Which console best shows off 16-bit era gaming?

[wakka]

The games that would probably stand up best for someone new to retro would be Sonic and Mario, I think. Both series still play really well, look decent and are similar to games released recently.

Neo games look fantastic, but the 'insert credit' structure and high difficulty of a lot of the titles would I think, put off someone weaned on frequent checkpoints and autosave.

[gamelife]

Neo Geo easily, the sprite work, drawing/design is the pinnacle of 2D

[Zaki]

It's a tie between SNES and Mega Drive.

Neo-Geo is awesome and a good demonstration of 16bit titles you couldn't afford. Let's face it, it was an arcade in your home!

PC-Engine hardly saw any action in the west and was primarily for the Japanese market.

[_SD_]

Yeah, the PC Engine draws a blank look every time, even though the Turbo Grafx was so close to a full European release.

However, although it certainly wasn’t close to 16 Bit, most of that generation was dominated by the Gameboy; seemingly everyone had one...

[Dogg Thang]

I didn’t even know the PCE existed back in the day.

[Leon Retro]

Yeah SNES wins on breadth.

I would give someone a SNES because of the way music can still sound nice, you have colourful graphics, and there are lots of fun games across all sorts of genres. I really think a lot of SNES games stand the test of time well. There's something more retro about the Mega Drive that might not appeal to a modern gamer.

Yet to play on a PCE (hoping to rectify soon)

Play the Bonk platformers -- and Air Zonk, which is a great spinoff shooter starring Bonk. They are all great examples of how special PCE games can be.

The games that would probably stand up best for someone new to retro would be Sonic and Mario, I think.

I think Mario & Sonic would really divide opinion with modern gamers -- some would appreciate something like Mario World, but many would get a kick out of the speed Sonic games are known for.

Neo Geo easily, the sprite work, drawing/design is the pinnacle of 2D

It definitely has some games that are in the top league of 16-bit 2D, but is the Neo Geo the best system to show off what 16-bit gaming was all about? I don't think the library is diverse enough. But I'm sure some modern gamers would really enjoy the best the machine has to offer.

PC-Engine hardly saw any action in the west and was primarily for the Japanese market.

Well, as much as the PC Engine was only really a huge thing in Japan, this thread is all about: Which 16-bit era console would you give a modern gamer who wants to know what gaming was all about in the late-80s, early-90s?

I didn’t even know the PCE existed back in the day.

[trev1976]

I think the Neo is technically classed as a 24 bit system and imo in a totally different league to MD and SFC ,

I think the MD and SFC are equally as good depending on what type of games you like.

[Baseley09]

Megadrive is pure 16 bit.

[_SD_]

I think the Neo is technically classed as a 24 bit system

No, no it really isn’t...

[Leon Retro]

I think the Neo is technically classed as a 24 bit system

I haven't heard that for over 20 years. The PC Engine could be classed as 8-bit. So to make things easy -- I simply worded it "16-bit era machines" and put pics of the systems I'm talking about.

and imo in a totally different league to MD and SFC ,

Yeah, the Neo Geo has many technical benefits over the MD & SNES, but there are plenty of nice looking MD & SNES games. It's not like the MD & SNES weren't capable of delivering beautiful graphics and impressive soundtracks.

I think the MD and SFC are equally as good depending on what type of games you like.

It's definitely a close call for me. But the SNES is the machine I'd give to a modern gamer.

Megadrive is pure 16 bit.

In-ya-face.

And don't forget it has "Blast Processing".

[Baseley09]

NINTENDON'T!

[Jaz]

Super Famicom. For me, the greatest console ever released.

[Leon Retro]

NINTENDON'T!

I don't remember seeing these in magazines.

[_SD_]

You obviously didn’t ‘read’ Viz....

Nor did I, I have higher standards than that but still, it’s certainly an interesting part of Sega’s marketing to the more ‘adult’ market.

[Leon Retro]

You obviously didn’t ‘read’ Viz....

For some reason... I didn't. It's funny how Sega played up to juvenile humour.