Forum > Gaming Discussion > What was your most memorable console launch experience?
What was your most memorable console launch experience?
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Tue, 22 Sep 2020 09:26:02
+1

For some reason mine is the gamecube in 2001 (good grief 19 years ago).

I loved the Dreamcast, and I got it within a couple of months of release, but for whatever reason when I think of launches I go back to the Gamecube, and how I was able to get one when very very many people were not.  Played Rogue Squadron (awesome, but in the long run unfulfilling and Luigi's Mansion (lame, but in the long run awesome).

Everything else I think I've not been able to get at launch due to scarcity.  I cannot remember how many consoles I;ve gotten when they get pass hte rarity launch and then ther eis one in front of you and you just have to say "I'll take the switch please!"

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Tue, 22 Sep 2020 10:43:08
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For me it'd be the gamecube as well.  It was the first console I actually got at launch, prior to that my parents would get one second hand a few years down the line.  I got RS and LM as well.  I was planning to get only RS, but that had sold out, so I got LM in stead and bought RS elsewhere a day later or so.

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Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:17:33
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Mine is the Wii it is the first console I got at launch.

I waited outside at a Gamestop in the cold just to pre-order it. It was Friday October 13, 2006 when I pre-ordered it. When the store opened we all went inside. After about 40 minutes waiting inside the store the guy at the counter counted the people left in line; he said that everyone behind me had to leave the store because that was how many consoles they were allowed to pre-order. So I got the last pre-order of the Wii from my local Gamestop.

I got Red Steel and Twilight Princess at launch. I regret getting Red Steel it is one of the only games I purchased that I ended up selling.

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Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:24:18
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The Wii and GameCube.  Mostly, GameCube because it released on a Sunday.  Back then, we had blue laws that prevented retail stores from opening on Sunday until 1:30pm.  Only the grocery section of Walmart was open,with everything else roped off.  I'm standing inside near the ropes, waiting on the employees to open the retail part.  At about 1:20, I imagined others taking what precious Gamecubes there we're so I decided to go under the rope.  I heard this lady yelling at me "Hey, hey, you can't do that!"  as I rushed to the electronics section.  I picked up a purple GameCube and an older gentleman (probably the age I am now Sad ) grabbed a black one.  I bought Luigi's Mansion and later drove to Best Buy for Rogue Squadron.

Edited: Tue, 22 Sep 2020 12:08:46
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Tue, 22 Sep 2020 12:39:43
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The only console I've ever bought at launch was the Wii U, and that was pretty much a disaster. Not a lot of great memories there.

But as an observer, the Dreamcast will always be the console I associate with console launches. It had an amazing library, and all the hype in the world behind it. Even the very day at launched, 9/9/99...It really had everything going behind it to make it seem like a genuine event.
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Tue, 22 Sep 2020 12:48:36
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Nintyfan17 said:


I got Red Steel and Twilight Princess at launch. I regret getting Red Steel it is one of the only games I purchased that I ended up selling.

I never played Red Steel, but the Red Steel 2 was pretty good.

travo said:

The Wii and GameCube.  Mostly, GameCube because it released on a Sunday.  Back then, we had blue laws that prevented retail stores from opening on Sunday until 1:30pm.  Only the grocery section of Walmart was open,with everything else roped off.  I'm standing inside near the ropes, waiting on the employees to open the retail part.  At about 1:20, I imagined others taking what precious Gamecubes there we're so I decided to go under the rope.  I heard this lady yelling at me "Hey, hey, you can't do that!"  as I rushed to the electronics section.  I picked up a purple GameCube and an older gentleman (probably the age I am now Sad ) grabbed a black one.  I bought Luigi's Mansion and later drove to Best Buy for Rogue Squadron.

LOL

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Tue, 22 Sep 2020 18:13:10
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I have only bought two consoles at launch: Dreamcast and Wii.

Dreamcast launch was a mess. I showed up at GameStop's midnight release. They had the systems but none of the games I pre-ordered; those came in the next day. Since they didn't have any games, I didn't wait in the long line and went home empty handed. The next morning, I went to best Buy and they had everything plus offered six months deferred payments and zero interest, which allowed me to buy two more games than I had planned to. I ended up with a Dreamcast and 4 games: Soul Caliber, Hydro Thunder, Sonic Adventure, and  Powerstone. All were great games.

Wii midnight GameStop launch went well. I got my Wii and Zelda. I ended up playing Wii Sports all night. The next day I got Excite Truck. 👍
Edited: Tue, 22 Sep 2020 19:14:54

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Tue, 22 Sep 2020 20:54:00
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As I get my consoles posted to me nothing recent has been memorable. Gamecube was as the local store couldn't get enough stock and I had to drive miles to the now dead Toys r us.

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Wed, 23 Sep 2020 10:12:39
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I think the Wii was the only console I have bought at launch, but that might be wrong. Got it at midnight in a package with NFS Carbon. Of course, once home all I played was Wii Sports. There were not so many people at the Wii's midnight launch than there were at Halo 2's. I don't think there was even a queue, whereas there was the Halo 2 launch queue was several shopfronts long.

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Fri, 25 Sep 2020 09:11:15

I bought a PS4 on release. I got it in the mail, played Killzone: Shadow Fall and marvelled at the empty PS Store. Very exciting. Looking through Xbox magazines at the upcoming Xbox 360 and wishing I had the money to get one was more exciting, I suppose.


By Miu Watanabe.

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Sun, 27 Sep 2020 15:01:58
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Oh yeah I forgot, playing wii tennis with my ageing mother who used to play real tennis was a blast.

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Sun, 27 Sep 2020 17:23:15

I still can't believe my mom and sister bought a Wii.

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Wed, 30 Sep 2020 21:05:08
Amazing^

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