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Best, Average, and Worst Console launch lineups

Jubenhimer

Member
Usually when a shiny new console is released to stores, a batch of 20 or so games are available to play on it from Day One. Usually, these lineups range from great, to average, to anemic. Which consoles in your opinion, had the best launch lineup, which ones had an average or meh lineup, and which ones had the worst launch lineup?

For me, the best console launches in North America were the Game Boy Advance, Dreamcast, Wii, and Xbox. Each of these systems launched with a large variety of games, and had one AAA killer app to go with them. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon for the GBA, Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast, Twilight Princess for the Wii, and Halo: Combat Evolved for the Xbox.

The ones I felt were the most average were... Most console launch lineups actually. Xbox 360, Wii U, PS4, Xbox One. These all launched with a ton of solid titles, but no real killer app. These aren't bad launch lineups, but you can definitely tell most of these are merely decent filler until the really good shit arrives.

The Worst launch lineups IMO, were for system's like the Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, DS, 3DS, and PS3. Not only were there a very limited number of games for these systems, but in some cases, there wasn't even a great title. N64 only launched with 2 Games! Granted, one of them was Super Mario 64, but still... 2 whole games!
 

teezzy

Banned
My buddy and I had actually gotten into a literal argument about this like a month ago. His stupid ass was trying to tell me Switch had the best lineup simply because it had Breath of the Wild which he pompously acclaimed as, "the greatest game of all time" through his Cheeto stained lips.

I told his fat sweaty ass to go milk a cow.

TediousCalculatingAtlasmoth-size_restricted.gif


I seriously need new friends dude.

Personally, I'd go with PS2, GCN, and Xbox... but what do I know.
 

stranno

Member
Worst: Playstation 2 and Dreamcast.
Average: Playstation and Saturn.
Best: Pretty much every modern console had a big/good pack of launch titles: WiiU, Playstation 4, XBOX One, Wii, XBOX 360..
 

Heimdall_Xtreme

Jim Ryan Fanclub's #1 Member
My buddy and I had actually gotten into a literal argument about this like a month ago. His stupid ass was trying to tell me Switch had the best lineup simply because it had Breath of the Wild which he pompously acclaimed as, "the greatest game of all time" through his Cheeto stained lips.

I told his fat sweaty ass to go milk a cow.

TediousCalculatingAtlasmoth-size_restricted.gif


I seriously need new friends dude.

Personally, I'd go with PS2, GCN, and Xbox... but what do I know.
please turn off now :messenger_frowning_


I seriously need new friends dude.

Yes you have to change your friends now
 

the_master

Member
Best:
Snes, ps1, saturn, n64, dreamcast, xbox.

Not feeling like doing the worst but current and prev gen was prety lame to me
 

M1chl

Currently Gif and Meme Champion
I only live through PS4 launch (and that's like 4 months in) and that was some terrible shit, but I got my first console in 2007, was PC only before.
 
Worst: Playstation 2 and Dreamcast.
Average: Playstation and Saturn.
Best: Pretty much every modern console had a big/good pack of launch titles: WiiU, Playstation 4, XBOX One, Wii, XBOX 360..

You could argue Dreamcast maybe didn't have a stellar library when all was said and done, but it's launch line-up was easily 5 stars
 
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Aion002

Member
PS1 - I bought on day one: Toshiden and Zero Divide. Ok... Average... I guess..
PlayStation-launch.jpg


PS2 - Bought: Armored Core 2, Street Fighter Ex 3 and Tekken Tag. PRETTY GOOD!
IhEAyoT.png


PS3 - Bought: Genji, Resistance, Gundam and RS Vegas... It was fine...

  1. Resistance: Fall of Man - Sony
  2. NBA 07 - Sony
  3. Genji: Days of the Blade - Sony
  4. Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII - Ubisoft
  5. Call of Duty 3 - Activision
  6. EA Sports Fight Night Round 3 - Electronic Arts
  7. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Bethesda Softworks
  8. F.E.A.R. - Vivendi Universal Games
  9. Full Auto 2: Battlelines - Sega
  10. Madden NFL 07 - Electronic Arts
  11. MARVEL: ULTIMATE ALLIANCE - Activision
  12. Mobile Suit Gundam: CROSSFIRE - NAMCO BANDAI Games
  13. NBA 2K7 - 2K Sports
  14. Need For Speed Carbon - Electronic Arts
  15. NHL 2K7 - 2K Sports
  16. RIDGE RACER 7 - NAMCO BANDAI Games
  17. Sonic the Hedgehog - Sega
  18. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 - Electronic Arts
  19. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas - Ubisoft
  20. Tony Hawk’s Project 8 - Activision
  21. Untold Legends Dark Kingdom - Sony Online Entertainment
PS4 - Got: Resogun, Flower, Killzone and Warframe. Ok... Average... I guess..
PlayStation4.jpg
 
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Jubenhimer

Member
Worst: Playstation 2 and Dreamcast.
Average: Playstation and Saturn.
Best: Pretty much every modern console had a big/good pack of launch titles: WiiU, Playstation 4, XBOX One, Wii, XBOX 360..
I could understand the PS2, but why the Dreamcast? I thought it had a great launch lineup, here in the US at least.
 
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samporter

Banned
Nintendo Switch.

It only needed one game to sell the system, Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Like many people, I was captivated by the BOTW trailer. I stood in line on launch day but all the systems were already sold out EVERYWHERE. I remember reading reports that fans were so desperate they bought the game and without the system. First time I've attended a system launch event and it was amazing.
 

Werewolf Jones

Gold Member
I obviously never got it launch day but GameCube in Japan started off with Wave Race Blue Storm, Luigi's Mansion and Super Monkey Ball. All three games are bangers.
 

DunDunDunpachi

Patient MembeR
Nintendo Wii had an amazing launch. Really felt like a taste of the future (which it was).

My launch window games were LoZ: Twilight Princess, Wii Sports, Excite Truck, Trauma Center, and Red Steel.
 

supernova8

Banned
Switch is probably my best launch lineup in recent years. Having Zelda, Mario vs Rabbids, and ARMS (shortly after launch) was fantastic. I was pleasantly surprised at how good MvR is. Never played an X-Com style game but it got me hungry for more.

Shame I sold my Switch when I was strapped for cash..
 
PlayStation launch’s and shit launch lineups are pretty much a given outside of the first console but a special place in shit launch lineup was the Saturn

Daytona and virtua fighter ports were pretty crap and in Australia there was a pretty big pal drought of games

Best launch lineup was Dreamcast...it’s a shame sega ran out of money as that console had so many great ideas and was well ahead of it’s time
 

theclaw135

Banned
The SNES launch is a favorite of mine. All of its initial games I've found enjoyment in, though Pilotwings isn't my cup of tea.

Personally, from the Dreamcast launch lineup I only liked Sonic Adventure. Half the games were sports or fighting and had little appeal to me (if I offend anyone for liking Virtua Fighter 2 over Sega's other fighters, tough cookies). I'll honorable mention Ready 2 Rumble for its sense of humor.

Gamecube was fairly strong for Luigi's Mansion and Super Monkey Ball. Albeit again half sports.

Saturn edges closer to worst. Daytona USA is fun to play but I'm hopeless at winning.
 

Xellos

Member
North American SNES launch is my fave, although it's kind of cheating since it had been out for a year already in Japan.

Gamecube was pretty good. IIRC It had Luigi's Manion, Star Wars, Waverace, and Monkey Ball all on day 1.
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
I feel the best were most of the 4th gen consoles and the 6th gen consoles.
Average...5th gen and 7th gen
Worst...I've never been sold on the 8th gen consoles (I like the Switch, though)
 
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Best: DS (at least in Europe)
Average: PS Vita (lots of games but most weren't great or Average)
Worst: 32x (pretty much shown what was to come for SEGA)
 
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TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
Tricky
Should you really count consoles that come out years after the generation has started
For example
Dreamcast and the PS2
Those consoles developers was releasing their first Next-Gen games on.
Xbox and GCN?
Was 3rd wave generation and in most cases was getting the sequels to the games that kick off the generation
Unless we mean just exclusives?
 

Ceallach

Smells like fresh rosebuds
I love the N64, but there were only two fucking games. Pilotwings and Mario 64.

Bes though, I remember Dreamcast having a great launch lineup.
 

nush

Gold Member
From a Euro launch perspective I'd say Dreamcast was the best, followed by the Megadrive and the Neo Geo Pocket Color. This was back in the day when we had to wait months later than the rest of the world for console launches so the advantage was there was a solid day one library.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
The PSP had an incredible launch lineup. A couple of classic games, updates to old franchises for the old people, versions of popular PS2 games, sports, etc. Sony went all out and it was great.
 

fatmarco

Member
In New Zealand we got the Xbox 360 late, which meant the console launched with basically Oblivion, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfare, Fight Night Round 3, Dead or Alive 4, Kameo etc. It was incredible.
 

Jaysen

Banned
I love my XSX but there’s no question about it being the worst. Fortunately I skipped XB1, so I have more games on Game Pass to play than I have on any other console. Still not an excuse for MS to shit the bed so hard at launch. And if Halo had launched, they’d still have just had that for 6-12 months. Good job, Phil.
 

Rolla

Banned
Worst console launch: XBOX Series X

Hyping up power and then launching with nothing to showcase what the world's most powerful console can do, is pitiful in my humble opinion. 6 months later and still nothing on that front Is farcical.
 

Billbofet

Member
Dreamcast was the best launch and it's not even close. Every genre was covered and ...Soul Calibur of course.
PS One I seem to recall was great at launch, but maybe I am thinking of that incredible demo disc it came with.
This generation's launch sucks for PS5 and Xbox Series. As much as I love Demon's Souls, it really doesn't count, but XB is probably the worst ever.
 

Fredrik

Member
I’ve been gaming for over 35 years, been there for most launches, and Xbox Series X is hands down the worst. Unless I’ve missed something, correct me if I’m wrong, Sony actually have more new 1st party games on Xbox than Microsoft... They also have a higher meta score on their Sony published new game on Xbox than any MS published new game on Xbox.
That’s something. They have a lot to prove in the second half of the year.
 
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