The defining console of your childhood?

*Prowler* · 08-14-2018, 09:06 PM

This might seem like a "what's your favourite console" thread at first glance, but no, not really. What I'm asking you is, what is the defining console of your childhood. Like, what is the first console you think of when you think of your childhood years?

I was born in 1990, but have a considerably older brother, meaning I actually grew up playing on the NES, Mega Drive, Game Gear, original Game Boy, Sega Saturn and the SNES. So games like Mega Man 2, F-Zero Sonic 1, SMW, Street Fighter 2, Mario Paint, SMB 3 and Tetris are all defining games of my childhood... but I'd say the Nintendo 64 is the console of my childhood. It came out in 1996 when I was 5-6 years old, and my brother bringing it home with Super Mario 64 is also one of my earliest memories in life. If NES/SNES/Mega Drive games looked awesome already to my kid-self, then Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, etc. looked out of this world to me. It felt like gaming had reached the highest point ever.

Saturn was also a 3D machine, and ofc it was a big part of my childhood as well, but the N64 was better in my eyes. Basically, I was beginning school(1st grade) when the N64 came out and was finishing either 4th or 5th grade when it was discontinued. I didn't exactly accompany/grow together with the previous consoles I mentioned above. They were already a bit "old" by the time I was having a blast playing N64 myself and watching my brother play it in 1996-1999.

Honorable mentions go to Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. I wasn't a teenager yet when both came out and were at the height of their respective popularity. Meaning, every school day I'd see a bunch of other kids playing on their GBC/As during recess. Every single kid had a Game Boy to play pokémon primarily.

As for a final honourable mention, the GameCube. It came out in 2001 and I got it as a Christmas present in 2002 when I was 12 years old.

I'd have said the PS2 as well since it came out in 1999, but I did not get one until I was 15 and missed a lot of its biggest titles. And the PS1 means absolutely nothing to me. I don't think I even knew exactly what it was back in the 90s. I was fully happy with my Saturn and N64 at the time.

What about you? What's the defining console of your childhood?

08-14-2018, 09:06 PM	#1
Prowler Emperor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,999	The defining console of your childhood? This might seem like a "what's your favourite console" thread at first glance, but no, not really. What I'm asking you is, what is the defining console of your childhood. Like, what is the first console you think of when you think of your childhood years? I was born in 1990, but have a considerably older brother, meaning I actually grew up playing on the NES, Mega Drive, Game Gear, original Game Boy, Sega Saturn and the SNES. So games like Mega Man 2, F-Zero Sonic 1, SMW, Street Fighter 2, Mario Paint, SMB 3 and Tetris are all defining games of my childhood... but I'd say the Nintendo 64 is the console of my childhood. It came out in 1996 when I was 5-6 years old, and my brother bringing it home with Super Mario 64 is also one of my earliest memories in life. If NES/SNES/Mega Drive games looked awesome already to my kid-self, then Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, etc. looked out of this world to me. It felt like gaming had reached the highest point ever. Saturn was also a 3D machine, and ofc it was a big part of my childhood as well, but the N64 was better in my eyes. Basically, I was beginning school(1st grade) when the N64 came out and was finishing either 4th or 5th grade when it was discontinued. I didn't exactly accompany/grow together with the previous consoles I mentioned above. They were already a bit "old" by the time I was having a blast playing N64 myself and watching my brother play it in 1996-1999. Honorable mentions go to Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. I wasn't a teenager yet when both came out and were at the height of their respective popularity. Meaning, every school day I'd see a bunch of other kids playing on their GBC/As during recess. Every single kid had a Game Boy to play pokémon primarily. As for a final honourable mention, the GameCube. It came out in 2001 and I got it as a Christmas present in 2002 when I was 12 years old. I'd have said the PS2 as well since it came out in 1999, but I did not get one until I was 15 and missed a lot of its biggest titles. And the PS1 means absolutely nothing to me. I don't think I even knew exactly what it was back in the 90s. I was fully happy with my Saturn and N64 at the time. What about you? What's the defining console of your childhood?