In my oh-so-gay opinion: The five most iconic system designs of all time

I know this may shock some of the younger visitors to this blog (assuming there are any), but game companies haven't always been as interested as they seem to be today in designing systems that are aesthetically pleasing. Just look at ye olde Nintendo Entertainment System, which, by most accounts, was big, boxy and, well, butt ugly.

I wouldn't use any of those adjectives--well, with the exception of "boxy"--to describe the following systems, which I consider to be the cream of the crop when it comes to eye-pleasing design.

Dreamcast--OK, so Sega's fourth console is a bit boxy. It's not big, though, and it's certainly not butt ugly. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the Dreamcast is slightly sexy--in a sort of utilitarian way. That dainty little swirl on the lid is awfully appealing, too.

GameBoy--You know, now that I'm thinking about it, the GameBoy and the Dreamcast are pretty similar aesthetically--which, I guess, is why both of them made it on to this little list. If I was forced at gunpoint to choose between them, though, I'd probably point to the GameBoy thanks to its softer, rounder features. Still, it's a bit like choosing between a Da Vinci and a Picasso, isn't it?

PC Engine--A ha! Now we're getting somewhere. Goodbye, gray boxes--hello, white boxes! To be fair, aside from the fact that this system is square in shape it's hardly what I would call "boxy." I also wouldn't call it boring, what with its bumps and curves and ridges. Plus, it sports--front and center and in fire engine red--what is, in my opinion, the coolest console logo ever created.

PSone--Honestly, I thought the original PlayStation design was a total dud. It kind of reminds me of the what I see when I look at the NES sans rose-colored glasses. The PSone, though, is a cutie patootie, as Rosie O'Donnell used to say, especially when its accompanied by one of Sony's flip-top LCD monitors.

Super Famicom--I guess it's clear by now that I prefer simple, sleek system designs to those that are more, er, "adventurous"--like the Mega Drive or the SuperGrafx. Still, it's hard to deny that the Super Famicom is one sexy piece of equipment. That said, this is one system that benefits a lot from being seen alongside its controllers, which add a punch of color and, more importantly, a subtle sense of drama.

See also: 'Raise your hand if you have a video game fetish'