Does anyone remember the bit wars?

Back in the day, Nintendo is trying to sell the Super Nintendo and they use the term 16 bit. They didn't list what kind of hardware it has, since most kids at the time didnt really care. We just wanted better graphics then what we saw with NES.

The Atari marketed the Jaguar as 32 bit, something is better then Genesis and Super Nintendo. This is probably when we realized that bits is irrelevent when Nintendo put out Star Fox and Donkey Kong Country.

I bring this up because I notice the same thing happening with PS4 and Xbox One. Like suddenly the type of memory is important for argument sake which system is better.

Time and time again, the console with the best library of games that are the most fun wins. The best graphics or most power rarely means a win in the console wars. It's who has the best games that are the most fun.

I remember those 16-bit wars and before that era (Atari 2600, 5200, 7600, Intellivision, NES, Sega Master System, Coleco, etc). However, when it comes to performance, there are metrics to use. Even when it came to SNES/Genesis/Atari there were ways to measure performance.The Genesis came out first, and in most respects was bested technologically speaking by the later released SNES. That's okay though, great games on both machines.

I understand what you might be getting at with regards to surprises, but the PS4/Xbone are measured in more than merely memory (I assume you are talking RAM). Also, these newest machines are more far more like PCs than ever before eliminating the 'surprise factor' and 'hidden power' we saw from previous generations. There will of course be better looking games as the generation goes on and we see less eliminate cross-generational multiplats.

To be honest, your post comes across as something I saw before the Xbone/PS4 released and people were guessing which machine would have the better performance. Again though, we are WELL beyond that point.

Bit wars were fun! Sega does what Nintendont and has that hyper realistic fast speed chip LOL oh god those were the days.

The Jaguar was marketed as 64-bit. But then it was revealed that it was as 64bit as 600Hz TV's or "X"GB HDD's.

I was never involved in them myself, no. I was probably in Kindergarten or early elementary school during the time the bit wars happened.

I didn't really notice any kind of "console wars" until the 6th gen of gaming, around when I started actually using internet forums.

You are right, it is always about the games. What is more significant than system power is sales, since the system that sells the most always ends up with the best library (unless they were targeting casual gamers specifically, anyway).

Blast Processing enables high definition graphics! O.O

Yeah one of the worst mistakes nintendo could make is call every damn tittle with the 64 at the end. mario 64? start fox 64? wario 64? OH my god what an abysmal marketing service that is. Anyway this mistake eventually help nintendo become the joke of the gaming industry. The Sony PSX even though 32bit, it murdered and n64 3:1 in sales. As a new comer, Sony made history by destroying the all mighty and legendary nintendo.

It still is a 64bit graphical machine though. Not that it matters, I though all the kids who though bits meant anything were dumb but then when the parents started to think bits meant something, well, nothing I could do. Tried to explain why bits did not matter back in those days, but Sega kept on going. NEC didn't help things much either even though they were losing.

@WadeFan:

But one also has to define "win". I, personally don't believe the Wii had the best library, but it moved the most hardware last gen. For me, the best library was the 360.

Yesssss!!! That's it!!! lol

The bit wars were great, if we could see another rivalry in the same vein as what the genesis and Snes had I'd be super excited.

Hell, Just give me another Ps2 vs Xbox. Which honestly seems like it'll happen already.

Nintendo Wii.

Didn't have internet have internet back then. Didn't have to hear gamers drivel about "Teh Bit King" can you imagine the how annying flamewars wouldve been back then ?

damn I miss Battle Toads.

@cainetao11: @TigerSuperman: that's a good example. But I did say the best library or the games that are the most fun. I agree 100% about the 360 having the better library, however, one could argue that the Wii had a library that was more "fun". I'm not saying that's the case, I'm just playing devil's advocate here.

I'm 27, of course I do.

I also know that the "graphics war" has never gone away, just changed forms.

No. No, I do not.

The bitwars were cock. People carry on their legacy to this day. Specs don't matter. Only games matter.

No, you're making me feel young.

@WadeFan: translation: SNES FTW!

I never cared of the term bit wars. In fact I don't remember any one when I was a kid who used that term. All I knew was that the SNES and Genesis were two awesome consoles that both had great games. I miss those days.

I thought it was proven that it had two 32-bit chips together.

I'm too lazy to google it.

The wikipedia entry for the Jaguar confirms that it is two 32-bit chips.

So how do bits work?

Does 32+32=64 work or is it all bullshit?

Sega started the bit wars. They marketed their console as 16 bit vs. 8 bit NES. Sega does what Nintendon't.

I was wrapped up in it to. I didn't even notice that the SNES sound chip obliterated the Genesis one. The bits were a good way to create a general understanding of the tech evolution though. Oversimplified, sure, but still showed something.

Two 32 bit chips don't really equal 64. It's like two cars that go 50mph. They don't go 100mph together. It's better than one 50mph car though :)

As far as I know, no one used the actual phrase 'Bit Wars' back then either...but there was an emphasis on bits.

That's what I thought.

Yeah, i remember. It was all pretty meaningless to me as I cared more about the games that would be released on the systems. When I first saw the Jaguar at the E3 I just laughed. The controller was terrible and most of the games looked like crap. Only game worth playing was Alien vs Predator. The 3DO actually had a few decent games, but the controller was almost as bad as the Jaguar's.

Hard to argue with this. Nail the library, and you're set for the long run.

Nope. I'm not old enough to remember that.

@WadeFan:

Understood. That's why sales are the only way to call a winner. Games value and enjoyment is completely subjective, sales are factual numbers.

Same.

You could easily list dozens upon dozens of awesome exclusive games for both the SNES and Genesis, and the libraries were quite unique from one another.

Nowadays the Xbox and Playstation share the vast majority of their games, and there are so few exclusives, and even fewer unique ones actually worth buying.

I agree with you here. Both system not only had great first party exclusives but also a lot of 3rd party exclusives as well such as the SNES having Castlevania IV and Contra III while the Genesis had Castlevania Bloodlines and Contra Hard Corps which gave you a reason to want to play both consoles for their own unique games. And they had their own genres such as the SNES having the most rpgs and the Genesis having the most sports games.

Now with the new current gen all people talk about is the resolutions and fps. And the fact that all they have now is first party exclusives which is the only reason to play on both of them because if you're mostly into 3rd party games then why bother to buy both the PS4 and XBO if they both have the same games then.