I think that the whole blowing into the cartridge thing adds to the nostalgia of the NES. Ah....the memories. I'm not sure that method really worked, everyone just did it.

Other than that, I've never had a problem with any of my systems. Atari 2600, SNES, Original Gameboy, GB Color, PS1, PS2(launch) with harddrive and network adaptor, all work just fine. 

Yeah, I got my PS1 probably 18 months after launch and it still works flawlessly. My PS2 is from launch and it's a little shaky. I've gotten the Disc Read Error thing three times over the years, but all I needed to do was follow the directions that are on the internet to fix the problem. It's actually really easy to fix but most people won't want to bother/don't feel they should have to bother, which I can definitely understand.

My GC and DC technically work flawlessly, but I still have a complaint regarding their designs, especially the DC. I feel like both of these systems were too sensitive to disc scratches. I know it's my fault for scratching my disc, but I feel like the PS1 and PS2 were better at reading slightly abused media (although for some reason the PS2 hated scratched purple-bottomed PS2 CDs). Has anyone else felt this way or am I just crazy?

Oh yeah, I never owned a SNES, but my Genesis requires way less blowing than the NES. Can anyone compare the Genesis with SNES?

 Edit: Long live HuCards! I never had a problem with them

Interesting thread. Well as for me, I only owned a PS2 and I never had problems with it. I must had been lucky, but my uncle's PS2 broke up not long after he got it. :( So I'm trying to be as careful as possible when I buy Sony stuff and hope it doesn't brakes!

All I got from that was how Nintendo created its own worst enemy. Another article I had in mind was how Nintendo wanted to play it safe after seeing all the add-ons for the Genesis just flop. But they still shot themselves in the foot by supporting cartridges for the N64.

The console I had the most problems was with the Genesis. There was a problem with the controller port. If I played a two player game with a friend, the second controller was working fine.

Yeah, I had to blow the cartridges for some of the NES games, but really only a few of them. I had no problems with SNES games. If anything, I remember playing R-Types for the SNES one time and it had a glitch were I was invincible. Didn't complain then and I'm not complaining now.

The first console that I had to replace was the PS2, but that was probably due to overworking the SOB: playing the damn thing 120+ hours a week during the summer at times. Still, I had to shell out money to get another one.

All I know is I still have my original NES, I have to blow in the games sure but the NES is all original and still works. I went through 3 PS1's... and then had to get that bastard mini one.. I hate that god damned thing.  I am however on my original PS2, just wish I was on my original PS1... and for the record I take VERY good care of my consoles.

 The worst trouble I ever had with nintendo was the wi-fi that didn't want to connect(fixed in an hour or two) and blowing into NES carts. for Sony I've had to replace the console 3 times.. and sent the first one in for repairs 2 times.

It wasn't the CD/Cartridge decision that messed Nintendo up, that was one of many factors.

ms viral compeign doing its job.

I too jumped onto the PS1 train early and was burned by Sony.  The original PS1 was poorly designed (the heat from the processors broke down the rubber mounts that keep the drive in place) and Sony refused to fess up to it because it would have cost them a lot of money to fix all those faulty consoles.

In this generation, however, the biggest problem seems to be the 360.  I've seen the horror stories online.  Who hasn't?  But I also know people who have had problems with theirs.  It seems like everyone knows somone who's had a problem.  This cannot be as isolated as MS wants everyone to believe.  While I currently have no plans on picking up a 360, I definitely won't buy one until after they switch to the 65nm process.