Retro gaming preserves the history of an art form still less than 60 years old. These consoles didn't just sell units — they invented genres, defined childhoods, and established creative traditions that every modern game developer builds on. Understanding them means understanding all of gaming.
NEC's PC Engine / Turbografx-16 gave Japan its most competitive 16-bit gaming era — its HuCard format, optional CD-ROM², and roster of shooters and RPGs created a dedicated community that persists in Japan's retro gaming culture decades later. The most overlooked historically significant console.
The PS2 is the best-selling gaming console in history at 155M units — its DVD player, massive library of 4,000+ games, and broad demographic appeal made it a household fixture worldwide. Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, and GTA: San Andreas represent gaming's high water mark of that era.
The Dreamcast arrived first in the sixth generation with online gaming, VMU memory cards with displays, and an extraordinary launch library including Sonic Adventure, Shenmue, and Soul Calibur. Sega's financial decline killed it prematurely — but its innovations appear in every modern console design.
The N64 proved 3D gaming had arrived with Super Mario 64 — a masterpiece of three-dimensional spatial design that remains a university-level case study in game architecture. Ocarina of Time, GoldenEye 007, and Banjo-Kazooie each invented sub-genres that persist across every modern gaming platform.
Sega's Genesis defined console rivalry — Sonic the Hedgehog vs Mario, Blast Processing claims, and the first console sports game library gave teenagers a legitimate alternative to Nintendo. Its 'edgier' identity and Mortal Kombat with blood gave it adult appeal Nintendo deliberately avoided.
The NES resurrected the North American video game industry after the 1983 crash — Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Mega Man established genres and design philosophies still active today. Its 61M unit sales and cultural impact make it the most historically significant gaming console ever made.
The Atari 2600 created the home video game console market — Space Invaders on the 2600 was the first console killer app, quadrupling console sales and establishing the software licensing model that defines console business to this day. Without it, gaming's commercial development is unimaginable.
SNK's Neo Geo AES delivered actual arcade hardware in a home console — its $650 launch price (1990 dollars) was extreme, but provided identical experiences to Metal Slug, King of Fighters, and Samurai Shodown that arcade-goers paid per-play to enjoy. The ultimate enthusiast collectible.
Sony's first PlayStation destroyed Nintendo's cartridge-based dominance by transitioning gaming to CD-ROM — enabling Final Fantasy VII's cinematics, Metal Gear Solid's storytelling, and Resident Evil's atmospheric horror. It proved games could be a narrative art form, not just entertainment.
Microsoft's original Xbox introduced the hard drive to console gaming, launched Xbox Live online services, and delivered Halo: Combat Evolved — a franchise that shaped competitive FPS gaming for a decade. Its standard controller design directly influenced the Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers.
The GameCube's commercial underperformance disguises a library of extraordinary quality — Metroid Prime, Wind Waker, Pikmin, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Resident Evil 4 are masterpieces by any critical measure. Its mini-disc format, handle design, and controller remain beloved by hardcore Nintendo fans.
The SNES library — Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country — is regarded by many game critics as the greatest console library ever assembled. Its Mode 7 graphics and SNES-SPC700 sound chip gave developers tools that produced genuinely artistic results.
“Turbografx-16 / PC Engine (NEC, 1987)”
Currently ranked #1. Where will it be in 7 days?