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[Jubenhimer]

There comes a time in every video game platform's life where they reach peak maturity. A 2-3 year period in the mid-late years of a system where it's in a sort of golden age. The price had come down to affordable levels. Hardware revisions removed most of the early stage growing pains. Developers have a full understanding of the system's capabilities. And the system itself has not only built up an impressive library, but is also getting a slew of quality games that are looking and playing better than ever on it.

Which system do you think had the best "peak period" in this regard?

For me, 1998-2000 was the golden years of the original PlayStation. The system was at a competitive price relative to Nintendo 64, games had finally moved past the early 3D jank with the introduction of the DualShock, and developers were finally able to maximize both the CD format and the system's hardware to create some legendary titles.

Other runner ups could be the PlayStation 3's legendary 2009-2013 era, or 2008-2011 for the Nintendo DS.

 

[REDRZA MWS]

Sega Genesis

 

[ReyBrujo]

Objectively it's probably PS2's but personally 94-95 starting with FF6, then Earthbound, Live a Live, Robotrek, Breath of Fire 2, Lufia 2, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Evermore, Terranigma and finally Seiken Densetsu 3 tops everything as a JRPG fan. And I'm leaving behind 1993 (Secret of Mana, Illusion of Gaia, Lufia, Shin Megami Tensei) and 1996 (Super Mario RPG).

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Gizmondo

 

[CherryFalls]

Gamecube for sure

 

[Rawbutt Jellybean]

Toss up between PS1 and PS2. That whole 95-05 era was one big peak period of nonstop quality games, most of which were new IPs that are still loved today.

 

[Lokaum D+]

PS3 had a amazing come back, so i vote PS3 second half

 

[diffusionx]

PS2 01-04

 

[Metnut]

Xbox Series S 2021-2023

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Ps2
Ps3
PSP
Snes
Ps1
Next... Nintendo switch

 

[Fbh]

I want to say a classic console. But just personally, given the age I was at the time, the free time I had, having lots of friends to play online with, etc....I'm really nostalgic for the early Xbox 360 era

2007 - 2009 was like Gears of War2 , Halo 3, Bioshock, The Orange Box, Mass Effect, Modern Warfare 1&2, AC2, Arkham Asylum, Dragon Age, Dead Space, GTAIV, Left4Dead, Fallout 3, Lost odyssey, Ninja Gaiden 2, DMC4, The Last Remnant (fuck u I liked it), Tales of Vesperia, etc

 

[hououinkyouma00]

PS2 01-04

This 100% I still can't believe we had this good of a run.

MGS 2/3, GTA 3/VC/SA, Gran Turismo 3/4, Silent Hill 2/3/4, Ico, Twisted Metal Black, FFX, Jak and Daxter, Ace Combat 4, THPS3 & Underground, Kingdom Hearts, Sly Cooper 1/2, Max Payne 1/2, NFS Underground, Battle for Bikini Bottom, and many others in those 4 years. Even if we cut out 2004 it's ridiculous.

Runner up for me would be late PS3 starting in 2009.

 

[Dr.brain64]

Sony. Any.

 

[Bonfires Down]

PS4 2013-2020

 

[Jubenhimer]

I want to say a classic console. But just personally, given the age I was at the time, the free time I had, having lots of friends to play online with, etc....I'm really nostalgic for the early Xbox 360 era

2007 - 2009 was like Gears of War2 , Halo 3, Bioshock, The Orange Box, Mass Effect, Modern Warfare 1&2, AC2, Arkham Asylum, Dragon Age, Dead Space, GTAIV, Left4Dead, Fallout 3, Lost odyssey, Ninja Gaiden 2, DMC4, The Last Remnant (fuck u I liked it), Tales of Vesperia, etc

The late 2000s were legendary for the Xbox 360. Too bad Kinect killed it...

Other honorable mentions

* Xbox circa 2003-2005
* Game Boy Advance circa 2003-2005
* Nintendo Switch circa 2021-2024
* PlayStation 4 circa 2016-2020

 

[joeygreco1985]

Peak Xbox 360 was probably modern warfare 2 timeframe? The console was firing on all cylinders around then, just an incredible library

 

[Lumpyoatmeal]

There comes a time in every video game platform's life where they reach peak maturity. A 2-3 year period in the mid-late years of a system where it's in a sort of golden age. The price had come down to affordable levels. Hardware revisions removed most of the early stage growing pains. Developers have a full understanding of the system's capabilities. And the system itself has not only built up an impressive library, but is also getting a slew of quality games that are looking and playing better than ever on it.

Which system do you think had the best "peak period" in this regard?

For me, 1998-2000 was the golden years of the original PlayStation. The system was at a competitive price relative to Nintendo 64, games had finally moved past the early 3D jank with the introduction of the DualShock, and developers were finally able to maximize both the CD format and the system's hardware to create some legendary titles.

Other runner ups could be the PlayStation 3's legendary 2009-2013 era, or 2008-2010 for the Nintendo DS.

The Gameboy run. Towards the late 90s it was getting absolutely crazy with the Gameboy pocket, cable links, Gameboy camera, Red and Blue Pokemon, man Nintendo was no joke the real deal, I’m telling you.

 

[fart town usa]

Nintendo DS

I actively gamed on the DS for a few years there. I owned a 360, PS3, Wii. PS3 was the main console but the DS was on fire like no other and it may as well have been my main console. The software library is highly regarded but it's still not high enough.

Absolute juggernaut of a handheld/console. Holds its own against them all.

 

[YOU PC BRO?!]

These are the two that stand out most for me…

Dreamcast from launch (1998) until discontinuation in 2001 - banger after banger, almost all new IP
Xbox 360 late 2000s were insane - I don’t think a single other era even comes close

 

[Dr.Morris79]

I would say PS1. It was the most memorable for games, new ideas, brilliant soundtracks, it was the full package in consoles.

Early games, late games. It had it all. The PS2 never broke as much new ground to me as the PS1 did.

 

[tusharngf]

Gameboy to ds/3ds plus ps2 and xbox 360

 

[Deerock71]

I'll go with SNES. The FX chip introduced rudimentary 3D before the N64 and PS1 did.

 

[Codes 208]

For me thats the xbox 360 between 2007-2011

Halo 3 and reach, gears 2 and 3, forza horizon, peak call of duty, BF bad company 2, sonic unleashed and generations, bioshock, skyrim, bf3, orange box, portal 2, l4d 1 and 2, fallout new vegas

The xb1 and xsx/s havent come close to hitting those highs

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

There comes a time in every video game platform's life where they reach peak maturity. A 2-3 year period in the mid-late years of a system where it's in a sort of golden age. The price had come down to affordable levels. Hardware revisions removed most of the early stage growing pains. Developers have a full understanding of the system's capabilities. And the system itself has not only built up an impressive library, but is also getting a slew of quality games that are looking and playing better than ever on it.

Which system do you think had the best "peak period" in this regard?

For me, 1998-2000 was the golden years of the original PlayStation. The system was at a competitive price relative to Nintendo 64, games had finally moved past the early 3D jank with the introduction of the DualShock, and developers were finally able to maximize both the CD format and the system's hardware to create some legendary titles.

Other runner ups could be the PlayStation 3's legendary 2009-2013 era, or 2008-2010 for the Nintendo DS.

PC 2016-2024: All Your Games Are Belong To Us

 

[Generic]

* PlayStation 4 circa 2016-2020

What was so special about it?

 

[JohnnyTropics]

I don't know if this question can be answered objectively,
but I do know the happiest I've ever been in my life was 2008-2010, and the Playstation 3 was a very big part of that experience.

 

[onQ123]

PS3 for me

 

[West Texas CEO]

Hard to pick a single console, but 1997 - 2004 was banging.

 

[existensmaximum]

Probably SNES until and including 1994 for me. The amount of timeless classics released are unmatched.

But I could easily pick the entire lifetime of the NES. Ouff, can anything else even come close...

I can't pick between these two

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

NES was arguably better than even the PlayStation. ’87-‘89 was absolutely crazy for the hardware.
Still, the first thing that came to my mind was PlayStation 1. 1997-99 was a ridiculous run for the console.

 

[Dr.D00p]

Nothing comes close to the PS2 at its peak, nothing.

 

[Fahdis]

PS2 and second half of PS3 were just incredible. Xbox 360 was also quite the miracle. Also, fuck Nintendo. And now its Steam having this incredible run with PC gaming.

 

[Pagusas]

Personally my rank would be:

PS1 - 1997 - 2000, FF7 release through Gran Turismo 2 release. In that time we had the golden age of JRPG's, we saw MGS take off, we had Gran Turismo, and tons more. Just a true golden age (and I was the perfect age for it)
Xbox 360 - 2005 - 2008, The first 2 or 3 years of that system were just something MAGICAL. Every release felt like an event. Every game was interesting and felt fresh and new. Mass Effect became a thing. It finally felt like gaming had moved into its adulthood.
PC - Late 90's through mid 00's, the PC's golden age. For me basically from Half Life through Portal 2/Witcher 2. Just so much awesomeness and pushing the boundaries visually way ahead of the consoles.

 

[Jubenhimer]

Another honorable mention, Nintendo 3DS from 2013 to mid 2015. That system had a way better lineup during that time than the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One combined.

 

[SHA]

The PS2, the trilogies are just peak millennial.

 

[JohnSpartanLee]

Amiga (released 1985) from 1991-93

 

[AGRacing]

Thank you for finally perfectly articulating why I’m unhappy with PS5.

Anyway.
PS2 2001. There will never be a fall calendar like that ever again. Absolutely EPIC. Metal Gear Solid 2. GT3. GTA3. Ico. SSX Tricky. FFX. Come ON.
PS3 - Uncharted 2 timeframe (2009 relaunch?). Special time there.
PS1 Final Fantasy VII / Grand Turismo 1997 timeframe.

And I loved the PSP launch. Those games on that screen in 2005. Wipeout. The best looking ridge racer to that point as well. Lumines. What an amazing launch.

 

[Mownoc]

PS4 had a pretty great last half. Horizon, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, Spiderman, Gravity Rush 2, Days Gone, Death Stranding, FF VII Remake.

A lot of older consoles I feel were better in their first half, or maybe I'm just more nostalgic for the earlier titles. Nintendo especially are usually front-loaded with the titles I care about.

 

[RagnarokIV]

PS2 and Xbox 360

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

NES still played it when Genesis and SNES released.

 

[HoodWinked]

PS1. This was the greatest jump in terms of the ceiling when it came to game design due to how flexible the hardware was and as long as the engineering team was capable enough you could make pretty much make anything.

This was because of three things that happened near simultaneously, 3D graphics, huge jump in storage capacity and analog controls. Almost everything afterwards is just a higher fidelity version of what was on the PS1 or online multiplayer.

 

[Flash Junkins]

PS1

 

[Topher]

What was so special about it?

Substantial increase in the output of first party games.

 

[Radical_3d]

Having a 360 and a PS3 between 2006 and 2010 (pre-Kinect Bs) was peak gaming. I know it’s not one console but for me that was the best generation game design wise. I abhor PS4 cinematic gaming for everything and One doesn’t even exist for me.

 

[BlackTron]

I don't even like PS2 and the correct answer is obviously PS2. There are many systems with strong peak periods, I think SNES and Genesis are the reference, but in going above and beyond what should even be possible, it's PS2...honorable mentions DS and Game Boy.

 

[Krappadizzle]

There's absolutely no denying how incredible PS2 was. Seeing MGS2 for the first time was simply stunning, one of the biggest generational leaps in graphics tech ever. I remember buying Z.O.E. just for the MGS2 demo and playing that demo for months. Nearly 80% of the biggest franchises from Sony/ in general are either from the PS2 or came into it's niche from the PS2. I definitely transitioned to Xbox a few years into the PS2's lifespan, playing Halo was such a watershed moment, but if I had to pick like one console and it's library to live on an island with, it'd be the PS2.

 

[EverydayBeast]

PS3 was some epic fire, I couldn't wait to leave school and play Uncharted 2.

 

[REDRZA MWS]

PS3 had a amazing come back, so i vote PS3 second half

PS3 was my least favorite PlayStation. all big 3rd party games looked and played better on 360.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Genesis/SNES combo was hard to beat. Genesis for Sega games and sports. SNES for Konami, Capcom and Mario.

360 was solid too due to a big jump in graphics over past gens and online. Never did console online in previous gens as I never had a DC, Xbox OG, and the PS2 I had was OG with no ethernet port.

 

[Celcius]

The Dreamcast's peak was HIGH