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The Top 25 Consoles of All Time by The Guardian

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Thirty7ven

Thirty7ven

Banned
1. Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1990)

Whole days in front of Street Fighter 2, the living room crowded with mates, coffee table loaded with snacks and Coke cans. All-nighters on Legend of Zelda: a Link to the Past, Super Metroid and Secret of Mana. Sharing Yoshi’s Island and Harvest Moon with your younger sister. Blasting through the Super Star Wars series. Discovering Donkey Kong Country. Millions of us have these memories. The SNES arrived in an industry already changed by the Mega Drive, but Nintendo stuck with what it knew – solid tech and astonishing, fecund creativity. The machine produced beautiful, colourful visuals and lush sampled sounds, and it had the flexibility to allow enhanced cartridges later in its lifecycle. But really, the lasting influence was all down to the games – more than 1,700 of them – and the way they made us feel. That is, in the end, what it’s all about.
Click to expand...


2. PlayStation 2 (2000)

It’s tough to win the console wars two generations in a row. PlayStation 2 didn’t just equal the success of PlayStation – it became the best-selling console of all time, shifting 155m units. Its utter dominance, its technical power and its familiar development environment allowed studios around the world to be extraordinarily creative. This was the golden era that saw mainstream blockbusters Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid, Gran Turismo, Pro Evo Soccer, Burnout and Ratchet & Clank come to fruition, but it also hosted idiosyncratic treasures such as Katamari Damacy, Ico and Okami, and through the Guitar Hero and Singstar titles it also became the post-pub entertainment platform of choice for a whole generation. This was where TV, movie and music creatives all woke up and realised, ah yes, games are the future, we’d better get in on this. And then everybody did.
Click to expand...


3. Xbox 360 (2005)

The first console of the broadband era, Xbox 360 put online multiplayer functionality at the core of its offering from the very start. Innovations such as Achievements and the Gamer Score turned the global user base into one vast competitive community whether the battleground was Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Halo 3 or Forza Horizon. Arguably, this was also the machine that saw the superior versions of epic adventures such as Mass Effect 2, Elder Scrolls V, Bioshock and Read Dead Redemption, ushering in our modern era of mature narrative game design.
Click to expand...


25. 3DO (1993)
24. Atari Jaguar (1993)
23. Sega Master System (1985)
22. Intellivision (1979)
21. PC Engine (1987)
20. Sega Saturn (1994)
19. Colecovision (1982)
18. Magnavox Odyssey (1972)
17. SNK Neo Geo (1990)
16. Atari VCS/2600 (1977)
15. Nintendo GameCube (2001)
14. PlayStation 3 (2006)
13. Nintendo 64 (1996)
12. Xbox One (2013)
11. Xbox (2001)
10. Nintendo Wii (2006)
9. Sega Dreamcast (1998)
8. Nintendo Switch (2017)
7. PlayStation (1994)
6. Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System (1983)
5. PlayStation 4 (2013)
4. Sega Mega Drive/Genesis (1988)
3. Xbox 360 (2005)
2. PlayStation 2 (2000)
1. Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1990)


The 25 greatest video game consoles – ranked! (Link)


Can't say I agree, but it's a list!
 
Tschumi

Tschumi

Member
Gamecube should be higher, it ushered in the era of Nintendo doubling down on kook and staples~

But for real i don't know that I'm taking about :p agree on PS2 being at the top!
 
-Arcadia-

-Arcadia-

Banned
Ll7hRvJ.jpg
 
ZywyPL

ZywyPL

Banned
IMO PSX and Wii should've been higher. And I'd definitely put PS4 lower, I cannot see why it's at no. 5 while PS3 is at 14, it this some kind of joke? The games library is just... there's no contest basically between the two.
 
Dabaus

Dabaus

Banned
PS1
PS2
XBOX 360
Nintendo DS because im a huge pokemon fan but 3DS is backwards compatible so hard pick between the 2.
SNES
 
Alone in 2020

Alone in 2020

Banned
PS1 and PS2 their place should be in 1 and 2. both of them and just them should fight on these two places.
other consoles can fight on the rest.
 
Clear

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
What kinda annoys me the most is the cultural anonymity of the piece.

By which I mean you'd expect a list produced by a British site/writer to have some sort of flavor and perspective appropriate to its country of origin. But, nah, what we get is another recantation of the "mid-Atlantic" version of history that comes from the internet.

From a UK perspective SNES really wasn't that big of a deal. Megadrive and Playstation were far more impactful and significant. Its place on top of the list is not historically justified in any way, shape, or form.
 
Z

Zerotex

Member
7. Sega Mega Drive/Genesis (1988)
6. PlayStation 4 (2013)
5. Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System (1983)
4. PlayStation (1994)
3. Xbox 360 (2005)
2. PlayStation 2 (2000)
1. Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1990)
 
DunDunDunpachi

DunDunDunpachi

Banned
I think PS2 is shoulders above the SNES because it still has many ports / compilations (and b.c.) to play those older games as well as play the sequels and spiritual successors. I didn't even own the PS2 in its heyday. Bought one around the time Persona 3 came out -- after having owned and enjoyed an Xbox and a Dreamcast -- and it made a fan of the brand.
 
Handel

Handel

Member
Top 3 is correct, rest of the list is questionable. GameCube especially too low, it's better than PS3, XB0, N64 and OG Xbox. Would put it right below Wii, right outside top ten.

PS1 and PS4 should switch places. Switch by the end of it's life will go above PS4.
 
Happosai

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
Thirty7ven said:
1. Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1990)




2. PlayStation 2 (2000)




3. Xbox 360 (2005)




25. 3DO (1993)
24. Atari Jaguar (1993)
23. Sega Master System (1985)
22. Intellivision (1979)
21. PC Engine (1987)
20. Sega Saturn (1994)
19. Colecovision (1982)
18. Magnavox Odyssey (1972)
17. SNK Neo Geo (1990)
16. Atari VCS/2600 (1977)
15. Nintendo GameCube (2001)
14. PlayStation 3 (2006)
13. Nintendo 64 (1996)
12. Xbox One (2013)
11. Xbox (2001)
10. Nintendo Wii (2006)
9. Sega Dreamcast (1998)
8. Nintendo Switch (2017)
7. PlayStation (1994)
6. Famicom/Nintendo Entertainment System (1983)
5. PlayStation 4 (2013)
4. Sega Mega Drive/Genesis (1988)
3. Xbox 360 (2005)
2. PlayStation 2 (2000)
1. Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1990)


The 25 greatest video game consoles – ranked! (Link)


Can't say I agree, but it's a list!
Click to expand...
I get that this is just a list by the Guardian, but Sega Saturn needs to be bumped up higher. The Neo Geo was bloody expensive and I doubt that many owned it. It was the first real home arcade console (the giant SNK carts are the very same used in the cabinet arcade machines); but there were limited titles. I'd say Neo Geo needs to swap places with Saturn.
 
carlosrox

carlosrox

Banned
PS2 is overrated, PS1 is better, SNES deserves its spot, 360 was a great system, and why the fuck is the Genesis so damn high??
 
Great Hair

Great Hair

Banned
The Greatest Console of All Time
based on world wide impact
by the one and only King H.

  1. PlayStation (new genres, new games, new franchises, new paradigm, establishing new rules, first 100mill. console, cd player)
  2. NES (granddaddy, without it there would be no PSX, no other console)
  3. Atari VCS2600 (contender from the USA, pre Nintendo era, a pioneer)
  4. PS2 (a continuation of PS1, with online and DVD, most sold home console, better visuals, EyeToy, first MMORPG console, Linux)
  5. SNES (NES with better visuals, nothing "revolutionary", sony chip?)
  6. Halo 1, 2 Xbox 2001 Broadband (pay for play)
  7. Sega Mega Drive (THE better alternative)
  8. Dreamcast (arcade perfected machine, first online console, sega´s finest)
  9. PS4 (first VR console, ps now ... good update to PS3)
  10. X360 (good 4 years, terrible kinect years, RROD, more online, samey)
  11. Switch (many would put the 3DS above the Switch)
  12. PS3 (bad start, good ending, demon´s souls, MAG, GTA5, TLOU, BD)
  13. PSP (Sony going portable? It worked, remote play etc.)
  14. N64 (new controller, first analog)
  15. We Scam (if you´re aged 75+, 1º)
  16. Vita (everyone´s favorite ... just admit it already ;) )
  17. GameCube (size does not matter?)
  18. Sega Saturn (could have been THE chosen one, .... 8 processors?)
  19. Xbone (total disaster, spy cam, drm, no games, long installs, terrible UX, UI, false promises, no VR just fish A.I and pristine never seen before 32bit pixel)
  20. etc.. no one remembers these, so why bother ..magnavox, 3DO, colecco
 
nush

nush

Member
Clear said:
By which I mean you'd expect a list produced by a British site/writer to have some sort of flavor and perspective appropriate to its country of origin. But, nah, what we get is another recantation of the "mid-Atlantic" version of history that comes from the internet.
Click to expand...

Same mindset that out of nowhere a whole generation of then British kids claim to have grown up with the NES. The ones that did have a NES, didnt get one until the Ninja Turtles pack-in and only then becuse it was cheaper than the Megadrive and Amiga and price was all the parents cared about.
 
Romulus

Romulus

Member
Handel said:
Top 3 is correct, rest of the list is questionable. GameCube especially too low, it's better than PS3, XB0, N64 and OG Xbox. Would put it right below Wii, right outside top ten.

PS1 and PS4 should switch places. Switch by the end of it's life will go above PS4.
Click to expand...

Agree on all points but that one. OG xbox was the king. Lots and lots of gems on that machine, first console to really nail online gaming too. It should be top 5 imo.
 
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HitCtrlAltDel

HitCtrlAltDel

Member
Things this list gets right:
PlayStation Consoles - PS2 > PS4 > PS1 > PS3 (Although plenty of people would want to swap PS4 and PS1)
Sega Consoles - Genesis > Dreamcast > Saturn > MasterSystem (That's the order I'd put it in)
Xbox Consoles - Xbox 360 > Xbox > Xbox One (Again, that's the order I'd put it in)
Fourth Generation Consoles - SNES > Genesis > NeoGeo > PC Engine
Fifth Generation Consoles - PS1 > N64 > Saturn > Jaguar > 3DO (Looks good to me)

Things this list gets wrong:
Sixth Generation Consoles - PS2 > Dreamcast > Xbox > GameCube (GameCube on the bottom of this list is just sad. And Dreamcast at the #2 spot is wrong as well)
Seventh Generation Consoles - Xbox360 > Wii > PS3 (Sorry, Wii had some good games but it is last on this list. And while at the start of the generation 360 was definitely better, the amount of exclusives by PS3's end puts it at the top)
Early Consoles - Atari 2600 > NeoGeo / Odyssey > Saturn > PC Engine > MasterSystem (The only way that the 2600 or the Odyssey beat all these other systems is if you weigh their influence on the industry pretty heavy since they haven't aged well at all, especially the Odyssey)

Lastly, I think handhelds should be included. Console to me doesn't mean "box that sits next to a TV," it means a game platform. I'd love to see how GameBoy, GBA, DS, 3DS, PSP and even the Vita would shake up the list. And of course it would bring back the never ending debate: is GBC an enhanced extension of the GameBoy line, like the new 3DS/DSi, or is it the next GameBoy console like the GBA was?
 
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ROMhack

ROMhack

Member
Clear said:
What kinda annoys me the most is the cultural anonymity of the piece.

By which I mean you'd expect a list produced by a British site/writer to have some sort of flavor and perspective appropriate to its country of origin. But, nah, what we get is another recantation of the "mid-Atlantic" version of history that comes from the internet.

From a UK perspective SNES really wasn't that big of a deal. Megadrive and Playstation were far more impactful and significant. Its place on top of the list is not historically justified in any way, shape, or form.
Click to expand...

God this is good.

Also very much agree that the SNES wasn't a big deal in the UK.
 
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thicc_girls_are_teh_best

thicc_girls_are_teh_best

Member
I'd of put PS1 higher, SNES wouldn't be #1, Saturn would be way higher (higher than Dreamcast for me tbh), and I'd probably still keep MegaDrive in Top 5 but dunno if it'd stay in same spot or shift upward/downward a slot. Would also keep PS2 in Top 5.

So I guess my Top 5 would go: PS1 > SNES > Saturn > PS2 > MegaDrive.

But they're all extremely close to each other overall tbh, depending on mood for a given style of game that Top 5 could easily flip around. Which is something none of these Top Consoles/Games etc. lists ever take into account.

nush said:
Same mindset that out of nowhere a whole generation of then British kids claim to have grown up with the NES. The ones that did have a NES, didnt get one until the Ninja Turtles pack-in and only then becuse it was cheaper than the Megadrive and Amiga and price was all the parents cared about.
Click to expand...

Yeah Nintendo's impact in places outside of Japan and NA didn't really happen for a good while. SNES was more competitive with MegaDrive in Europe but SEGA still sold more. NES and Master System there wasn't really much of a contest, in fact Master System was analogous with Europe console gaming scene similar to NES was in America.

Also have to give SEGA major props for breaking into the Brazilian scene via TecToy; to this day MegaDrive clones still sell pretty damn well (one of the last figures I saw quoted was 150K a year, but this was a good while ago).
 
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TLZ

TLZ

Banned
nush said:
Wii U is far more innovative than either of those with a better library as well.
Click to expand...
Breath of the Wild alone is enough.

The Jaguar only sold 125,000 units had 50 forgettable games that nobody remembers.
 
SpiceRacz

SpiceRacz

Member
NES deserves to be higher than the Genesis. The absence of the Wii U is strange. I think the Atari 7800 should replace the Jaguar as well. Biggest mistake is ranking the Sega Saturn so low.
 
Vawn

Vawn

Banned
Ok, I guess. It doesn't really make sense with consoles that share 90% identical libraries being on opposite ends of the list.
 
West Texas CEO

West Texas CEO

GAF's Nicest Lunch Thief and Nosiest Dildo Archeologist
The SNES is incredibly overrated. Its predecessor is far superior.
 
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StreetsofBeige

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Decent list.

I'd put these higher: PC Engine, 2600

I'd put these worse: Magnavox, Wii, DC

Probably flip flip NES with Genesis

I can understand why SNES is loved and #1. So leave it there. But as a sports fan, I'd put it equal with Genesis. SNES had kiddie trash sports games. NFL 94 alone is better than all SNES sports combined.
 
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