Cartridges

[wildfruit]

Hands down micro machines 2 on mega drive. It's got 2 controller ports in it. That is genius. Provided no one forgot this of course and yanked the MD across the room.
Don't forget this monstrosity that code masters used as pass through for NES games
My personal favourites are standard mega drive, sexy smooth black and game boy. Lot of nice art on a lot of GB games. 

[bob]

there was another cart with the controller ports and i cant remember what it was

[csgx1]

For standard cart shape, Hucards are definitely my favorite.  I do like the style and how massive Neo Geo AES carts are even though I'll most likely never buy or own any.

Also, some of the unique shaped carts that have handles, additional functions, inputs, etc. (or cartridge accessories) are pretty cool looking...
2600 Air Raid:


Genesis Sonic & Knuckles:


J-Cart Genesis cart with controller ports:


GBC Rumble carts like Pokemon Pinball:


GBA Warioware Twisted:


Super Gameboy 2:


X-Band:

[SignOfZeta]

It's amazing how many of those stupid things I own.

I once owned both US and JP versions of Pokemon Pinball. That game was my at-work jam in 1999. The only thing that could pry me from my Neo Geo Pocket.

[TheClash603]

Odyssey 2 are the best carts on the list, and I played the hell outta it as a kid so I have that nostalgia.  Famicom carts do look great from above in a drawer, with all the fun colors.

I like how 2600 carts are awesome, 5200 are so so, and then 7800 are complete shit.  Kinda appropriately follows the life of Atari as a business.

NES carts are fun, I was also always a fan of the special SNES carts (Killer Instinct, Doom, etc.), but N64 carts are awful.

[Jibbajaba]

This thread is missing MVS carts.  Those probably look the most badass.  As for my favorite, it's hard not to say NES carts.  Although if we're talking total package, I love Genesis games with those awesome cases.

[SignOfZeta]

I mentioned MVS! As big as a Bible with two edge connectors and a plain white lable. The bullshit stops here. Mega mega mega. So many mega.

[esteban]

I am sorry, but I have never liked the Genesis/Mega Drive carts (when it comes to aesthetics).

I'm not trolling you, but they are only slightly better than Jaguar carts and N64 carts.

SNES carts look like a goofy battery pack accessory you clip to your belt for Lazer Tag.  However, once they are inserted into the SNES, I admit the entire ensemble looks nice.

Plus, SNES carts feel pretty damn solid. Actually, the texture of SNES/NES carts is my favorite. I mean *literally* how they feel (just the right amount of slipperiness).

Yeah, that sounded incestuous. Oh well.

MOST OTHER CARTS don't have the same satisfying texture to them...what is that sweet, glossy sheen that makes SNES/NES carts feel so good?

Hefty + solid + sheen = SNES/SNES (2nd place)

Horizontal + utilitarian rectangle + feel f*cking awesome to hold = SMS (winner)

[wildfruit]

Super famicom/ pal SNES > North American SNES carts.

[ClodBuster]

Super famicom/ pal SNES > North American SNES carts.

Yes.

[Jibbajaba]

SNES carts look cool, for sure.  I just wish that Nintendo had used plastic cases instead of cardboard boxes, but I know that we're talking about carts and not packaging.  I don't agree about SFC carts being cooler than SNES.  No end label, and they just look like big grey Genesis carts.

Genesis carts are sleek-looking, especially compared to their predecessors.  Jag carts look kind of cool with those weird round pieces at the top, but I don't like it when carts don't have end labels.  N64 carts are probably the worst in my opinion.  Actually, tied with SMS, which just look totally unimaginative.  At least Famicom carts had the angled beveling and came in different colors.  SMS carts are just the most basic thing you could possibly have.

Still gonna have to give the prize to MVS carts.  They're so f*cking badass that they have to have vents.  And they came in different colors.  Holo labels look f*cking cool, too.

[csgx1]

I've never gave much thought to MVS carts looking cool since most of mine are all in poor condition.  The few carts that I own have ripped labels, cut out serials, stickers, hand writing, yellowed clear/white casing, etc.  I suppose that's part of the charm of arcade gear. 

I have to agree, MVS carts are pretty awesome looking with the different colors, vents, and the sheer size. 

[SignOfZeta]

I love the battle damage. The recent trend in collectards hoarding "complete" MVS (seriously...WTF) makes me love it even more.

I'm not a huge fan of SNES or SFC carts but the SFC ones sure feel more solid. Obviously in the box department SFC wins hand down. Ignoring the SNES box template that ate up a huge part of the area with redundant "SUPER NINTENDO" and whatever crap, ignoring the usually terrible art, the SFC box is better because they used real card stock instead of whatever that tissue thin bullshit NoA used was.

It was like some kind of unwritten law in the video game world that US packaging had to be garbage in the 90s.

[Jibbajaba]

I'll admit that I prefer my MVS carts to be in nice condition, but a few battle scars just adds character.  As far as collecting complete kits, I would say that I don't "get it", but of course I do.  I just think it's stupid.  If I had an MVS cab, then it would be cool to have the mini marquees and maybe the move strip, but since I have a candy cab I don't give a shit about that stuff.

I'd really love to see some video game writer like the folks at USGamer do a feature on US vs. Japanese box art.  Some of those guys speak fluent Japanese and could try to talk to some folks in the industry about what the thinking was behind the subdued US packaging.

[Black Tiger]

I don't care about kits, but I like having shockboxes for mvs carts so I can keep them in order and find games easily. I wish there was a good solution for arcade boards. Just like a series of boxes, cardboard/plastic/whatever, which come in different thicknesses so I could keep my board stacked or lined up vertically. They take up the most space in my game room closet, but not because of their size, because I have to keep a handful per box inefficiently.