I'm not quite sure the horse is dead yet...

by Dsanickl

Is the SNES the best system of all time?

Some people, like Wildfire, think so. Some people, like Wisdom, think not. I think, um... *scratches his head*

Let's consider the Super Nintendo. What did it do for gaming? It was a technological step up from the wildly popular NES. We got a more comfortable controller with more buttons, better sound, a prettier picture, a new gaming experience. It was created because Sega was on the prowl. Sometimes I think people forget that the Genesis even existed. And sometimes I think people forget that the Genesis was beating the Super Nintendo for the first several years of their legendary clash. Keyword: legendary. There isn't a developer alive that thinks the last great console war was insignificant. Did we forget how much innovation came out of this war? Innovation like the beginning of the RPG genre's rise to stardom.

So there are a couple of opinions on the subject. For the most part, I will agree with Wisdom. Like Wisdom so eloquently stated, "I happen to love Final Fantasy IV beyond any other RPG in existance." I totally and enthusiastically agree. He also has the "insight" not to label FFIV the best game ever. It really isn't. But I love it anyway. I also agree that favoritism does not equal merit-- merit is mass appeal. Let me make that clear, favoritism does not equal mass appeal. But Wisdom, that statement works both ways. Because you think a game is really horrible doesn't mean it is. Personally, I hated Secret of Evermore too, and so did most people, BUT I happened to thoroughly enjoy Saga Frontier. And there are some "horrible" games that are wildly popular, but I'm sure you can think of what they might be.

I think favoritism should have some place in determining how good a game is. There is obviously some reason someone likes a game. What is that reason? It is fun! Wildfire has fun playing Secret of Evermore. I have fun playing Saga Frontier. Isn't that what gaming is all about?

People like to legitimize their games. "Final Fantasy VII has the best graphics." "Lunar has the best story." "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater has amazing control." Yeah, yeah, whatever. I say "Final Fantasy VII is fun." "Lunar is fun." "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is fun." All that other stuff is bonus material.

"We cannot be expected to look at these games objectively because they were played under the fog of youth." This statement is... I don't have any other way to say it... just plain wrong. Youth is not like being drunk. Youth is not some kind of irrational timeframe. The majority of gamers are adolescents-- young males age 12-17. Yeah, Nintendo did screen its games, but if you think that Nintendo (or Sony, or Microsoft) don't still screen their games, you've got to be hiding under a rock. Today's gaming experience isn't any less "engineered" than the SNES. Sony and Microsoft want what works for Nintendo, and vice versa.

Young people aren't stupid. Some of the young people I know are smarter than many adults. Sometimes I wish adults would remember what it was like to be a kid. Maybe the world would be a better place if we take some time to enjoy the fruits of youth. And I don't necessarily think that children are any easier to impress than adults. Do you know what the great untapped market is? The market that every single company under the sun wants to impress with their products? It's the 12-17 year old male, the same population that contains the biggest percentage of gamers. Show an adult Gran Turismo 3 and they will be instantly impressed how close it looks to reality. Show a 15-year-old Gran Turismo 3, and they will notice how much better it looks than Gran Turismo 2.

One thing I want to know is, why do we think newer games are better than older games? Are newer games better than older games? Are older games better than new games? That argument is moot. It's just plain silly! Why is Citizen Kane the best movie ever made? Why do people drool over the 57 Chevy? Why is Mozart unsurpassed as a musician? Why is the Sistine Chapel a masterpiece? Shouldn't newer movies, cars, music, and art be better? Certainly they are stuck in the past, right, Wisdom? You know what, Wisdom? Final Fantasy VII is aging, and it is in the past. It's for a last-generation system. Square is three incarnations ahead of what you feel is the best game. So how on earth can it trump any other game in existence?

It's just silly to argue what is better. If it's intriguing, watch it. If it's powerful, drive it. If it's pleasing, listen to it. If it's pretty, look at it. And if it is fun, for the love of god, PLAY IT!

Do you know what I was doing the morning before the N64 was released? I was playing Super Mario Bros. I did the same thing two weeks after I got a PS2. I never had an NES as a kid. I bought a Saturn last year. I would rather give my left, uh... kidney than part with my SNES. I look forward to owning a Gamecube. I love playing games, and have played hundreds of them. I follow the gaming industry like a hawk, and love to debate games. I play video games, Magic, D&D, Warhammer, Shadowrun, Middle Earth, Legend of the Five Rings, and many other games. I've attended more gaming conventions and tournaments than I can count. Gaming isn't a hobby for me, it's a lifestyle. I plan on owning a gaming store after I am done with college. And yet, after all these diverse gaming experiences, I still play Mario. I still love to play Mario. I still love Final Fantasy IV. I still love to play Lunar. And you know what? I can't wait to love to play Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2.0, and Final Fantasy X.

If you walk away from my rant with anything, Wildfire, Wisdom, or anyone else, let it be this. I want you to ignore what other people say about your favorite games. I want you to take all your favorite games and play them. I want you to think that your favorite games are THE BEST GAMES EVER MADE. Because they are. Games are only good if people love to play them. And when playing new games, remember to have fun.

So what is the best game of all time?

Pong.

Without Pong, we wouldn't be arguing.

Original Editorial: Revisiting an all-too common topic.