Biggest console generation leap?

V4NT0M

V4NT0M

V4NT0M

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This came up in another thread, just wondering (would love a poll) what console generation leap in graphics/technical ability has been the most in your opinion? Which new console made you think 'wow X console is going to be (or is) amazing' the most?

Dont want to go too far back so we go for the following

Master System / NES -> Mega Drive / SNES
Megadrive / SNES -> Playstation / Nintendo 64
Playstation / Nintendo 64 -> Playstation 2 / Gamecube / Xbox / Dreamcast
Playstation 2 / Gamecube / Xbox -> Playstation 3 / Wii / Xbox 360

(put in the main contenders, not going to bother with neo-geos, 3DOs etc lol)

Personally I think my fondest memories and complete wow factor have to have been from playing Mario in 3D for the first time on the N64 and then later Banjo Kazooie, not only because it was a massive leap over the SNES and now in 3D, but because of better Mario/Banjo looked than any PS game. The games only got better from then...

I was tempted to say the current gen, 360 etc, but mainly I've not been mega impressed by the visuals in most games, GoW obviously was wow and playing them in HD is also very, very nice. Also the Wii is very innovative. Everything lokos nice, just not in general wow. 3D was a big revolution.
 
Since console gaming became a serious market, so around the time of the NES/Master System I think that's the earliest people should be looking at, not prior.

For me, I would say the current leap from Playstation2/Xbox to Playstation3/Wii/Xbox360.
 
Definitely the leap from Mega Drive/Snes to PlayStation/N64/Saturn.

With that generation games went from being mainly 2D to being mainly 3D, a huge change that turned gaming from being just fun into the cinematic experiences we have today (think FF7). Not syaing that's necessarily a good thing, just that it's the biggest thing.

Although the online capabilities of todays consoles are fantastic, only time will tell as to their importance in shaping what games are.
 
I believe that the defining moment was Mario 64. I think nearly every game today owes itself to that game.

So I am of the opinion that I think will be shared by most that the leap from 16 bit gaming into the N64 and playstation era was the biggest leap.
 
IMO its got to be Megadrive / SNES -> Playstation / Nintendo 64...
Finally some 3D games with half decent graphics and better sounds :) This generation has been a big disappointment for me so far :( Yes we have 720p games now and some better looking games but its certainly not the jump from SNES ect to playstation is it?Games like Halo 2 and God of war show that last gen still had some visually stunning games compared to the specs of the consoles,I guess the best is still to come for this slow starting "nextgen" era.
 
I'm going to throw in computers in this one as well. The biggest leap forwards in gaming for me were.....

Computer - C64 / Spectrum to Atari ST / Amiga

Console - Megadrive / SNES to Playstion / Saturn

Anyone who doesn't agree clearly wasn't there, also remember the N64 came along later than the Playstion & Saturn so i don't really count that in the leap from Megadrive & SNES :p
 
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EezerGoode said:
I believe that the defining moment was Mario 64. I think nearly every game today owes itself to that game.

So I am of the opinion that I think will be shared by most that the leap from 16 bit gaming into the N64 and playstation era was the biggest leap.
Click to expand...

I agree :)
 
pumaz said:
I'm going to throw in computers in this one as well. The biggest leap forwards in gaming for me were.....

Computer - C64 / Spectrum to Atari ST / Amiga

Console - Megadrive / SNES to Playstion / Saturn

Anyone who doesn't agree clearly wasn't there, also remember the N64 came along later than the Playstion & Saturn so i don't really count that in the leap from Megadrive & SNES :p
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I was going to mention the speccy to ST/Amiga jump but wasnt sure if that counted. I can remember first seeing Ridge Racer on PS1 and could not believe how good it looked. So im going for the Snes to PS 1 jump.
 
msmalls74 said:
I was going to mention the speccy to ST/Amiga jump but wasnt sure if that counted. I can remember first seeing Ridge Racer on PS1 and could not believe how good it looked. So im going for the Snes to PS 1 jump.
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I think computers like the Amiga should count in this thread as there main use was gaming...... oh and XCopy ;)
 
16bit -> 32bit was the biggest step I can think of, not including such stepping stones as the MegaCD and 32X.

SNES / Megadrive -> Playstation / Saturn

I seem to remember the N64 as a step from the PS and Saturn rather than the SNES / Megadrive as it came out a good year and a half after the original 32 bit consoles.
 
16bit consoles to the N64. PSX and Saturn games at the time just didn't have the graphics that the N64 did and a lot of the games were still 2D. Stuff like sega rally/ridge racer were decent games in thier own right but the 3D contained horrible jaggies everywhere and very basic 3d objects. I remember when i saw my first Mario 64 trailer on that gamemaster program with that wierd monicle dude. My jaw totally hit the floor. Turok 2 which also came later in the N64's life totally amazed me when i first saw it. Then i had to wait 7 years till i played doom 3 before i got the same feeling :P

If i were to name my top 10 best games of all time. I reckon at least 50% of them would be N64 games.
 
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We had our fair share of mainstream consoles:
Master System > Megadrive > SNES > N64 > PS1 > PS2 > PS3

For me the biggest jump was the PS1 in terms of visuals at least.
Battle Arena Toshinden and Ridge Racer were simply stunning. Then the arrival of Wipeout and Tekken sealed it.
 
For me the biggest impact was the arrival of the 16bit consoles (Megadrive and SNES)

I grew up on arcade games in the arcades and these were the first home machines to offer the same performance as the arcade machines of the time. Totally changed the way we played games. The hours lost to Streetfighter II, Streets of Rage, Splatterhouse, Desert Strike, Sonic, Gradius, RType, Thunderforce IV etc

Whilst the 32bit consoles were undoubtably graphically a huge step, they never managed to capture the simple but compelling gameplay of the megadrive and snes for me.
 
EezerGoode said:
I believe that the defining moment was Mario 64. I think nearly every game today owes itself to that game.

So I am of the opinion that I think will be shared by most that the leap from 16 bit gaming into the N64 and playstation era was the biggest leap.
Click to expand...

Ah-hum
 
By the time the N64 came along, though, people had already experienced Daytona, Ridge Racer, Battle Arena Toshinden, Wipeout and a plethora of other 32-bit titles.

Really, in my eyes at least, the step to the N64 was from the 32-bit consoles even though both are considered '5th gen'.
 
Mega Drive/SNES era >>>> PS/Saturn era

The leap was massive, I still remember being blown away when I played Wipeout for the first time.
 
Bonjour said:
By the time the N64 came along, though, people had already experienced Daytona, Ridge Racer, Battle Arena Toshinden, Wipeout and a plethora of other 32-bit titles.

Really, in my eyes at least, the step to the N64 was from the 32-bit consoles even though both are considered '5th gen'.
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True, but PSX games around that time looked awful. Despite loving the SNES and buying an N64 near launch I simply refused to buy a PSX because the jaggies just irritated my eyes so much. Wipeout's the only one in that list that I particularly liked the look of (graphically)
 
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