonight while I'm on nights see if all the games run, I've got a few games I actually want to get for it as I borrowed them from a friend a few years ago.

[texaxile]

Still have a 6 switch Atari 2600 with the fake wood on the front in a box somewhere, it came free with a Ferguson TV we rented!. Also in the box are some games, Combat, Chopper command and possibly Adventure, but there are no cartridge boxes and the cartridges themselves are white, no stickers and the name of the games printed on the front.

I still play Battlefront on my PS2, and also have a dreamcast with a load of moody games along with boot discs I got off a friend years ago.

[ZedLeg]

Timely thread. I’m also packing for a move and came across a whole bunch of old gaming stuff

2 Nintendo DSs
1 DS Lite
1 Zelda edition GBA
1 PS2
1 Gamecube
1 Xbox 360
and a pile of controllers

All gone in the bin apart from the GBA, PS2, GameCube and a couple of controllers for each.

I’d be amazed if I bother plugging them in again as I don’t have a crt anymore and they look rubbish on newer tvs. Maybe get the GameCube out for some double dash if we’re ever allowed to have people in the house again

[AceOfHearts]

Funnily enough I am picking up a 32" Sony CRT on Saturday especially for my older consoles. I mainly collect N64 (up to about 100 games now) but between myself and girlfriend we have in the house:

PS1
PS2
PS3 (early model with reverse compatability)
PS4
N64 x 2
Gamecube
Wii
Switch x 2
Sega Game Gear x2
PS Vita (this gets the most use by me)
Xbox 360

Some of the older games have not aged well. But some are still absolutely genius. My latest addiction was Conkers Bad Fur Day on the N64. I never played it as a kid but it had me in stitches!

[leef44]

I still have PS2 set up on a Sony 36" CRT. I only bought it for Gran Turismo4.

Although the resolution is somewhat off-putting for the new generation, I like to revisit the old tracks (Detroit, El Capitan etc.) plus some of the functionality like tyre wear and pit stops in arcade mode.

[eeLee]

I have an Atari 2600 in it's box somewhere. Also a VIC=20, C64, ZX81 and Speccy. Oh and a Binatone B&W pong console (without the gun).

Nostalgia

[leef44]

eeLee said:

I have an Atari 2600 in it's box somewhere. Also a VIC=20, C64, ZX81 and Speccy. Oh and a Binatone B&W pong console (without the gun).

Nostalgia

That's an impressive collection. I wonder if these will become antique/collectors items at some stage so worth a bob or two.

[Squirrelofwoe]

eeLee said:

I have an Atari 2600 in it's box somewhere. Also a VIC=20, C64, ZX81 and Speccy. Oh and a Binatone B&W pong console (without the gun).

Nostalgia

We've also got an Atari 2600, C64, and the old Binatone Pong console in my parent's loft - not dug them out for years though!

I know we have a suitcase full of games for the 2600 including Pacman, Mrs Pacman, Stargate, Galaxanian, Jungle Hunt, an F1 game, a Tank game, and bizarrely even a Space Shuttle simulator. The box graphics were definitely superior to the actual game... Stargate was always my favourite on the 2600 though.

My wife and I do still use the N64 fairly regularly- mainly for Mariokart and the odd Goldeneye session with friends. We got Mariokart for the Switch but it's definitely lost something from the old version, particularly the excellent 4-player battle mode on the N64. We also took the N64 with us on our honeymoon and played through most of Zelda Ocarina of Time- it inspired us to buy the Nintendo Switch on the way home

In terms of retro styled new consoles I bought my wife one of the cheap Chinese Gameboy knockoff's for Christmas (that comes preloaded with hundreds of games) and it might well be the best £16 I've ever spent- she's been completely addicted to it since Christmas. Mostly playing through all the classic Mario games, and the bizarre bootleg mashups of the Mario & Loony Toons games. A great piece of kit for the money!

In addition to the above we also have an original SNES (hers), Gamecube (hers), N64 (mine), PS1 (hers), PS2 (mine), PS3 (mine), and then the Switch and PS4 both bought in the last couple of years. Despite all of that though I am primarily a PC gamer through and through

[anonymous-user]

F20CN16 said:

Boobonman said:

I feel like the memories are probably best left as memories, can't see this old tech being that captivating now when your phone has more graphical capability.

I tend to agree. I got one of those mini NES when they came out. There are 30 games on it. It’s just not what it was

It’s not the graphical fidelity of modern games that does it. It’s the immersion and gameplay that has leapt forwards. I now get far more enjoyment from my racing sim playing Assetto Corsa Competizione.

Ditto for the mini Snes I bought a few years back.

[AJB88]

I was planning to test more games on the SEGA last night , but I did the opposite... I played on Cyberpunk 2077 on Google Stadia instead.