Topic: B/C back in the day?

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

Here is a topic for thought, we all have imagined what N64 would have been like if it had featured CD Rom instead of cartridge, but what if it had remained the same, cart only but instead supported SNES playback, would that have been possible, if so would it have made a difference to YOU, the market, or gaming in general?

[NWR_insanolord]

I doubt it would have meant anything to the market in general, but it would have been nice for me since I never owned a Super Nintendo.

[Ceric]

It would have been a PSX because that was what a PSX was if it had CD.


If it had full BC with Super Nintendo that would have been interesting though you could run into a 32x situation.

[Mop it up]

I think backwards compatibility would have been tougher to do with cartridges than discs for various reasons. I know they did this with the Game Boy line, but those cartridges were designed differently and the hardware was similar, whereas the N64 hardware was totally different from the SNES, and the SNES used a lot of expansion chips in its cartridges.

Assuming it was possible though, I don't think it would have mattered as I don't think backwards compatibility has ever been a selling point for a console. Take the PS2 for example, I think people just saw it as a bonus feature, and what was really selling that system were the improvement in graphics and the DVD playback. BC by itself wouldn't have moved PS2 systems... just like how today, the Wii U is the only current console with BC and it's selling the worst of the three. BC won't save a flawed system, but makes a good bullet point on a desired system.

I don't think most people care about having more than one system connected to their TV, at least not enough to be a selling point, but I think it could matter more to handhelds. People don't want to carry more than one device so having a system that can play both new and old games could be enticing. Heck, I know that BC is definitely a feature that pushed me to buy a 3DS since I didn't have a DS, and I have way more DS games than 3DS. So I think BC may have helped sell systems like the GBA, DS, and 3DS, especially in the early days.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I think backwards compatibility would have been tougher to do with cartridges than discs for various reasons. I know they did this with the Game Boy line, but those cartridges were designed differently and the hardware was similar, whereas the N64 hardware was totally different from the SNES, and the SNES used a lot of expansion chips in its cartridges.

Assuming it was possible though, I don't think it would have mattered as I don't think backwards compatibility has ever been a selling point for a console. Take the PS2 for example, I think people just saw it as a bonus feature, and what was really selling that system were the improvement in graphics and the DVD playback. BC by itself wouldn't have moved PS2 systems... just like how today, the Wii U is the only current console with BC and it's selling the worst of the three. BC won't save a flawed system, but makes a good bullet point on a desired system.

I don't think most people care about having more than one system connected to their TV, at least not enough to be a selling point, but I think it could matter more to handhelds. People don't want to carry more than one device so having a system that can play both new and old games could be enticing. Heck, I know that BC is definitely a feature that pushed me to buy a 3DS since I didn't have a DS, and I have way more DS games than 3DS. So I think BC may have helped sell systems like the GBA, DS, and 3DS, especially in the early days.

Wii U is a not a direct comparison as Wii served a specific demographic that has moved on Wii U serves the traditional console demographic and is failing at that. Also as popular as Wii was its games library was not impressive as SNES and didn't have sales potential.

You are assuming N64 would have had different carts as it did, I am assuming they would have designed the N64 carts to be same dimensions as SNES to allow for BC. Also it wouldn't be that hard to include the SNES processor on a chip they had already shrunk it down by the time N64 launched and it could have handled like Sega did with the Genesis and SMS.

Super NES was the last console Nintendo had the entire gaming community as a whole in their camp where most gamers switched to PS1, as it felt like the true successor to SNES whereas N64 was this weird oddball that was trying too hard to be different.

SNES was still outselling N64 for the first two years both were on sale, SNES was even getting some of its most high profile games after the 64 came  out, with GC, Wii, and 64 they pretty much dropped support as soon as the successor was on the market but with NES and SNES that didn't happen.