Clash of the Consoles, pt. 1 (Why 90's Kids Never Wanted to Go to School)

If you're anything like me, you know that the mid-90's were a magical time for kids, introducing the first generation of competing video game consoles. Parents the world over would come to lament the time their kids would spend in front of the tv instead of doing "better things"...going outside, doing their homework, reading, and all that noise. 90's consoles brought us some of the most recognizable and classic characters in the video game industry. Here are some of the most popular consoles in the order they were released; which was your favorite?

Let's start things off with: Nintendo Game Boy

Old school

Remember this bad boy? How many hours did you kill using one of these? How many batteries did you have to buy to keep that sucker running? The original Game Boy came out in August of 1989, so 80's kids got to enjoy it first, but many of the good games came about a couple years later. You could numb your mind with some Tetris, though. Being part of the Nintendo franchise, Gameboy users could also play classics from their NES (released in 85) like Super Mario Bros. and Zelda on the go. Hundreds of other games followed, including Wario World, Kirby's Adventureland, Donkey Kong Land, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and, of course, Pokemon. Yup, Pokemon. That's a whole other animal that we'll get to in another post. Oh yeah, we're coming back around for that, don't you worry. But not now. Later. You'll have to contain yourself til then.

Next up: Sega Genesis

You were probably either a Sega kid or a Nintendo kid; they were like the first Burger King vs McDonalds of the video game world. Even now, 20 years after the Sega Genesis came out, the best-known icon of the console, Sonic the Hedgehog, is one of the biggest names in video games, along with Nintendo's Mario. How's that for a lasting impression? I have proof:

http://www.gamespot.com/wii/sports/mariosonicattheolympicgames/

The Genesis wasn't the last we heard from Sega, but it was by far the best received, and was (for those who somehow still have one somewhere. You nerds) the classic console of the company. The Genesis did have other games you could buy (it's true!), but who really cared?

All you ever needed

Pictured: Crime against video games

Check back for the big-name systems in Clash of the Consoles, part 2, and watch for the coming poll to vote for your favorite video game system!