If you could only have one retro console, what would you choose?

[tokyochojin]

For me it has to be the Sega Saturn, it has such a great selection of unique and engaging (particularly 2D) games that I still play regularly year after year. The console and controller are also well built and look good with the latter being the finest controller there is for 2D games IMO. Similar to Dreamcast it also represents that last bastion of arcade-to-home conversions and there is just something refreshing about being able to boot up a game and it not requiring a huge time investment. I do love the Dreamcast too, but I find the simpler game mechanics of the Saturn era, especially games on a 2D plane, combined with such an intuitive and easy-to-pick-up controller, make for the perfect pick-up and play gaming experience - especially true if you're gaming with someone who isn't that into games.

The mid-nineties was such a good time as well for me, so there's also a little bit of nostalgia going back to that time when playing on a Saturn.

While may not have been appreciated at the time, the Saturn will always be my first choice for a non-current gen console to have under my telly. If you could only pick one console what would it be?

[Asura]

Mine would be the PS2. Totally follow your thoughts on the Saturn [MENTION=1211]tokyochojin[/MENTION]; but the reason I'd go with the PS2 is that it has a almost frightening number of games, even if you discount Japanese exclusives.

The PS2 only lacks in two areas - real-time strategy and first-person shooters, where decent games exist but it has no real stand-outs. But I would argue it has some of the best games ever made (especially up to that time) in every other genre; racing, fighting, platforming/adventure, RPG, third-person action, vehicle-action, survival horror...

And its library is so huge that if you had all of it, you could play a new game every week and you'd have enough titles for literally a lifetime.

[Neon Ignition]

Saturn too largely due to the number of quality games but also how many are tied or run better on that system. Many haven't aged too much either

[CMcK]

I’d have a MegaDrive. Loads of great shmups and platformers plus it’s still getting a lot of new releases from an active homebrew community. And there’s the bonus of Master System compatibility too.

[importaku]

I was originally going to say a super famicom as it has pretty much the best parts of the entire ganbare goemon series on it but if i'm honest it would be PS1 the library available for it in japan is unreal and one that i'm still enjoying to this very day although the pricetags are now keeping me out of a lot of titles.

[Asura]

I was originally going to say a super famicom as it has pretty much the best parts of the entire ganbare goemon series on it but if i'm honest it would be PS1 the library available for it in japan is unreal and one that i'm still enjoying to this very day although the pricetags are now keeping me out of a lot of titles.

Honestly the PS1 library's a great contender. Similar to the PS2, it's extremely broad, and it has some real corkers, alongside plenty of weird/unusual games.

[importaku]

One of my regrets is missing out on the later life of the PS2, would love to pick one up still but like with PS1 finding disks in close to mint condition is so damn hard let alone the price of some games now. PS2 has a lot of series i love on it, it's where pop n music fully came into it's own same with beatmania, the birth console of the taiko no tatsujin series too. Plus all the other weird & fun ones, just a shame as the playstation generation went on less & less experimental stuff got released it went downhill with PS3 compared to the 2 before.

[speedlolita]

Easily the PS1.

[fuse]

This is tough. Part of me wants to say that picking a platform meant I had immediate access to the entire library of that system, the Neo-Geo would be tempting, but RPGs would be a really big loss. If I had to pick an arcade platform then that'd be the one for sure though.

That said, I think it'd probably be the PS2 for me, as you've got fighters, shmups, RPGs, and bemani games by the bucketload, which are where I'd get most mileage from. If it also meant that I could play PS1 games in back compat mode, then it's an easier choice.

[chipsgravy]

I would have to go with the Saturn. It has versions of all of my favourite games on it. Sega Rally, Street Fighter 2, and Sonic Jam for the classic Sonic games. It also has the finest controller to play them on.

[wheelaa]

A dodgy Xbox of some sort, covers a lot.

[Baseley09]

Heart says PC Engine but my mind is going Saturn, modern enough where some graphics still impress and a good variety of genres and a fair number of super rpg's in English if that's your thing, I'd be fine with PDS.

[Colin]

It’s a tough choice for me between the PC Engine or Neo Geo. The PCE gives me so many all time favourites which among the highest would be Soldier Blade and Dracula-X. But if I look at the pinnacle of 2D gaming the Neo gives me Metal Slug and Garou MOTW’s. I weirdly think about this a lot, and Metal Slug 100% remains my desert island choice. All these years later it’s never nostalgia, I still look at it in awe from how the artists made it look, and it’s a joy to play. I could easily go one system, one game. Neo for me.

[dataDave]

This is a choice I've had to make before. It's easily the Wii. I can play 17 out of my top 20 on it.

I could easily live with just Sin & Punishment 2 and F-Zero GX for the rest of my life.

[kryss]

That is a smart answer. I would have said N64, but Wii for Dave's logic, Gotcha Force and Mario Galaxy.