Call me Nostalgic, but I would have to go with the Super Nintendo. It had Zelda, Mario, and Metroid. It had Chrono Trigger, FFVI, and Secret of Mana. It had Street Fighter 2, Super Tecmo Bowl, and NHL '94!!! :)

A PC! You've got more games available for PCs than any other console -- just use DOSBox to play all those hits of yesteryear! You've got digital downloads, so you don't even have to leave the house! You can watch TV and film without subscribing to cable or rental services. You've got the Internet. Hell, you can -- my god! -- even get some work done!

@Jason - :o I knew I should have made the rules clear! I said console, not a PC!!! ;D

You have found a loophole, but I am going to change the rules!!!
:D

Jason is correct, Lance is wrong. PC!!

If PC isn't allowed though, I think I'd have to go with the PS2. All the Final Fantasy games from PS1 and PS2 are available, in addition to the works of Fumito Ueda. However, PC > PS2.

hrm. I would also say PS2. Simply because their would be a never ending supply of half decent Japanese RPGs to waste the rest of my life with, and a few pretty good action games and other genres to break things up. I might have considered the SNES but i'm assuming that I keep all the gaming experience I've had up until this point and no matter how good some SNES games are the fact is i've played the crap out of all the good ones. Meanwhile the PS2 has a lot of hidden treasures i've been too busy to bother with.

Oh I just had a thought. If it's allowed I would go with one of the mythical fully backwards compatible ps3's. then I could have the ps2 and PS1 library AND still play the occasional new game. If not I would still settle with PS2.

@Jeffrey - I was waiting for someone to mention wether BC counts, and it doesn't!!! ;D

So the count is

SUPER NINTENDO - 1

PLAYSTATION 2 - 2

@Lance: I'm going to have to side with you and pick Super Nintendo, all the way.

That console and the great games that came out for it pretty much solidified my love of all things gaming.

Plus it was the only console that was Super! I mean come on, nobody would have the stones to call their new console Super nowadays!:)

OK, Lance -- if BC doesn't count, then what about the Virtual Console, PSN, Xbox Live, and the GBA slot for the DS?

@Eric - I still have a sinking feeling that the next Wii will not be called the Super Wii, but the Wii Plus! I want my SUPER WII!!!

@Jason - I hate making rules, but lets say that only games that are not ports can count?

So the GBA slot on the DS counts, but not old games on XBLA or PSN. Original games on PSN, XBLA and WiiWare stuff counts...

Oh, dammit, I don't care!!! Just pick a console Jason! :D

This is why Toby disappeared!!! ;D

I know all consoles are up for consideration, but I'm starting to feel old hearing all these other choices! Who knew that I'd feel so ancient at 25?:D

I don't even own a Wii, but I'm planning on buying a new (old) SNES and starting my collection all over again. That is the power of Super!

@Eric - I still have my copy of Super Metroid somewhere, tell me when you get a SNES and I will see if I can find it!

Right on!

I wonder if I can find a SNES that isn't the nicotine tinged color that mine turned to after many long nights of my dad trying to beat A Link To The Past.

Actually now that I think of it SNES made me never want to smoke after seeing how it changed color. If it was doing that to my SNES, what would it do to my lungs?:o Thank you Nintendo!

This was actually tougher than it sounds. If I had to choose I would go with the Nintendo DS.

Why? Because of all the great games! ;D

Oh and I prefer gaming on the go!

@Lance. I did. I picked the PC, but apparently that's not "a platform" despite it being older than the rest.

If I have to pick "a console," then I pick the Wii because of the Virtual Console. Years and years of gaming at my fingertips along with new games from WiiWare.

I was gonna pick Super Nintendo, but the Wii has the VC so I can play SNES, Genesis, and NES with it.

Then the count is:

SUPER NINTENDO - 2

PLAYSTATION 2 - 2

NINTENDO DS - 1

Wii - 2

Is the PC considered a Console?

I'm guessing the Wii. That way it's cheating and I have all the consoles.

Wait... so, you're going to count the Wii's Virtual Console but not backwards compatibility on other systems? I'm confused...

To answer your question, I don't believe a PC is considered a console in the traditional sense of the word, which is reserved for electronics used solely for video games.

But to not count the PC is a travesty and means that I am at a loss. I like console games, but there are few that I can enjoy again ten or more years later, and those few are spread out over several different systems. Only the PC offers a vast library of titles that are still amazing to me to this day.

Since older systems aren't getting any newer titles, I suppose that limits me to current-gen consoles and I'd therefore have to go with the PlayStation 3.

@Lance @Rob The PC is certainly a platform. I'd call it a console, too, since game consoles now all do more than just play games. They play movies. They access the Internet. They take pictures. The dedicated game machine is dead.

WII - 3

SUPER NINTENDO - 2

PLAYSTATION 2 - 2

NINTENDO DS - 1

PLAYSTATION 3 - 1

@Rob - I was only thinking we should count NEW games on the Wii, not the VC stuff.

@Jason - I know a lot of people who would agree with you, but I never considered a PC a console... a new age is upon us!!!!!

Jason, I certainly agree. I simply think the traditional definition of a "console" is too narrow for a system like the PC. That said, you've already described how the lines are being blurred, so a shift in definition is likely upon us. Whether or not players actually embrace this definition shift yet is up for debate.

Lance, but I see that you're counting Wii votes when the reasons are explicitly (and perhaps, solely) for its Virtual Console.

@Agreed. I wonder if Nintendo and Sony will build phones into their next handhelds? Seems like a good way to push back at Apple for how the iPhone's breaking into games -- and replacing the DS and PSP for on-the-go gaming for some players.

Jason, once municipal Wi-Fi is standardized across the world, everyone will just use Skype on their PSPs.

If I were to pretend that the PS2 and PS3 didn't have backward compatibility, I'd go with the original Playstation. I'm choosing the Playstation because it has the majority of my favorite games.

The SNES is a very close second. There are so many games that I love on both of those systems that it was hard to decide between the two.

@Rob - I just don't have time for a big debate on this, though I was thinking about games that were made purely for the system they were released on. Perhaps I will alter the results! ;)

I vote for my favorite console, the PSWii60.

@Brett - :o THE ULTIMATE CONSOLE!!!! :o

I'd wait for the (inevitable?) one console future. I wouldn't want to miss out on the awesome future of gaming. ;D

Okay, redone list, excluding those disqualified for ignoring the Backwards Compatibility Rule:

Super Nintendo - 3 Votes (Tommy picked it first before disqualifying himself with thoughts of the VC) :D

Playstation 2 - 2 Votes (although Davneet and Jeffrey both mentioned PS1 games)

Playstation 3 - 1 Vote (Rob's got us all beat when GoW3 comes out)

Playstation - 1 Vote (Brian, I'm playing old PS1 games now and the were good!)

Nintendo DS - 1 Vote (go Cosmo!)

PSWii60 - 1 vote (Brett saw the future!)

William Figueroa chose the Wii based on BC so he needs to choose another.

Special Thanks to Jason Wilson, who was disqualified from the vote at least twice!!!
:D

@Jason, if you were a football coach I would hate to be one of the referees!!! :D

@Lance The refs hated me enough when I covered games on sidelines and asked them questions during halftime and after the game about their calls.

Jason, pick something based on the new games you could have got for it and you cannot pick a PC - oh, but if you picked the new Apple Gaming thingamabob I'd accept that!;)

@Jason - I saw some of your Twitterings this weekend and thought "this guy knows his football." I have to ask: Favorite Football Video Game - on a console? ;D

I interpret the rules to mean that a PC is already implied, of course you have a PC! In which case, Xbox 360.

I'm bummed at the lack of love for the N64. Outside of a Metroid game, that console had everything: incredible Nintendo franchise titles, Rare at the top of their game, amazing 3-D platformers, the introduction of console FPS's... honestly, that console defines my elementary school years.

@Lance I didn't really care for any console football sim between Joe Montana for the Genesis and NFL 2K5. I'm tired of the emphasis on more obscure controls and expanded playbooks while defense is still exceptionally difficult and passing remains a mess.

I'm going to ignore the rules (Sorry Lance :P) and say the Wii. It has it's gems plus Virtual Console has the best download library right now if you don't count emulators and ROMS.

My vote is for Wii.

Great idea Lance, and where is Toby? I hope everything is ok.

@David - Toby is working some crazy shifts, but last I heard he was alive and well, and IGNORING THE RULES WILL LEAD TO DEATH!!! ;D

*Cough* Saturn going to bed for another long shift till the 26th now.

@Toby!!! I will add that. You live!!!!

for me dreamcast and playstation 2.. dremcast for its immortality among fans and playstation 2 for having tons of great rpg's..;D

I've got two words for you: LEGENDARY WINGS