Critics Club V: Battle of the NES

[Neon Ignition]

It took a very long time and an insane number of threads to do CC3, I'll get round to resuming CC4 at some point but I want to find a way of doing it that avoids repeating that issue. Here though, for the fifth incarnation, we're going to keep things simple and objective by objectifying some sexy models...


Yes... models!


Console models!


We're going to begin with Nintendo's opening gambit - The Nintendo Entertainment System

This is simple now but will increasingly become a minefield as some systems really indulged in their redesigns and editions. Here though it's pretty straighforward:


Nintendo Entertainment System




Nintendo Entertainment System: Mattel Version



Famicom




Nintendo Entertainment System 101


AV Famicom



Which of these NES models was truly the diamond amongst the rough?
Vote for the best looking NES Nintendo ever made

[Hirst]

The Famicom is the best-looking (even when it's a urine-coloured one like mine), but the built-in pads with the short wire are a bit annoying and it has RF out as standard. Thankfully both issues can be overcome.

I never really liked the look of the original NES, even back in the day. Just felt like a featureless grey slab. US SNES was lousy too. In fact, most things I dislike design-wise when it comes to Nintendo products have some kind of Nintendo of America involvement when it comes to it.

[Nu-Eclipse]

[MENTION=345]Neon Ignition[/MENTION] Was it really too difficult for you to get a picture of an actual NES as opposed to an NES Classic Mini?



Also, does the Sharp Famicom Twin get no love here?

[briareos_kerensky]

The US/EU model is iconic, but I'll go for the toploader for practical purposes.

[Neon Ignition]

It says a lot that I didn't even notice that was a NES Mini and I was purposely leaving Mini variants out

I'll happily accept votes for the Famicom twin also (which didn't come up for some reason for me, presumably as it's not Nintendo produced)




Though I don't know who'd want to

[Cepp]

Nintendo Entertainment System: NES VERSION because that's what I had as a child

Out of the top 4 I'd go for the original US system though. The Famicom is iconic as well but I'll always prefer that grey box.

The 101 is OK with the AV Famicom looking sleaker but the dogbone controller for both is rubbish.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Yeah, gonna have to go with the NES version NES. That's what I grew up with. That said, one could reasonably argue that the aesthetic of the OG Famicom & OG FDS combined is superior.

Sorry, but the NES-101/AV Famicom is alibi-free ugly. Trying to bring it in line design-wise with the SNES/SFC was clearly a mistake on NCL's part.

[Nu-Eclipse]

As [MENTION=7539]briareos_kerensky[/MENTION] has posted in the celeb deaths column, Masayuki Uemura, the lead architect on the Famicom/NES & Super Famicom/SNES hardware, passed away on Monday at the age of 78.

The man at the technological vanguard of Nintendo's first golden-age in home console videogaming.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/12/masayuki-uemura-creator-of-the-nes-and-snes-has-passed-away

[importaku]

OG famicom all the way, i had a nes growing up but i always found it pretty ugly. The famicom has a weird timeless look, always loved the symmetrical design of it.