Nintendo's 3DS has ignited a flame deep in our hearts. It's something new, something special. Something worth keeping a piggybank for, dedicated to saving up for its midnight launch. But is it the most excited we've ever got about a console? No.
Each member of the UK GamesRadar team has contributed to share their memories of anticipating a shiny new wonderconsole. So have a read, then tell us which consoleyou got most excited about in the comments.
Dave Houghton: Super Nintendo
I’m going to go with the SNES, because I am that old. Looking back, the evolution that the 16-bit Nintendo machine brought to games might not look anywhere near as big as the 3D of the N64 of the HD of the 360 and PS3, but back in 1992 the atmosphere around it was insanely exciting.
Let’s put it into context. I had a Spectrum. I lusted after a NES for years. The most horsepower-heavy console any of my friends had was Ninty’s 8-bit wonder. One even still played on an Atari 2600. We knew a few people with Mega Drives and Amigas, but they didn’t count because they didn’t have Nintendo games. But oh, how those misguided fools used their extra bits to disparage the glorious Nintendo way.
Above: The EU Super Nintendo with its US cousin
But we knew our time was coming. We knew we had a secret weapon on the horizon (literally). Over in the magical eastern kingdom of Japan (which felt a bit like Oz in those days), the SNES was already out, and every screenshot from every import review and preview dripped with the colour of the future. For nearly two years. That’s how long we waited. That’s how long we were dedicated. But when we first got our hands on the video game revolution that was Yoshi and Mode 7 Bowser fights, every second was worth it.
Dave Meikleham: Nintendo 64
Back when I was not but a lad, I had a dream. A dream of owning a bit of 64-bit powered plastic. Some of you may call it an N64. I remember when I first saw footage of Mario 64 a good year before the console launched on ancient UK game show Bad Influence. As soon as I saw that overweight Italian plumber rendered in glorious blocky 3D, I knew I had to have one.
Above: N64's blocky 3D was the best thing we'd ever seen in 1996
Cue 14 months of fevered saving and squirreling away of pennies and dreaming about swinging Bowser around with an analogue stick. AN ANALOGUE STICK! When I actually got the machine my dad made the faux pas of forgetting to buy Mario 64 with it. Luckily, he put that right a few days later, though did get a 120 quid parking ticket in the process. Ah, memories.
Justin Towell: Sega Dreamcast
I was insanely excited about Dreamcast's release. I had sold my Saturn to get a PSone (big mistake- I had a perfect boxed copy of Panzer Dragoon Saga and everything), but the graphics on that entire generation looked rubbish compared to Dreamcast. I remember playing the DreamOn Vol 1 demo in a shop - Trickstyle and Monaco GP Racing Simulator were just incredible (though both look like pants now)and the promise of Sega Rally 2, Virtua Fighter 3and Sonic Adventure was almost too much to bear.
Above: Sonic's 3D! And everything's so hi-res! ZOMG!
I started trading-in everything I could find that was game related. The PSone and 18 games. Game Boy stuff. Every credit note I got went into a little plastic sandwich bag, next to my pre-order slip. I can still picture a girl at college called Elise, as she told me the release had been put back two weeks to October 10. The horror. I doubt that image will ever leave me.
But the day came around, I played Power Stone at the midnight launch... and everything was right with the world. That said,I did save up enough money to buy a PSP and EIGHT games at launch, so I suppose that's a close second.I had my picture in the paper and everything. I did work for the paper, but still...
Nathan Irvine: PlayStation 2
I don’t remember ever being wet with anticipation for any console in particular but the one that I remember wishing the days away for was PS2. Not because it looked ace and I couldn’t wait to get hold of Gran Turismo 3 but more because I’d contractedimpetigoa week before in Ibiza (don’t ask) and I needed something to take my mind off the scratching and excruciating pain. Plus, I’d declared myself house-bound because I thought I looked like the Elephant Man.
Above: Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec - worth the price of a PS2 alone
So when PS2 finally launched, I braved a trip to the shops at the crack of dawn, came home and sat in the darkness playing it for weeks. Bad times.
Matt Cundy: Magnavox Odyssey
It would have to be waiting for the Magnavox Odyssey to be launched in the UK. The very first home game console! Imagine me as a small child - I was practically overflowing with excitement! My dad had just returned from the Crimean War and we rode his penny-farthing down to the game shop. We paid 30 shillings for the console bundled with, I think, a tennis game. We took it home and played and played until it was time for me to go to work in the factory again. Such happy memories!
Above: A rare photo of Matt as a child. He was thrilled with his Magnavox
That was us. What about you? Or is 3DS the most exciting thing you've ever had to get excited about? Let us know in the comments.
25 Jun, 2010
