For me, when Playstation and N64 overtook Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo in popularity and relevance was a major turning point in The 90s.

But when did it happen?

I'd say it occurred by the 1997-98 year. At that point, both 4th generation consoles weren't truly releasing many games compared to previous years and that both 5th generation consoles released games that became classics.

1996 in Japan, 1997 in the West.

This gives me a question. When did the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo overtake the Nintendo Entertainment System.

This gives me a question. When did the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo overtake the Nintendo Entertainment System.


1991. By 1989 Sega's Genesis was already showing off how cool it's games and graphics were when compared to the NES. When the Super Nintendo released in the US in '91 they put a lot more focus in releasing hits on the Super Nintendo and pushing the NES aside.

New console gens overtake old ones whenever they're in a console gen peak. The peak when all the consoles release. The big 4th gen consoles all were available in the US by '91 which is when the 3rd gen was old news. In '97 all the main 5th gen consoles released ('96, but Europe didn't get the N64 until '97) overtaking the 4th gen. By '02 ('01, but in Europe didn't get the Xbox until '02) all 6th gen consoles released pushing aside the 5th gen.

This gives me a question. When did the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo overtake the Nintendo Entertainment System.


If I had to guess, 1991-1992 for the Sega Genesis, maybe 93-94 for the SNES. I think Sonic's introduction REALLY gave Sega momentum and while SNES had been big with Nintendo fans I get the sense that Donkey Kong Country pushed SNES over the edge.

I was born in 1990. I never even SAW an NES outside of my grandpa's house as a kid. No peers of mine had them and I remember thinking the games seemed simple and 'old'. As I remember, 94-96 was the peak of Sega, and SNES. I didn't get a SNES until 1997, but I had seen the games as early as 94 or 95 but I had no interest. Whereas I had around a dozen Sega games, I only ever had less than three or four for SNES,

Sega Saturn and Playstation were released in the EU in July and September 1995 respectively. With the 'Ultra 64' expected in late 1996 (it turned out to be Spring 1997) it kind of felt like the whole 16-bit era was coming to an end from mid-late 1996 onward, and I felt a bit sad about it because the older consoles had more charm. Although I still played my SNES for a while after getting both the PS and N64 particularly Donkey Kong Country 2!  ;D

I mean they came out around '95/'96, so around 1997 I would say. I got a PS1 for Christmas 1996 actually. Before that I was one of the few owners of the Sega Saturn and I still had my Genesis too.

1996 or 1997.

Somewhere by 1996 for the Playstation, while the N64 took a bit longer by 1997. A lot of developers didn't really like Nintendo's decision when they stick with the cartridge format, so the Playstation was favored a lot more with its CD drive.