Rate the series - Home consoles

[Jmustang1968]

Well not counting PC as that isnt a "console" this will be tough. And this seems like we are just ranking the platforms, not specific console releases.

1. Sega Genesis
I remember begging and begging for one as a kid, and this console I put a lot of hours into growing up and still enjoy. Has a great mix of genres and is home to some of my all time favorites like Shining Force 2 and Streets of Rage 2. I love the controllers, and have to say my favorite version of this console is the CDX.

2. SNES
When I was younger, the SNES was technically my sisters, but that didnt stop me from stealing it and playing Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, and Ogre Battle on it a bunch. Still a console I enjoy and explore today. I have a backlog of many of the japan only RPGs that have been translated.

3. PS2
Like its predecessor, this system has a huge library, and if you add in PS1 BC, it gets even bigger. Not a huge fan of the controllers, but I put a ton of time in this console in college.

4. Xbox 360
The big leap into HD. Standard built in Hard Drive, default wireless controllers, Xbox Live. While other console had all of these features either built in, later add ons, or 3rd party add ons, the 360 was the first that made all these part of the default experience and was well integrated across the platform. The controller is also great, and I still use on my PC for controller games. I dont go back and play this much these days, but in its hey day, it was the definitive console for me.

5. PS1
So many great RPGs. This system has such a big library of games that you can find something you like in about any genre. Besides the RPGs, you have classic series that started here, such as Resident Evil, Gran Turismo, Metal Gear Solid and the list goes on. I think this could potentially rank higher if it were current, but it hasnt aged quite as well, and you can play all the PS1 games on the PS2.

6. PS3
This console had a slower start off the bat, but eventually gathered momentum and had a great library of games. I still don't care for the controller. I wouldnt really like the Dualshocks until the PS4.

7. NES
Such an amazing experience as a young kid. Playing some of the old NES games are hit or miss for me at times. I have taken things like battery saves and such for granted, so when I get to games with passwords and such, it is a put off for me these days. Still has some great games that will forever be classics. Definitely prefer the top loader with av mods to the toaster.

8.Saturn
Love the controller. This system has a smallish subset of really good games for me, but a lot of the library excels in genres that don't have as much appeal to me.

9. PS4
Really love the controller, they finally fixed the things I mostly disliked about the previous dualshocks. I think this would rank higher if I actually played it more. I like the library, and its features, but I find that I focus more on PC these days to the detriment of the PS4.

10. Switch
Very cool system that is getting a ton of developer support. Being able to play on your tv, or as a handheld in bed gives it a lot of versatility. My favorite Nintendo console since the SNES.

11. Sega CD
Similar to the Saturn, this system has a small subset of games I like, but the ones I do like are really good. I got this system as a kid and regretted it, but it is mostly because I didnt get the better games back then.

12. Xbox
The first system to really embrace online play, and the start of Xbox Live (yes I know the Dreamcast did, but just not at the level of the Xbox). Halo back in the dorms was good times, and it had some other greats for me like KotOR. I like the slim controller which would go on to be better refined on the 360. A great springboard to build off of.

13. TG16/PCE/CD
Yeah I am being inconsistent luimping the TGCD here but separating the Sega CD as its own console. This is a system I think I would appreciate more but just havent gotten around to exploring the library more. I didn't grow up with it, so it doesnt have that nostalgic pull of the others and I thus don't have as much patience with trying out some of the games. What I have played and seen I have liked.

14. Xbox One
I think this is a fine console, but just one that doesnt hold a lot of appeal to me since I can play everything it has on PC. So considering the games it does have, I like it, I just play them on PC. I also really like the controller. This system is a weird one for me to rank.

15. N64
Has some great multiplayer games, but this system hasnt aged well for me, and almost all the games on the system have better sequels to play such Mario Kart, SSB, Goldeneye etc... This system is really just an Ogre Battle 64 player for me. I am probably being more harsh than I should be, at the time, I enjoyed many of the games on the system. I also hate the controller

16. Wii U
I think I enjoyed this system more than most, or more than I thought I would. I liked the tablet like controller. What brings this down for me is smallish library with mostly 1st party games. Only a few Nintendo series appeal much to me.

17. Gamecube
This system was basically a SSB Melee and Fire emblem console for me. 3rd party support, with a few notable exceptions, was mostly lacking and many of the Nintendo titles like the Mario and Luigis Mansion didn't appeal to me. The standard controller is alright, but I really liked the Wavebirds.

18. Neo Geo AES
Such a cool system, just too expensive to get games for. I am also not a huge arcade game fan. So the multitude of fighting games doesnt have a huge appeal to me.

19. Sega Master System
Lack of familiarity and nostalgia for this console hurts it for me. Has some good games that rank up with the best on the NES, and surpass it when you consider Phantasy Star.

20. Dreamcast
This system never caught on much for me. I was fully into the PS1 and PS2 camp after the treatment Sega gave the Saturn. The library also doesnt have much of an appeal to me outside of a few games, and the controller is annoying to use.

21. Wii
This much beloved by many console mostly annoyed me. I personally disliked the forced waggle controls in much of the library. Many of the 3rd party games were poorly done ports from the PS3/360 with hamfisted controls. A few 3rd party gems with same ol' 1st party. I disliked my Wii mote always running down the batteries, and dealing with the sensor. It was cool that it could play GC games, and the eshop was nice.

22. Sega 32X
Never really cared for much of anything in the library

23. Atari 2600/Coleco
Besides a few oh thats cute or fun, I can't really enjoy playing these games any more. I appreciate what these systems did and their impact on gaming. Never played the 5200 or 7800.

24. Jaguar/3DO/Neo CD/CDI
While there may be a few standout games, I only owned these systems briefly. They didnt offer enough to deal with the hardware issues or the space on the shelf.

[pook99]

@BoneSnap: I agree the turbo cd had some very high quality games on it, ys 1 and 2 were amazing, I loved Valis 2 and 3, and there were just a whole bunch of random games that I loved on that thing.

@jmustang: I think you are spot on with the PS1, it really does have a legendary suite of games on it but the problem is how poorly many of them aged, I don't mind the generally ugly graphics, but the bad cameras and bizzare controls are really tough to go back to. There are some games that did hold up very well, the 2d platformers of the system are all still very good, the JRPG's and SRPG's are as engrossing as ever, schmups and fighters are just as good as you would want them to be, but man, some of those early 3d titles and FPS are just painful to play. I can' believe the PS1 is the system that I first experienced doom on and absolutely loved it. I guess you cant miss what you never had.

Interesting that you are not a fan of the ps2 controller, I think it is one of the best controllers ever made. I do feel far more comfortable with the xbox 360 controller but I believe that is because of its natural compatibality as a PC controller and the fact that I played 360 ALOT more than I played ps3. The d pad on the ps2 controller is just far superior as well , which is a big deal for me.

The trick to enjoying old nes games with passwords is just use save states in place of the password. I cant imagine keeping a notepad to record passwords on at my age, and with save states you never have to worry about figuring out whether that circle you are looking at is the letter O or the number zero. I do randomnly run into steam games that use passwords and I think it is utterly ridiculous, when it happens I will just take pictures on my phone.

I agree with you on N64 as well, I am a nintendo fanboy, but I absolutely hate that system. The only game I really enjoyed on it was Mario 64, the rest of the games are largely terrible, control terribly, and have far superior versions on newer platforms. I get some people have strong nostalgia for the system, but I think without that, it is nearly impossible to enjoy.

[SpaceBooger]

This list is only based on the consoles I own:

0. Atari 2600 - My first gaming console ever. I played Pac-Man, Frogger, Kaboom, and Atlantis a lot. The problem is that I played them because I liked video games, but none of them individually sucked me and hooked me.


1. PC - because of that badboy above. I loved my consoles but this Monster 3Dfx Voodoo made Dark Forces 2 run in 3D and I was hooked. Sam & Max, all of the Lucasarts and Sierra adventure games. I put more time into my PC if you count that it is my main "new" gaming system right now.

2. Genesis/CD - The Genesis was the console I had when I started "really" playing games. I had a 2600 and NES but I just played those for fun. I became obsessed with collecting and completing games with this system. The Sega CD was home to my first RPG (I played Dragon Warrior but never got invested in it when I got it free with my Nintendo Power subscription) that I ever beat, LUNAR, and created a love for that genre that I still have today.

3. NES - This is the first system I really started gaming on. I beat my first games on this system (Contra first with the code, Metal Gear and Clash at Deomonhead are the first games I ever beat). This system began my addiction. Playing through games passing on the controller or watching your friend play in between your turns like in Super Mario Bros are some of my best gaming memories. Not to mention that the NES started a culture that was unlike anything else I have ever participated in - every day in Middle School we were sharing codes, tips and passing Nintendo Powers between classes like love notes.

4. PS3 - I have beat more games for this system than any other system. The library and the fact that this console began the "easy mode" of gaming I had a blast playing through games. The Batman Arkham and Mass Effect series are still some of my favorites of all time.

5. Dreamcast - I bought this system with my first teaching paycheck. I started teaching at the end of August 1999 and happened to have enough money from my first paycheck to buy this system on its launch date. That alone is huge, but the fact that I had broadband internet and a CD burner made this system even better.

6. Saturn - This was the first time I had a choice in the console wars. I originally choose the Saturn over the PS1 because of my love for the Genesis and I didn't think a newcomer like Sony would make a dent in the video game market. The Saturn may have had a small library but has great games as the prices now can prove. The best thing about having a Saturn when it came out is that I bought games at cost or cheaper on sale like Guardian Heroes, Shining Force 3, Albert Odyssey, etc before the collectors caused the prices to skyrocket.

7. PS1 - My love for the RPG on the Genesis moved straight to the PS1 which I originally bought for Final Fantasy VII since I already had a Saturn. The sheer number of games, plus this was the first console I put a modchip in, and the ability to rent games on my way home from college every day at Blockbuster made this my 2nd most played system.

8. oXBOX - This is another console I choose near launch and picked the "unpopular" choice. I picked this up because it felt like the Dreamcast 2 (I didn't really think that at the time, but it is the quickest way to explain how I felt about the system then). The SEGA games along with Knights of the Republic keep this system on the list.

9. Wii - This was the only modern console I owned for a while. I passed on and never had a 360 and didn't get a PS3 until right before the PS4 came out. The good games that were produced for this system were fun and keep me content because at this time I was reintroduced to my SNES and got a PS2.

10. SNES - I originally purchased this to play more RPGs after beating LUNAR on the Sega CD. By the time I purchased one I could not afford the price of most Square RPGs. I played FF Mystic Quest and Secret of Evermore, neither of which sold me on the system. It wasn't until around 2005 that I purchased Super Metroid which rekindled my interest in the system. Now I have a decent collection and have been able to track down FF2 and many other RPGs that one day I will play through.

11. Wii U - Like the Wii, this was the only modern console of that generation I owned. Purchased mainly because of the fanfare and complements on this website I choose the WiiU over a PS4 and XBone. Like the Saturn the few good games for the system are so good it makes the console worth owning. I still play this console often to this day and it's an awesome family system.

12. PS2 - When 3D games first came out I couldn't handle it. I tried God of War and the 3D world was too much for me. Madden games had too many buttons and commands. I played this because everyone else was praising this. It wasn't my thing at the time.

13. Gameboys (OG, Color, Pocket, GBA, DS, 3DS) - I have many handhelds but they didn't come out until I was already driving so I never played them in the car. At home, I would rather play games on a TV. I never put a lot of time into handhelds until I got married and play them on the couch while my wife watches her shows.

14. N64 - I bought this because of Zelda and Goldeneye. Zelda was good but Goldeneye was no fun alone and I always played it at my friend's house. I kinda liked Mario Golf... this is my least played system ever.

15. Gamecube - I only have it because I found one cheap at a yardsale... well two of them. I never played any games on it since my Wii was backward compatible and I played any GC games I wanted on that console first.

Fine Print: This list was not proofread and I typed it while my 5 kids and the 3 my wife babysit are running around. I apologize in advance for any errors or odd-sounding statements.

[pierrot]

@pierot: putting master system over SNES actually makes my soul die a little. I mean, I get liking sega but that is really some next level sega love right there.

I ranked them based on the number of games that keep me from moving on from my collection, that each console has. (I probably should have mentioned that--.) That's part of the reason the bottom few were much more difficult. I have a fairly tenuous attachment to a lot of those consoles, at this point. With the SNES, it's pretty much just Umihara Kawase, Tenchi Souzou, Soul Blader, and Megami Tensei I Remake. If I stretch it a bit, DQ III, FF V, SD 3, Rockman X, and Rockman & Forte would also enter the decision. There's just not much on it that I would really care about not being able to play again.

[SpaceBooger]

@pierot: putting master system over SNES actually makes my soul die a little. I mean, I get liking sega but that is really some next level sega love right there.

I ranked them based on the number of games that keep me from moving on from my collection, that each console has. (I probably should have mentioned that--.) That's part of the reason the bottom few were much more difficult. I have a fairly tenuous attachment to a lot of those consoles, at this point. With the SNES, it's pretty much just Umihara Kawase, Tenchi Souzou, Soul Blader, and Megami Tensei I Remake. If I stretch it a bit, DQ III, FF V, SD 3, Rockman X, and Rockman & Forte would also enter the decision. There's just not much on it that I would really care about not being able to play again.

I also created my list based on my personal experience. I could make another list based on my perception of the library, length of staying power and other analytics... but this was just based on how I played them and my personal ranking based on what consoles and what games I had/have for it.

[Gunstar Green]

1. PC - because of that badboy above. I loved my consoles but this Monster 3Dfx Voodoo made Dark Forces 2 run in 3D and I was hooked. Sam & Max, all of the Lucasarts and Sierra adventure games. I put more time into my PC if you count that it is my main "new" gaming system right now.

If we're counting PC then yeah, PC wins handily for me from DOS onward.

[SpaceBooger]

If we're counting PC then yeah, PC wins handily for me from DOS onward.

The PC is not a console, unless you have a gaming PC and that is your "console" of choice.
I guess PC should have not been on my list, but half of my gaming had been on a PC.

[Reprise]

Oh I don't know. I couldn't possibly do this objectively, but oh well.

1. Dreamcast
The second console I owned and first I bought with my own money. I was obsessed with this thing from the moment it was revealed. Whilst a lot of its best games have been ported to other consoles at some point (Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Rez, Shenmue, Grandia 2, Power Stone, Skies of Arcadia etc.), the sheer number of high quality games that came out in such a short amount of time was incredible back in the console's heyday. Some of my favourite games ever are on the Dreamcast and I still play it regularly to this day.

2. Genesis/Mega Drive
My first ever console, which for obvious reasons I have a lot of nostalgia for. Like the Dreamcast, I still play it regularly (although maybe that's a redundant thing to be saying, since I still play most of my consoles). There's just so many amazing games that still feel unique to this day. Stuff like Herzog Zwei, for example.

3. Saturn
I deliberated over whether to put the PS2 or Saturn third. In the end, like the massive Sega fanboy I am, I put the Saturn next. I had to, because there's just so many amazing games that have never been ported or are best played on the Saturn, especially once you start exploring the Japanese library. Stuff like Bulk Slash, Nights and the Panzer Dragon trilogy are amazing.

4. Playstation 2
When the PS2 first came out, I wasn't convinced by the hype. The visuals looked muddier than the Dreamcast's, it only had two controller ports, they just recycled the same controller etc. But decades later there's no denying how diverse and incredible the library of games is. It's unprecedented really, I could probably own hundreds of games and barely scratch the surface of what's available.

5. Super Nintendo
My impression of the SNES is hampered by the fact I'm British and grew up with the Mega Drive. We lost out of a lot of great games in Europe for silly reasons (Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound etc.), but obviously it's unfair to hold that against it now.

6. Switch
7. N64
8. Gamecube
9. PS3
10. PS4
11. PS1
12. Original Xbox
13. Wii U
14. Wii