Ohhh, I'm looking forward to reading responses on this one.
I guess for me, it would be the SNES, but that might be an unfair opinion since the majority of my Nintendo memories are with that system. For me, SNES games seem to have aged the best compared to other Nintendo systems. NES would be a very close second.
Higher quality as in higher percentage of good titles?
Higher quality in terms of the good games themselves being "better" than another console?
I think in terms of absolute number of memorable games, the NES is going to take the trophy.
Almost anybody (into vintage games) can rattle off dozens of games worth playing on the console, to the point that nobody can agree on even a "top 50".
On the other hand, I'd have to give it some real thought to even conjure up 50 SNES games to put on the list in the first place.
But in terms of the RELATIVE quality of the two systems' games, I'd say the SNES probably has the better games, overall.
That is, IF you winnowed down to a top 10 or top 20 on each system, the top 10 on the SNES is going to involve better games than the same list for the NES.
One way to look at it would be to take the top 5 or 10 best and worst from each system and judge based on how well they held up. Each system had historically good games for its time but looking at it in retrospect just how good (or bad) were they?
SNES's library pretty much speaks for itself. It's pretty much the most consistent Nintendo console in terms of quality control, games in different genres, and just for having the highest number of quality games.
If we're talking percentage of total library, the N64 has a very high number of quality games despite its small library. Wii is easily the loser in this race but though most people on this forum would never admit it, NES has an obscene amount of truly bad games. Yes it has a good number of great ones but I think the number of bad games on NES far outweigh the bad games on any other Nintendo system, except maybe Wii.
I'd have to go with SNES as top and Nintendo 64 as least which honorable mention to Wii U which unfortunately is kinda biased as its near pure Nintendo.
Higher quality as in higher percentage of good titles?
Higher quality in terms of the good games themselves being "better" than another console?
I think in terms of absolute number of memorable games, the NES is going to take the trophy.
Almost anybody (into vintage games) can rattle off dozens of games worth playing on the console, to the point that nobody can agree on even a "top 50".
On the other hand, I'd have to give it some real thought to even conjure up 50 SNES games to put on the list in the first place.
But in terms of the RELATIVE quality of the two systems' games, I'd say the SNES probably has the better games, overall.
That is, IF you winnowed down to a top 10 or top 20 on each system, the top 10 on the SNES is going to involve better games than the same list for the NES.
Neo Geo is the console with the highest percentage of good games in it's library. Oh, this is about Nintendo? Then I'd have to go with the NES or SNES (honestly I'd have to give this a lot more thought).
I'd say the Wii is far and away the console with the highest percentage of terrible games in it's library (I'm not kidding but it could be 99% or higher). Does the Wii even have a good game? I guess some of the digital only stuff like Mega Man 9 & 10 and Gradius Rebirth are good.
Neo Geo is the console with the highest percentage of good games in it's library. Oh, this is about Nintendo? Then I'd have to go with the NES or SNES (honestly I'd have to give this a lot more thought).
I'd say the Wii is far and away the console with the highest percentage of terrible games in it's library (I'm not kidding but it could be 99% or higher). Does the Wii even have a good game? I guess some of the digital only stuff like Mega Man 9 & 10 and Gradius Rebirth are good.
Outside of first party titles I enjoyed:
Muramasa
Trauma Center
Silent Hill Shattered Memories
Castle of Shikigami III
Deadly Creatures
Madworld
I definitely agree that it's their worst console library though.
Neo Geo is the console with the highest percentage of good games in it's library. Oh, this is about Nintendo? Then I'd have to go with the NES or SNES (honestly I'd have to give this a lot more thought).
I'd say the Wii is far and away the console with the highest percentage of terrible games in it's library (I'm not kidding but it could be 99% or higher). Does the Wii even have a good game? I guess some of the digital only stuff like Mega Man 9 & 10 and Gradius Rebirth are good.
Neo Geo would definitely take the cake overall. (all systems, all manufacturers, for best "hit percentage)
When you've got a system that expensive, with games that expensive, every one needs to be a winner.
But yeah, the Wii had enough good games to make it worth owning long enough to play through them.
I had 16 games, or so, back when the system was newer, and didn't own a single dud.
And I know there were at least as many "good games" I never got around to buying.
In terms of "hit percentage", yeah, they're abysmally low because of how much shovelware made it onto the platform.
But in terms of "absolute number" of good games, they're not really worse than any other Nintendo platform that came before.
I'm pretty partial to the SNES (and always will be) because that's the console that got me hooked on Console games and Video Gaming as more than just passing time.
I was already enjoying playing video games on my PC during the NES days so spending money for a console didn't make sense to me.
I was already an adult so just the size, layout and response of the controller made a big difference in the playability of the games.
I'd say the difference between Ghost and Goblins and Ghouls and Ghosts is a perfect example.
going by percentage of good games or by number of quality games the SNES wins hands down... too much crap ware shoveled out on the nes... it was a different time where companies tried new stuff but they just didn't work...
By nostalgia, the NES wins. The SNES came out right around when I was pretty much a teen, so a lot of the gaming time went away for social activities, and while I have some fond memories with a lot of games and friends, it just doesn't compete with those of the NES era
It's obvious the SNES was a better, more advanced console than the NES but in terms of what they could do which one had the higher quality library?
I'd agree with more advanced, but not "better" -- too subjective.
I go back and forth between the NES and SNES. If you took out everything from the NES catalog that SNES titles directly built upon (e.g. sequels, spiritual or direct), it gets trickier.
Ninja Gaiden games on NES are better than the Ninja Gaiden trilogy on the SNES
The biggest advantage with the SNES Mario games is that you can save your game. Having to start over from the beginning every time in a huge game like SMB3 brings it down a few notches.'
"Mike Tyson's Punch-Out" versus "Super Punch-out" is a tough call.
How about NES Mega Man games versus the Mega Man games on the SNES?
I might put the classic MM series over the SNES X series (unless you include the PS1 X4, which is the best mega man game ever made), but that's a very tough call between NES and SNES.
The only "military shooter" I know of on the SNES is Firepower 2000 (which is the sequel to Silk Worm even though they play quite a bit different). I guess you've also got the "Strike" series (Desert Strike, Jungle Strike, etc) on the SNES.
Comments
I guess for me, it would be the SNES, but that might be an unfair opinion since the majority of my Nintendo memories are with that system. For me, SNES games seem to have aged the best compared to other Nintendo systems. NES would be a very close second.
Higher quality as in higher percentage of good titles?
Higher quality in terms of the good games themselves being "better" than another console?
I think in terms of absolute number of memorable games, the NES is going to take the trophy.
Almost anybody (into vintage games) can rattle off dozens of games worth playing on the console, to the point that nobody can agree on even a "top 50".
On the other hand, I'd have to give it some real thought to even conjure up 50 SNES games to put on the list in the first place.
But in terms of the RELATIVE quality of the two systems' games, I'd say the SNES probably has the better games, overall.
That is, IF you winnowed down to a top 10 or top 20 on each system, the top 10 on the SNES is going to involve better games than the same list for the NES.
If we're talking percentage of total library, the N64 has a very high number of quality games despite its small library. Wii is easily the loser in this race but though most people on this forum would never admit it, NES has an obscene amount of truly bad games. Yes it has a good number of great ones but I think the number of bad games on NES far outweigh the bad games on any other Nintendo system, except maybe Wii.
Higher quality as in total number of good titles?
Higher quality as in higher percentage of good titles?
Higher quality in terms of the good games themselves being "better" than another console?
I think in terms of absolute number of memorable games, the NES is going to take the trophy.
Almost anybody (into vintage games) can rattle off dozens of games worth playing on the console, to the point that nobody can agree on even a "top 50".
On the other hand, I'd have to give it some real thought to even conjure up 50 SNES games to put on the list in the first place.
But in terms of the RELATIVE quality of the two systems' games, I'd say the SNES probably has the better games, overall.
That is, IF you winnowed down to a top 10 or top 20 on each system, the top 10 on the SNES is going to involve better games than the same list for the NES.
Took the words right out of my mouth, sir.
NES
N64
Wii U
NGC
Wii
I'd say the Wii is far and away the console with the highest percentage of terrible games in it's library (I'm not kidding but it could be 99% or higher). Does the Wii even have a good game? I guess some of the digital only stuff like Mega Man 9 & 10 and Gradius Rebirth are good.
Originally posted by: pegboy
Neo Geo is the console with the highest percentage of good games in it's library. Oh, this is about Nintendo? Then I'd have to go with the NES or SNES (honestly I'd have to give this a lot more thought).
I'd say the Wii is far and away the console with the highest percentage of terrible games in it's library (I'm not kidding but it could be 99% or higher). Does the Wii even have a good game? I guess some of the digital only stuff like Mega Man 9 & 10 and Gradius Rebirth are good.
Outside of first party titles I enjoyed:
Muramasa
Trauma Center
Silent Hill Shattered Memories
Castle of Shikigami III
Deadly Creatures
Madworld
I definitely agree that it's their worst console library though.
DS (most good games)
SFC
SNES
NES
GBA
Wii
3DS
Gamecube
Famicom
GB
N64
GBC
Wii U (fewest so far; it'll move up)
Neo Geo is the console with the highest percentage of good games in it's library. Oh, this is about Nintendo? Then I'd have to go with the NES or SNES (honestly I'd have to give this a lot more thought).
I'd say the Wii is far and away the console with the highest percentage of terrible games in it's library (I'm not kidding but it could be 99% or higher). Does the Wii even have a good game? I guess some of the digital only stuff like Mega Man 9 & 10 and Gradius Rebirth are good.
Neo Geo would definitely take the cake overall. (all systems, all manufacturers, for best "hit percentage)
When you've got a system that expensive, with games that expensive, every one needs to be a winner.
But yeah, the Wii had enough good games to make it worth owning long enough to play through them.
I had 16 games, or so, back when the system was newer, and didn't own a single dud.
And I know there were at least as many "good games" I never got around to buying.
In terms of "hit percentage", yeah, they're abysmally low because of how much shovelware made it onto the platform.
But in terms of "absolute number" of good games, they're not really worse than any other Nintendo platform that came before.
Outside of first party titles I enjoyed:
No need to discount first party titles. There were tons of good ones.
But your third party list left off the plethora of great light-gun games, and quirky stuff like the new version of A Boy and His Blob.
No need to discount first party titles. There were tons of good ones.
But your third party list left off the plethora of great light-gun games, and quirky stuff like the new version of A Boy and His Blob.
I'm gonna agree with Arch_8ngel here. The Wii had lots and lots of great third-party games on it.
Originally posted by: arch_8ngel
Originally posted by: Silent Hill
Outside of first party titles I enjoyed:
No need to discount first party titles. There were tons of good ones.
But your third party list left off the plethora of great light-gun games, and quirky stuff like the new version of A Boy and His Blob.
I didn't mean to discount those titles, just figured those would be ones everybody would mention as worth playing.
I have that version of Boy and his Blob but haven't played it yet.
Originally posted by: Silent Hill
I have that version of Boy and his Blob but haven't played it yet.
It's a pretty emotional experience, if you let it tap into the nostalgia of how you felt playing the original as a kid.
I was already enjoying playing video games on my PC during the NES days so spending money for a console didn't make sense to me.
I was already an adult so just the size, layout and response of the controller made a big difference in the playability of the games.
I'd say the difference between Ghost and Goblins and Ghouls and Ghosts is a perfect example.
I'd say the difference between Ghost and Goblins and Ghouls and Ghosts is a perfect example.
True. Looking at games with direct parallels you get: (probably general consensus)
Super Ghouls and Ghosts > Ghosts and Goblins
Super Mario World > SMB 3 or SMB
Super Metroid > Metroid
A Link to the Past > Legend of Zelda
Secret of Mana > Crystalis (I love Crystalis, but I don't think this is a stretch)
Super Smash TV >> Smash TV
Arcana > NES renditions of Wizardry (maybe debatable)
etc
But there are quite a few great NES games with no direct SNES analog:
Startropics
Faxanadu
Zelda 2
Mario 2
Blaster Master
id rank wii bottom, n64 slightly above it
By nostalgia, the NES wins. The SNES came out right around when I was pretty much a teen, so a lot of the gaming time went away for social activities, and while I have some fond memories with a lot of games and friends, it just doesn't compete with those of the NES era
By my favorite games, the SNES wins.
It's obvious the SNES was a better, more advanced console than the NES but in terms of what they could do which one had the higher quality library?
I'd agree with more advanced, but not "better" -- too subjective.
I go back and forth between the NES and SNES. If you took out everything from the NES catalog that SNES titles directly built upon (e.g. sequels, spiritual or direct), it gets trickier.
LTTP > Zelda 1
Contra III > Contra & Super C
Gradius III > Gradius 1 & 2
Castlevania IV > CV I, II, III (III might be better than IV actually)
Super Metroid > Metroid
SMW > SMB3
FFIII > FF
Space Megaforce > Gun Nac or Zanac
Wild Guns > Cabal
etc, etc
The only ones off the top of my head where I think the NES version is better are:
Battletoads NES > Battletoads SNES
Ninja Gaiden 1, 2, 3 >>>>>> Ninja Gaiden Trilogy (terrible ports)
Castlevania III > Castlevania IV ? (debatable)
MT Punch Out > Super Punch Out
Ninja Gaiden games on NES are better than the Ninja Gaiden trilogy on the SNES
The biggest advantage with the SNES Mario games is that you can save your game. Having to start over from the beginning every time in a huge game like SMB3 brings it down a few notches.'
"Mike Tyson's Punch-Out" versus "Super Punch-out" is a tough call.
How about NES Mega Man games versus the Mega Man games on the SNES?
But man, the SNES is right up there.
The only "military shooter" I know of on the SNES is Firepower 2000 (which is the sequel to Silk Worm even though they play quite a bit different). I guess you've also got the "Strike" series (Desert Strike, Jungle Strike, etc) on the SNES.