Choosing the best consoles in history doesn't just depend on sales: their catalog, cultural impact, innovations, and how they changed the way we play also matter.
Taking into account these factors and recent sales data and historical influence, these are the 10 greatest consoles of all time.
What makes a console great
To truly evaluate a console, four things must be considered: the quality of its game library, its historical significance, its innovations, and its long-term legacy. This approach aligns with criteria used in specialized reviews, where the game catalog carries particular weight because, ultimately, a great console is remembered for its games.
It's also important to distinguish between "the best current console" and "the greatest console of all time." Here, both commercial successes and defining moments matter: systems that popularized home gaming, brought 3D to the mainstream, defined online gaming, or shaped entire generations.
1. PlayStation 2
The PS2 remains the absolute benchmark because it combined a vast library of games, massive reach, and longevity like almost no other console. Sony confirmed in 2024 that the PlayStation 2 surpassed 160 million units sold worldwide, maintaining its position as the best-selling console of all time.
Its dominance wasn't just numerical. The PS2 amassed a gigantic library, was further boosted by its DVD player, and became the essential console of a generation that saw the convergence of legendary studios and historic franchises.
Among the games that best symbolize its era are Grand Theft Auto III , Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 , and Metal Gear Solid 2 , while its ecosystem helped solidify Sony as the major player in home gaming in the 2000s. Grand Theft Auto III appears among the highest-rated games of all time on Metacritic, which helps explain the strength of the console's catalog.
2. Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo holds a privileged place because it made the evolution of video games a tangible experience for millions of players. According to expert analyses, the system not only improved upon what the NES had done, but also offered experiences that redefined what a console could achieve.
Its catalog is one of the most respected in history, with a virtually unparalleled blend of platforming, RPG, action, and creative experimentation. Although Metacritic's main page shows later systems with a greater presence at the top of the all-time rankings, the critical and cultural prestige of the SNES legacy remains central to any serious list of historical hardware.
The SNES also helped solidify a key idea: that hardware sequels could justify their existence with real improvements in design, sound, controls, and artistic ambition. That's why it was not only a commercial success, but also a machine that set Nintendo's quality standard for decades.
3. Nintendo DS
The Nintendo DS earned this spot thanks to a rare combination of massive sales, versatility, and a deep game library. The system ended its commercial life with 154.02 million units sold, a figure widely cited for the DS family and one that places it among the most successful platforms ever created.
More importantly, the DS didn't rely solely on its two screens or the stylus. Its true strength lay in an extraordinary library, fueled by both Nintendo and third-party developers like Capcom, Konami, Atlus, and Level-5, something that several reviews consider one of its greatest achievements.
The console also broadened the gaming audience with accessible options without sacrificing deep experiences. This balance between interface innovation and a vast game library made the DS one of the most influential handheld consoles of all time.
4. PlayStation
The first PlayStation changed the industry because it helped make video games a truly massive and modern form of entertainment. Den of Geek highlights how Sony not only beat direct rivals like the Saturn, but also redefined what a console could offer in terms of presentation, multimedia, and mass appeal.
Its impact is also seen in games. Tekken 3 appears among the highest-rated titles in history on Metacritic, and the console was home to a generation of 3D, narrative, and cinematic experiences that transformed the perception of the medium.
Furthermore, the original PlayStation opened the door to a business model and brand identity that would later dominate several generations. It was a pivotal console because it connected technology, marketing, and software in a way that forever changed the home market.
5. Nintendo Entertainment System
The NES deserves a place on any historical list because it helped restructure the home video game market at a critical time. Historical analyses describe it as the console that convinced millions of people they wanted a machine to play games at home.
Its catalog remains surprisingly relevant, not only for nostalgia but because many design principles of its best games are still valid today. Den of Geek emphasizes that even decades later, titles inspired by how the best NES games played, sounded, and felt continue to be created.
The console also established industrial foundations: franchises, quality control, iconography, and consumption habits that the rest of the sector would later copy. Its greatness goes beyond the hardware; it was a foundational platform.
6. Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 wasn't just a great console: it was ahead of its time in several ways. Although its legacy was tarnished by the infamous "Red Ring of Death" issue, its influence on online gaming, digital distribution, achievements, and the rise of the indie market was enormous.
Metacritic helps to understand the weight of its catalog: Grand Theft Auto IV , BioShock , and Mass Effect 2 are among the highest-rated games of all time, and all were closely associated with the strength of the Xbox 360 generation.
Microsoft made Xbox Live and Xbox Live Arcade central to the modern console experience. Many of the features that now seem commonplace in the console ecosystem became standard thanks to the Xbox 360's impetus.
7. Game Boy
The Game Boy was probably the most important handheld console in history because of how it normalized playing games anywhere. Den of Geek describes it as the most important handheld console ever made, and its difference compared to previous devices was enormous.
Its design, autonomy, and game library ensured its continued relevance for years, even with the emergence of technically superior machines. The enduring presence of the Pokémon franchise within its ecosystem further solidified its status as more than just successful hardware: it became a sustained cultural phenomenon.
The greatness of the Game Boy lies in the fact that it redefined the value of portability. It wasn't just a scaled-down version of home gaming; for many people, it was their primary platform.
8. PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 was the big winner of its generation because it offered exactly what the market wanted at the right time: power, a reasonable price, and a clear focus on video games. Den of Geek defines it as the best overall console on the market for much of its lifespan and highlights that it corrected many mistakes of the PS3 era.
In terms of sales, the PS4 surpassed 117 million units according to recent lists of best-selling consoles. This commercial success was bolstered by a powerful game library and strong relationships with both first-party and third-party studios.
Its legacy is linked to exclusive titles and prestigious games that defined the 2010s. Although Metacritic does not organize the global list by console in a single visible block, the presence of PlayStation-era titles among the highest-rated games on the site reinforces why the PS4 is seen as one of the most complete consoles in history.
9. Nintendo 64
The Nintendo 64 didn't win its generation in sales, but it left an enormous mark on design and social experience. Den of Geek highlights that Super Mario 64 truly made people believe in the potential of 3D gaming, while its local multiplayer catalog remains almost unmatched.
That legacy is even evident in general critical rankings: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time appears as the highest-rated game of all time on Metacritic, and GoldenEye 007 is also listed among the great classics in the site's historical database.
The N64 is important as much for its milestones as for its personality. It was a console that shaped modern 3D design and transformed the living room into a competitive, cooperative, and social space like few other machines have achieved.
10. Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis was the major alternative that forced Nintendo to compete differently. Its more aggressive positioning, its more arcade-like identity, and its focus on speed, action, and attitude gave it a unique character in the history of home hardware.
Den of Geek ranks it among the ten best of all time and explains that it acted as a true “challenger brand,” occupying a space that Nintendo wasn't fully covering. This strategy helped diversify the industry and enrich the market with other types of experiences.
Beyond the console wars, the Genesis left behind a highly memorable catalog and an identity that still retains its prestige today. It was an essential console because it demonstrated that the market needed real competition to evolve.
