(ThyBlackMan.com) Worldwide, console gaming has existed in several phases since Magnavox’s Odyssey in 1972 to the anticipated consoles of the next decade. There have been tons of console in roughly 47 years of gaming history but we’re going to whittle it down to ten of the best gaming consoles of all time.
10. Nintendo 64 (Nintendo, 1996)
There are very few consoles that innovate the industry. The Nintendo 64 is one of those consoles. Released at a time when the original PlayStation and Sega Saturn dropped 3D graphics on everyone, Nintendo came along with its mostly bright, polygon 3D graphics and mainly family friendly games. Without the implementation of analog sticks on its controller it would’ve been another 3D console with some dope games.
The N64 came with quite a few attachments but this was the 90s. Every console in that decade had extra junk to purchase but the N64 had the Rumble Pak and memory cards. On the flip side, you could plug in four controllers if you had them, thus making it the ultimate party console of late 90s. Especially if you had any THQ/AKI developed wrestling games.
9. Sega Mega Drive/Genesis (Sega, 1988)
Sega hit the scene with its Mega Drive console at a time when the original 8-bit Nintendo was still selling well. While it was slow going to make money until it could break into the U.S. and Japanese markets, it had classics throughout the early 90s. Things really heated up once Sega became aggressive with advertising against Nintendo in the U.S. Most of the major titles were edgier, mature action games and sports titles with a superstar’s name on the cover while RPGs weren’t a big focus.
It was a strategy that worked for most of its run and in some ways, it was the Xbox before Xbox in its focus and the market it wanted to capture.
8. Sony PlayStation (Sony, 1994)
The Sony PlayStation was a console that made having a console that played CDs cool. Seriously, putting games on CD medium and selling them on a console that kids were going to bug their parents to buy was genius. Elementary and middle school kids aren’t the most careful with something this fragile or easy to scratch. These games were getting replaced often. That said, the PlayStation had some incredible titles and their 3D approach just looked cool.
It took Sony a second to realize that you need an analog stick to control the camera if you’re doing 3D but once they did, the brand was a runaway train. One of the downsides is that this was not a console for party gaming. You needed something extra to get four players to throwdown and that’s just a no-no. It’s a console I still have because I had so much fun on it.
7. Dreamcast (Sega, 1998)
In the U.S., the Sega Dreamcast had the single best advertising campaign of the late 90s. It also picked the best date to release. It’s one that you would remember at school: September 9, 1999—9/9/99. Everyone knew when the Dreamcast was dropping. You got looks if you asked “When is the Dreamcast coming out?”
The controller had an odd shape and it was the time of consoles needing an extra attachment to save data or enable a vibration or rumble function. It was similar to the N64 in that it was party gaming monster with four controller ports. As far as games went, the DC had some of everything: RPGs, action games, tons and tons of sports games. It went online and you could browse plus it was the first time I saw roster updates for a sports game.
The Dreamcast was really ahead of its time but it was the last strong effort Sega would put out. Still got mine and crank Shenmue and Giant Gram 2000 every winter.
6. Sony PlayStation 2 (Sony, 2000)
This was a monster of early 2000s gaming. Actually, it was the beast. The PlayStation 2 was the perfect console of its generation with great graphics, solid online—even though you had to buy two extra things, and an amazing library of games. This was pre-digital copies for consoles and pre-online updates. PlayStation Magazine still had demo discs that showcased some good but mostly forgotten games.
If there was a genre you enjoyed, the PS2 had it in abundance. Third-party franchises you enjoy today on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One? Most of them popped big on PlayStation 2 early on. Especially JRPGs with the exception of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest which popped big on Nintendo, Super Nintendo, then the original PlayStation. Is there a franchise that you wonder “Whatever happened to this series?”
It probably died on PlayStation 2. The console was fertile land for franchises to grow and go to the next stage but it was also the Bermuda Triangle. Just ask Legaia and Suikoden.
5. Xbox 360 (Microsoft, 2005)
The Xbox 360 was the next stage in Microsoft staking a flag in the gaming industry. A best of a console during the last console, it saw Microsoft develop some of its best first-party titles. Nintendo was pretty far ahead in sales thanks to the Wii and Microsoft’s duel with Sony was one for second place but the Xbox 360 kept the pace. This console also gave us one of the best shaped controllers of all time.
It would be the last time Microsoft was just a bona fide success. The fanbase was at its most loyal and actually Microsoft was able to release games at a pace that made up for it being lighter than Sony and Nintendo on first party titles. Its successor, the Xbox One, hasn’t surpassed its success and is now in a battle for second place with the next entry in the list—which came along two years after the Wii U flopped.
That said, the Xbox 360 really pushed online gaming on consoles ahead greatly.
4. Nintendo Switch (Nintendo, 2017)
While Nintendo was often downplayed during the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360/Wii period for not having competing titles to the PS3 and Xbox 360, it has always innovated the industry. We’ll get new generation-specific features from Sony and Microsoft then Nintendo will give us a unique feature that says “It’s 2017, this is where we should be at this point.”
The Nintendo Switch is that console for this generation. By this point in gaming history, home console and handheld should be somewhat merged or at least gaming-on-the-go with no change in quality. At the beginning of this generation, Nintendo was a laughing stock for the Wii U but now it’s one-half of the gruesome twosome when it comes to consoles worth getting.
3. Super Nintendo (Nintendo, 1990)
Active during the fourth generations of console, the Super Nintendo was the most successful console of the early 1990s. As awesome as it was, it came along at both the right time and the oddest time.
2. PlayStation 3 (Sony, 2006)
The PlayStation 3 was the primary competitor of the Xbox 360 last generation and had its own specific fan base as did the 360. As a matter of fact, for the most part, you could get the exact same third-party titles on both for the most part.
What puts the PS3 at number two is a combination of having a stronger lineup of first-party games and having a strong presence in Japan. That strong presence would push the PS3 further with third-party games since Japanese RPGs really only appeared on Sony home consoles, Nintendo consoles up until a certain point, and both Sony and Nintendo handhelds in abundance.
That isn’t to say that the Xbox 360 got no JRPGs but Microsoft consoles have never done well in Japan and putting these distinctly Japanese games on a distinctly American console doesn’t come off as appealing to some developers. Funny since American fans would purchase them on Xbox. PS3 benefited greatly from its strong presence in Japan as does our number one entry.
1. PlayStation 4 (Sony, 2013)
The PS3 took a little bit to outpace the Xbox 360 last generation because it just about priced itself into third place. Nintendo’s Wii console left the starting line knees to chest with the best price ever for what it could do. The Xbox 360 had the price Sony should’ve competed with originally.
Sony learned from that hiccup with the launch of the PlayStation 4. On top of that, it had power and technology to warrant a purchase. It also had the power and tech to compete with Xbox One just in case it was another close sales battle. Fortunately, the PS4 is in the same position that Nintendo was in last generation.
As far as actually getting some gaming in on the PS4, you get a lot of the same third-party titles, of course, but Sony like Nintendo has always been strong on the first party front. There’s no feeling of “This console has all the power and potential and isn’t utilizing it!” Sony has studios putting out a variety of dope games on a regular basis. While has a big three or fatal four of first-party blockbusters, it has a wolf pack of strong first-party titles that get love.
Its Plus offerings can leave something to be desired half the time but PlayStation 4 is simply a beast on most fronts.
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.