The 5 Greatest Game Systems of All Time

[8bitgamer]

What are your five favorite game systems of all time?

 

Mine are:

 

1. PlayStation2

2. ColecoVision

3. NES

4. Atari 2600

5. Super NES

 

To read my reasons for the inclusion of each system, click on the following:

 

http://brettweisswords.blogspot.com/

[Archie]

My personal favorite is the SNES. Amazing sound, great graphics, perfect controllers, and lots of addictive games.

 

Now, if you're objectively trying to come up with a list of top 5 greatest systems...

 

I think without any doubt the NES should be #1. Just when people thought video games were becoming a fad, the NES changed everything. I would put the 2600 second for being the original. PS2 was just a PS1 with better graphics. Also, most of the great titles were just sequels to PS1 games. Nothing really new. I don't see why anyone would even place it in the top 5 or above the PS1.

Edited August 13, 2007 by Archie

[init12]

I can't bear to put them in any order, but mine would be:

 

Super NES

NES

Colecovision

Dreamcast

X-Box

 

I might have put Sega CD on there, but only cause I loves me some Snatcher!!!

 

X-Box is mostly just there for all the great emulation!

[Gregory DG]

Here's my "parody" of those "Top Ten Consoles Ever!" lists you see on popular websites.

 

My real Top 5 consoles would probably be:

 

1. 2600 (of course.)

2. NES

3. Dreamcast

4. Gameboy Advance/Nintendo DS

5. Sega Genesis

 

Never had a PSX or SNES so they don't make it to my list.

[8bitgamer]

PS2 was just a PS1 with better graphics. Also, most of the great titles were just sequels to PS1 games. Nothing really new. I don't see why anyone would even place it in the top 5 or above the PS1.

 

The two God of War and the two Maximo games are great reasons to put the PS2 high on anyone's list.

 

http://brettweisswords.blogspot.com/

[JB]

In no particular order...

5200, Vectrex, SNES, Genesis, and NES...

Probably...

[8th lutz]

Based on personal favorites I have to say in any order:

 

Genesis- has alot of my favorite games from and is the system I discovered rpgs from with me discovering Sword of Vermillion and Phantasy Star 2 when I first rented those two games. This was one of 3 greatest shooter systems ever with me counting the tg-16. There is weaksport for the system except for rpgs.

 

Playstation 1-it was a great system and it was heavy in the rpgs along with other classics like Castlevania sympony of the night.

 

nes-there is not really a weakspot in games for the system based game genres I like and the system gave me a great Ninja Gaiden 2 rival between my younger brother and I.

 

snes- while the system has slowdown on some games, it has great rpgs, and great multiplayer games like Super Mario Kart, Final Fight 2, the Street fighter series. It also has some great platform games also.

 

The sms. If you own the euro and united State sms games, this system becomes a great system. I own some euro sms games and some United States games on the system. It has the wonderboy series, phantasy Star, Xenon 2: megablast, outrun, power strike, Sonic 1, r-type, Golvellius: Valley of Doom, fantasy zones series to name a few of my favorite games for the system. There are even more great sms games I didn't mention.

 

The dreamcast would've been my six system with it being a head of the ps-2, atari 7800, Gamecube, tg-16 and 32x. The Wii is too young to count in favorites of game consoles.

 

From a Historical stand point my top 5 are:

2600-great games, a lot of genres got there start on this system. The term arcade port was created thanks to the 2600. I didn't spend a lot of time play the system it self thanks to me owning a 7800

 

Nes-revived the United States game console market along with a lot of influential games or start of franchises started with this system like Megaman.

 

Playstation 1- The system that really made 3d main stream. Excellent games and major Franchises got their start here also. The system also was the 1st ever sucessful disc based system.

 

Snes- great system that lacked speed and effected a couple genres based on game quality as result. Take awaysome sports games and some shooters, you have to say this is one of the best systems on games ever. Back in the day Star Fox and Donkey Kong Country was a big deal. This system had great sound in its era. The only system that outdid it in graphics was the Neo Geo at the the time.

 

Gameboy- All the incornations of this system made this one of the 5 systems ever. It was responsible for being the first popular handheld system for switching games into. One of the longest system brands ever. The orginal gameboy game birth to the gbc and the gba in a way.

 

I considered gbc and gba be put of the gameboy entry in the top 5. It has great games.

Edited August 13, 2007 by 8th lutz

[Artlover]

In no particular order....

 

Atari 2600

Xbox

Dreamcast

Playstation 2

NES

[accousticguitar]

Here's my "parody" of those "Top Ten Consoles Ever!" lists you see on popular websites.

 

My real Top 5 consoles would probably be:

 

1. 2600 (of course.)

2. NES

3. Dreamcast

4. Gameboy Advance/Nintendo DS

5. Sega Genesis

 

Never had a PSX or SNES so they don't make it to my list.

Parody? Didn't seem that way to me.

[Brian R.]

Here's my "parody" of those "Top Ten Consoles Ever!" lists you see on popular websites.

 

My real Top 5 consoles would probably be:

 

1. 2600 (of course.)

2. NES

3. Dreamcast

4. Gameboy Advance/Nintendo DS

5. Sega Genesis

 

Never had a PSX or SNES so they don't make it to my list.

Parody? Didn't seem that way to me.

 

Including the XEGS seems like parody to me! I have one. But why Atari produced the thing, when it did, I have no idea. Yet another 8 bit in another dress. Why?

 

I have an 800XL and the XE. I never know which to use, since they're basically the same. I like the style of the 800XL, but the XE has Missile Command built in.

Edited August 13, 2007 by Brian R.

[Lord Thag]

Hmm, here's my 'final five' (*eg* for any BSG fans), in no particular order:

 

Atari 2600 - The best of the best. The only game system I have had hooked up continuously since 1981. Seriously, how can you beat that?

 

Intellivision: The most underrated system of all time. Great fun, and a ton of original (and deep) games.

 

PS2: So much good stuff on this console! It's the ONLY new console I collect for. This one will be the system to collect for in twenty years, you watch.

 

Vectrex: Worlds only home vector system, with a libraty of A+ titles. What's not to love?

 

Genesis: It's cheap, it's fun, and there are a metric ton of awsome games that nobody ever plays for it. It's also a *great* system to collect for when you're broke.

[2600Lives]

1. PS1-I had the best gaming of my life on my ol' PS1. Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 1, 2, and 3, Silent Hill, Einhander, FF7 and 9, Suikoden 1 and 2, Parasite Eve. The list goes on and on. Such a great system.

 

2. SNES-I definately put more time into my SNES than any other system. Marathon sessions of Street Fighter 2, FF2 and 3, Doom (yes, Doom), and countless great RPG's and fighters. LOVE my SNES, baby!

 

3. Sega Genesis-Again, this one kept me in other worlds for many, many hours. Phantasy Star 2, 3, and 4, Sword Of Vermillion, Landstalker (man do I love that game), Streets Of Rage. Again, too many great games and good times to list.

 

4. NES-Ahh, my good ol' buddy. Though I probably didn't put as much time on this as the SNES and Sega, it still saw plenty of use. Mega Man 2 and 3 literally ruled my life for a time.

 

5. PS2-Man, this one was tough to call, as the 2600 also saw plenty of use, but in the end, it's games like Guitar Hero 1 and 2, Gun, MGS 2 and 3, Silent Hill 2-4, and Tekken make this an awesome system.

[thomasholzer]

Well, one cannot really say unless you owned/played ALL consoles out there. For example, I never played Intellivision, that console could be awesome. Haven't even got XBox or PS2 yet, dunno how they compare. Also, here in Europe the NES stunk, so it would never come first.

Edited September 20, 2007 by thomasholzer

[Rybags]

Well, if I had to rate them on "greatness" due to their impact on gaming and the market in general.

 

1. 2600 - the one that started it all. Fair enough, not the first console, but definately the first hugely successful one.

 

2. Playstation (and successors). The PS1 revived a console gaming market that was quickly being lost to the PC clones, and had also stagnated thanks to the Amiga. The PS2 also brought about convergence of gaming and watching movies. It also brought DVD players in general into mass acceptance, largely thanks to forcing them to drop in price by a factor of 10.

 

3. NES - a true revolution over the then dominant 2600, rather than just something that was a little bit better (e.g. Coleco, Intellivision)

 

4. XBox and XB360 - Probably the first console which could truly boast graphical power rivalling and often beating PCs of it's era. Also continued the convergence theme started by the Playstation so far as home theatre and audio goes.

 

5. Nintendo Gameboy. Hard choice. Sega Gameboy and Lynx were both superior in most regards (remember Sega had a TV attachment as well), but Nintendo had the marketing muscle to bury it's competition, thanks to earlier domination with the NES.

[A Sprite]

1. PC - Wait, this game is free? How about this one? OH! And this one? Sure, I'll take another remake! And it plays my gameboy games too? How about NES? I can throw that (&*%*666 front loader back to Hell, and stop blowing ...? *HUGS* Thank you, Frankenstein!

 

2. PS2 - Don't you love listening to people complain there is never enough time to play all the good games out there? No? Me either. It's true though...

 

3. GBA SP - You're not helping either.

 

4. Atari 2600 - Name one other system where someone starts a game, someone else says "What if you tried this?", and it can be done without firing two CEOs, an art department, a programming staff, and the entire quality assurance team before the programmer realizes his original idea was better? And then someone else has another idea, and eventually, the entire community just pitches in, free of charge, and some of their ideas actually improve the game? It's the most democratic game system around.

 

5. Neo Geo Pocket - I was hooked on Capcom vs SNK, cardfighters clash, when I heard the news that it had died, announced by a magazine with a picture of Mario pissing on it's grave, and I joined God in shedding a tear... this one is ranked just for the memories.

Edited September 20, 2007 by A Sprite

[Artlover]

a picture of Mario pissing on it's grave

Can someone scan & post this?

[Atari5200]

i guess mine would have to be the ones I play most.

 

PSP for portable, Xbox 360, Atari 5200, Neo Geo CD are the only 3 I keep hooked up at all times, so i guess #5 would be maybe Nomad/Genesis.

[figgler]

My first 3 choices are so far ahead, there isn't much purpose in selecting a #4 or #5.

 

 

1. NES - this is a no-brainer for me. The most revolutionary games at the time and the strongest lineup of any system I've ever owned by far

 

2. Super NES - better than Genesis. Yeah I said it.

 

3. GameCube - I look at it this way - I can play more games I like on Cube than any other system in existence. With the GBA Player it is untouchable in terms of library.

[joeybastard]

No real order...

 

1. Colecovision

2. VCS

3. NES

4. SNES

5. Dreamcast

 

If we're adding heldhelds then the DS would have to be in there somewhere too.

[Xot]

1. 2600

2. GBA

3. NES

4. SNES

4. Genesis

 

Xbox is a very, very close sixth and SNES and Genny are close enough to be a virtual tie.

[candiru]

Wow, so many lists without the 2600?

 

Personal preference lists, I can accept that, but ALL TIME GREAT lists without the 2600?

[Classic Pac]

The 2600 was really the very first successful system and it is number 1 on my list

 

The NES like it or not it saved gaming from the dark ages after the great game crash of 83/84

 

The Gameboy for simply this it was amazing for it's time

 

SNES/Genesis I include both 16bit systems compared to what came before they were amazing.

 

I saved the best for last and I admit I don't own one yet. A system that took gaming to a whole new level, and in less than 1 year since it's release has totally stunned amazed everyone including Nintendo. I present the.........

Wii

[8th lutz]

Wow, so many lists without the 2600?

 

Personal preference lists, I can accept that, but ALL TIME GREAT lists without the 2600?

The title of this thread was misleading for me.

 

In the thread the topic creator typed: What are your five favorite game systems of all time?

 

There is a big difference for some people. If it was the 5 greatest systems of all time I would've give a different answer.

 

Based on games and a historical standout I would've put the 2600 in the 5 five along with the nes, snes, gameboy, and Playstation one if people considered gameboy a game console. I consider Gameboy a handheld system due to the fact you can play it on airplanes, or long rides. I didn't put gameboy on my favorites due to it being a handheld.

 

When a person asked for your 5 favorite game systems of all time, you go by the ones you spent the most time on.

 

While I owned a 2600 jr in 1988, I got a 7800 for Christmas in 1989. While I enjoyed 2600 games, I play them on a 7800.

I nolonger have the 2600 jr. The system was given away to one of my younger brothers friends in the early 90's.

 

I considered the 2600 games to be put of the 7800 experience for me instead of the 2600.

Edited August 13, 2007 by 8th lutz

[Lord Helmet]

Let's see...

 

I can't rank them, so here they are, in no particular order:

 

2600

5200

SNES

Xbox 360

PS2

[Paul Humbug]

1. GBA [Micro]

 

Sure, Im only on this system a mere 3 weeks, havent played hardly more than 2 games but my research I do day by day on titles to put on my wishlist reveals that this platform [coming in the form factor of the Micro] is the peak of miniturazation of great systems like Amiga, SNES, Genesis, even of some PSOne quality titles in one tiny shell for your tightest jeans pocket. The library is a great tresure for retro gaming of all kinds of genres. Playing Kick Off style football on the throne cannot be beaten by any other console.

 

2. PS2

 

I always wanted one since its debut. And I know that this time XMas I am going to be weak and getting one if not before. The slim line form factor makes it a sweet desk solution for my office. There are tons of games I always wanted to play and I know this buy is not going to disappointment me nor getting me broke. Everthing I missed out on PC the last years and more is there to entertain me easily 7 years until the PS3 is a bargain. Hey, and it is making its way into the bedroom as well since it is a neat DVD player all-in-one. My wife is complaining, we cannot watch DVDs there right now. Great excuse.

 

3. Amiga 500

 

Okay, no console per se but given that this was developed as a console to be and it saw so much great gaming. Combined with Commodores monitor it was a superb machine and never short of new games for many years. Not cheap, but almost perfect. Hell, why do I complain about PS3 launch price?

 

4. Flashback 2

 

I put the Flashback 2 before the original VCS because the Flashback 2 comes with more games built-in than I ever owned for my Junior. Plus, I can enjoy the achievements of these games better than back then. At the price of 30 bucks and the fun in return this is one of the best pieces in Atari hardware. It makes me want an original heavy sixer.

 

5. PC Engine

 

Never owned one, but I followed it closely back then. I cant explain it, but there is something about PC Engine graphics and games making me wanting one before any other console of its time. Plus, the same games play on the Turbo Express handheld. Unheard! Why was Nintendo so successfull with its bw Gameboy???