Top 10 Best Video Game Consoles of All Time
From the OG days of Pong and Atari to the mind-blowing realms of VR and ray tracing, consoles have seriously powered up.So, what's the secret sauce that makes a console epic? Is it the eye-popping graphics, the ergonomic controller, a killer game library, or maybe a cheat code combo of all three? Every legend on this list brings something to the boss fight. Whether you're vibing with retro classics or on the frontline of next-gen gaming, you're bound to find your dream console here.
The best controller ever! Nothing comes close except the PS1, but the added analog features of the PS2 put it way ahead. Then, the selection of games is better than anything available today, plus the ability to play PS1 games. Yes, the graphics are very dated, but who cares when you have story and gameplay like Resident Evil 4, all the Ape Escapes, Gran Turismo 2 and 4, Shadow of the Colossus, FF7, 8, 9, 10, 12, and good ports of the earlier ones, Metal Gear Solid, Medals of Honor, etc. The list is almost endless.
And back then, shooters had proper campaigns. Now you get 3 or 4 hours of campaign and are then expected to get your money's worth by going online and exchanging homophobic slurs with camping 12-year-olds. Can't be bothered wasting money on that.
You feel more connected to the games you play and the people you play with on this console. It's like Facebook. In contrast, the PlayStation 3/4 is more like Twitter. PlayStation focuses solely on the game and feels as if there's no connection to the outside world.
Xbox has superior settings and services, including apps and member exclusives. Additionally, the PlayStation Network is no longer free, leveling the playing field between Xbox and PlayStation. Xbox will always have the best controllers anyway.
This is the video game console from 2005 to 2013. Sure, I own a PS3, but that was a mistake. This year, I'm fixing that mistake. I may not be able to get an Xbox 360 for the new generation, but I can get an Xbox One. Just like Mountain Dew, every Xbox generation is the king of its category.
I just don't understand how people can actually vote PlayStation over Xbox. "Duh, PlayStation has free online." Well, almost every PS3 fan, all good things come with a price. This is a list of some exclusive games:
Halo > Killzone
Gears of War > God of War
Fable > Uncharted
There's a reason all the Xbox 360 exclusives beat the PS3 ones.
Why I like the PlayStation 3 is that it has far better exclusives than the Xbox 360, such as Little Big Planet, God of War, and the unforgettable Uncharted 2 and 3! To tell the truth, I don't own any of these consoles except the Wii, but I have seen lots of people play both the Xbox and PS3.
Even if the control stick on the PS3's controller is not as good as the Xbox's, it is a much better way to save money. I already have a Blu-ray player, so that doesn't concern me. Finally, the PS3 is much more reliable as it hasn't had as many breakdowns as the Xbox. I'm looking forward to hearing about the PS4! Long live PlayStation! Long live Sony!
I don't have the nostalgia for the N64 that many others do because I didn't grow up with it. However, I really respect it and recognize how revolutionary it was. It introduced 64-bit gaming and facilitated the creation of 3D games. This system produced some of the most iconic games that people still talk about today: Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Donkey Kong 64, Star Fox 64, and more.
Other games on this system are also great and are either some of my favorites or are at least recognized as good games. These include Paper Mario, Mario Kart 64, Mario Party 1-3, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Banjo-Kazooie, Diddy Kong Racing, Super Smash Bros., Bomberman 64, Pokemon Snap, and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. The controller was pretty good, the cartridges were reliable, and the system was not only fantastic but also revolutionized gaming as we know it. Overall, this was one of the best consoles ever, although I may prefer the GameCube a little more. (Please don't hate me. We are all entitled to our own opinions!)
This console has a ton of classics you can find nowhere else: Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, Donkey Kong Country Returns, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, No More Heroes 1 and 2, and two of the greatest games of all time, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It popularized motion controls while delivering classic titles.
It may not have the online capabilities or graphics of the PS3 or 360, but this console provides some of the best games you will ever play and offers hours of fun for both hardcore and casual gamers.
SNES is really the system people think about when you mention "Nintendo," and it's not hard to see why. Its incredible yet simple design gives it an elegant yet powerful appearance. The Super Nintendo truly screams, "Play me."
You often hear about "PS3" and "Xbox 360" consoles breaking, with complaints like "Oh, the eye quit reading the disc." The shell of the SNES could rot off, and it would still work perfectly. People these days just don't get it: the beauty of simplicity. I love 16-bit systems and cartridge games. They might not be the most advanced, but I'll have mine for another 20 years. See if a PS3 will last 5.
Certainly the greatest console, with the best controller. It features many great games: Super Mario Sunshine (not as bad as everyone says), Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (my favorite RPG ever, better than Symphonia, Pokémon, and even Skyrim), and Super Smash Bros. Melee (best fighting game. Makes Mortal Kombat look like a joke).
Additionally, it includes Wind Waker and Twilight Princess (two of the best adventure games), and Metroid Prime (its amazing control scheme makes it, please don't kill me, better than Call of Duty). I also have a Wii (it's not as bad as you think. You just need some good games) and a PS3. Most of my friends have an Xbox 360, which I absolutely hate.
Maybe not my favorite of all time, but certainly one of the most important and inspirational success stories. The PlayStation was a console designed to take on Nintendo and Sega, and it succeeded in ways that nothing else had. Selling over 102 million consoles, it far outpaced the Nintendo 64, which sold about 33 million units, and nearly put Sega out of business.
The original PlayStation was groundbreaking in many ways. It introduced the Dualshock controller, one of the best controllers made at the time, and had a massive library of games. While the Nintendo 64 and the Saturn had great lineups of games, the PlayStation offered a gigantic smorgasbord of great titles. Metal Gear Solid, the Crash series, Gran Turismo 1-2, and an incredible number of RPGs like Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX, Castlevania: SOTN, and Resident Evil 1-3 were just the tip of the iceberg. Chrono Cross, Street Fighter Alpha 3, the Spyro series, the Tekken series, and the Ridge Racer series were other highlights.
Even today, people continue to discover gems in the PlayStation's library, including Klonoa, Vagrant Story, Threads of Fate, Wild 9, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Jade Cocoon, Tobal No. 1, Alundra, Vandal Hearts 1-2, Jumping Flash 1-2, Bushido Blade, Einhander, Tomba 1-2, and many others. There are too many great things to say about the PlayStation 1, but it created a huge legacy and established Sony as a major player in the video game business.
What in the world?! How is this not #1? After you do some history, you'll regret placing the NES at number 6. Nintendo (and probably Sega) revitalized the gaming market after the game crash of 1983-84.
The games that were released on the NES were amazing. You'll find big classics released for the console. Considering that the NES revived the game market, the new consoles today and in the past were all thanks to Nintendo.
PlasticStation 3 sucks. It has little to no variety.
The NES is an absolute classic and deserves to be number one. It introduced many of the classic characters we know today, like Mario, Link, and many others. Like another comment said, it saved the video game industry.
All of the game systems above the NES (yes, PC doesn't count) could not exist without the Nintendo Entertainment System. So, Sony and Microsoft, go back to what you are good at, and Nintendo will continue to lead the industry.
It's a great system, with a decent game library, a massively improved controller, and impressive game graphics - all that good stuff. It's a damn shame that you now have to pay to go online and access many of the features that the new games offer.
Additionally, you now have to physically approach the system to turn it on, which is not good at all. Sony is really starting to turn PlayStation into their very own Xbox.
The PS4 is awesome. I've had it for a year now, and it has way better graphics than the PS3 and 360. It also has a lot of space and faster load times. It never freezes on me.
You can be playing a game, pause it, go to Netflix or something, come back, and it's just as you left it. You don't even have to leave the game. And then there's Share Play. You can play games with your friends even if you don't own the game. That's pretty awesome.
The Nintendo 3DS changed the way games are played, and I believe it will continue to do so for years to come. It has spectacular games suitable for all ages. Plus, the controls are comfortable and easy to use. There are no words greater than "revolutionary" to describe this amazing work of art.
The 3DS may be my favorite console of all time. So many of my favorite games are on the 3DS - Animal Crossing: New Leaf, A Link Between Worlds, Rune Factory 4, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Pokemon Moon, Mario Kart 7, Sonic Lost World - the list goes on and on.
The 3DS also has themed backgrounds for the home screen that not only look cool but also play game music on a loop. Take that, Switch.
How is this not in the top 5? I had this when I was younger, and it was what made me interested in video games in the first place! Its graphics were good at the time. It had some great games like Pokemon: Black & White and New Super Mario Bros., and a ton of other Pokemon games. It was the first good handheld device!
The design was good, and it had a working mic. It was the first handheld game to let you talk to other people in a close radius. This should be number 4, 3, or 2. The PlayStation is the only other console better than this.
See, I was one of those kids who had a Dreamcast instead of a PS2. Despite it dying young, it is my favorite game console. The console was made when Sega was really desperate and failing after the Sega Saturn. This led to the creation of one of the most creative game consoles ever made, and one of the best game lineups.
The games that were on the system were unique, and on occasion, beyond weird. Examples include Crazy Taxi, Space Channel 5, and Seaman. The controller is one of the most unique and comfortable ever made. VMU, baby! In general, unique is the best word to describe this console.
The Sega Genesis was mostly superior to the SNES, in my opinion. Sonic the Hedgehog, Toejam and Earl, Streets of Rage, and Road Rash were just a fraction of the awesome games released for Sega's 16-bit, blast-processing phenomenon. Aside from the graphics, sound, and controller, I prefer the Sega Genesis over the Super Nintendo. Indeed, Genesis does what Nintendo does not!
Handhelds are not consoles and shouldn't be on the list. The Genesis, despite ironically not being even close to Sega's first console, put their name on the map and established them as an actual threat to Nintendo, the then giant. Not a bad console at all, but I like the Super Nintendo more.
It doesn't deserve as much hate as it's getting. It's definitely a great system, no less brilliant than its predecessor, the Xbox 360. The graphics on this system are simply beautiful. It's not a system where you buy ten games in one day. You want to take your time to thoroughly enjoy one game on it before buying or playing the next.
Titanfall was brilliant. Although it lacked a story and extra game modes, such as Call of Duty's zombies and special ops, the graphics were amazing, and the game itself was fun. It's a good way to kill time.
My personal favorite on the console was Dead Rising 3. This game was an exclusive to the system until the Steam release was announced much later than the Xbox One release. The game was just brilliant. I could play it for hours, just slaying the undead.
I loved it and cannot wait for the Grand Theft Auto V Xbox One edition. I am also very excited about Battlefront and hope to own Thief one of these days as well.
This may be my favorite console out of the three. It can be played anytime, anywhere, and with anyone, though there are a couple of problems that I hope will be improved. I'm really hoping that the Switch Pro has many features, including these. At maximum, it should have 8K quality, long battery life, a bright screen, high color, backwards compatibility, a big screen, a flap to cover the screen, a second screen, sound, and a camera.
I hope it includes apps like Disney+, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube. Right now, it's a cool console, but it doesn't seem to be as cool as the PS4 or Xbox One. So, Nintendo better improve it to be as powerful as those two.
The Xbox was the starter for the Halo series and it also led to the Xbox 360, which is by far the best and most competitive online play in the history of the world. Both Xbox and Xbox 360 should really get a lot more credit. Although the PlayStation was a very good system, Xbox is way better.
A huge follow-up to the N64, it revolutionized how I viewed video games. This was the console that brought my neighbors to my house and vice versa. Games like Halo, Fable, Fusion Frenzy, Outlaw Gold, and Munch's Oddysee made this console a classic for the ages.
While it probably doesn't deserve a spot in the top five, it is pretty much the best early handheld gaming console. It gives you access to all three generations of Game Boy games. It's packed with portable versions of Super Nintendo games and has an epic array of multiplayer options, such as Four Swords and Advance Wars. This console deserves your vote.
It was my first console that I still have, and my second overall. My original was a GBA, but I gave it to my cousins. I love how you can play original Game Boy games on it, like Pokémon Red!
Great handheld, but it has one of the worst LCD screens I have ever seen.
This is the original of gaming. It brings back so many memories!
I can already hear the Pokemon theme in my head!
This is easily the third-best or even the second-best console, at least. Come on, guys, the Wii is terrible! And the Nintendo 64 is so old and boring. No one has it anymore. Plus, the PSP is a great handheld with very inexpensive games at EB Games, which are still really good. For example, Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters. The PSP offers both violent and non-violent games, so almost anyone can play.
I bought a PSP for only $160, which included an 8GB memory stick and two games. My brother wanted a Wii so badly, and when he got it, he hated it because of all the glitches and poor quality. Great job, Sony, on this console. I genuinely support your work on this one! Sony also maintains excellent graphics on the PSP.
It may be awful now, but you must respect that it created all the games above this. The PlayStation 2 is so overrated. I can't even remember anything original about it. When this came out, a lot of people had one, and now there's a handheld that I play. The NES may have saved the gaming industry, but without this, video games would barely be a thing.
Before the NES but after the VCS, and around the time of VHS, we had the VES - Atari's first and best console. It left Magnavox in the dust and dominated the console market until Nintendo entered the scene. Who could forget such classic games from the '70s and '80s as Space Invaders, Centipede, and the ever-popular Pong?
Though the console almost lacks music and the graphics are difficult to discern, the 2600 provides a pleasant gaming atmosphere. Who wouldn't want to unwind with a relaxing 2600 game at night, accompanied only by 2-bit sound effects and the visuals of monochromatic characters? Best of all, true to the '70s spirit, the cartridges are incredibly durable. Remember the E.T. cartridges? They were discovered and excavated two years ago - and they're still working.
While it failed and removed Sega from the console market, some games like NiGHTS into Dreams are really cool.
The Saturn has an extensive arcade game library. It boasts one of the best shoot-'em-up catalogs, alongside the PC Engine / Turbografx 16.
Even though the Saturn failed, some people still love it. It could have been saved by Sonic X-Treme, but they canceled the game. As a result, there wasn't a 3D Sonic game, with the exception of Sonic R. But we had games that we loved.
I got my Vita on April 30, 2014, and I've been playing it ever since. My favorite games are Call of Duty: Declassified and FIFA 14. If you're considering getting a PlayStation Vita, it's an awesome gaming system.
Here are some game suggestions: ModNation, Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified, Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, Lego Marvel, Lego Chima, Lego Movie, Rayman Legends, Rayman Origins, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, Sly Cooper Collection, FIFA 11, 12, 13, and 14, MLB 11, 12, 13, and 14: The Show, Angry Birds, Smart As..., Little Deviants, God of War, Assassin's Creed 1, 2, and 3: Liberation, and Resistance: Burning Skies. If I missed any games, please let me know. I hope this list of games helps.
It actually isn't really that good anymore, and it only has about 12 games. However, it was the first home console, so it deserves a spot on this list.
Not terribly fun, but it should at least be recognized for what it is: the spark that started the fire we now know as home video games.
Brown Box was the first, idiots.
Needs to be in the top 10. This console is amazing.