Best looking system

KleinesSinchen

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SNES. So many SNES sprites are memorable and cute.
Plus, it is THE system of my childhood. Nostalgic memories have a big impact on my opinion here.

NES and GB(C) have some nice sprites as well, but the limited color palette per sprite is very limited.

Modern games can look realistic, can have millions of polygons in 4k but will never touch me like SNES graphics. The limitation on older consoles demanded creative approaches to work around them and push the limits. Nowadays we have games with 100GB+ in size bringing a powerful machine like the PS4 (sic!) to its limits. I skimmed a bit through the discussions about Cyperpunk and could not stop shaking my head. "Use a graphics card that is as expensive as an new electric bicycle and needs as much electric energy as a fan heater. Then the game will run smoothly."

Because I like limited devices and creative workarounds, I do like early 3D games as well (and could explode every time the "Has not aged well!!11!"-BS pops up). Just having a look at the ROM size of Super Mario 64 (8MB) makes the game impressive. 8MB containing graphics, sounds, music, program.
ex.png
 
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FAST6191

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Think I will go for Amiga.
Some 3d that has its charm. 2d probably about as good as it got in hardware (though the Saturn might have a look in, and today's everything is software is obviously better) and had plenty of devs willing to do interesting things while Nintendo was being all censorship happy.

3d has not yet peaked and most examples will then be stylistic (cel shaded and similar things) or just well executed art direction.
 

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Even if I don't often return to it, the Dreamcast is king. Low-poly 3D still charms the hell outta me, and the style of the good games on the DC still shines through today. Combo that with a surplus of quality 2D games and arcade ports and a great picture without any mods and the games run smooth as butter.
 
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The Catboy

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I've always loved the graphics of the SNES but I also enjoy DS graphics when they are properly pushed. Pokémon BW/2 really pushed the system's limits the sprites were so clean and amazing.
 

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I've always loved the graphics of the SNES but I also enjoy DS graphics when they are properly pushed. Pokémon BW/2 really pushed the system's limits the sprites were so clean and amazing.
I have to agree, the DS really pulled off some amazing trickery with some 3D games. If you want to see what the DS was REALLY capable of graphically, I recommend installing the latest DeSMume build for Windows and run it fullscreen with internal rendering turned on. Metroid Prime Hunters was the game I tested, and I was blown away at the amount of detail the game was hiding behind it's super low resolution. PortalDS is a homebrew Demo that also showcased how good a port of the game could have been, and really pushed the system.

This screenshot is my own:
0367 - Metroid Prime Hunters (U)(WRG)__28097.png
 

FAST6191

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I do like early 3D games as well (and could explode every time the "Has not aged well!!11!"-BS pops up). Just having a look at the ROM size of Super Mario 64 (8MB) makes the game impressive. 8MB containing graphics, sounds, music, program.
I mean, you gotta admit, some games, like goldeneye 007 just look like shit
To be fair "has not aged well" does not really cover it. Most sensible people thought it looked like arse at the time.
 
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KleinesSinchen

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To be fair "has not aged well" does not really cover it. Most sensible people thought it looked like arse at the time.
Okay, I'll take the bait. There is a "bleeding eyes" (or similar) roasting missing here to make it complete.

Though "sensible people" in that context could be interpreted as a disguised insult addressed at the remaining complementary set of people, I'll have to admit the word "most" in your sentence leaves an option to easily object.

I've seen you using argumentum ab auctoritatea quite often, with some kind of (real or assumptive – depending on the situation) majority being the authority supporting your argumentation. Well… I'm not remotely interested in what the majority thinks when developing my own opinions, but I normally try to provide reasons for my point of view. If I did care for majority opinions ("what most people think") – as GBAtemp member – I would have to be interested in the Nintendo Switch (couldn't care less about it) as this is the most active section at the moment.

In the context of this thread, I can only repeat: The SNES style is my favorite one – but I like early 3D graphics because what has been achieved with limited hardware is impressive for me – no matter what the majority says and no matter how old 3D games compare to new 3D games or how they compare to 2D games of similar age ("Does not hold up.", "Has aged poorly.", *Generic overused negative phrase No. 123*)
 

FAST6191

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Okay, I'll take the bait. There is a "bleeding eyes" (or similar) roasting missing here to make it complete.

Though "sensible people" in that context could be interpreted as a disguised insult addressed at the remaining complementary set of people, I'll have to admit the word "most" in your sentence leaves an option to easily object.

I've seen you using argumentum ab auctoritatea quite often, with some kind of (real or assumptive – depending on the situation) majority being the authority supporting your argumentation. Well… I'm not remotely interested in what the majority thinks when developing my own opinions, but I normally try to provide reasons for my point of view. If I did care for majority opinions ("what most people think") – as GBAtemp member – I would have to be interested in the Nintendo Switch (couldn't care less about it) as this is the most active section at the moment.

In the context of this thread, I can only repeat: The SNES style is my favorite one – but I like early 3D graphics because what has been achieved with limited hardware is impressive for me – no matter what the majority says and no matter how old 3D games compare to new 3D games or how they compare to 2D games of similar age ("Does not hold up.", "Has aged poorly.", *Generic overused negative phrase No. 123*)
What are you blathering about? I appear to have struck a nerve when I was not even going for it and instead being if not silly then... actually just silly.
*checks the essence of flamebait was not knocked over or something*

As far as argument from authority. Going to have to ask for sources for that one as it is probably my least favourite of the big fallacies. Though if you are casting aspersions then generic is a good plan.

As far as 3d looking like arse. Between isometric, wireframe (see Battlezone), prerendered (see Myst and such, though Resident Evil is not bad for a later example), mode7, prerendered for films (also not prerendered but faked http://ukanimation.blogspot.com/2013/03/max-headroom-and-strange-world-of.html ), first person dungeon crawlers, "race to the horizon" style racing games and whatever else then everybody knew 3d was the way things were heading and were generally excited to see it. However the contrast between what at the time was 2d art at its finest, or indeed all said methods of faking it, to the slideshow of a few polygons... yeah.
 
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