Recently while riding the bus home, a small group of kids sat a few seats down from me. They had clearly just finished school and one it seemed has just bought Halo ODST. He appeared pleased, however it was not long before the little group started bickering over why Halo was awesome/sh*t. This devolved into a typical console fanboy debate.

All were adamant that their respective console and by association all products from that particular manufacturer where awesome. Being true little fanboys their argument centered on the time honored tradition of the opposition clearly being gay.

It wasn't long before they'd reached their stop and got off the bus. The rest of the journey continued in wonderfully non-moronic peace. Their 'discussion' did get me thinking and I was surprised to discover that I really don't have any strong positive or negative feelings towards any of the current generation of consoles.

I do have a preference for the Xbox, mainly due to its simplicity and relatively cheap price. But I don't feel obliged to draw my rapier and duel with anyone who attacks it.

I believe I understand why: I'm dead inside.

Or rather, the progression of events that lead to the horrible affliction of 'fanboyishness' were cut short. As Yahtzee pointed out, in whatever the hell video he did, that most 'fanboyishness' stems from only being allowed one console from your parents back when you were a wee one.

In my case this was a Megadrive. I loved it, had Sonic the Hedgehog posters everywhere and read STC magazine. It was a good time, a simpler time when myself & my squeaky-voiced friends would swap cartridges during classes like they were trading cards and all was good in the world.

Then the 'next generation' of gaming consoles were released. Now I wasn't able to get a new console until price had dropped, but some of my friends did. I remember playing the N64 the most initially, being in awe of Mario 64's 3D and how drastically different the game played to my beloved Megadrive titles. Then eventually I was able to play the PS1, with that came GTA, the Resident Evil games and eventually MGS.

I never did get to play a Sega Saturn. None of my friends had one and by the time, years literally, my parents decided to get me a new console I'd already become used to my friend's PS1. Perhaps if a few people I knew had bought the Saturn, I might have developed an attachment to it. But that was not meant to be it seems and I eventually got my PS1 for a birthday.

Ever since that point I've always taken a pragmatic approach when choosing which console to buy. I chose the PS2 in the following generation, not trusting Sega's (now I know rather good) Dreamcast and being unimpressed with the Gamecube. This generation, as I've mentioned I opted for the Xbox360, though I have been tempted to pick up the other two.

But the sting of loss when I consider my Sega roots still remains. The complete RAPE of Sonic the Hedgehog over the years hasn't helped. Confusion and bitterness at something I loved as a child has helped me avoid any fanyboy tendencies toward any newer consoles.

I suppose I should be pleased, not being a moronic fanboy is a good thing. Still, I may rummage around in the attic, find my dusty Megadrive and play some Flashback.