Rank the consoles

For those of you who aren't sick of lists, how would you rank the consoles in each era? Don't worry about including every era if you're not familiar with some of them.


The pre-NES eras don't divide as easily as later eras. I grouped them based on the release of Atari consoles. Era 1 starts with the Atari 2600's release and includes every console that came out before the Atari 5200.

Era 1

1. Intellivision
2. 2600
3. Odyssey2

The 2600 was definitely the best console of the '70's and ushered in new era since it was far superior to any console before it. The quantity on this system is huge. Despite the mass quantity of games for the 2600, I'm a bigger fan of the InTV. It has a shit controller but the games were often deeper and more advanced than 2600 games. The Odyssey2 had a few good games but is inferior in almost every way to the bigger name machines.

Era 2

1. ColecoVision
2. 5200
3. Vectrex

All three of these machines were great for arcade ports. I think the Coleco had the best games on average and had the best console versions(at the time) of the awesome Donkey Kong series. The Vectrex was amazing hardware and the games are impressive but I think the vector graphics helped limit its variety.

Era 3

1. NES
2. Master System
3. 7800

I'm not including the XEGS for this era since I don't think it fully qualifies as a console. The NES is leader here since it had all the third-party support and thus the largest quantity of good games. Sega did an admirable job with their console in terms of software support and had many great games. The 7800 was disappointing. It's not that its games were bad, it's that many of them belonged to the previous era and/or were available in better form on other machines.

Era 4

1. Genesis
2. SNES
3. TurboGrafx

Unlike Yamauchi's dictatorship in the 8-bit era, this was a healthier market with much more intense competition. Both the Genesis and SNES have such an incredible number of good games, it's hard to pick a favorite. Since my tastes sway towards action games, I choose the Genesis as my favorite 16-bit console. Although in third place, the Turbo is still a damn good system with lots of great games. I just don't think it's quite in the same league as the other two, even including imports and CD games.

Era 5

1. Playstation
2. Saturn
3. Nintendo 64

Yes, I skipped the 3DO and Jag. Include them if you want. Like the 8-bit era, quantity rules and results in the best system. The variety and number of good games on the PS1 is quite beyond the other two machines. However, Nintendo and Sega can take claim to excellent first-party games. The Nintendo 64 has those Miyamoto masterpieces you won't find anywhere else. But beyond a few outstanding Nintendo-made games, the system is lacking big-time since several genres have been neglected. Sega's machine at least covered every genre with something good.

Era 6

1. Dreamcast
2. Playstation 2
3. Xbox/Gamecube - Tie

The PS2 is on the verge of passing the DC as my favorite current system since the quantity of good games on PS2 continues to grow. The Xbox and Gamecube both have only a small handful of good games. I like them almost equally. Zelda will probably push me in the Cube's favor though. It will be interesting to see what things are like a year from now.

My list (starting with the NES) is the same as Neo's.

1) NES
2) SMS
3) 7800

pretty obvious choices, but for me the SMS and 7800 are pretty close, mostly due to backwards compatibility to the 2600.

1) SNES
2) Turbo
3) Genesis

Most first party genesis games just didn't do it for me, where as first party SNES is incredible. Both have a great selection on third party, but I tend to lean towards what the SNES had.

The Turbo's just a quirky, neat system with lots of shooters and odd games.

1) Saturn
2) Playstation
3) Neo Geo

This is very close, I could almost say a three way tie. Stuck the Neo here just because. The Saturn and PSX both do different things very well, and the Neo's got plenty to offer of its own.

1) Dreamcast
2) PS2
3) Gamecube
4) XBox

ranking this era's a little unfair as I've only put a lot of time into the DC, but just from what I do know the PS2 appeals to me the most. Gamecube's got the first party goodness but it's staler than former gens. The Dreamcast just kicked ass.

1) Turbo Express
2) NGPC
3) Nomad
4) Gameboy Advance

Express, excellent hardware with a nice assortment of games, pitiful battery life. Soldier Blade on the train? Oh hell yeah. NGPC managed to do an awful lot in such a short amount of time, from an ailing company.

Era 1

1. 2600
2. Intellivision
3. Odyssey2

The 2600 was my first videogame system.
Nuff said.

Era 2

ColecoVision
5200
Vectrex

Never owned any of these so no opinion.

Era 3

1. NES
2. Master System
3. 7800

I cannot deny it, as I don't think anyone can, the Nes owns this era of gaming. The only thing in town.

Sega had a ton of niche classics for the Master System, and established the groundwork for...


Era 4

1. Genesis
2. SNES
3. TurboGrafx

Where they managed to reach the top. Innovation unfortunately gave way to cockiness, wherein the company in the best postion to lead the next generation of consoles in...


Era 5

1. Playstation
2. Nintendo 64
3. Saturn

...became the company at the tail end. Sega's creative resurgence came a bit too late to stop Sony's breath of fresh air.

On a sad note, Nintendo was neve more clueless about the console business than in this era.

Era 6


* My personal opinion quality and creatively wise for this gen's consoles.

1. Dreamcast
2. Xbox
3. Playstation 2
4. Gamecube

*Success list.

1. Playstation 2
2. Xbox
3. Gamecube
4. Dreamcast

Sony is already number one. Sony has already won this era.

Its the next era that will be the most interesting.

The next era could go anyway.

And I can't wait to see it.

You forgot to put Neo Geo somewhere in there :sneak:

I rank that first, then

NES, Saturn, Genesis, SNES, PSX, Xbox :)

The Neo Geo spans too many eras. That's why I left it out.

And even if I did include it with the 16-bit machines, I would have ranked it fourth.

Era 1

1. 2600

Only one i owned.

Era 2

1. 5200

agian only one i owned

Era 3

1. NES
2. Master System
3. 7800

NES by far, still one of hell of a system tons of great games on it. First system i bought with my own money, used my comunion money i think.

Era 4

1. SNES
2. Genesis
3. TurboGrafx

SNES again by far, my snes is the only system where i wore out both controllers from playing it so much. Best. System. Ever. Genesis was allright, i got it when it first came out for Altered beast i loved that in the arcade. Not much on the system enthralled me after that though, and once SNES came out it bassicaly got forgotten, cept when i would play my friends. TG has some cool stuff on it just recently got one. Id love to get more stuff on it plus the cd add on has the only console port of the first SF.

Era 5

1. Nintendo 64
2. Saturn/Playstation tie


Sorry, the N64 had some of the greatest games of all time on it, Mario 64, Zelda OOT, that alone makes it number one in this era for me. Plus i loved KI sooo sooo much and KI gold kicks much ass, then you also have star fox and other great 1st party games. PSX sure had alot more diversity, and more 3 - 4 star games but those few 5 star games on N64 just get the win. The saturn was a great system for fighting game fans like myself. Why it was hard to pick between the PSX an Saturn, man those ports of games like XvSF and MSHvSF were just arcade perfect.

Era 6

1. Gamecube
2. Dreamcast/Playstation 2
3. Xbox

what can i say i love nintendo franchises and much like last gen, weve got Mario, Star Fox, soon to have Zelda, Metroid, plus new franchises like Animal Crossing, and Eternal Darkness, just great stuff. Ive been more than happy with the system. Plus i have CvS2 on it so im happy :). Again the sega and sony systems are tied for the same reasons, Dreamcast has those great fighting game ports and Sony has great diversity. Xbox has just been, i dont know nothing excites me on it that much, i only got it for Panzer Dragoon and CvS2 EO online. other than that im not sure id own the system, some ok games on it nothing really phenominal to me personally. When it comes to multiplatform releases i get them on the cube i like the controller more, so theres not much out there on the box for me.

Era 1:
2600

I didn't play the others enough to rank.
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Era 2:
Still 2600 :p

I didn't own any of those other systems. I went from the 2600 to early PC and SMS.
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Era 3:
Master System
NES
7800

Hardly anyone will agree with me here.. but my opinion says that SMS is the most underrated console ever and NES is the most overrated console ever. Hardly played the 7800.

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Era 4:
Genesis
TurboGrafx 16
SNES

Genesis probably has the most games I enjoyed of any console ever, and even more if you count Sega CD with it. Turbo/PCE was just really cool and had a lot of really neat games. The older I get the more I discover and like the system. SNES is very popular here but I am not a fan of Nintnedo's core franchises or Square.. and without that the system simply does not have that many exclusive games that interested me.

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Era 5:
Saturn
Playstation
Nintendo 64

Like SMS, Saturn is a very underrated console. Not at TNL, but generally speaking. I just love Saturn games and how they look. I love the system itself. I was never a fan of PSX until recently. So much of it's popular software is unappelaing to me... but if you dig deeper you find lots of hidden gems, many of which I still need to buy! N64 lacked any appealing software and had lacklustre hardware.

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Era 6:
Dreamcast
PS2
Gamecube/Xbox

Dreamcast is the best console ever made. It's just perfect and has gobs of insanely good software. The other 3 consoles combined cannot even come close to it for me.

But as for the others... it's a strange generation. PS2 is by far and away the worse technology and the worst console but it has the best games and way more of them. The other two consoles are much better systems but lack a significant quantity of quality software. It's early still and those three can change positions quite easily.

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As for the future. I predict things will change in ways no-one will expect. :)

words from a true sega fanboy..

Quote:

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Originally posted by maruchan
words from a true sega fanboy..

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Please excuse my incorrect opinion. I am going to start liking only Nintendo-fanboy approved consoles and games from now on. I will also learn how to attack other people's opinions because I'll be just that insecure and immature! You are my new role model Maruchan! :)