PS1 or N64?

[EzraPound]

It's a tough call, but I go for the big N. I say this because while the PS1 had a myriad of great titles, the most significant games of the fifth generation seemed to reside largely on the N64. Couple that with dazzling graphics, a lack of load times, and four-player support, and the argument for Nintendo's late-90s supremacy becomes even more convincing.

P.S. Along with your preference, list your five or ten favourite games for said console. Mine for the N64 are:

1. Paper Mario
- I rented Paper Mario in Grade 6 and played it for forty hours straight, without sleep. Later, in first-year university, I did it again.
2. GoldenEye 007
- On my deathbed, I may wish I hadn't squandered a year of my life playing this game.
3. Conker's Bad Fur Day
- The second-best multi-player on the console, IMO, and the single-player would've been in contention if it were longer.
4. Super Mario 64
- Raving about this one is as culturally tired as discussing the Beatles' mid-60s innovations.
5. Star Fox 64
- The gold medals I have on virtually every level speak for themselves.
6. Super Smash Bros.
- The best multi-player on the N64. Hands down.
7. Harvest Moon 64
- Even if it is just a polished re-make of the SNES game, on the RPG-deprived N64 it seemed like revelation.
8. Space Station Silicon Valley
- Better than Banjo-Kazooie. Better than Donkey Kong 64. Better than Jet Force Gemini. Etc.
9. Doom 64
- Though I know it's partly a sentimental favourite, did anyone else think that Doom's N64 outing was underrated? At the very least, it's the most fleshed-out entry in the series (the game runs in real 3D, for example), and the level designs are excellent. Now if only it had a multi-player...
10. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Though I still complain that this game is too frustrating to be continually emmersive (see: The Water Temple), it's hard to deny its status as one of the greatest ever.

RUNNERS-UP: Blast Corps, Duke Nukem 64, Pilotwings 64, Pokemon Puzzle League, Mario Kart 64

Most overrated N64 games, IMO:

Diddy Kong Racing
- A Mario Kart clone that offered up a second-rate single-player, and a multi-player mode that failed to entertain as much as MK64's did (if you misinterpret that as Mortal Kombat's N64 abbreviation, it still holds true).
Banjo-Kazooie
- It amazes me that on a console without a single good fighting game or 2D platformer, Rareware decided to release another run-of-the-mill 3D platformer.
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
- It was overhyped at the time because the graphics were purdy. Doom 64, Duke Nukem 64, and Quake II were all better (among others). Ditch this crap.
Quake 64
- This game has a decent single-player, but noone plays Quake for the single-player. Its multiplayer only supports two players, and drops frames like a bad window installation.
Donkey Kong 64
- Rareware wore even themselves out with this one. Mediocre item-collecting shtick.
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
- It drops frames, is much longer than anyone would want to play, and makes you sit for ridiculous durations of time in order to find save points. Rage Wars was a nice UT knock-off, though.
Banjo-Tooie
- This game is filth.
Pokemon Stadium
- Overrated when you consider the whole game's a 3D representation of an unremarkarkable combat system with a few mini-games thrown in. Would've been passable if it included a built-in copy of Pokemon R/B/Y.
StarCraft 64
- It requires the expansion pak to access Blood War content (inexplicably), is blurry and unplayable, doesn't have cut-scenes, allots more micromanagement to the N64 controller than it can handle, and features a multi-player wherein you can just screenpeak your enemies' mini-map if you want to know where she is. It also drops frames.
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
- Overrated because IGN gave it a 3. This is the worst game I've ever played.

 

[brenflood]

As you mentioned, the PS1 had a myriad of great games. I like it mainly for its vast assortment of RPGs and FMV capabilities that were frequently utilized. So, it's my choice by far. Most of its best games offered great storylines and wonderful gameplay. Gameplay on the N64 never felt right for me on any game other than Mario 64 because almost all of the required you use the C buttons for something other than the camera, which to me seemed like the controller needed more buttons.
I will concede that the N64's ten best titles are quite excellent, and show the Nintendo franchise games at their absolute best (Most of the Gamecube versions of the stock frnachise titles pale in comparison to their N64 counterparts).
1. Final Fantasy IX
2. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
3. Legend of Dragoon
3. Wild Arms
4. Thosuand Arms
5. Metal Gear Solid

 

[ZergInfestedJesus]

Dont forget dk64 and get force gemini

 

[LoompaOompa]

When the n64 and Playstation came out, I was only in elementary school, and didn't have a lot of access to gaming news. My parents got us a N64 because they trusted nintendo as a game company. I loved my N64, I played goldeneye, banjo-kazooie, Ocarina of time(to this day, my favorite game), and loved every minute of it. I've tried to go back and play playstation games at friend's houses and stuff, but it never clicked for me. Mostly because I feel that there is no nostalgia there. I consider SNES and genesis to be the last of the classic consoles, so when I play playstation one, I just feel like I could be playing something newer and more refined. I feel like I could do better.

 

[blackadvent]

I'm gonna have to part ways on the 'Banjo-Tootie' opinion. If that game was filth, I'd like to see what a 'good' game is.

But Pokemon Stadium... I was hoping for a 3D FULL Pokemon game. This is what I got instead. LAME.

Also, a little gem on the 64- Rocket: Robot on Wheels. It was made by Sucker Punch, the guys who made the Sly Cooper games. Highly underestimated.

 

[Terramax]

Final Fantasy VII, Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, Tomb Raider, Grand Theft Auto, Spyro the Dragon, Grandia, Rollcage, Silent Hill, Driver, Vagrant Story, Tekken 3, Gran Turismo, Ridge Racer Type 4, Wipeout, Street Fighter Alpha 3, the list goes on and on.

To me, the PSX and Saturn were the first consoles to dabble with art, something Nintendo has never done. That alone makes the consoles morally superior. Then there's the fact that the PSX were for adult audiences, whilst 80% Nintendo went for the ignorant kids/ family base.

I didn't get Mario 64. Mario did his usual as being the slippery little mofo that he is to control, levels, characters, soundtrack reused from every other Mario game.

Ocarina, I admit was really good at the time, but wasn't a scratch on Panzer Dragoon Saga or FFVII which actually had plots and memorable characters.

Smash Bros. was the only game listed so far I truly enjoyed (multiplayer)

Worst of all, the sound quality of most N64 games was just terrible. A game without a decent soundtrack can never be a classic (i.g. all Mario games).

I guess it's understandable to enjoy the 64 more if you're really young (like 10 or under) but for everyone else, there's no excuse.

Saturn comes second to the PSX i.e. Why play Smash Bros when you have Guardian Heroes?

 

[EzraPound]

I'm gonna have to part ways on the 'Banjo-Tootie' opinion. If that game was filth, I'd like to see what a 'good' game is.

Well, filth in the sense that it's a) completely unoriginal, and that b) there's better platforming options available on the console.

To me, the PSX and Saturn were the first consoles to dabble with art, something Nintendo has never done.

If the criteria for art is different than the criteria for "best games" (which it isn't; something doesn't have to be self-consciously profound like FFVII to be art) then yes, your opinion is correct.

I didn't get Mario 64. Mario did his usual as being the slippery little mofo that he is to control, levels, characters, soundtrack reused from every other Mario game.

Call it how you will, it's still better than Ape Escape, Crash-Bandicoot, or whatever other 3D drivel the PS offered up.

Ocarina, I admit was really good at the time, but wasn't a scratch on Panzer Dragoon Saga or FFVII which actually had plots and memorable characters.

This is a hard one for me to dispute, since I enjoyed both those games more than Ocarina, but I will say that objectively I'd place the three in a similar class. Keep in mind that Ocarina was more a miracle of gameplay than a miracle of presentation, and that it shouldn't neccessarily be judged as a straightforward RPG.

Worst of all, the sound quality of most N64 games was just terrible. A game without a decent soundtrack can never be a classic (i.g. all Mario games).

So I guess there were no good console games released prior to CD-quality sound...? It's pretty unsound to judge games exclusively on the basis of one art asset.

I guess it's understandable to enjoy the 64 more if you're really young (like 10 or under) but for everyone else, there's no excuse.

GOOD EXCUSE = GOOD GAMES

Saturn comes second to the PSX i.e. Why play Smash Bros when you have Guardian Heroes?

Since I'm pissed at the N64 for having like, two good fighting games, I'll agree out of spite. Would it have been that hard to port Street Fighter, for Christ's sake?

 

[end_boss]

The N64 had Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, WCW/nWo World Tour, WWF No Mercy, and, most of all, Tetrisphere.

And I don't much care for J-RPGs, so the Final Fantasy series don't do it for me.

So, N64 wins it for me. PS1 had Silent Hill, Resident Evil 2, Clock Tower, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. And that's about it for me on that one.

I can still list off games for N64 that I would still play, though; Mischief Makers, Mario Kart, etc

 

[portuga-man]

Saturn ;_;

 

[Zera]

The N64 was one of the greatest things that happened to me in my lifetime. I remember the christmas I got in along with Starfox 64 and Mariokart 64. I played those games to death and i loved it. Every other game I owned and played was gold. Damn I miss that thing

 

[tiredinnuendo]

N64 had about 15 games on it that were both great and unavailable on other platforms. I recall game stores that used old N64's as doorstops and table leg props with signs that said, "This is all I'm good for."

The problem with the N64 is that the games that were good were great, and everything else.... wasn't. It was the last Nintendo system I bought, although I'm willing to give the Wii another look if a few more good games come out for it.

I liked my N64, don't get me wrong, but if someone were going to give me the choice between taking the N64 and all its games or the PS1 and all its games, with a qualifier that I would never get to have the other system, I think I'd choose the PS1.

- J

 

[Muimdac13]

The NES, SNES, and N64 were each the best of their time for tech specs, controls, and games with a level of polish that you could not play on any other system.

 

[Terramax]

If the criteria for art is different than the criteria for "best games" (which it isn't; something doesn't have to be self-consciously profound like FFVII to be art) then yes, your opinion is correct.

I rate games on their overall quality. Their entire criteria. Nintendo games have okay to very good gameplay, but lack depth, originality and presentation. To me, that's a good reason to downgrade a game.

From this viewpoint, if this is for 'best games' as you say, Nintendo's games arem't anywhere near 'best' at all.

Call it how you will, it's still better than Ape Escape, Crash-Bandicoot, or whatever other 3D drivel the PS offered up.

Certainly not better than Spyro the Dragon or Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. But 'to each their own' as they say.

This is a hard one for me to dispute, since I enjoyed both those games more than Ocarina, but I will say that objectively I'd place the three in a similar class. Keep in mind that Ocarina was more a miracle of gameplay than a miracle of presentation, and that it shouldn't neccessarily be judged as a straightforward RPG.

Good point.

So I guess there were no good console games released prior to CD-quality sound...? It's pretty unsound to judge games exclusively on the basis of one art asset.

I've bought a lot of computer game soundtracks in the past, and spent serious time listening to them. I've probably spend more money on computer game soundtracks in the last 5 years than actual computer games.

Of all the OSTs that I own, Ocarina of time is the only N64 game I own a soundtrack to. And like I said, Nintendo don't strive for art, and this is partially shown in their soundtracks for the N64 games.

GOOD EXCUSE = GOOD GAMES

Well I guess about 5 justifies the 's' at the end of game.

Saturn comes second to the PSX i.e. Why play Smash Bros when you have Guardian Heroes?

Since I'm pissed at the N64 for having like, two good fighting games, I'll agree out of spite. Would it have been that hard to port Street Fighter, for Christ's sake?[/quote]

If you can't tell, I'm a Sega Fanboy. I also love arcade games, so the Saturn was pretty much perfection (then the Dreamcast came out). The Saturn wasn't just a fighting game's console. There were some great classics, and multiplayer perfect games that amuse my friends and I to this day (we played Saturn Bomberman this Saturday just gone).

 

[Cooper42]

Agreed tiredinnuendo.

The N64 had some /amazing/ games - Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Mario 64 and Ocarina - games people look back on as formative in how we think about and play games.

But most of the rest was very middling (something standard on Nintendo consoles since it seems)

Whereas the PSX set the grounds for some fantastic series (Silent Hill, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Gran Turismo, GTA et al.) but, bar a few, they were not necessarily so groundbreaking in terms of gameplay.

But, surely the answer is that, given you can pick up either system for £20 odd quid and most games for a few bob, just go and play them both - you don't need to choose...

 

[Parasan]

N64, No question about it. Conkers Bad Fur Day is still my favourite game of all time,
with Paper Mario a close second & OOT third. Banjo Tooie is 4th, & for a bloody good reason
(Long replay value) & 5th is Mario Kart, I just drift for ages until like 2AM.
Anyone think that CBFD is still the best console multiplayer of all time, or am I just biased
>_>?

 

[Katana314]

I didn't play much of the PS1, but my preference is the N64...

-Banjo Kazooie and Tooie (could you provide some LEGITIMATE concerns about it? Just the fact that it's a platformer does not make it unoriginal; if so, Half-Life is one of the most run-of-the-mill games ever.)
-Jet Force Gemini
-Goldeneye
-Perfect Dark
-Super Smash Bros.
-Star Fox 64 (only a one-sitting sort of game, but so many ways to beat it, and definitely fun to play over)
-Paper Mario
-Mario Kart (THEY TOOK OUT BLOCKFORT IN DOUBLE DASH. They so half-assed those battle maps)

That's all for me. And no, Ocarina does not get a place. One, I didn't own it. Two, it's in enough lists and is a little bit overrated. Not BAD, just overrated.

 

[defcon 1]

N64 is by far my favorite console. Although to be fair, I never played the Playstation. I really did like the BK games and Diddy Kong Racing.

-Zelda(both)
-Mario 64
-Paper Mario
-Banjo Kazooie(both)
-Star Fox 64
-F-Zero X
-Mario Kart
-Diddy Kong Racing
-Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
-Super Smash Bros

I have allot more games but I didn't feel like listing them all