I actually enjoy Luigi's Mansion more than I do Super Mario Sunshine or SMB64. Translating the enemy stomping and platform jumping of a 2D game to a 3D environment simply didn't work for me. When I first played SMB64, I gave it a fair shake, got pretty far into it, but honestly, it didn't feel like a "Mario" game to me.

Despite LM being in the Mario universe, having the main character be Luigi let me separate it enough to enjoy the game for the Ghostbusters ripoff that it was. I am *seriously* looking forward to New Super Mario Bros for the DS.


As for Nintendo losing this generation? GTA, pure and simple. Not saying it's right as I found the game a bit of a bore, but there it is and it is what it is.

To paraphrase Hamlet, the games the thing. And to put it no blunter way, they lost this round because they were lazy.

The thing about the Cube is that they lost for the same reason the Dreamcast did...they never really had their GTA/Halo...that one exclusive title you just had to have once you saw or heard about it. All it really takes is one game, but Nintendo never found it. They just kept releasing re-working of old games that were "improved" versions of the previous generation's games. Hell, as much as I love Metroid Prime, I'll still take the old-style Metroid Fusion anyday. And for all of the other great games on the XBox and the PS3, none of them sold the systems like GTA and Halo.

Don't get me wrong...I mean no disrespect to Nintendo. It's just that, while often inventive and fun, no exclusive game on the Cube screamed "Buy Me!" As much as I love Monkey Ball and Donkey Konga and others, I've never felt the need to have a title on day of release. They've always been more like "One day I'll get to it" games. I still tell myself that each time I pass Animal Crossing at Target, and each time I pass the $14.95 copy of RE4 at CompUSA.

And the same will hold true with the Wii. Nintendo hopes to draw in people with its new control system, but it will be the games that sell it...not how you play them. Because to be honest, the second I show my kids they can swing a light saber with the Wii controller in hand, they will pull out their plug and play light saber game and tell me they already have it. When I point to the controller as a steering mechanism, they will pull out the plug nd play motocross game. The plug and play games may be graphically outdated and cheesy, but to the kids, they've been there, done that and the urgency to do it again just won't be there.

It's already proving true with the XBox 360. With all of its frills and pretty graphics, no game says "Buy Me" yet. The best games on the system are available on other systems or the PC, and there's nothing really new or different about them. If Halo 3 is the first exclusive Must Buy for the system, its year lead on PS3 will mean little. And if it seems like little more than a re-hash of Halo 1 or 2, it may not be enough. It will have to be more inventive than pretty.

The real lesson Nintendo needs to re-learn was taught to them so, so long ago. When the NES started to wane, one game came along and gave their system a resurgence for a while. People who had never thought of buying a videogame system started to buy it. It was graphically simple compared to their other titles. It really was no more complex than Breakout or Space Invaders. And yet, in its simplicity, was something so addictive you had to play it over and over. In fact, the title was so strong that it not only revitalized their old system, but also gave a solid boost to their new portable system. The game was Tetris. A game that would have been equally at home on a Timex Sinclair.

Nintendo needs to stop thinking about how to re-invent with technology and instead focus on inventing again.

Actually I think Nintendo learned an important lesson with the failure of the Cube and the success of the DS. The Wii is an extension of what they have learned and the direction they are going seems to be them doing everything right this time out. They are no longer trying to compete with what anyone else is doing and are putting out something that will be totally separate from the other consoles in the industry.

If E3 and the buzz about the Wii is any indication Nintendo will have a huge holiday season. No one talked about the Cube this way.

Most of what people have already said is on the ball. I think important things to highlight are:

Zelda had kiddie graphics. Even though the graphics make sense within the context of the game, the graphics cemented the kiddie image in people's mind. And let's face it, there ARE more kids games for the Cube than other systems, and less M rated games.

Weak as hell launch titles. Star Wars is the only one I would have even bothered with. Super Monkey Ball is good for friends, but it's not a must-have make you buy the system kind of thing.

No real Mario game. I know a lot of people like Sunshine, and just as many people hate it, but to me it didn't even feel like a Mario game. Just look at the cover. Mario with the big water tank on his back. It looks like one of the niche Mario titles that they've poured out on the Cube. In no way, shape, or form does it look or feel like the successor to Mario 64, let alone the first four Mario titles.

That being said, I think the system got an overall bad rap. Going through my game collection, I have more GC games than any other system this generation (and I have a lot of games for each system). Once you started digging into the system catalogue, they had awesome games. Eternal Darkness, both Metroids (yes, BOTH of them :) ), Windwaker, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, Super Smash Bros., etc. And if I had the choice between picking up a game on the Cube, Xbox, or PS2, I generally went with the Cube because of the controller, which is easily one of the best gaming controllers with an analog stick. And considering almost no games on the Xbox went above 480p, the graphical difference between it and the Cube was negligible.

In the end, though, I think it was just that by the time the Cube came out, it seemed so archaic in response to the PS2. No online, smaller discs, no BC, no DVD capabilities, throw in bad launch games and being perceived as kiddie and there you have it.

I see where you're coming from, but I don't think innovation automatically equals fun. It's what designers do with what they're given that makes the games fun to me, the controller is just what lets you interact with the game and make it work. Like take Katamari for example. I think most people would say that was a pretty innovative (or at least unique) gaming experience -- and that happened on a standard gaming pad.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited as hell about the Wii, but even with that controller some games are going to be MAJOR clunkers. Whether the developers don't implement the controls properly or just use the Wii's functionality sparingly.

I'll give my own opinions..

I ended up buying the cube last. Usually there's one particular game that forces my hand. For Xbox it was halo, for ps2 it was Silent Hill 2. Then, FINALLY!, for cube it was mario kart DD. Mario kart 64 is one of my all time favourite games (despite the horrendous slow down at times). Need to say, DD was a huge disappointment and it took tales of symphonia to make good on my cube purchase. However apart from tales, out of my cube games there wasn't really anything which I considered essential.

Mario kart DD - urrgh..
Donkey konga - was fun but not something I play for long periods of time.
Harvest Moon - never really got into this, always meant to go back to it one day.
F-Zero - seemed pretty cool but my biggest f-zero rival from the n64 days is no longer around to play against.. and no online capability... lets hope for DS version!

Apart from that..
Mario Sunshine - not really a fan of the mario franchise but loved mario 64 back in the day. This one I really only played a friends copy briefly but didn't do much for me.
Zelda WW - Huge fan of Oot. Saw both screens and saw it played live. Couldn't really get over the kiddy look and the reviews I read didn't provide enough incentive to force me to buy it.
RE4 - one of the few cube games I regret not owning. Might pick up as a cheap ps2 purchase one day.
Super Monkey Ball - played a friends copy to death. Awesome! But as someone else said, not really a system seller.
Mario Tennis - Probably fun, but generally I prefer more sim like tennis games, ala Top Spin or Virtua Tennis.

...looks like a lot of folks have a lot thoughts on this. I asked the question because I was thinking about how much fun I've had on my little purple console, and how it's a shame it didn't have a better run or get more respect.

If you guys will indulge me, I'd like to address the thoughts individually.

Games (because they are most important):

I don't buy the argument that the Cube didn't have solid titles...except for the launch titles...which were weak. Mario Sunshine had beautiful graphics and rock solid controls, and the mini levels ditched the water pack for some classic mario platforming...making it the best platformer of this generation IMO (with the Ratchet and Clank series coming in second). Metroid Prime remains the most immersive game I've ever played, somehow getting around all of the things I hate about FPSs and making the experience completely intuitive...plus it was gorgeous. For my money, it was the best action game this generation (I guess HALO would be second). The cel-shaded graphics in Zelda didn't bother me a bit. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that Wind Waker was the best looking game this entire generation, with style to spare. My only beef with Wind Waker was that it was short and a bit on the easy side. I'd give it second place behind GTA this generation for a fully realized adventure game. Resident Evil 4 was miles better than any Metal Gear or Splinter Cell this generation. Each of these games were (or should have been) system sellers.

As for the second tier genre games, Mario Kart DD is certainly not "better" than Gran Turismo, but I played it a hell of a lot more. Similarly, the Mario Sports (Tennis, Golf, Strikers) aren't better than the FIFAs, PGAs and Maddens, but they were more fun by quite a stretch. Super Smash Bros. and Soul Calibur were about all the fighting game most gamers would ever want. Wave race is now unique amongst racers (which is saying something in THAT genre), and games like Animal Crossing brought in people who would normally never even play games.

But the games early on were weak, leading me to the factor that I think contributed most to Nintendo's loss this generation...

Momentum:

Sony launched the PS2 a year or so before the GC, and it was a replacement for a system that sold 200 million units and had brand loyalty to spare. Their system was backward compatible, which was a new thing and was certainly a big selling point for me. It also played DVDs which were storming the market, and third party support was pretty much a given with the success of the PS1. Sony was ENTRENCHED as the market leader before Nintendo and Microsoft even got to the table.

Capability deficit

As I just mentioned, DVD playback and backwards compatibility were tough to overcome. I love the small disks, but that choice had to have hurt third party support almost as much as sticking with cartridges did in the N64 era. Later on, the lack of online play moved Nintendo from second to third place. I don't think that the arrogance it took to stick with proprietary formats, or its impact on market share, can be overstated.

Third Party Support

Granted, most third party multi-console games this generation were on the weak side, this definitely hurt Nintendo. The US market will buy just about anything EA shovels to them, and their lack of support hurt in a big way.

Kiddie image

There is some validity to this...no way around it. First, the console looks like a toy next to the PS2 and X-box. Second, the games are "family" games, which probably didn't appeal much to the sex and violence crowd (speculating here). And third, Nintendo simply has that stigma attached to it, largely their own doing. Kudos to them for the RE exclusivity coup and for Eternal Darkness...but it wasn't enough. The Cube just wasn't the "cool" console to own.

Lack of innovation

Sure, Nintendo recycled their usual franchises, but in most cases, they were sufficiently new to justify their existance. But a few were clearly N64 games with a new (and much needed) coat of paint.

But overall, I don't buy this argument. Nintendo took some big chances on some quirky games this generation...Animal Crossing being the most obvious example. After watching me play it, my then new girlfriend, now fiance actually bought her own Cube and her own copy of the game. I thought that was remarkable at the time, and it was just cool to see her pick up a controller.

And I can't talk about innovation without noting that EVERYTHING you love about the current and next gen controllers came to you courtesy of Nintendo. Digital pad? Yep. Shoulder buttons? Yep. Analog stick? Uh-huh. Feedback? Of course. Wireless? You guessed it.

Nintendo has the market share they want?

Of all the speculation I've heard in this thread, I think this is the least likely. Nintendo came into this generation with every intention of competing head to head with Sony...and they lost...badly. They may have conceded and went in other directions midway through, but that was out of necessity, not choice.

Now, I think that they have decided to try and be everybody's second console with a differentiation strategy...and they are trying to escape the currently limited gaming market. It's a huge gamble, but if they execute, I think it will catch on.

conclusion

All of these things played a role, and it's tough to nail down any one factor. But obviously, some were larger than others.

I personally believe that their corporate quirkiness (or arrogance depending on your POV), especially the proprietary formats for the N64 and GC, was their downfall...and may ironically be what brings them back. Their complete failure to understand the US market, namely that the first generation of gamers were becoming adults in the 90s, didn't help either. But they are still the best game developers in the industry, and I don't even know who's second...so all is not lost. Ultimately, if you care enough about video games to come to a forum like this and you don't own a Cube...I just feel bad for you...because you missed some of the best games of this generation.

Oh, I agree with you on both counts. You can have innovative games with standard controllers, and gimmickky crap games with new control schemes.

I'm just saying there's more potential for innovation with a new controller that offers a new way to play.

It may not pan out, and if so, fine. I'll just use the VC and my DS and just play classic and new 2D games as those are my favorite by far anyway. :D

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but after reading that last post (especially the very last part about Nintendo being the best game developer), it sounds a little like you may be biased to all things Nintendo.

Games is easily the number one reason why I was never interested in a GameCube. I actually want Nintendo to succeed... the NES and SNES might be my two favorite consoles of all time... but in my opinion, their only real "must own" console selling title in the last 10 years has been "Goldeneye" for the N64. I've had my fill of Mario and Zelda... I think it's time for something new, but maybe that's just me.

Like someone else had mentioned earlier in this thread... the first video gamer generation that grew up in the 80's with Atari and NES are easily into their thirties now. Cute games just aren't appealing anymore.

And as you say, that is your opinion.

I'm 27, grew up on the NES and SNES, and can never get enough Zelda, Mario and Metroid and still prefer "cute" cartoony games. I enjoy "mature" games if the gameplay is fun (as that's all that really matters), but all things equal I prefer a nice, colorful cartoony graphical style, or at most a nice looking fantasy setting (like Halo or the new Zelda) over a real world GTA type setting as I play games to escape from the real world and relax for a while.

Couldnt agree more. My idea of a incredible gaming experience is not mario with a backpack or raising a virtual dog. Its Kratos calling the Army of Hades while hes chopping up baddies in half with the blades, solving amazing puzzles that are so huge in size, they're absolutely astonishing.. Heck, i think Gears of War is going to be a EPIC experience in gaming with a world thats so amazing, action that looks absolutely ballistic and did you see the chainsaw in action?? PHENOMINAL! That is some awesome gaming experience!

So yah, im also 27, grew up with nes/snes (started with 2600), and i am a mature gamer. I dont like kiddie stuff or things of that nature when im gaming. I want to be in a awesome universe with action and amazing graphics that defy everything ive grown to love about gaming. Nothing nintendo has done since SNES comes close (RE4 was their saving grace, but then it came on ps2, so now its nothing). That is why the cube failed.

That's fine... I never said anything about "mature" or "real world GTA setting" in my post. Actually, my favorite games of this generation are the Amplitude/Guitar Hero type game. The point of the thread is asking why the Cube never really caught on.

Backwards compatability may have helped boost the PS2, but the XBOX was starting from absolute zero. That shouldn't have been the deciding factor.

Many people think the Gamecube's graphics are superior to the PS2 so that shouldn't have been its downfall.

In my opinion, the most obvious reason would have to be the "kiddie"-style games because the other two obviously put more emphasis on the mature generation. And that doesn't necessarily have to include blood and guts, it just needs to be original and challenging. Let's be honest, video games are not that cheap... and the people that are spending all the money on these games are probably a little older.

GTA may not be to everyone's liking, but there was really nothing like it when it came out. Even going back to the PS1 and the horror genre of Resident Evil and Silent Hill. That's the type of thing that sways people from one system to the next. Yet Nintendo has been sticking with Mario and Zelda. Some people still love it, and that's fine. To me, it's getting worn out. Nintendo jumped on a the RE bandwagon a little too late. (And honestly, that's getting pretty worn out, too) Hopefully the Wii will make a name for itself with a new series.

34 and good games are appealing. Doesn't matter if its cute or not. I enjoyed Mario and Zelda just as much as GTA. However, its not my generation the Cube couldn't reach its the 15-25 year old market that has a majority that seems to want every game to revolve around killing or sports.

The thing you need to realize is Nintendo has put something in the marketplace that is changing the way people think about gaming and Nintendo. Its the DS and its teaching gamers of all ages that it is all about gameplay and all about experiencing something that is different. When the Wii comes out everyone is going to understand ahead of time that the Wii will not fill their need for super realistic violence. Instead people want it for the same reason the DS flies off the shelves. A unique experience that can't be duplicated anywhere else. Those gamers that shunned the Cube will still need the Xbox360 or PS3 to fill a need, but will also want a Wii to experience that other side of gaming that Nintendo has opened everyone's eyes to with the DS.

The DS is the most amazing piece of hardware ever because it has changed the way everyone thinks of Nintendo. That separation will solve many of the problems the Cube could not overcome with mainstream young male gamers.

You shouldn't have mentioned Nintendogs, because that's a huge hit across all generations, and it wasn't even on the Gamecube.

Exactly. And I think many older gamers that really grew up on the NES and SNES are the same way. Sure some older games don't want "cute" games (see Blitz's post above), but I think most of us just want fun games and don't get hung up on whether it's "cute" or "mature."

It's the young generation of teen-young adult gamers that seem to only want mature games. Especially the teens. I guess playing M-rated games is another way to act "adult" and be "cool." To be fair, it was the same in our generation to a lesser degree with the Mortal Kombat etc.


I'm not so sure about that. I have a feeling (though no proof) that the DS is just a hit due to the kids (under 15) and us older gamers playing for nostalgic reasons (2D games like we grew up on and still love) and the new types of gameplay.

I'm reluctant to say it's as big a hit in the teen to young adult audience. I imagine the PSP with GTA and the other "mature" games is the portable of choice among them.

And I expect the same thing for the Wii. Nintendo will expand its base by keeping the kid market, and selling to a higher percentage of us older gamers and intriguing non-gamers and people that dropped out of gaming years ago.

I don't think the Wii will pick up near as many fans in the 15-25 age group. They'll be too busy trolling internet forums making fun of the Wii name, it's controller and it's "cute" games.

Oh well, their loss. :D

Hmmmm, I don't know about that. I mean thanks for the pitty but I'm doin' just fine. ;):p I don't own a Cube and I dont feel I've lost out on anything. Hell, if I had wanted it I simply woulda bought it.

I have a Cube, 2 XBoxes, a PS2, and a 360. The 360 is the only thing that gets steady play, except for Xbox games that aren't back-compatible. My boys (4 & 6) are the only ones that do play the cube. My gripe is...every game that is "good" for the cube is a Mario title. If I want to play baseball on the cube, there's mario...soccer, there's mario. I saw some G4 coverage of E3 and what game were they bragging about?? Mario, which to me, looks the same as every other mario game dating back to the N64. I've probably logged about 12 total hours on the cube, mostly RE4. I also HATE the controller. The button layout is bizarre, and the triggers are even weirder. I think if the games were more 'mature', adults would consider the system more mature as well. That's not to say they shouldn't have kid-oriented games, but with the word Mario in 95% of their titles, adults seem to stay clear.

S2

Me-thinks there may be a need for a poll... I don't think Nintendo has lost anything.

You can tell from my game collection that the cube is my favorite console, although I own all three from the last generation and owned an N64 and PSone the previous generation. I think the cube was a great system, but I see why many were turned off from it.

I think it was GTA, the dvd drive, and a year head start that gave the PS2 the edge this generation. When I first saw GTA3 I was blown away, the free roaming sandbox type game felt completely new and really seemed liked the showcase for what was possible with this new generation. I am surprised I never bought a PS2 back then, but GTA was the game to have at the time, coming from someone who somewhat out of gaming then. The DVD drive was also nice, and we used it as our dvd player for a while in college when my roomate got a PS2. (I don't think blue-ray will have the same effect, the switch from VHS to DVD was huge, it will take a while for HD-DVD/Blueray to take off since a Hi def TV is necessary also)

I agree that Nintendo never had that game early on that sold systems, although I think Metroid Prime should have been, the single player was much better than Halo IMO. I bought an N64 for Goldeneye and a PS1 for RE2, but no game said must have for the cube, I just bought a cube because I generally love all the Nintendo franchises. I also think Nintendo lost the party game crown this gen to Microsoft due to Halo and XBOX live. RE4 would have been a system seller had it come out early in the cubes life, coming near the end of the cubes life cycle, it was the best game this generation IMO, but it was just too late.

I never understood the image thing, I buy games, "kiddy" or not, as long as they are good. I think people refusing to buy Zelda or Mario due to the games being "kiddy" is a sad reflection on gaming.

I do think Mario Sunshine and Wind Waker were weak spots in the history of the franchises. I never liked the water pack in sunshine, and didn't enjoy the cleaning up aspect of the game. I would have rather had a more traditional Mario platformer. I also didn't enjoy the sailing in Wind Waker, there was just too much of it, but the rest of the game was great and I liked the cel shading.

GC launch was weak, but Super Monkey Ball ended up being one of my top-10 titles this gen. And early titles like Pikmin and Super Smash Bros Melee were standouts. But by then the PS2 actually had some decent games. Don't get me wrong - the PS2 launch sucked, hard.

I ran with 1 PS2 game for close to a year - Tekken Tag Tourney. We didn't get on the SSX bandwagon until we played a demo of SSX:Tricky. While my wife cycled through a few mediocre PS2 games (her 1st game was Smuggler's Run). My wife would have never persuaded me to get the PS2 if we hadn't also needed a DVD player.

Coming out well after the PS2, they needed to come out swinging, and hard. They should have been frantically working on a Mario Kart title, a real Mario game (not that I like 3D platformers much anyway), Zelda, etc. Instead they launched with crap like Luigi's Mansion and Wave Race with a new coat of paint.

They seem to have the right idea this gen, though.

This all said, the PS2 is my favorite console this gen...if only the damn hardware was more reliable. The Gamecube had better loading times, a better controller once you got used to it, and more slightly more reliable hardware. But if it wasn't for the Square-Enix and Capcom support (FFX, DQ8, SO3...Maximo, and Devil May Cry) my favorite console would have been the Cube.

Yeah I logged a lot of hours playing Tekken, but once my one competent fighting game-playing friend moved away, which console did I break out when people came over? The cube, every time (and occasionally the SNES for Super Bomberman 2). With titles like Super Monkey Ball, Super Smash Brothers, Warioware, etc...it was hands down the best party-game console you could actually play with non-gamers.

I sincerely doubt that I'm the only one who thinks Nintendo is the best developer out there. Every list I've ever seen of "best all time" games is just littered with Nintendo games. http://www.filibustercartoons.com/games.htm

I assume most folks would say either Sega or Capcom is second.

I freely admit to being a Nintendo fan...although I was a convert. I didn't own an N64 until that generation was over, picking the PS1 instead. I didn't own a SNES until just a few years ago, having had the Genesis instead. I never owned an NES (wasn't much of a gamer at the time, but played on friend's). I had great variety and great games on the PS1 and Genesis, but I was wrong to have dismissed Nintendo (ironically, for many of the same reasons you seem to).

So my video game growth was backwards, starting with sports games and shooters on the Genesis, then to "adult" games like MGS, Tomb Raider, and RE on the PS1, and finally to the "cute" first party Nintendo games.

Based on the outcome of this generation, I doubt it's just you. I just think it's a shame that folks dismiss a game with rock solid mechanics just because it's an old franchise. If anything, I consider those franchises a practictically 100% guarantee of a great game. If you see Mario on the box, you will almost certainly get your money's worth. If you thought Goldeneye was a must-own (which it was), Metroid Prime was as well...and so was RE4. Mario Sunshine was the most solid platformer this generation (Ratchet may have been more fun). The water-pack may not have been everybody's cup of tea, but I thought it added a really interesting dimension to the game, allowing Mario's world to extend vertically in new and interesting ways. In spite of people's misgivings about the cel-shaded Zelda, I think it's as good as any Zelda I've played aside from Ocarina and Link to the Past...and it was also the most artful and beautiful game of this entire generation bar none.

Yeah, that was actually me in the same post...just speculating about that portion of the US audience that Nintendo doesn't seem to get.

oh yeah the cube got rid the the componet out puts in late 2003/early 2004. now thats just a crap over my nice HDTV. not really a reason why it didn't win seeing as most people think that the red on the componet video is some other audio channel in the U.S. but it still sucks anyway.

You make good arguments, but it still comes down to appeal and preferences. I guess there were more gamers that found the other systems more appealing. Although it was interesting that you didn't mention RPGs, which seem to be one of the big categories for most gamers. Even though the relative quality might be the same, I'd rather spend time playing KOTOR on the Xbox or any of the FFX on the PS2 instead of Paper Mario.

A bit of a tangent: I never found Halo that revolutionary as an FPS, and this is pretty obvious once it got ported to the PC. The most appealing thing about Halo was the multiplayer and how easy it was to grab an ethernet cord and a router and get some 16 player goodness going. It was great fun among us casual gamers in high school and carried on through college. An immersive, atmospheric game like Metroid Prime might be a great experience and all, but whoring the sniper rifle and laughing was good enough for me.

Yeah, I didn't bring up RPGs because I simply can't speak with any authority on them. They just aren't my cup of tea with the exception of the strategy variety. Give me a Front Mission, a Shining Force or a Fire Emblem and I'm golden...give me a traditional RPG and I'm asleep.

Some consider Zelda an RPG, and I do not...but if I did, it would be the best RPG series out there. ;)

I haven't played Paper Mario, but I had a bit of fun with the Mario and Luigi series on GBA and DS. Very clever with a bit of action mixed into the standard turn based format. If Paper Mario is similar, I'd take it over a FF any day.

I assume the PS2 is the console of choice for RPG lovers?

I can't speak for everyone else, only for me.

I know a lot don't like it but for me, as an RPG fan, PS1 was probably the best system ever, so the first system I got (and the only one I paid for) was PS2. Also, I didn't have a DVD player at the time so that was another plus (I did get one like a month later though). PS2 has been excellent, with more games that I want to play than I have time for.

I never got much use out of my N64, and felt like the games on the Gamecube were too cutesy and childish, so the second system I got was the XBox. Luckily, it was a gift since the only reason I have any games for it is that if a game comes out for multiple systems I'll often buy it for the XBox (because I'm not using it for any exclusives--I have Halo and some others, but they just aren't my type of game).

I finally got an N64 (also a gift) when they had the Zelda pack-in. It's been a pretty good system I think, not so much for ports (but who cares about those when you have all 3) but for the exclusives. It's only my second favorite of the current generation, but given the price differential, it's likely to be the first one I buy for the next generation. I also hope to get a PS3 when there are some games I want, but the price is brutal.