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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Coolest console names

curl-6 on 15 March 2025

Megadrive is #1 for me, it just oozes 80s cool and conveys power and dynamism. 

Though the systems themselves were poor, Jaguar and Lynx also sound badass.

Turbografx-16 is pretty groovy too.

JackHandy said:

What are we defining as cool? Like, the names that were actually considered cool in their time? Or that we think were just good names now?

The latter was the thread's intent, though you can take historical context into account to if you want.



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SvennoJ on 15 March 2025
JackHandy said:

What are we defining as cool? Like, the names that were actually considered cool in their time? Or that we think were just good names now? I think Genesis was cool in its time. Switch is cool now. Playstation was a very "cool" system, but I don't know about that name. The more you detach yourself from the brand to objectively think about it, the more lame Playstation sounds lol. Seems like we all just got use to it. The Xbox name was never cool. It seemed corny at the time (back then, if you wanted to be hip, you put an X before or after a word; it was a very dude-bro thing) and, similar to Playstation, I think we all just got use to it. Same with Gameboy.

I think I'll go with Genesis as the coolest sounding console. Jaguar and Turbo-Graphics 16 was pretty cool sounding, as well.

Growing up Commodore 64 was cool. It rhymes! Kinda took the wind out of Nintendo 64's sails lol.

Playstation wasn't cool, at least the name wasn't. Plus it looked like a toilet seat. But Sony had the brilliant move to promote it in night clubs, that's where I first played Gran Turismo in between enjoying techno. So we got one to play on after clubbing.

And yeah Gameboy, the name was so lame, didn't want one as a kid. I got one much later and missed out on the magic because of dissing the name.



killer7 on 16 March 2025
Leynos said:
killer7 said:

Fun Fact: The Neptune almost really happened but was canned for some reason! 

Not some reason. Saturn was coming out. 32X was a bad idea and was meant to bridge the gap between Genesis and Saturn. Neptune was just a 32X/Genesis all in one. However, fans are bringing Neptune back as an FPGA console.

I really would love Sega returning to HW business. We know it won't happen but Sega always had the best hardware although discussions MD vs SNES, MS vs NES still keep going. Now we are in the 9th gen consolewars and Xbox took Segas place. Soon it will be Sony vs Nintendo. Yet some people refuse it and call the war "over" despite the fact these 2 are still fighting for gamers. It will be over when only one has a system with physical games on the market. This will be the overall winner.



JackHandy on 16 March 2025
SvennoJ said:
JackHandy said:

What are we defining as cool? Like, the names that were actually considered cool in their time? Or that we think were just good names now? I think Genesis was cool in its time. Switch is cool now. Playstation was a very "cool" system, but I don't know about that name. The more you detach yourself from the brand to objectively think about it, the more lame Playstation sounds lol. Seems like we all just got use to it. The Xbox name was never cool. It seemed corny at the time (back then, if you wanted to be hip, you put an X before or after a word; it was a very dude-bro thing) and, similar to Playstation, I think we all just got use to it. Same with Gameboy.

I think I'll go with Genesis as the coolest sounding console. Jaguar and Turbo-Graphics 16 was pretty cool sounding, as well.

Growing up Commodore 64 was cool. It rhymes! Kinda took the wind out of Nintendo 64's sails lol.

Playstation wasn't cool, at least the name wasn't. Plus it looked like a toilet seat. But Sony had the brilliant move to promote it in night clubs, that's where I first played Gran Turismo in between enjoying techno. So we got one to play on after clubbing.

And yeah Gameboy, the name was so lame, didn't want one as a kid. I got one much later and missed out on the magic because of dissing the name.

lol

That last sounds like me in '93, making fun of my friend every time he wanted to play Genesis at his house. I had had a SNES since launch, and would rip on his console because the graphics and sound "sucked". But the more I played it, the more I started to feel that processor and what it uniquely had to offer and it wasn't long before I had to get my own.



CaptainExplosion on 16 March 2025

Super Nintendo Entertainment System. *cue badass guitars and lightning*



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curl-6 on 16 March 2025

Sega were actually pretty good with naming as Saturn, Dreamcast, and Nomad also sound cool.

Magnavox Odyssey has a nice ring to it as well.

From today's big 3, I'd pick Super Nintendo Entertainment system as Nintendo's best. Playstation is self-explanatory and straightforward but not all that cool. Xbox and Xbox 360 sound good, shame their naming went to shit after that.



SanAndreasX on 16 March 2025

The FM Towns Marty.



Leynos on 17 March 2025

SEGA Wondermega and it was cool looking as well.



Bite my shiny metal cockpit!

Kaunisto on 17 March 2025

We should also consider how names work when extended with the company. Most aren't much effected and aren't used outside commercials, but anyway Sega Master System and Sony Playstation do have better ring than plain Master System and Playstation. Wii is improved if you call it Nintendo Wii.
Panasonic 3DO doesn't sound too bad that way.



IcaroRibeiro on 17 March 2025

Playstation, it's simple and iconic. Immediately communicate it's a system to have fun

Dreamcast, very good name, it's elegant almost mystical

Game Boy. Creative name for a portable console, and the lack of Nintendo's name made it pretty clean

Saturn. Sega was really good with their naming. Saturn looks special, I don't know why it just sounds good

Nintendo Switch, the only system with "Nintendo" in the name that I actually love because it just sounds cool and communicates perfectly what the console is about