90s Nintendo or 90s Sega - who was better in your opinion?

Nintendo was significantly superior.😏

Both were awesome, prefer Nintendo.

Nintendo, hands down.

Sega for me. More fun with phantasy star and shining force than whatever iteration of mario.

I have to go with Nintendo but the Sega Genesis was also a great console and the war between it and the Super Nintendo was just incredible back then. Even though I prefer the SNES more, the Genesis also had tons of great games as well. But in the 3D era in the 90s I wasn't a fan of the Sega Saturn and I loved the Nintendo 64 way more.

I'm still partial to the Dreamcast for all the joy it brough to me in the late 90s, but Nintendo was definitely a staple in the household for my entire childhood.

Sega for me.

Nintendo, it's not really a question.

Now are many of SEGA developed games of equal quality? yes. I've enjoyed a lot of SEGAs 90's offerings.

Nintendo just had more on offer overall of that high quality.

Generally like both though.

Loved Sega Genesis and got the most pleasure out of it. Super Nintendo was great though. Sega CD got lots of hours from me as well.

Sega wasn't much of a player after Genesis as the shot callers lacked the gusto needed to stay in the game. Poor decisions and jumping ship at the first sign of problems is how I remember post-genesis Sega.

Sega easily because they actually made games in EVERY genre, Nintendo not even close.

Sega made games for all ages, Nintendo didn't (heck they still don't 30yrs later) and i'm currently playing Breath of the Wild and Link doesn't even have nipples 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

The SNES was for children (Nintendo refused Akklaim's request for blood in the OG Mortal Kombat game) the Sega Mega Drive was for everyone.

Remember back then, Sega did what Nintendidn't.

That's interesting. It was the best time for both IMO, and both had major breakthroughs in 3D as well as making excellent 2D games. The arcade was still strong at the time and there was a lot of interesting hardware and games there. Both had their flops with the Virtual Boy, 64DD, Super Scope, Menacer, and 32X. Nintendo was the catalyst for the CD-i and PlayStation. Sega had the precursor to Game Pass with Sega Channel and Nintendo had Satellaview.

Nintendo had Mario World, Mario Kart, Mario 64, F-Zero X, Ocarina of Time, Star Fox, A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Earthbound, Sim City, Mario Paint

Sega had Streets of Rage, Sonic, Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter, Daytona, Sega Rally, Virtua Cop, Panzer Dragoon + Saga, Phantasy Star 4, Shinobi, Monster World, Shining Force II

That generation was very strong so I feel like you would be happy going either way. Both had their own struggles and strengths in the 32/64-bit generation. I will say that Nintendo Power is better than Sega Visions.

Genesis Vs SNES was the best console war. Both players made a wide variety of excellent games, but also had their own style. Not even just like "kiddy" vs "edgy", Nintendo's edgier stuff like Metroid or F-Zero still felt uniquely Nintendo, and same with Sega's kiddier offerings like Ristar and Alex Kid.

I have a strong bias for Sega, but Nintendo had a wider and better catalogue of games.

But Mario does. Weird.

@Litchie said:

@last_lap said:

i'm currently playing Breath of the Wild and Link doesn't even have nipples 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

But Mario does. Weird.

Is that an official pic as it looks off, as his arms are the same size from the wrists to the shoulders and the feet/toes look really weird. If real then Nintendo need some better artists.

And is Link considered a kid? as that maybe the reason Nintendo didn't want to make him have nipples?

@last_lap said:

@Litchie said:

@last_lap said:

i'm currently playing Breath of the Wild and Link doesn't even have nipples 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

But Mario does. Weird.

Is that an official pic as it looks off, as his arms are the same size from the wrists to the shoulders and the feet/toes look really weird. If real then Nintendo need some better artists.

And is Link considered a kid? as that maybe the reason Nintendo didn't want to make him have nipples?

Yes, it's an official picture. Mario has always looked weird, dude. What would be better? More accurate human characteristics? That would be awful, lol.

Link's a teenager I believe. I think he's the youngest in Wind Waker, where he's like 10 or something. BotW Link looks more like 18.

@Litchie said:

@last_lap said:

@Litchie said:

@last_lap said:

i'm currently playing Breath of the Wild and Link doesn't even have nipples 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

But Mario does. Weird.

Is that an official pic as it looks off, as his arms are the same size from the wrists to the shoulders and the feet/toes look really weird. If real then Nintendo need some better artists.

And is Link considered a kid? as that maybe the reason Nintendo didn't want to make him have nipples?

Yes, it's an official picture. Mario has always looked weird, dude. What would be better? More accurate human characteristics? That would be awful, lol.

Link's a teenager I believe. I think he's the youngest in Wind Waker, where he's like 10 or something. BotW Link looks more like 18.

Then Nintendo need better artists.

I'm currently playing Breath of the Wild and Link looks like he's 15 at the most. But weird that they didn't put nipples on him even though they made him shirtless at the start.

I disagree. He looks funny.

Extremely buff 15 year old, in that case. I actually never thought about Link's nipple situation..

Oh, I agree Mario looks funny, but not in a good way.

Like I said I just started BotW and it instantly struck me as weird that you would show a human character (male in this case) shirtless with no nipples, just have him with a shirt on then so it's not weird.

'90s Sega, hands down.

A few decades ago, I probably would've said '90s Nintendo, just because I loved all the RPGs on the SNES. But over the decades, I've lost interest in RPGs and barely play them anymore.

Nowadays, I mostly just play shorter arcadey games... And '90s Sega was the king of arcadey games. I rarely ever go back to play '90s Nintendo games, yet frequently go back to play '90s Sega games to this day. It's always a blast playing '90s Sega games while chilling with the boys.

This. Sega developed a wider variety of games than Nintendo back in the '90s. In terms of first-party output across consoles and arcades, Sega developed a greater variety of games.

Even when it came to RPGs, the genre where the SNES had the clearest advantage, it was mostly third-party devs making those RPGs (especially Squaresoft and Enix). When it came to first-party RPGs, Sega was undoubtedly superior to Nintendo. And that's in the Super Nintendo's strongest genre, let alone the arcadey genres where Sega had a clear advantage.

SEGA!!

Genesis did what Nintendidn't. lol :P

That is factually incorrect. Nintendo was propped up by third party and still didn't have a better library.

Third party games count, they knee capped Sega.

I'll raise: Are you aware Nintendo has included the anatomical bodily feature known as a penis in Animal Crossing New Horizons.

Genesis had games for all sorts of interests and was a definite player, but the company quit too easily.

My brain says nintendo, my heart says sega.

Follow your heart.

Some interesting stats from MobyGames about the '90s:

First-party games:

• Sega – 761 games
• Nintendo – 244 games

First-party and third-party games:

• Sega consoles – 2,465 games
• Nintendo consoles – 2,130 games

Sega does what Nintendon't.

Sega for me i didn't own a Nintendo system until n64 was sega all the way.

This... I can't even believe it's up for debate.

Didn't say third party didn't count, but even with third party Nintendo still loses.

That's great for the women who are lonely I guess 🤷‍♀️

@TheEroica: You continue to show your bad taste in gaming mate 🤦‍♂️

Sega made more and better first party games in just about every genre, Nintendo didn't.

This should settle the debate, but it won't. It would be even more interesting to see the breakdown of games in each genre, that would show just how bad Nintendo were back then.

From my own experience and playing both from Sega and Nintendo, Sega had better fun games than Nintendo IMO. Sega was more diverse in their games they offer than Nintendo. I'm going with Sega because I really love Sonic games more than Mario games but overall, I like'em both for what they bring to the gaming table.

My 13 year old brain didn't care who was making the games... Games like a link to the past were nowhere to be found on Genesis.... Actraiser, Final Fantasy II and III... Super Mario World.... Crono Trigger, the Castlevania games... Nintendo had better sport games too... Tecmo bowl on its own was better than the Genesis sport catalog.

If you're gonna die on the first party hill, go ahead... But back then exclusives mattered. Nintendo had a way better catalog in those two decades.

I don’t care who may have made the most games back then, only care who made the games that I was most interested in. That was Nintendo for me. Easily.

Nintendo.

Not the point.

Nintendo marches to the beat of its own drum. The SNES didn't have realistic blood in a game which didn't hurt at all. One company is still making consoles, and one company is, existing.

@TheEroica: So interesting seeing sheep of that era (and let's be honest you still have a soft spot) suggest that Sega's first party was better, when sheep usually die on Nintendo's first party hill.

Maybe you're starting to realise Nintendo just aren't that great when it comes to any other genre but platforming Mario lol.

As shown above, Sega made more and better games, it also had a lot of the same third party stuff the Nintendo did.

Sega made better rpgs too, Shining Force series, Phantasy Star series, Landstalker, Story of Thor etc.

NFL really lol.

@Solaryellow: This is about the 80's/90's not about now.

Sega made a lot of missteps that cost them, but that doesn't change the facts they had better games back then.

@Archangel3371: Just like I don't take the opinion of someone who thinks Final Fight on the SNES was better than Streets of Rage 2 on the Sega Mega Drive seriously 🤷‍♂️

@last_lap: Cool. Don’t care. It’s not like you taking my opinion seriously or not is going to change my tastes one way or the other. 🤷‍♂️

Your take on the competing software is an opinion. Fact is what happened to Sega in the 90's. Sales steadily declined with each console offering, after the MD/Genesis, to the point where it quit the market.

@Solaryellow: If you want to base it off of who's still making hardware then yes Nintendo.

But the OP did mention games, and if we base it from back then, we'll I believe Sega had the better games, Sega stuffing up in the front office doesn't negate those games.

Hard to say Nintendo had better 3rd party offerings but honestly sega's games we're a powerful vibe

Breakdown of '90s first-party games by genre, according to MobyGames:

Action

• Sega – 396 games
• Nintendo – 142 games

Adventure

• Sega – 43 games
• Nintendo – 4 games

Beat 'em up

• Sega – 28 games
• Nintendo – 3 games

Educational

• Sega – 16 games
• Nintendo – 9 games

Fighting

• Sega – 47 games
• Nintendo – 11 games

Metroidvania

• Nintendo – 11 games
• Sega – 4 games

Platformer

• Sega – 140 games
• Nintendo – 63 games

Puzzle

• Sega – 44 games
• Nintendo – 29 games

Racing

• Sega – 58 games
• Nintendo – 18 games

RPG

• Sega – 64 games
• Nintendo – 28 games

Shooter

• Sega – 81 games
• Nintendo – 30 games

Simulation

• Sega – 30 games
• Nintendo – 12 games

Sports

• Sega – 98 games
• Nintendo – 26 games

Strategy

• Sega – 57 games
• Nintendo – 28 games

Conclusion

In terms of the quantity and variety of first-party games in the '90s...

Sega leads in 13 genres:

• Action
• Adventure
• Beat 'em up
• Educational
• Fighting
• Platformer
• Puzzle
• Racing
• RPG
• Shooter
• Simulation
• Sports
• Strategy

Nintendo leads in 1 genre:

• Metroidvania

@Jag85: Damn I knew Sega kicked Nintendo's arse in the 90's but the margins are massive AND Sega's games were better, but Nintendo fans will just say, they might not had more games but, but, I liked Nintendo's games more 🤣

Yeah, Sega first party dominated Nintendo first party in terms of quantity and variety during the '90s. But to be fair, the third-party devs did most of the heavy lifting for '90s Nintendo consoles. When you add third parties, then Sega and Nintendo consoles were very close in terms of quantity and variety. But the credit for that goes to the third parties. There's no doubt Sega offered far greater quantity and variety of first-party software in the '90s.