On 8 and 16 bits console we played pretty much everything in 60fps.
Then 3D came and we still played stuff in 60fps (fighters, 2D games) and 30fps for more complex 3D games. But we played on CRT. And 30fps on CRT is a much better experience than on any modern display.
Then came the Dreamcast, GC and Xbox. And these were still CRT experiences, and more games were 60fps.
So I don't consider I played 30fps for many years, actually I haven't. Because as soon as we moved on to LCD, 30fps became an absolute pain and this is when the problem arose.
And nowadays, I would say that for any game with fast scrolling/free camera, 30fps + modern display has become unplayable as far as I am concerned.
People can build a PC, but you don't have too. There are plenty of perfectly playable games on consoles in 60fps.