Best Gaming Consoles of All Time, List of Top 10 Ranked Here
by Madhumitha
Updated Mar 28, 2024
Best Gaming Consoles of All Time
The best gaming consoles of all time have provided endless entertainment for players worldwide. Classics like the Nintendo Entertainment System introduced us to iconic characters like Mario. The PlayStation 2 pushed boundaries with its vast game library and DVD playback.
Microsoft's Xbox 360 revolutionized online gaming with Xbox Live. Nintendo's Wii brought motion controls to the masses, appealing to all ages. Sony's PlayStation 4 elevated graphics and immersive experiences. Each console has its unique features and memorable games, shaping the gaming landscape for generations.
1. Game Boy
The Game Boy came out in North America on July 31, 1989. When it first came out, it cost $89.99. In the old days, people could not imagine playing games while travelling. Many companies tried to make portable gaming consoles in the 1960s and 1970s, but Nintendo did it right in the late 1980s. Their console, the Game Boy, became more famous.
Lots of other companies tried to make consoles, like Sega, Atari, and TurboExpress, but they did not sell as much as the Game Boy. The Game Boy was a big hit. It sold way more than all the other similar consoles put together. Because of its success, Nintendo kept making more handheld consoles like the GBA, DS, and even the Switch.
2. PS2
On October 26, 2000, the PlayStation 2 was introduced in North America. It was a super popular console. It cost $299 when it launched. It is considered one of the best consoles ever because it made 3D games better, had a huge game collection, and could also play DVDs, which were expensive back then.
When it came out, it beat its competitors by a lot, selling way more than the GameCube and making Sega stop making consoles altogether. It is the best-selling console ever. In addition to this, it had tons of really good games, with over 50 getting super-high ratings on Metacritic.
3. The Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch came out in North America on March 3, 2017. It cost $299.99 at the time of launch. The Switch is famous because it can be both a home console and a handheld one. This made a lot of people attracted to it, and it might end up being the best-selling console ever.
The Nintendo Switch has many great games made by Nintendo, and that's why people love it. Even though it is not as strong as other consoles and its online features are not the best, it is still really popular because it is not high in price and it is easy to use.
4. SNES
The Super Nintendo also called the SNES, came out in North America on August 23, 1991. It cost $199 when it was first released. The SNES did not have a lot of new fancy features, but it was really good at what it did.
It was one of the last big consoles that focused on 2D games, and lots of game makers got really good at making them. So, the SNES has some of the best role-playing games ever and some awesome 2D games from Nintendo's famous series.
5. The Dreamcast
The Dreamcast came out in North America on September 9, 1999. It cost $199 when it was released. The Dreamcast was way ahead of its time. It was the first console that really got online gaming right, and it also tried using motion controls in some games.
The Dreamcast didn't have a lot of games, but the ones it did have were super important for different types of games. Games like SoulCalibur, Skies of Arcadia, and Shenmue were really popular and successful.
The Dreamcast did not do well. Sega, the company that made it, had made some bad decisions before with its other consoles like the Saturn and add-ons for the Genesis. Also, it was easy for people to pirate games without doing anything to the console. But the big problem came when the PlayStation 2 came out. That was when the Dreamcast really failed.
6. Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, came out in North America on October 18, 1985. It cost $179 when it was first released. Before the NES, the video game market was in trouble, but the NES changed that. It brought popular arcade games like Mario and Donkey Kong to people's homes. It also introduced new games like The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy.
Even though the NES looks basic compared to today's consoles, it was really cool back in the 1980s. It did not have fancy graphics like arcade machines, but it had a lot of great games that were perfect for playing for a long time. That's why it sold millions and set the stage for what came next in gaming.
7. PlayStation
The PlayStation came out in North America on September 9, 1995. It cost $299 when it was first released. Sony had actually planned to make a console with Nintendo called the Nintendo PlayStation, but that did not happen. So, Sony made the PlayStation by itself.
The PlayStation used discs instead of cartridges, which let game makers do more with their games. Some big game series moved from other consoles to the PlayStation because of this. Unlike other consoles that had one main character, the PlayStation had a few popular ones like Lara Croft, Crash Bandicoot, and Spyro the Dragon.
The PlayStation was the first console to make a big jump from 2D to 3D games. Even though it was not perfect, it was the first to do it, and that's why it is considered one of the best consoles ever.
8. Sega Genesis
The Sega Genesis came out in North America on August 14, 1989. It cost $189 when it first came out. The Genesis was a big competitor to the Super Nintendo. It even sold more than the Super Nintendo in some places. The Genesis had many great games, and some were even better than the ones on the Super Nintendo.
Sega did a lot of advertising for the Genesis in America. They made a character named Sonic the Hedgehog, who became very famous. Sega said the Genesis had something called blast processing, which made it seem fast and cool. This helped Sega become a big player in the home console market.
9. Wii
The Nintendo Wii came out in North America on November 19, 2006. It cost $249.99 when it was introduced. The Wii was different because it used motion controls, which made gaming more fun for everyone, not just gamers.
Lots of families liked the Wii at first, but some got tired of the motion controls after a while. Still, over 100 million Wiis were sold worldwide, showing how much people liked it.
The Wii was easy to start playing, and it had lots of games for exercise. But because of the motion controls, some people accidentally broke their TVs or other things in their house when they swung the Wii controllers too hard.
10. Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 came out in North America on November 22, 2005. It cost $299 when it was first released. The original Xbox had a hard time catching up with the PS2 because it came out later. But Microsoft learned from this and released the Xbox 360 almost a year before the PS3. The Xbox 360 came out before the PS3 and was cheaper, so many people thought it was better.
Microsoft made games only for Xbox, like Forza, Gears of War, and Halo, which helped sell a lot of Xbox 360s everywhere. But sometimes the Xbox 360 had a problem where it stopped working, called the "red ring of death." Even with this problem, it was still popular, especially in the West, because it had many great games and a good online system.
