Favourite Console Generation

I was a primarily PC gamer up until about 2005/6. I did have the megadrive. Saturn, PS1 and 2 , gamecube and shared an OG Xbox whilst at uni so I had reasonable console exposure but wasn’t particularly invested in consoles really until the Gamecube I guess which was ideal for a Uni console. I got a GC my friend the Xbox and we shared them. Wasn’t really until 2006 when I got the 360 that I really ditched PC - I lived in a small tiny apartment and in reality had nowhere to put my desktop (which needed upgrading) so I’d got a gaming laptop but we had no desk or anywhere really that suited gaming and I decided to buy a 360 so I could game from the couch. It was a revelation as finally I could mainly play the games I enjoyed on PC on a console - rather than the console feeling like a major compromise - and an acceptance of playing a more arcadey or basic style of game.

I always find picking a favourite generation impossible mainly because in my youth I didn’t really invest in console generations and certainly didn’t get consoles at launch since I used my PC, at the time in the UK, Amiga/PC gaming was the rage amongst my age group, I don’t think anyone at school discussed gaming on a console of any sort. Probably because we could all be dispatched upstairs to play our games rather than hogging the TV downstairs and most of us only had one or max 2 TVs in the house - hardly anyone had bedroom TV’s at the time since they were still all CRT and we didn’t have space (or money). So that’s one thing. The other thing is generations just represent different times in our lives. I loved the 360 but I was very socially active in my mid 20’s starting my career and saving money to buy a house etc…I wasn’t necessarily focussed on it beyond investing a lot of time into some games. I enjoyed it as a leisure activity and certainly it converted me into a full console person. The XB1/PS4 came out and I’d got a house, settled down and was married. I had a good job but much more disposable income to spend on gaming and in reality much more time since it was the magical time of good job, house, but no kids. And I could for the first time justify getting both consoles and I enjoyed it. The first few years of that gen for me were peak gaming where I had few other distractions beyond the gym, odd drink with friends and nice holidays. So it was great. Then kids come along and reduce your gaming time but obviously over time they game with you…so the SX generation is great because I can now play games with my little one. And of course more adult games when she’s asleep. With a baby now it again makes it a bit more tricky but also opens up late night gaming opportunities so series S upstairs is great!

So every gen is different and represents a different phase in my life. I struggle to say which was best because I think what matters most is where you were and what you were doing. The days of sonic as a kid on the MD can’t ever be recaptured in terms of the sheer magic. Or playing Halo ce for the first time at Uni and literally not believing a game like this could be played on my TV! If I’m totally honest my heart is still in the 90’'s and emergence of PC gaming at the time. There was something magical about it - literally games coming out of nowhere - shareware like Wolfenstein 3d that nobody knew a thing about but ended up being on of the absolute all time classics and probably the most important game ever released. I played that off a PC gaming magazine free disc. Didn’t even know what it was and for a good few days I was in the cell looking at what I now know is a turkey dinner and not having a clue what to do. I’d never seen an FPS before. Once I eventually got going though…man. Same with countless other games at the time - I barely ever bought anything but played some of the greatest games ever made. To me it was magic. Spending my money on the PC gaming mags every month with their shiny reviews and free goodies. Buying a game or two a year but never running out of stuff to play. Legends of the industry emerging from their bedrooms, quite literally. It was absolutely great. And if I’m honest can’t be beaten.