Playing online video games while making the best of our Xfinity Internet speed is undoubtedly one of our favorite activities. However, playing video games on the best consoles has a charm of its own.
While many excellent consoles have been released over the years, some have left considerably more of an impact on their audiences than others. The top video game consoles were groundbreaking in their day, introducing a host of new features and representing a significant improvement in gameplay mechanics and graphics.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best gaming consoles for gamers. Let’s dive in!
PlayStation
Many were taken aback when the PlayStation was finally released, yet the device had been in development for quite some time. Before going it alone, Sony and Nintendo collaborated on a disc-based system called the Nintendo PlayStation. The PS1 enabled a shift from discs to cartridges, which provided creators a great deal of freedom but ultimately resulted in the departure of several major franchises.
Crash Bandicoot, Lara Croft, and Spyro the Dragon are just a few of the memorable characters from PS1 games, in contrast to Sega’s and Nintendo’s singular mascots. The PS1 is widely regarded as among the best video games of all time since it was a pioneer in the transition from 2D to 3D graphics.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch ushered in a new era in which handheld and home consoles were no longer treated as distinct entities. The Switch, which combines the capabilities of a home console and a handheld system, has enthralled players all around the world and stands a good chance of becoming the best-selling gaming console of all time.
It’s easy to see why so many people have purchased a Switch given its greater flexibility and the wealth of excellent first-party games available for it. Although the system’s weak processing power and lackluster internet features are drawbacks, they are easily overlooked in light of the console’s inexpensive pricing and its practical features.
Dreamcast
The Dreamcast was, as has been mentioned many times before, a revolutionary gaming console. It pioneered online play on a home console and experimented with motion controls for a number of its titles. While it may not have the largest selection, games like SoulCalibur, Skies of Arcadia, and Yu Suzuki’s Shenmue have helped define their own genres.
Unfortunately, the Dreamcast was doomed to fail from the start, as players and third-party developers had lost faith in Sega after the company abandoned Saturn and several of the many Genesis add-ons. The fact that Dreamcast games could be pirated without requiring hardware modifications did not help matters, but the advent of the PlayStation 2 ultimately proved fatal.
Game Boy
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the concept of handheld video game consoles was nothing more than a pipe dream. Many companies tried to develop their own portable game consoles before Nintendo finally succeeded in the late 1980s. The original game console and its many derivatives would dominate the industry for many years.
Over the years, numerous rivals to the system have failed to emerge. Sales of the Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket combined to more than quadruple those of the Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear, and TurboExpress. The success of the original Game Boy may have paved the way for the sales of subsequent Nintendo handhelds like the Game Boy Advance (GBA), Nintendo DS, and Nintendo Switch.
SNES
The best video game consoles often had groundbreaking new innovations, although the Super Nintendo didn’t actually do that. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was a cutting-edge piece of hardware when it was released, but there wasn’t much about it that rival systems couldn’t copy. However, it excelled at its intended purpose.
By the mid-1990s, many developers had reached a level of expertise in creating 2D video games, making the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) one of the last major home systems to specialize in this genre. The result is a library full of excellent role-playing games (RPGs) and the best 2D entries in some of Nintendo’s most popular series.
PS2
Considering how many fantastic systems have been released over the years, picking a single winner would be an impossible endeavor. Nonetheless, the PlayStation 2 just about accomplishes enough to clinch the top slot, what with its role in improving 3D video games, its absurdly vast library, and its ability to double as a DVD player (which, at the time, cost about as much as the console itself).
The PlayStation 2, which was released around the world in the year 2000, quickly became the best-selling video game console of all time, outselling the GameCube by more than seven to one and driving Sega out of the home console market entirely. More than 50 titles for the system received a Metacritic score of 90 or higher, proving that the platform provided something for everyone.
Final Thoughts
Video game consoles have come a long way since their early days, from the head-to-head competition of the PlayStation to the pioneering approach of the Nintendo Switch. In the end, your gaming preferences, preferred games, and other factors will determine the ideal gaming console for you.
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