![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
This doesn't seem to be an oft-discussed topic, but with the recent launch of the PS Vita and its solid launch line-up, I'm wondering what other people's opinions are on their best/favorite, and even worst/despised, titles that launched alongside new hardware. While I presume that this will most likely be a home and handheld console-oriented discussion, I'm sure there's other stuff out that from the early days of PC gaming.
For me, 3 games come to mind as the best launch titles of all time:
Dreamcast - SoulCalibur: For the first time in my life, I was able to play a console game that was able to deliver graphic fidelity surpassing that of its arcade counterpart. The fact that the developers were able to squeeze that much out of a launch title was simply amazing. 12½ years later and the game STILL looks decent.
Nintendo 64 - Mario 64: "Itsa' Me, Mahrio!" I was hooked from the very first time that guido plumber's oversized, floating noggin uttered those words. Controlling Mario in 3 dimensions with the revolutionary implementation of the N64s analog stick was pure bliss.
SNES - Super Mario World: While I didn't own an SNES at launch, SMB is still as playable today as it was twenty years ago. To this day, I still hold it as the epitome of 2d platforming.
And I know that there's plenty of clunkers out there as well, though Mortal Kombat Gold for the Dreamcast was the only one that truly disappointed me. Controls were jerky, graphics were merely ok, especially when compared to SoulCalibur, and the sound was atrocious. After having spent many a loving hour on the various MK games in the past, I was completely let down by the steaming pile of crap that was this series' first foree onto the then-next generation of console gaming.
For me, 3 games come to mind as the best launch titles of all time:
Dreamcast - SoulCalibur: For the first time in my life, I was able to play a console game that was able to deliver graphic fidelity surpassing that of its arcade counterpart. The fact that the developers were able to squeeze that much out of a launch title was simply amazing. 12½ years later and the game STILL looks decent.
Nintendo 64 - Mario 64: "Itsa' Me, Mahrio!" I was hooked from the very first time that guido plumber's oversized, floating noggin uttered those words. Controlling Mario in 3 dimensions with the revolutionary implementation of the N64s analog stick was pure bliss.
SNES - Super Mario World: While I didn't own an SNES at launch, SMB is still as playable today as it was twenty years ago. To this day, I still hold it as the epitome of 2d platforming.
And I know that there's plenty of clunkers out there as well, though Mortal Kombat Gold for the Dreamcast was the only one that truly disappointed me. Controls were jerky, graphics were merely ok, especially when compared to SoulCalibur, and the sound was atrocious. After having spent many a loving hour on the various MK games in the past, I was completely let down by the steaming pile of crap that was this series' first foree onto the then-next generation of console gaming.
