Top 10 Gaming Consoles of All Time

Top 10 Gaming Consoles of All Time

Written by Zeromage 114 Comments
Last Updated:: April 19, 2008

The home based video game system has been the greatest signifier for what a “nerd” is. What would a nerd be without home video game systems? From the next gen systems of today, to the video game systems of yesteryear which collect dust over time only to be undusted when the urge comes to replay Zelda 1 for Nintendo. The nerd who is usually considered to be socially inept because of his insistence in staying indoors playing video games all day doesn’t hit at the deeper reasons for the nerd’s disposition. The video game system for the nerd is a place to escape the banality of what consists of much of the real world, into dungeons with 8 horned dragons spewing fireballs at them. This phenomena is not because of social ineptness, but because of a want for a world with much more variety, and much more creativity. The nerd wants to go on epic adventures every day where the world is on the line and it is up to them and their friends to save it. As they are not offered this chance in the real world, they find their solace with the advent of the home gaming system revolution. These next systems are the best that the home video game platform has had to offer. Many memorable games have been titles for these systems, and this is the most important factor for us in choosing what the best video game systems have been.

10. Intellivision

Up from the depths of Pong rose a phoenix, her wings were blazing 16 button controllers and a metallic disc at the bottom. Unused, those wings, coiled wires and all, could be gracefully tucked into its body as a svelte 12 inch by 24 inch box. The interchangeable heads were wedge shaped cartridges, with faces blazing in monochrome glory, reading titles that conveyed a sophistication and an elegance never seen before in a pixilated perfection that had me and my father mesmerized for hours at a time. The first generation games were incredible classics like Burger Time, Frogger, and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (released in coloured series WAY before Pokemon, the best of which was blue). Slide the game specific plastic sheet that came with each game into the controller and the twelve numbered buttons are now perfectly labeled, taking away the need to memorize what each button does. Do you really need 17 total buttons to play all of these early games? With games like Tank Armada and B52 BOOOOOOOOMBER allowing several views, guns, controls, and gauges to follow you’ll wish you had 17 more.

9. Gamecube
Gamecube was a big deal for Nintendo even though it was the 4th installment in the Nintendo series for home platform system. It was a massive leap from the N64 in graphics, but most importantly in the quality of games that were released for it. Mario Kart Double Dash would prove to be arguably the best racing game ever released, utilizing the quick screen movement and sheer depth of the Gamecube graphic technology. Metroid Prime brought the Metroid series to a place it had never been before with it’s 3D shooter style. While it was initially uncertain whether Metroid would make this leap, all doubts were erased when one realized that plot and substance need not be sacrificed in a 3D shooter. Gamecube was a system that was equally great in graphics, games, and multi-player action. It’s hard to think of system more conducive to multi-player action than the Gamecube. Mario Golf was another multi-player game for the system that was addicting to the point of obsession (I.E. playing the game every night until 5 in the morning knowing you have to wake up in 3 hours for a class). Play Mario Party for an hour and you would be playing it for months. Inherent in the system were 4 controller ports and disk save inputs making the password and cartridge saving methods obsolete. Simply put, Gamecube was yet another success for the Nintendo dynasty that combined the 2 most essential aspects of gaming together as they always consistently have. These 2 most essential aspects are simplicity and great games.

8. Xbox
It’s a testament to how great the Xbox is, that someone who hates Mircrosoft as much as I do has put its first gaming console onto our top 10 best gaming systems of all time list. The predecessor to the much heralded Xbox 360, the original Xbox seemed to have it all: with built-in support for high-speed networking, an 8GB hard drive, DVD playback capabilities, and display support for HDTVs, the Xbox did much more than just play games. But nonetheless, it was the games that made the Xbox great, and the two games that stand out above all others are, of course, Halo 1 and 2. One needs no other reason to buy an Xbox than Halo: Combat Evolved. Arguably the greatest first person shooter game ever made, the game was almost universally loved by critics and gamers alike, and propelled Microsoft to the forefront of the gaming console war. Add to this games such as Madden NFL 08, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Fable, and against all expectations, the Xbox competed on equal footing with the Playstation 2 and Gamecube. Not only that, but in many ways, the Xbox was even superior to the Playstation and Gamecube (unlike the Playstation 1 and Gamcube the Xbox was actually able to play DVDs). Despite being yet another way of Microsoft invading the living rooms of the world, the Xbox has stood the test of time as a truly great gaming system.

7. Playstation 2
Playstation 2 was a strong successor to one of the greatest systems of all time in the Playstation 1. Little did anyone know that Playstation 2 would outsell Playstation 1 and become the best selling video game console to date, even out-selling the original Nintendo. Released in 2000, this system incorporated games that were widely popular beyond the video game market, into popular culture itself. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas became one of the most popular titles of all time for any video game system. Having a place for people to let out their criminal intent proved to be a successful event for the Playstation 2. Playstation 2 also had a vast amount of titles to go beyond their most successful titles ranging from all the games you could play in a video game market. Whether you wanted to play the best racing games, sports games, adventure games, or arcade games, Playstation succeeded in all different styles flawlessly. On the PS2 you can find Guitar Hero, FIFA Soccer, every SIM game you can imagine, all in the slim tightly packed hardware format that you could put into a laptop bag and bring anywhere you wanted. Add on the first successful system to connect to the internet to play people from different countries or just your friends and dolby digital audio with 3d graphics, and you have the salient coming-of-age video game system. It has everything for anyone who ever wanted to escape the real world into the fluid fictions of the video game world.

6. Gameboy
Gameboy was the first hand held game system for the home video game market, and it was also the best. The games that could be played on this black and white machine were incredible. “Links Awakening” was a beast of a video game, encompassing the largeness of what the Zelda series was known for. Metroid 2 not only epitomized all the greatness of the former Metroid, but also added in a ton of new weapons, enemies and areas itself that took place on the massive SR388. This was the biggest surprise with the Gameboy system, that something this small could have adventure games as large as they did. Along with the success of the adventure games for the system, there was also the more simple puzzle games like Tetris which was perhaps the most played Tetris for any system. The convenience and portability of being able to play Tetris anywhere at anytime proved to be the best thing to happen to the Russian creation. Beyond the actual superlatives of the video games themselves, were the utter ease of the controls which included a simple direction pad, a select and start button, and an A and B button. This simplicity matched the size convenience of the machine that never skimped on the quality of games. Hand held systems were made afterwards in hopes of matching the power of the first hand held game system of Gameboy. These systems would never compare to the Gameboy, even with better graphics and more incandescent colors than the Gameboy. The power of this portable hand held system then lied in the quality of games and the simplicity of the engineering, both which the Gameboy perfectly embodied.

5. Atari 2600
The mid 70’s started the home gaming craze with the introduction of Atari. It was Atari that was the grandfather of everything we have come to love in the home gaming system today. From the modest programming of Pong, to the classic arcadia of Asteroids, Atari would change the public understanding of entertainment. What was once only possible in the Arcade, was now possible in your own room on your own TV with your own controller. Sure the graphics were below-elementary compared to the ingenuity we see today, but the game play was stellar involving many arcade themes of shooting planes and bouncing balls around. Lets also not forget that Pacman’s first introduction to the home gaming world came with the Atari. As the Atari emulated mostly arcade games, it was fitting that the controller used be a joystick to mirror the flexibility needed to play arcade games. Beyond the controlling and game play, the music and sound proved to be oddly enduring. The music and sound for the Atari has been emulated in modern music and video games like it had never been truly appreciated. The simple non-slurring robotic noises have been an influence in forms as wide as pop music. Atari has gained a larger appreciation in the past year with the recognition of its importance in all of these qualities, even if just for retro appeal. The success of the Atari paved the way for much more elaborate games and technical systems that were able to enclose much more sophisticated programming, but without the success of the Atari, the advent of the home gaming market would have had no place to start, and no realization of the possibilities that laid open for home entertainment.

4. Playstation
Playstation 1, released in 1994, proved to be one of the bigger advancements in the home gaming market. Playstation was a massive leap in graphic technology, size of games, and most importantly gaming quality. There seems to be a never ending list of great games for the Playstation including, Final Fantasy 7, Castlevania “Symphony of the Night”, and Metal Gear Solid. Anyone who has played these games knows why they’re great. They combined great story lines with incredible music, and graphics that wore their sophistication on their sleeve. This CD based system matched the creativity of the Nintendo market and challenged it’s claims for creating the best adventure games. After Playstation was released for two years, it became a known fact that the days of cartridges would be long gone. Only the CD format could handle all the variables that went into creating a massive game like Final Fantasy 7. We see today that almost all new systems that are released are some form of a CD, much to the credit of Playstation. With the new advancements in gaming technology we see today, especially with the newest system “Nintendo Wii”, it’s hard to think of one paying attention to the original Playstation any longer. Like original 8-bit Nintendo though, it’s legacy has not diminished due to the quality of the games. People will still break out the original “Tony Hawk” and “Symphony of the Night”, like they were games that have never been played. The unforgettable games combined with all the graphic and gaming advancements that came with the advent of the CD based video game system made the Playstation one of the best video game systems ever.

3. Wii
I’ve never looked forward to the release of a gaming console as much as the Nintendo Wii. As far as graphics, the Wii is basically a souped up Gamecube. Its not much more powerful, but then again it’s not supposed to be. That’s not really the point. With the Wii, Nintendo is trying to make a “unique” gaming experience. And it’s here that they have succeeded beyond measure. The Wii includes two controllers: a Wii Remote and a Nunchuk–a joystick-style controller that connects to the remote for additional game control. The Wii Remote, or Wii-mote, if you will, is a basically a brand new gaming platform. Much like the game pad revolutionized gaming, the Wii-mote has done the same thing. In terms of gaming options, you now have the mouse and keyboard on the PC, the arcade style joystick in arcades, a game pad or a n00b stick to play console games, and a whole new category, the Wii-mote. The difference now is that with the Wii you have to use your entire arm, meaning that now there is actual exercise involved in gaming.

It’s worth it though, on the Wii Nintendo has released some of its most creative and fun gaming experiences in years, with games such as Super Mario Galaxy and Twilight Princess. But, there’s more to the Wii than just the games: not only do you now actually get a brand new, unique gaming experience where are able to swing a sword around as Link, or a golf club as Tiger Woods, but eventually Nintendo plans to release a version with DVD playback capabilities. Imagine a Nintendo platform that plays DVDs! That’s right, finally a Nintendo system that you would be able to watch porn on. (Just think of the possibilities with the Wii one–handed controller). All in all, the Wii is the complete package, at $250, you get the console, a game, Wii Sports (a compilation of games including tennis, golf, bowling, baseball, and boxing), the power and A/V cables, one Wii Remote, one Nunchuk controller, and one remote sensor. On top of all of that, in addition to Wii-specific titles available at retail, the console is also fully backwards-compatible with all GameCube discs. Moreover, the system’s “Virtual Console” will allow users to download classic titles from past Nintendo consoles, as well as games originally released for the Sega Genesis and NEC TurboGRAFX. The Wii comes in third on our list only because it is so new. Only time will tell if one day it will claim our number one spot.

2. Nintendo Entertainment System

Nintendo has been the signature mark of the home video game system ever since it was first released in 1985. This system had started a series of games that to this day grow in popularity from the strangely appealing Mario, to the epic adventure of Zelda. The 8 bit Nintendo took the home gaming system and expanded it’s limits to places that were unimaginable at one time. When one plays Metroid or Zelda, one is overcome by the vastness of these games that take more than just a couple of hours to conquer. The home based video game system that mirrored the coin op industry seeing its last days with the creation of games like Zelda, Metroid and Metal Gear. With Nintendo, the focus would be placed on gaming experiences where unforgettable journeys would take place instead of 2 minute arcade fighting. Games like Zelda 1 and Metroid 1 were not just games you played and beat anymore, but games you remembered. Mario 1 would go on to be the most popular title for any home platform video game system with its simple but mammoth world of underwater levels, underground levels and even sky levels when the appropriate block was hit to grow a beanstalk. The amount of memorable points in Mario 1 is staggering. Have someone play Mario 1 today, someone who is not even a “true” gamer, and they will somehow still remember where most of the secrets and warps are. The graphics for the time were a sight to be seen employing an array of colors and graphic techniques that brought the viewer into awe. The game player did not think that graphics could get better than Battletoads or Mario 3, that were as elaborate as they were inventive. Nintendo was one of the biggest steps made in the home video game system market. That the games for the system still want to be played today, over much more developed gaming technology, is a sign of its greatness.

1. Super Nintendo Entertainment System

When Super Nintendo was released in 1991, it was widely anticipated, but never sought after like the new gaming systems that are released of this day. The Super Nintendo had some starting titles like Super Mario World that were successful and made the system accepted as a proper sequel to its 8-bit predecessor. Little did anyone know that after about 3 years after its introduction, it would become the greatest system ever to be realized in the platform home gaming market, mostly because it clearly had the greatest games ever released. If this list’s major theme is to champion the systems with the best games, then the Super Nintendo is the greatest system of all time, hands down, even greater than its 8 bit predecessor. It takes a lot for a sequel to Metroid and Zelda to be better than the originals, as the original is what qualified the sequel in the first place. When one played Super Metroid and Zelda Link to the Past though, they have no choice but to realize that these sequels are so amazing that they superseded their predecessors that created their idea in the first place. Without going into the details of these games, they were imbued with the best qualities that make up video games, from mood to music to great story lines. Games like these were all over the Super Nintendo platform.

Squaresoft’s golden age happened on the Super Nintendo. In one system, one could play Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 3, and Illusion of Gaia. Considering that these four games are arguably the greatest four RPG’s ever released for any system, it is amazing to think they were all for the SNES. Beyond the adventure and RPG’s for the system, there was the emergence of Mario Kart as the most clearly entertaining racing game to be released. Playing this game into the long hours of the night was an average experience for the game player. The SNES, which utilized the new 16bit graphic technology, created perfect landscapes to match the golden age of creativity in the actual games. That Sega Genesis ever thought it could compare to the glory of the SNES was utter chutzpa. Sega and its marketing as the “cool” system compared to the SNES was dominated like no other system in the video game history. There were just too many great games for the SNES and too many forgettable games for the “cool” Sega Genesis. With this in mind, the SNES is the greatest gaming system of all time. No system before or after ever had the sheer quantity of memorable games as the SNES.

114 Comments

#1 Jamie says:
March 17th, 2010 at 8:21 am

Playstation and Nintendo tie.

Final Fantasy VII and Zelda Ocarina of Time are the two best games ever made so fuck yall.

#2 KaiserKong says:
March 17th, 2010 at 7:00 am

I’ve owned all of these systems…multiple times…but the cartridge systems still draw my attention more than the disc based systems. Of the cartridge systems, I would have put Sega Genesis, SNES and N64 in that top 10 (not necessarily in that order). The only problem after that is deciding what style of gameplay I want at the time. I love FPS games, but you would be hard pressed to find a good one on the 16-bitters. With that in mind, the N64 seemed to forget about 2D side scrolling platformers, which were all the rage during the days of the 16-bit systems. From there, it’s simply a matter of choice between Sonic and Mario.

Aside from assigning favorites among genres and characters, I would have to say SNES cartridges have retained their value better than Genesis and N64. There is no denying the charm of the Donkey Kong Country games or Yoshi’s Island and Super Mario World. All great games and all winners as far as I’m concerned!

#3 LG says:
March 17th, 2010 at 4:35 am

gamecube does not belong here!!!! this is nitendos WORST CONSOLE. and there is no excuse either, becaue there are more than enough consloes better than the peice of shit. there were 5 or 6 good games for it so even thogh it was better grapics than the n64 ITS CRAP.

#4 Jennifer lopez says:
March 17th, 2010 at 5:13 pm

fuuuuuuuuck this the 1th is ps3 the 2th is nintendo wii
the 3th i dont fucking know and rthe n64 shopuld had been in the list the first console that gave you a 3d game “super mario 64″ or the great acion game of the year “super smash bros.” FUCK THIS LIST