I've played a lot of games that belong to a lot of different consoles, and I think I've gotten to a point where I can form a pretty concrete list of the consoles I find the coolest. This list isn't just going to be about the games, because I think the best consoles have a unique identity all their own. Now, without further adieu, here's my Top 10 consoles of all time:
10. Game Boy Color
I've already made an entire post on how cool I think the Game Boy Color is so I'll try to keep it brief. The GBC is mostly known as an extension of the Game Boy, rarely tacked about outside of the context of its more iconic older brother. But it's when you really dive into the GBC's library when its own unique quirks become apparent. The Game Boy Color is a surprisingly impressive little console, with game after game punching far above their weight and pushing the bar in terms of what handhelds were capable of. Multiple games with day-night cycles (Wario Land 3) and internal clocks (Pokemon Crystal), impressive ports of home console games that at times even rivaled the originals (Metal Gear Solid), cross-game (Oracle Duology) and even cross-console (Mario Tennis/Golf) functionality, motion controls (Tilt And Tumble) and IR sensing (Robopon) years before the Wii, secret betas hidden behind cheat codes (Pokemon Puzzle Challenge), gargantuan ports (SMB Deluxe), and even online play and DLC (Mobile Golf) by the end of its short lifespan. And I didn't even bring up other stellar titles like Link's Awakening DX, Hamtaro: Ham Hams Unite, Game & Watch Gallery 2/3, Tetris DX, Bomberman Max, and pretty much everything Wayforward made. The more one looks into the Game Boy Color, the more fascinatingly ambitious ideas you discover, I'm still learning new things about the damn thing by the day. The Game Boy Color will always be one of my most admired consoles, for consistently managing to match and even exceed its home console contemporaries in terms of scale, ambition, and innovation.
9. Sega Saturn
I've always been fond of underdogs in video games. Niche experimental games, and overlooked consoles overflowing with hidden gems. The Sega Saturn might just be the biggest underdog console around in that area. It was an absolute marketing disaster especially in America that likely caused the company to leave the console market for good, but time has been kind to the Saturn. With the benefit of hindsight, people have been able to look back on its shockingly massive library of primarily Japanese only titles and discover the sheer amount of undiscovered diamonds in the rough. And on top of that, while the fact that so much of the Saturn's library was comprised of 2D games was considered regressive at the time, it means that so much of these diamonds have actually aged the best out of many games from its generation. From Sega's myriad of innovative new IPs like Panzer Dragoon, Nights, Astal, and Clockwork Knight, to the incredible library of fantastic arcade ports of games like Virtua Fighter 2, Virtual On, Twinkle Star Sprites, Darkstalkers, and Battle Garegga, to the aforementioned abundance of surprisingly great non-US titles like Princess Crown, Bulk Slash, Radiant Silvergun, Asuka 120% Limited, and Keio Flying Squadron 2, and I didn't even mention Saturn Bomberman, Burning Rangers, Magic Knight Rayearth, the better version of Silhouette Mirage, and Fighters Megamix. If you're a fan of weird niche games like I am, the Saturn is the gift that keeps on giving. I absolutely loved doing that deep dive into some of its biggest titles, and my admiration for the console has only grown over time.
8. Nintendo Switch
Ah, the Nintendo Switch. This is a console I actually have a lot of problems with. Shoddy build, ugly aliasing issues, consistently poorly-optimized ports from third parties, dull and charmless UI, several underwhelming first-party titles, there's a lot I could rag on here. But despite it all, the Switch is still my most used console of all time. It's hard to really overstate just how useful, innovative, and clever its hybrid concept is. The fact that it's a home console I could just take anywhere and pull out at any time even if I didn't have a TV has made it my go-to system for years. And on top of that, the library is massive, recently surpassing the PS2 as the largest of any console. The third party support is the best it's been for a Nintendo console in a long time, and the indie scene is flourishing like it's never flourished before. And the few disappointments I had don't even come close to the abundance of incredible series-pushing first-party titles like Super Mario Odyssey, Breath Of The Wild, Metroid Dread, Smash Ultimate, Luigi's Mansion 3, Xenoblades 2 and 3, Pikmin 4, Fire Emblem Three Houses, Splatoon 2, and my second favorite game of all time, Kirby And The Forgotten Land, and that's not even including the abundance of rereleases and stellar ports like Link's Awakening, Metroid Prime Remastered, Mario Kart 8 & Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, Super Mario RPG, Xenoblade Definitive Edition, and Miitopia. To put it simply, there is a lot to sink your teeth into with the Switch and so much of it is more convenient and accessible than it's ever been. And I guess that means the Switch did its job. Its main goal was to a be a lean, focused gaming machine that would make getting into a game as easy and seamless as possible, and yeah, I think it pulled it off. Now let's hope its successor can capitalize on that potential, re-introduce some of that Nintendo charm and polish, and further rise up the list, eh?
7. Sony Playstation 2
Speaking of consoles that are all about the games, the Playstation 2 doesn't really do anything especially innovative beyond adding a DVD player. It was easily the weakest compared to the Gamecube and XBOX in terms of graphical power, but it more than made up for that with one of the greatest libraries of games in any console. It's hard to really emphasize just how incredible the PS2's lineup was without just listing out gems. But just to put it into perspective, the PS2 had the Grand Theft Auto trilogy, Metal Gear Solid 2/3, Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus, the Ratchet & Clank trilogy, the Sly Cooper trilogy, Ape Escape 2 and 3, the Jak & Daxter trilogy, the first Devil May Cry trilogy, the Katamari duology, Ridge Racer V, Parappa 2, Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil, Tekken 5, Virtua Fighter 4, Final Fantasies X & XII, God Of War 1 & 2, Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2, Gran Turismo 3 & 4, and the vast majority of AA titles from that time. But even better is the fact that while the PS2 was filled with major high profile releases, dev teams like Japan Studio and Atlus were still putting out experimental titles like Ape Escape: Million Monkeys, Skygunner, and Poinie's Poin. It's the type of console so broad in its appeal that pretty much any video game fan should have at least two dozen titles that perfectly suit their tastes, the PS2 just has everything.
6. Nintendo Gamecube
It should probably become clear that the sixth generation was my favorite generation of consoles. It was the point in when developers finally mastered the 3D space, but it was still early enough in gaming as a medium that they were still willing to experiment. The Gamecube is the perfect example of that. It's both a powerhouse of a console with consistently 60fps titles and some of the prettiest water in gaming to this day, and one of Nintendo's most experimental periods. Not all of those experiments stuck the landing and even the ones that did weren't exactly loved at the time, but when the Gamecube hit, it hit hard. Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime, Super Monkey Ball 2, Super Mario Sunshine, Mario Kart Double Dash, Luigi's Mansion, Pikmin, Chibi-Robo, Crystal Chronicles, Super Smash Bros Melee, Resident Evil 4, Sands Of Time, hell even Thousand Year Door and F-Zero GX for as much as I rag on them, all titles that perfectly toed the line between technical achievement, innovation, and pure fun. It also helps that the Gamecube has such a unique and timeless aesthetic, with many of its games especially early on having a distinctly dreamy vibe to them, including the console's menu itself. And like with the Saturn, while Nintendo's commitment to cartoony aesthetics may have brought the console a lot of scorn at the time, it did lead to games like Wind Waker, Super Mario Sunshine, and TTYD holding up incredibly well visually. I always liked the Gamecube as I got to play quite a bit of it prior to getting my actual first video game console, but I'm glad it's has had a renaissance and reevaluation as of late, with more and more people looking back and realizing how strong it was. We're now at a point where saying a game feels like it's on the Gamecube is a compliment, it encapsulates a kind of soul and energy that I think a lot of people want from their games.
5. Game Boy Advance
The Game Boy Advance is the comfiest video game console of all time and I will forever stand by this. It has the accessibility and form factor that makes handheld consoles so cool, while also being defined by some of the lushest and prettiest spritework I've ever seen. Games like Minish Cap, Mega Man Zero 4, Aria Of Sorrow, and Magical Vacation still look absolutely incredible to this day and I'm only scratching the surface. It probably also helps that this is a console I'm very nostalgic for as I played a lot of its games as a kid, but even nowadays, I find so many of its games so easy and fun to jump back into. I mean, you have Mario & Luigi, The Minish Cap, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, the best Pokemon generation, Drill Dozer, the Mega Man Zero series, the Mega Man Battle Network series, the Starfy trilogy, WarioWare, Wario Land 4, the Hamtaro games, Kuru Kuru Kururin, Mother 3, F-Zero GP Legend/Climax, Rhythm Tengoku, Fire Emblem, Advance Wars, Castlevania, Sonic Advance, Astro Boy Omega Factor, Iridion II, Summon Night: Swordcraft Story, all of the fantastic porting jobs, and that's still not even scratching the surface. Pound for pound, this has to be one of the most consistently and reliably strong libraries of any console, which really just adds to that feeling of comfort.
4. Sega Dreamcast
The Dreamcast wasn't the console that killed Sega, it was the console that almost saved them. After the back-to-back failures that were the 32X, CD, and the Saturn, I don't know if anything would have saved Sega. But damn, did they go out swinging. The Dreamcast is probably one of the most ambitious, innovative, and ahead-of-its-time consoles ever made, defined by its massive amount of creative ideas. It was already ahead of the curve in terms of its online support, internet connectivity, and downloadable DLC, but it also had some of the first home console arcade ports not on the Neo Geo to surpass the originals in every way in the case of games like Soulcalibur and Dynamite Cop, some incredibly influential titles like Shenmue and PSO that shaped the gaming landscape in their own unique ways, my two favorite Sonic games in Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, enhanced versions of several fifth gen classics like Rayman 2, a reputation for consistent 60fps titles, and coolest of all, a memory card with a small screen that you could even download games onto years before the Wii U and Switch developed the concept. The Dreamcast also expanded on all of the Saturn's strong points, between the introduction of some of Sega's most beloved and innovative IPs like Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5, Virtua Tennis, Chu Chu Rocket, and Skies Of Arcadia, and, just as I like tit, an abundance of niche hidden gems like Maken X, Napple Tale, Power Stone, Illbleed, and LOL Lack Of Love. And the aesthetic, holy cow. Bright blue skies, bold colors, and a hard lean into Y2K fashion trends helped give the Dreamcast a unique sense of style all its own. For me, the Dreamcast was peak Sega, it was just too cool.
3. Nintendo (3)DS
The Nintendo DS is the handheld console that feels like it was able to do everything. It had one of my favorite gaming innovations in its incredibly versatile second touch screen, which allowed for so many possibilities ranging from cool experimental titles entirely built around it, to map and inventory screens for adventure games, to games built around vertical movement. It managed to break into the casual market with games like Brain Age while still having a lot for more hardcore gamers to love with its impressive lineup of RPGs, platformers, and action games. It had all the benefits of a handheld console both from the more unique and experimental games developers could tailor specifically for it, and for its beautiful spritework and charming 3D artstyles that refined the 64-bit aesthetic. And it has an incredible and massive library filled with top-notch both like Bowser's Inside Story, Mario Kart DS, Kirby Super Star Ultra, Spirit Tracks, PMD: Explorers Of Sky, all the mainline Pokemons, Legendary Starfy, Advance Wars: Dual Strike, Order Of Ecclesia, the Ace Attorney Trilogy, Sonic Rush, Rocket Slime, TWEWY, and so much more. The DS felt like the ultimate crowd-pleaser, a console for everyone, a gargantuan phenomenon at the time and still absolutely worth revisiting. It's a console I will always have a massive soft-spot for.
Oh yeah, and the 3DS is quite cool too. I don't think its library is quite as strong as its predecessor's (it's got some real divisive games in there), but its high points are really high and I love the charming diorama look a lot of its games have. And when you add in the virtual console and its ability to play the entire DS library, you get what is arguably the most versatile and fully-feature handheld of all time.
2. Sony Playstation
So I've been praising a bunch of consoles for their libraries, particularly the PS2 and DS, but the Playstation 1 has my favorite library out of any console period. The sheer amount of phenomenal all-time classics both high profile and under-the-radar is unparalled. Klonoa, Ape Escape, Mega Man X4, Spyro, Crash, Final Fantasy, Parasite Eve, Chrono Cross, Threads Of Fate, Einhander, Ridge Racer Type 4, Metal Gear Solid, Tekken, Wipeout, Jumping Flash, MediEvil, Ghoul Panic, Grandia, Rhapsody, Tail Concerto, SotN, Mega Man Legends, Dr Slump, Tomb Raider, Syphon Filter, do I really need to say more? And despite being a fifth generation console, the abundance of 2D sprite-based games and its distinct blocky aesthetic adopted by games like Mega Man Legends and Ape Escape makes for a console whose library has held up way better than it had any right to. But what really solidifies the PS1 as my second favorite console is that on top of all that, I posit that it has the best collective music of any console ever. The sheer quality of nearly every soundtrack put out for the PS1 is remarkable, between the many jungle and techno bangers that defined that generation, the phenomenal orchestrated RPG scores particularly by Square Enix, and all those other cases where you can just tell the composers were happy to finally get access to CD-quality audio made for a console defined by consistently stellar tunes. If I was being objective here, the PS1 would probably be an easy first place, it excels on pretty much every front.
1. Nintendo Wii (U)
The Nintendo Wii is probably the most polarizing video game console of all time. It's one of Nintendo's most successful consoles with some of their most beloved games and it helped to bring an entirely new audience into gaming, and it's also hated by hardcore gamers for popularizing motion controls and selling out to the casual market. Well, it's a good thing I'm not a hardcore gamer then! Despite having played probably over a thousand different video games by now and counting, I'll always be a casual at heart. I don't care about games being cinematic or visually ground-breaking or edgy and mature or brutally difficult, I don't speedrun outside of a self-imposed challenge and I would never enter any competitive scenes, I just want to have fun with one of my favorite hobbies. And seeing as me and a lot of my friends were a part of the very market that Nintendo was trying to appeal to at the time, I don't think many of us would have even gotten into video games to begin with if it wasn't for the Wii. I grew up with this thing and its successor, so it's only natural that it would be my favorite console. But I don't want to just chalk it up to nostalgia because that would be discrediting the sheer amount of phenomenal games, brilliant ideas, unique innovations, and pure, innocent fun that the Wii still offers to this day for me.
For starters, I love motion controls. It may just be because I grew up with them, but I've always admired the added variety it provided in terms of how you can play and interact with a game. I'd easily take dozens of unpolished pieces of waggle shovelware for experiences as unique as WarioWare Smooth Moves, Skyward Sword, Zack & Wiki, and Elebits. And it led to the rise of gyro aim which allows me to actually be good at shooters, finally! But even putting aside the motion controls, the Wii strikes that perfect balance of some of the best first-party titles Nintendo has ever put out (Super Mario Galaxy, Twilight Princess, Kirby's Return To Dream Land, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Mario Kart Wii, Super Paper Mario, Wii Sports Resort, Xenoblade) along with a ton of hidden gems spawned by both the rise of the indie scene and developers using the unique control scheme to get a little experimental (Murasama, De Blob, Kororinpa, Boom Blox, The Munchables, Pandora's Tower). Don't let the sheer quantity of the Wii's library scare you, if you really dig in deep, you'll be surprised by just how many under-the-radar hidden gems there are, even rivaling the likes of the Saturn and PS2. I also can't talk about the Wii without mentioning the top-tier avatar maker that is the Mii Maker, as well as the overall impeccable UI that was only heightened by Kazumi Totaka's iconic and quirky score. For my tastes and my tastes specifically, the Wii has everything I'd want from a console.
But wait, I'm not done yet. There's also the Wii's successor and psuedo-extension, the Wii U. I won't deny that, like with the Saturn, the console was an absolute marketing disaster and Nintendo made some of their worst business decisions ever at the time. However, I grew up with the Wii U just like with the Wii, and like with the Saturn, I think it's a console that I've grown even more fond of with time. It had a fantastic first-party lineup composed of modern gems likes Super Mario 3D World, DKC Tropical Freeze, Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros 4, Mario Maker, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, Yoshi's Woolly World, Nintendo Land, Xenoblade X, and Pikmin 3, and it put much more effort into introducing newcomers to Nintendo's vast array of IPs. When I owned my Wii as a kid, I mostly stuck with the same few series like Mario, LEGO, Wii, and eventually Kirby. With the Wii U, I ended up discovering Zelda, Metroid, Pikmin, F-Zero, Mega Man, Rayman, Sonic, the indie game scene, and so much else. This console was where I really branched out in terms of my tastes, and it's very important to me for that reason.
But even outside of my personal connection to it, the Wii U also boasted a ton of unique and cool ideas that I really wish stuck. I adore the Gamepad for bringing all the benefits of the DS's second screen to a home console, and for the asynchronous multiplayer it offered allowing for some of the most fun party game sessions I've ever had with my friends. I love Miiverse and how it was implemented into nearly every game, especially once Nintendo started implementing collectable Miiverse Stamps into their games, the closest they ever got to an achievements system. I love how robust and feature-rich the UI was, and how well-designed and charming the E-Shop was. And I love the Amiibo, they're still my favorite Toys To Life iteration for how they worked with multiple games. In general, the social aspect and interconnectivity of the Wii U was just so cool and novel, and it all really elevated the console for me. I can only hope Nintendo gives it another shot with their next console, I think they were really onto something there. But ultimately, the Wii U carried on what made the Wii so appealing. Innovation, top-notch games, and pure Nintendo charm. The Wii and its successor may not have been what the gaming market wanted at the time, but they both made an incredible impact on me and my taste in video games, so I will always think of them very fondly.
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