Greatest Video Game Consoles of All Time

1. SEGA Dreamcast [1999]
Gone too soon. That's all that needs to be said of the Dreamcast, the best system that Sega's ever manufactured, and the best system of all time. This isn't just nostalgia talking here; the Dreamcast waxes the other consoles in this countdown thanks to a killer library and visionary technical innovations.

The Dreamcast represented the height of Sega's creative output; games like Chu Chu Rocket, Jet Grind Radio, Space Channel 5, Shenmue, and dozens more formed a collection of creative, fun, and quirky games that you'd be hard-pressed to find in such abundance on any other platform. Seriously, where else can you find a title like Seaman that lets you interact with an odd man-fish hybrid using just a microphone and your voice?

Shooters were well represented in Gigawing, Mars Matrix, and other tough-as-nails shmups; the much beloved NFL 2K series began a short (but brilliant) run as it chased Madden; and, outside of the Neo Geo, you'll be hard pressed to find another system with a rich library of hardcore fighters such as Capcom vs. SNK 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and Street Fighter III: Third Strike.

A built-in Ethernet jack let gamers mix it up online without pricey or clunky add-ons (anticipating Xbox Live), or surf the Web with an included browser. Even the controllers were innovative; they featured slots for VMUs (Virtual Memory Units), removable storage with auxiliary display and buttons that allowed gamers to play mini-games (downloaded from full-fledged games) on the road. It was fresh. It was fun. It was the best.

Sega pulled the plug on the Dreamcast a year and a half after its debut, due to financial difficulties and gamer interest in the coming PlayStation 2, but, in its brief run, it was the greatest video game console of all time.

Outstanding Titles: NFL 2K2, Shenmue, Soul Calibur


2. Nintendo Entertainment System [1985]
This is the system that turned every child into a gamer in the mid '80s. The NES not only had one of the largest libraries in gaming, but one of the most varied: action, sports, RPGs, shooters, and more were all well represented. Of course, it would be a grave misstep to overlook the home debut of the most important video game in history, Super Mario Bros, a first-party exclusive that made the NES the first true must-have video game console.
Outstanding Titles: Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man 2


3. Microsoft Xbox 360 [2005]
In terms of hardware and retail game library, the Xbox 360 doesn't do anything particularly different from past systems, but it ranks high on the list for one reason: Xbox Live. Microsoft's online platform proved that online gaming communities could thrive in the console space by not only creating a hub at which gamers could compete, but also a place to stream movies, download game trailers, and purchase both old and new games (as well as downloadable content) from the comfort of their sofas. The Xbox 360 is the prototype for online console gaming, and we expect future consoles to closely emulate it.
Outstanding Titles: Alan Wake, Halo 3, Mass Effect 2


4. Sega Genesis [1989]
Sega rebounded from its lackluster 8-bit Master System with the Genesis, a console that ran neck-and-neck with the Super NES during the 16-bit wars. Fueled by excellent ports of arcade hits (Afterburner, Altered Beast, Outrun, Strider), a number of excellent sports games (Madden series, Sports Talk series), and a Mario-killer (Sonic the Hedgehog), it managed to stay competitive despite being graphically and sonically inferior to its rivals. Plus, Sega allowed a bloody, violent Mortal Kombat to be released on its platform at a time when the video game violence debate was in full rage—thereby earning the system, and Sega, massive cool points.
Outstanding Titles: Gunstar Heroes, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Streets of Rage 2



5. The PC Engine platform [1987]
The Japanese PC Engine was the result of NEC and Hudson Soft joining forces to knock the Nintendo Famicom (known stateside as the Nintendo Entertainment System) out of position as the number one video game console. It didn't unseat the gaming giant, but the pairing proved wildly successful nonetheless. It sported a 16-bit GPU that enabled it to render larger, more colorful, and more detailed sprites than Nintendo's console. Plus, it was the first video game console to use CD-based media, thanks to an optical drive add-on that allowed developers to create larger games with incredible soundtracks. The PC Engine would see a number of variations (Core Engine, PC Engine Duo, Super Grafx, and more) over the course of its existence that added new hardware designs and functionality. Americans may remember the PC Engine as the Turbo Grafx-16 (which flopped stateside due to a poor port from Japan).
Outstanding Titles: Dracula X: Rondo of Blood, Lords of Thunder, PC Genjin 2 (aka Bonk's Revenge)



6. Sony PlayStation [1994]
The original PlayStation didn't do anything particularly innovative (CD-based game systems had existed before its 1995 debut), but what Sony brought to the table with its first console was a level of maturity not seen in previous systems. Not only was it physically designed as a more living room-worthy entertainment component, but the games themselves saw more adult storytelling and darker themes. With the Sony PlayStation, gaming had finally grown up.
Outstanding Titles: Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2, Xenogears


7. Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment [1990]
The original graphic whore's system, SNK's Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System was the home version of the arcade upright. It was a two 2D juggernaut that eclipsed the other 16-bit systems that emerged in the 1990's in terms of raw sprite-pushing power. Packing the same power as its arcade twin, the Neo Geo home cartridges were stuffed with expensive ROM chips that pushed their prices up into the $200 range (the console itself launched at $649!), but delivered killer graphics and sound that still impress. Its library leaned heavily toward fighters, but there are a fair number of action, puzzle, shmups, and sports games to make it a memorable system.
Outstanding Titles: Garou: Mark of the Wolves, King of Fighters '98, Metal Slug 3 



 

1. Nintendo GameBoy [1989]

Launched in 1989, the Nintendo GameBoy was, on paper, a handheld doomed to failure. It was bulky. The screen was a hideous shade of pea-soup green. It required four AA batteries. But the little-handheld-that-could managed to best technologically superior rivals (Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear) due to a sweet price point ($89) and several killer apps: Tetris, Super Mario Land, and Pokémon. The GameBoy was the genesis of Nintendo's handheld video game dominance, which lasts to this day (though, of course, Apple is shaking things up—see #10.)
Outstanding Games: Tetris, Super Mario Land, Pokémon
 

9. Atari 2600 [1977]

The founding father of video-game consoles. The Atari 2600, an obvious product of the times, with its (somewhat) stylish '70s wood paneling, is the prototype for living-room gaming. It launched at $199 (the same price as the Sega Dreamcast 22 year later) and included Combat and two controllers—everything you needed to jumpstart a burgeoning new hobby. It was succeeded by the Atari 5600 and the Atari 7800, but when the name Atari is mentioned, this pioneering video game system is what typically comes to mind.
Outstanding Titles: Frogger, Pitfall, Yar's Revenge 

10. Apple Mobile Platform [2007]

Before the launch of the Apple iPhone, mobile gaming consisted mostly of rudimentary titles with simplistic gameplay and clunky QWERTY controls. Apple's platforms have delivered bigger screens (3.5 inches for the iPhone/iPod touch, 9.6 inches for the iPad) that give developers more real estate onto which they can program game worlds. The virtual D-pad and multitouch functionality can be hit or miss, depending on a game's genre and implementation, but Apple has revolutionized the portable gaming experience by allowing every iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad to double as a well-rounded, portable gaming system.
Outstanding Titles: Mirror's Edge, Scrabble HD, Street Fighter IV for iPhone

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