For the last week, the video game industry’s largest annual convention and trade fair, E3, has kept the Los Angeles Convention Center full to bursting.
Unlike most video game trade fairs, which are public, E3 is an industry-only event. But it’s followed closely by game fans around the world.
Every year at E3, gaming companies come out swinging with plans for the future, announcements of new features, and teasers, trailers, and beta versions of new video games. In a reveal that has turned out to be one of the most high-profile surprises of this year’s event, Microsoft announced that they are adding backwards compatibility to their new Xbox One, enabling it to play some Xbox 360 games.
So which game console has the edge after this year’s E3? GeekWire stopped by Super Smash Games — a small but well-stocked video game store in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood — to talk to gamers of all ages. We asked about their favorite game consoles, and also got some thoughts on backward compatibility.
Joshua Marchand, middle school student: “Probably PlayStation. I have a PlayStation. You can play lots of different games on it, like Sonic and stuff like that.”
Kara Kahler, Photographer. “Well, probably Nintendo. We got a Wii pretty cheap because we got the older version, and it just seems like it has a lot of games that are appropriate for younger kids, and it’s fun to play. One thing I like about the Wii is I like playing like, Mario Brothers because it’s linear and so it’s easy to play. When I play a game that’s real three dimensional I get confused whereas [Leo] is awesome at it, but I like to be able to hit my little boxes and just use my fireballs and stuff like that.”
Kara’s son, Leo: “Nintendo. Well, I have a Wii and 3DS, so, it’s basically what I have. Even though I haven’t played it in a while [I like] Super Mario Bros. on my Wii.”
Truman Wisen, middle school student: “I prefer the original Xbox because I’ve never actually played any other console and my favorite game is Madden ’07.”
Phillippe Siruno, Employee at Super Smash Games: “Currently, I am playing Nintendo products. I am playing my Wii U, but mostly I love to go back to my Super Nintendo (SNES). I like that console, personally, because the graphics of it. I guess they are pixelated, but 16 bit never ages to me. The graphics still look good. And, it still plays smoothly. I even just got some new games for it. I have a bunch of games for it and I even got new game for it. I got a Fire Emblem reproduction that never made it to the United States. I am playing through that right now. I still go back and play Super Mario RPG, which is probably my favorite game of all time because it started my music career.
What do you think of Xbox One backward compatibility? “I do love backwards compatibility. But I will admit, I am not happy that Sony wouldn’t add backwards compatibility to PS4. I am happy that Xbox One will support xbox 360 games, but it still doesn’t help me out. It still doesn’t warrant me to purchase an Xbox One. For me, when it comes to purchasing a console, companies need to have really great first party titles. Like on Xbox One, the only game that really interests me is Killer Instinct, and guess where it used to come from: Nintendo.”
Levi Teachout, high school student: “Right now, it has to be Nintendo because of the Wii U. You can get so deep into professional Super Smash Bros. Also, you can go on it and use the web browser.”
What do you think of Xbox One backward compatibility? “Backwards compatibility was actually what I was hoping for. I was thinking of getting an Xbox One, but I was going to wait until it was backwards compatible. I think it’s definitely going to push me to get one.“
Andre Alabastro, high school student: “I am a Nintendo guy, through and through. One reason is because I suck at all games on other consoles. But, mostly because of Super Smash.”
What do you think of Xbox One backward compatibility? “Backwards compatibility is another reason why I love Nintendo. All their consoles are backwards compatible. It’s awesome. But, I am never going to get an Xbox. I don’t even have a console in my house. I just play on consoles with friends. I’m a PC guy. I use PC because I do whatever … I want with my PC. On console, you have to go out and buy you $50 million game for your $50 million console. I bought my computer for like $800, and I can do whatever I want with it. I’m a League of Legends player and I am playing a bunch of other dumb and really fun games.”
Eli Etzioni and Michael Sherman are GeekWire summer interns hailing from Claremont McKenna College and The Bush School, respectively. Eli is a surf enthusiast that enjoys writing and hiking. Michael is a technophile with aspirations to be an entrepreneur and/or politician.
