In your opinion, which console defined the cultural make up of video games in the 1990's?

I'd say for me its a close tie between the SNES which was mainly popular from 1991-1996

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/BunnyWurb/giffy%203/P1000913.jpg

And known for classics like Super Mario World, TLOZ A Link to the Past, F-Zero, Super Metroid, Final Fantasy 2 & 3 (officially 4 & 6) Earthbound, & the Donkey Kong Country Series to name a few


The Playstation would be tied with the SNES, lasting in main popularity from 1995-2000/1

http://fox.mmgn.com/mmgn/news/normal/the-playstation-1-turns-20-in-australia-today-1119259.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/416GAQ5G26L.jpg

And known for classics like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy 7-9, Metal Gear Solid, & Ape Escape

However I would like to hear your opinions on this subject?

Definitely the SNES. It was released in 1991 when early 90's culture was still dominant, it peaked from 1991-1996 during the peak of early & mid 90's culture, and it was discontinued in 1999 which was the quintessential late 90's year. It makes complete since. 5th generation consoles seem more late 90's or millennial to me, but not definitive 90's.

Definitely the SNES. It was released in 1991 when early 90's culture was still dominant, it peaked from 1991-1996 during the peak of early & mid 90's culture, and it was discontinued in 1999 which was the quintessential late 90's year. It makes complete since. 5th generation consoles seem more late 90's or millennial to me, but not definitive 90's.


True, the SNES was pretty awesome and it represents the early & mid 90's to a tea. The 5th generation, especially the Saturn & N64, are most definitely late 90's/Millennium Era, but while the PS1 was part of that same era it did represent the youth culture of the 90's. After all it was probably the first true modern day game console in the sense that the target audience was typically teens and adults. Heck their main target demographic were 19 year olds!

I'd suggest watching this documentary its pretty damn inspiring if you ask me:

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However I'll say this though, if we're talking about 90's kids, or children during that decade, then I'd say the SNES was the definitive console. While if we're talking about Generation X, or teens/young adults during that decade, then I'd say the Playstation was the definitive console.

The Super Nintendo is probably the definitive 90s console, although the Sega Genesis represents the spirit of the decade the best, in spite of being originally released in 1989.  The PS1 is a close second, since it had astronomical sales throughout the last third of the decade and had technically exited in the mid-90s as well.

The Super Nintendo is probably the definitive 90s console, although the Sega Genesis represents the spirit of the decade the best, in spite of being originally released in 1989.  The PS1 is a close second, since it had astronomical sales throughout the last third of the decade and had technically exited in the mid-90s as well.


Yeah I agree with this! I was also considering the Genesis as well, but it seemed like it was overshadowed by the SNES in the mid 90's. In the early 90's the two consoles seemed to both had a even playing field in popularity and sales. But in 94' when Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, & Final Fantasy 3 came out for the SNES, it was a nail in the coffin for the Genesis. Especially since the Genesis mostly depended on its lackluster add ons by that point

SUPER NINTENDO!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D  Next question! ;) ::)

Overall SNES, PS1, N64 are the 90s big 3.
Just like PS2, Wii, and XBOX 360 are the 00s big 3.

Overall SNES, PS1, N64 are the 90s big 3.
Just like PS2, Wii, and XBOX 360 are the 00s big 3.


Why not the Genesis? :o

Why not the Genesis? :o


I think if we talked about the most common 90s game consoles, then N64, PS1, Genesis, SNES, and the Game Boy comes to mind.

The Super Nintendo was great.  I liked a lot of games for the Sega Genesis more, but on most Genesis games, the music was just terrible.  Games that were made for both consoles, the music was always better on the SNES version.

The Game Boy had good games, but the unit itself (looking back now) was crap.  The screen was small and hard to see and even if you had a light to see the screen, the glare sometimes made it difficult.  As I recall, it took 4 batteries, which wasn't bad compared to the 6 that the Sega Game Gear took and the 8 that the NEC Turbo Express took.  Portable gaming was fucking expensive back then.  Holy crap!

The Super Nintendo was great.  I liked a lot of games for the Sega Genesis more, but on most Genesis games, the music was just terrible.  Games that were made for both consoles, the music was always better on the SNES version.

The Game Boy had good games, but the unit itself (looking back now) was crap.  The screen was small and hard to see and even if you had a light to see the screen, the glare sometimes made it difficult.  As I recall, it took 4 batteries, which wasn't bad compared to the 6 that the Sega Game Gear took and the 8 that the NEC Turbo Express took.  Portable gaming was fucking expensive back then.  Holy crap!


I hated replacing batteries. It's why I didn't buy many Gameboy games or take it out to places.

Why not the Genesis? :o


I'm a bit blown away by that. The Sega Genesis is very 90s. The name of the console and sound powerfully give it away. Sonic even rivaled Mario.

Why not the Genesis? :o

Honestly I was being kinda biased because the N64 impacted me! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
But which was more impactful to the 90s Genesis or N64?! That's kinda tough. Ultimately it would be the Gensis, since it was still a force during the heart of the 90s and the N64 lasted throguh the early 00s.

To me it would be the Super Nintendo, Genesis, and Playstation 1. These are consoles that were the most successful during the decade.  The console war was huge in the early '90s so by default both the Super Nintendo and Genesis can be seen as important consoles for the time. By the 5th gen the PS1 was so dominant to the point where you couldn't even call it a "console war". The Saturn was a failure and the Nintendo 64 was less successful than its predecessor.

To me it would be the Super Nintendo, Genesis, and Playstation 1. These are consoles that were the most successful during the decade.  The console war was huge in the early '90s so by default both the Super Nintendo and Genesis can be seen as important consoles for the time. By the 5th gen the PS1 was so dominant to the point where you couldn't even call it a "console war". The Saturn was a failure and the Nintendo 64 was less successful than its predecessor.


The N64 sold slightly more than the Genesis in North America though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Genesis#32-bit_era_and_beyond



Sega sold 30.75 million Genesis units worldwide. Of these, 3.58 million were sold in Japan, while sales in Europe and the U.S. are roughly estimated at 8 million and 18 million as of June 1997 (at which time Sega was no longer manufacturing the system) respectively.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64#Sales



Nintendo reported that the system's vintage hardware and software sales had ceased by 2004, three years after the GameCube's launch; as of December 31, 2009, the Nintendo 64 had yielded a lifetime total of 5.54 million system units sold in Japan, 20.63 million in the Americas, and 6.75 million in other regions, for a total of 32.93 million units.


Nintendo 64 sold well into the latter portion of the Y2K era though, so it might be kind of cheating.