I'm thinking in terms of the major console battles, rather than years because it's easier for me to think like that. Did you prefer the 8-Bit era, with classic NES games, and the Master System, and the first round of hand-held consoles like the Gameboy and Game Gear?

Or did you prefer the 16-Bit era when Sega was at its strongest with the Mega Drive, and Nintendo bought out arguably the best (in terms of games) console ever with the SNES?

Or the dawn of the next-gen consoles, with the Nintendo 64, the Sega Saturn and the Playstation, and the birth of the worldwide popularity of the Final Fantasy series and games, for a time, becoming "cool."

Or how about the current era, with Sega's last ditch effort in the Dreamcast, Sony's latest in the PS2, Microsoft sticking their oars in with the X-Box, and Nintendo's Gamecube, and the birth of more realistic, more graphically advanced games?

For me, I most enjoyed games around the time of the SNES and the Megadrive. It was from the Megadrive that I played Shining Force 2 that got me into RPGs, and I also had many happy memories with the SNES and games such as Wing Commander, Mario World, Mario All-Stars and Streetfighter 2.

When I think of it, I think mostly of the 16 bit Era and the current one. Although this one hasn't even fully begun yet so can't really say that and judge the ~9 months the next next gen really went of from a start.. in comparation with then years of the 16 bit Era

The games may look a bit weak and such now, but back then gameplay really mattered and the gameplay was the most important aspect of the game, not the looks. Currently you have some games which show the opposite. Lucky some compagnies are trying and succeeding into putting the gameplay back at number 1 and looks as close number 1.5 ;)
The games were fun, innovative, looked alright for their time and I still play SNES game with joy ^^

I liked the 32bit era personally because with the leaps in the graphics the developers can make the world in the game come more alive which in turn lets the player really get more involved in the stories.

<font color=red face="comic sans ms">Hmm... I've always been a bit 'behind with the times' as it were. I had a Commodore 64 for many years, and kept playing that way into the 16-bit period. In fact, I never actually got a 16-bit console at all. Then I bought a Playstation not long after it came out, and I still haven't had anything since. I liked the Playstation for ages, but I hardly play it any more. I seem to have almost stopped playing games completely.

I have played some 16-bit consoles and also some recent ones at friends' houses over the time, and I've liked games from every period. I can't really say I have a favourite gaming period. There have been good games and bad games in all periods. As long as you don't just judge a game by its graphics, and it wasn't just made for graphics whores, it doesn't really matter what console it was made for. :D

Early to mid 90's. SNES was the best thing ever.

probably the 16 bit era.....SNES was the best system ever imo....still owns. Soo many amazing games, loads of them I still keep on playing today.

The time of the SNES. It had the best games (and still do). The graphics may not be the best but the gameplay is simply unbeatably, even now the SNES is in a league of its own.

well ive had an atari 1500 i think,gameboy color,megadrive 2,playstation and playstation2

out of all i realy have to say ps2 has been my fave,many quality games n gameplay thick and fast:D

8 bit era =) those were the ~ days :(

I prefer the 32-Bit era, I thought the SNES wasn't the right system for many of the games, but the SNES was/is still very good (though I think that the Sega Megadrive was better).

The PS2 still has lots of games to come out, so I will prbably goto the 128-bit era eventually.

I'm fond of the 16 bit era myself. Back in the days when they weren't constantly trying to make new consoles for competition, but only had a select few that were catching the eyes of gamers.

During the current gaming era, you see a new console coming out every year. I don't see why instead of constantly coming out with new consoles, they don't just try and create more games for the current ones.

I mean, look at SNES. They had a TON of games for it. Seriously! You don't see most of the games anymore because those games are getting harder to find due to the new systems.

16 bit days were the best, and the games were outstanding! I guess that's why they say all the older Final Fantasy games are some of the greatest. So the graphics weren't the best...SO WHAT! They were still the greatest games.

Two of my favorite games are The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Super Mario RPG. Both those games are for the SNES.

16-bit era. Sega Megadrive (Genesis) was just awsome. games like Shining Force, Landstalker, Jimmy Whites Whirlwind Snooker, Virtua Racer, Road Rash, FIFA...and Sonic. such a better platformer than Mario. looked better, played better, just was better.

at the end of the day, this is just my opinion...but my opinions are always right, so what anyone says is just null and void (whoops, slipped into the FFShrine frame of mind there!)

well i enjoyed all the eras but i knew no better as they were the best things out at the time. Now i can't even play on them execpt for ff7 :D as im enjoying modern consoles. Then when the next generation of consoles come out i won't be able to play on the current ones. Is my hunger for more power engines, graphics sound quality and the game size

It's gotta be when the SNES was released, I would have never discovered great RPG's such as Zelda and Final Fantasy!!!! I first played FFV on it. I loved games like Street Fighter and Super Mario also. Oh yeah, not forgetting the Game Boy! I loved taking it everywhere with me.

16-Bit era. The SNES was and still is(imho) the greatest console to ever grace our bedrooms.

It held the best of FF and other Square masterpieces like Chrono Trigger. Not to mention Nintendo's own games: Zelda: ALttP, Super Metroid, Super Mario RPG, Earthbound, and of course Super Mario World. Better platformer than Sonic. Better gameplay, level design, and music. It just was better. ;)

16-Bit era.

The SNES held the best of FF series and that is FFVI which contain the most addictive storyline and gameplay. Other than FF series, there is also Super Mario RPG which beside its gameplay and storyline, it also has a good colorfull graphics almost just like PS (16-bit and its graphics almost like 32-bit!! can you believe it? )

Definately the Mega Drive vs SNES. That was a battle that Sega just lost. Sure, they made the Saturn...but that lasted as long as the Dreamcast, not much at all.

I prefer the Next-Gen era. That was the time when RPGs started falling out of people's asses. You had 3D games that were hard, and games were fun to play.
Now, there are so much graphics in a game that the game sucks rocks. There's hardly any gameplay in the games that I play, and it pisses me off.

My favorite era was 16 bit as well, i seem to have more memorys about that period than any other.

Defnitely my SNES games, those games you could play over and over again.

16 bit era, hand's down.

I was already a young established gamer but when snes and sega genesis game out, i was in gaming heaven.

Here are a list of my old school faves

Super Mario world, Super Mario All Stars
Sonic series, Shining force series
FF2, FF3, CT
Streetfighter and Mortal Kombat!

Oh man, i'm gonna whip out my Snes now...later!

My favorite era was the PS2 one I thank god for that era it was a big step for nintendo I think.

Originally posted by jagk80
Early to mid 90's. SNES was the best thing ever.

final fantasy 3: best RPG ever made.

sega genesis was pretty good too. i liked the sports games and the shining force series RPG's.

played the hell out of those two systems, until one day...

along came the playstation...