What is the best looking retro console or PC?

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• Atomicbunnies@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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  I’m very partial to the IMSAI 8080!

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  • Zombiepirate@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Incredible. This might be my new favorite.

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    • Atomicbunnies@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      I built a replica one that a dude in Australia designed. Its really fun to mess with. I played Zork on it the day I finished it.

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      thehighnibble.com/imsai8080/

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  • Gerudo@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    This scratches an itch I didn’t know I had.

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• B0NK3RS@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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  Game Boy Advance. Actually all 3 variants (GBA, SP & Micro) are beautiful consoles.

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  • ouRKaoS@lemmy.today ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    GBA Glacier

    I’m partial to the translucent version of the OG GBA.

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    • cevn@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      Completely forgot I had this until seeing this image. Brain skipped straight to the SP.

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    • f4f4f4f4f4f4f4f4@sopuli.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      God damn marketing! That picture makes it look like it had OLED. Of course, these days you can make it actually look like that but it’s ~$60 and you install it yourself.

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  • DmMacniel@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Oh yeah right… the Gameboy advance can legally be considered as a retro console…

    Good pick!

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  • 7arakun@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    I love how the SP looks. The original feels better in the hand but the clamshell looks so good and it feels great to open and close.

    I’m tempted to get a foldable as my next phone because I miss that design.

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• Danitos@reddthat.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  A photo of Nintendos’s GameCube console

  Nintendo’s GameCube. It’s cubical. Cubical!

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  • Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    It came with a beat carry handle and drug-hiding compartments!

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• Zachariah@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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  • Fillicia@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    This but the mark III with the FM sound adapter

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  • reddig33@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    I never understood the choice to put a flowchart on the front of this one. 😆

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    • f4f4f4f4f4f4f4f4@sopuli.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      Very sciencey, not a toy. Hilariously, Nintendo fought hard to get their competing “Entertainment System” recognized as a toy and not a computer, for import tax purposes.

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• TheOgreChef@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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  Intelligang represent!

  It may not be the best controller design out there, but the versatility with the different card inserts made playing games easier when I was a kid. Basically a guide in the palm of your hands for each game you owned. Losing them did blow however.

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  • Crashumbc@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    BAM THERE IT IS !!!

    We had both this one and the 2nd gen gray one! Plus the voice synthesizer addon. My dad would replace the touch pad inserts so we didn’t have to buy new controllers.

    Amazing console way ahead of it’s time.

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• didnt1able@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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  • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Needs a Sonic 3 cartridge plugged into a Sonic & Knuckles cartridge plugged into the 32X plugged into the Genesis to get the full Sega experience.

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    • NoDignity@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      Ask and you shall receive fellow lover of lock on technology ™️

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      Unfortunately I don’t have a genesis Game Genie or Action Replay to really spice it up

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    • Zombiepirate@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      And the pièce de résistance, a Game Genie.

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  • Blackmist@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    I never liked the side-by-side Mega CD.

    The stacked one looked better. Like an old hifi system.

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• dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  The 2600 depicted in the article thumbnail, was absolutely a beauty in its native environment of the late 1970’s:

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• RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  While I definitely agree the overall best design goes to the Atari 2600, this comes in close second for me:

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  This bad boy (or girl, rather) is the Casio Loopy. Yes, Casio, the company primarily known for making wristwatches. This console was only released in Japan, and when it launched it had a target demographic of girls and young women. The console came with a built-in sticker printer, and the games were woman-targeted games in genres like romance, fashion, and life simulation (like Animal Crossing). Only 10 games were ever made for the Loopy, by the way. Its biggest failure and reason for not selling well was being a console that had games that looked like the SNES but having to directly compete with the PS1 and N64, as well as the replaceable sticker cartridges being very expensive.

  Now, I am a man, and I am clearly not a part of the target demographic of this console. The games are entirely uninteresting to me, except maybe the Animal Crossing-like game “I Want A Room In Loopy Town.” But something about the curved shape of the console and its cool purple hue speak to me. The black cover for the sticker ejection port has me imagining a newer version playing an animated logo on that part if a small screen was behind it. The absurdly massive Eject button just looks like it gives the most satisfying “kerchunk” when you press it to eject a cartridge.

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  • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    iMac G3?

    More like… eMachine eOne!

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• ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Japan had some killer PC designs in the 80’s and 90’s. But I’d say my favorite is a toss up between the X68000 and the Sony MSX 2

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  • Zombiepirate@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    That MSX2 is sick.

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  • caseyweederman@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    The MSX design space was such an exciting place.
    For anyone curious about the above, it’s like this:

    Imagine Nintendo said “instead of manufacturing the Switch 2, we released the specs and invited everyone else to build their own. You’re welcome to buy the Xbox Switch 2, the Sony PlaySwitch 2, the Philips Switch 2-i, the Sega Switch 2 & Knuckles, or the TRSwitch80 2. They’re all guaranteed to be compatible with our software lineup.” and then like, that actually happened.

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    • otp@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      Sounds similar to the 3DO’s situation!

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• vividspecter@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  The Sega Saturn, especially the Japan version: Image

  Although I never owned this version myself, I recently picked up an 8bitdo replica controller (M30 bluetooth) of the Japan controller and it looks and feels great.

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  • otp@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    The Dreamcast is up there too imo!

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  • drasglaf@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    I ended up getting a Japanese Model 1 years ago, but I always wanted the Model 2.

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  • BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Wow

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• maxprime@lemmy.ml ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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• LunarLoony@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  PC Engine. Not only does it look like a prop from the set of TNG, but it is delightfully tiny. The cartridges are little cards that you slot in the front. There is literally nothing bad about a PC Engine. (Except for maybe that it’s only got one controller port)

  NEC-PC-Engine-Console-FL

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  • JoeBidet@lemmy.ml ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    +1.

    Also it can be turned into a coolest spaceship, with its CDRom attachment, a very first in 1988!

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    Also the HuCard format for its games is unbeatable!

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    • LunarLoony@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      Speaking of spaceships…

      Pc-Engine-Shuttle

      Not the most practical PC engine model, because it lacked the extra oomph of the SuperGrafx and you couldn’t attach a CD-ROM² - but just look at it

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  • chiliedogg@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    The PC Engine/Turbagragix 16 also had a handheld (PC Engine GT/TurboExpress) that was way ahead of its time. It had the same power as the home console, was color, had a backlit display, and even had a TV tuner attachment. And it was released in 1990. The Sega Nomad basically copied these features in 1995, and Nintendo didn’t have a colored, backlit handheld until 1998.

    I loved mine.

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• dave@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Remember having one of these at school in the late '70s / early '80s G7000

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  • khannie@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    OH MY GOD! I had one of those! I haven’t seen a picture of one since.

    The keyboard was so awful. I don’t remember getting it as a birthday or other gift so it must have been a hand me down from a family friend or something.

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    • dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      Membrane keyboards are really the worst. I completely understand wanting to cost-cut to get units into schools and into the hands of kids, but that’s too much. It’s like someone saw a speak-and-spell and said “that’s the ticket.”

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• lordnikon@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  I got my start with atari 2600 but I think the GameCube was the best looking in both form and function. Best looking computer is an IBM Aptiva S IBM Aptiva S

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• son_named_bort@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  How many consoles look like toilets? Image

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  • frezik@midwest.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Also, most useful as a toilet.

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• idunnololz@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Is PS Vita a retro console? If so that.

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  • ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    I’d say PSP is, but Vita isn’t.

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  • LemUrun@pawb.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    To me, no. PS2 is a retro console, but PS3 (Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X., Crysis 2) is not. I mean, look at those games’ graphics, they look FENOMENAL.

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  • stargazingpenguin@lemmy.zip ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    I’ve still got mine, and it still works great! I sold my PSP to get a used one about a month from launch, and I’ve kept it ever since. It’s a great console, if only there were more games for it.

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    • idunnololz@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      I modded mine. Once modded it can emulate most gba, gbc, psp or ps1 game.

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  • EddoWagt@feddit.nl ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    It came out in 2011/2012, I wouldn’t classify that as retro

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    • roguetrick@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      The 2600 was retro and quaint by 1990.

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• reddig33@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Why does there have to be just one? So many consoles are awesomely designed and reflect their eras well. I’m partial to colecovision and the Intellivision II. The redesign of the intellivision had an entire suite of peripherals to match the new design, including a musical keyboard.

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• the16bitgamer@programming.dev ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Humm, for PCs I’d have to say iMac

  !()[macworld.com/…/bondi-blue-imac-2008-100756817-ori…]

  For game consoles it’s a hard debate between the GameBoy Pocket or the GameBoy Micro. One is the essence of a GameBoy shrunken down to a power efficent and usable design. While the other is the smallest you can make a console while still having it usable.

  !()[upload.wikimedia.org/…/Game-Boy-Pocket-FL.jpg]

  !()[…wikimedia.org/…/Wikipedia_gameboy_micro.jpg]

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  • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    I still have that GBA micro laying around somewhere. An ex GF stole my reloadable cartridge though. :(

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  • Zombiepirate@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Apparently, the Micro was the last Game Boy product that Nintendo made.

    Very elegant.

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    • f4f4f4f4f4f4f4f4@sopuli.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      I would say the cutoff is Game Boy Advance SP and Micro is a poseur, because Micro can’t play original Game Boy or Color games.

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• fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Something about the Power Macintosh 6100, and the chin that does it for me. Plus the name, POWER Macintosh does it for me.

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  Also that prowler on the screen. I wonder if they had some sort of deal with Chrysler.

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  • reddig33@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    That display had some cool features that were underutilized — like an s-video port for video camera capture. Also some of the best sounds to come out of an Apple monitor.

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    • fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      I’d love to get one of these displays for that very reason. But I ain’t shipping something like that, and I’m sure people want too much money for it online anyways.

      The post is best console or PC.

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• InFerNo@lemmy.ml ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  The Mega Drive is the best looking retro console, I mean look at it

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  • otp@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    This one looks a little naked. Needs more “High Definition Graphics” or whatever it says

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  • peetabix@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Best looking and best name.

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• DmMacniel@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Might be biased, but the Commodore 64 is just iconic and good looking (what is not to love about a breadbox?)

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  • Noerttipertti@sopuli.xyz ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Personally prefer sx-64, but breadbin is a close second.

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    • Zombiepirate@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      Oh, that is cool.

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    • DmMacniel@feddit.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      sx-64

      damn, I’ve never know that there was a luggable variant of the 64 :D

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• twocupsofsugar@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  while not necessarily the prettiest console by any means but i always thought the Og xbox home menu went way harder than it needed to, now that’s presentation!

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• sundrei@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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  (I’m sad no one uses faux-marble anymore.)

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• stargazingpenguin@lemmy.zip ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  I’ve got to go with the 2600 as well. Mostly because of the wood grain!

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• Zedstrian@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Although the wood-grain Atari 2600 was also my first thought upon reading the title, I think the Wii’s minimal footprint is impressive considering that—in the case of the original model—it’s also a GameCube.

  Wii Mini, Wii, and Wii U

  In contrast to the Wii’s 2006 release, the Wii Mini is arguably not yet ‘retro’ with its 2012 release, but definitely looks a lot sleeker, albeit not worth the loss of GameCube functionality for its minimal size savings.

  Compared to both, the Wii U is super bulky, and lacks much use beyond improved emulation capabilities now that nearly all of its exclusives have been re-released for the Switch.

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• 0x30507DE@lemmy.today ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Vectrex, hands-down. Vectrex-Console-Set

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• HakFoo@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  The Atari XL seriea computers cut a nice space between retro and futuristic.

  They’re much sleeker looking than their 400/800 predecessors, as well as the Apple II and the breadbin VIC 20/64/C16. Only the 64C and Plus/4 really look similarly minaturized and not-in-need-of-a-big-wristrest-for-comfortable-typing.

  The use of metal and smoked plastic trim gives it a premium appearance. The 1200XL even hides the cartridge slot on the side to avoid anyone nistaking it for a mere console…

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• Evil_incarnate@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  I had this one many moons ago. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleco_Telstar_Arcade#/me…

  Wood grain, triangular, and it had a gun.

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• Deceptichum@quokk.au ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  I’m a fan of the Dreamcast and GameCube. Or the PS2 mini. I appreciate that early y2k aesthetic.

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• HappySkullsplitter@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  I’m a fan of how ENIAC really used the space

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