Now that Sony and Microsoft have launched the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles, the ninth generation of gaming consoles is upon us. The PS5 and Xbox Series X both have decent starts, with impressive launch lineups and impressive next-generation innovations to back them up. However, it's far too early to say just how successful the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles will be in the grand scheme of things.
What we can do is look back at some of the previous console generations, taking note of the innovations that they introduced to the industry as well as the quality of their libraries. Based on these qualifiers, we have ranked each console generation from least impressive to most impressive. It's worth pointing out, though, that the majority of console generations have produced some significantly entertaining and groundbreaking releases.
Here is our ranking of the best video game console generations. For this list, we are not taking handhelds into account, which is why there is no mention of any of Nintendo's Game Boy systems or Sony's PSP.
8. Generation 1: Coleco Telstar, Home Pong, Magnavox Odyssey
Notable Releases
- Pong
Video games have come a very long way since the industry's humble beginnings. The earliest video game consoles included the Magnavox Odyssey, Atari's home version of Pong, and Coleco's Telstar series of consoles. Even Nintendo had somewhat of a presence with its Color TV-Game consoles, but most of the quality gaming experiences from this era were found in arcades, not in front of the TV.
Besides Pong, the games from this first generation of consoles don't really stand the test of time and didn't have a massive impact on pop culture. That being said, this generation did lay the groundwork for what was to come, establishing various norms that would go one to define console video games for decades.
7. Generation 2: Atari 2600, Intellivision, Magnavox Odyssey 2
Notable Releases
- Adventure
- Asteroids
- Donkey Kong
- Missile Command
- Pitfall!
- Space Invaders
The second generation of video game consoles is when things started heating up, especially for Atari. There were a number of second-generation video game consoles available in stores, but most everyone's attention was on the Atari 2600, as it had the most impressive library of games, and by a significant margin. Classic titles like Adventure, Asteroids, Pitfall!, Space Invaders, and much more were all available on the Atari 2600. And while many of the games were inferior ports of their arcade counterparts, they were still massively popular with gamers of the time.
Despite the Atari 2600 being home to a slew of great video games, the arcades once again outpaced consoles every step of the way. Not only that, but the market became oversaturated with low-quality releases, like the infamous E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, eventually leading into the video game industry crash of 1983.
6. Generation 3: Atari 7800, Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Master System
Notable Releases
- Castlevania
- Dragon Quest
- Final Fantasy
- Mega Man 2
- Metal Gear
- Metroid
- Super Mario Bros.
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- The Legend of Zelda
From this point on, all video game console generations have had some major, groundbreaking titles to offer gamers. However, some generations have still been better than others. The third generation, which introduced the world to the Nintendo Entertainment System and some of the most-famous gaming characters of all time, isn't ranked higher because many of the games released in this era have not aged well. There are quite a few titles from the NES era that are designed in a way to make them virtually impossible for many players to complete without the use of cheat codes. Not only that, but quite a few of the best games from this era are readily available on newer consoles, like the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, oftentimes with enhancements that make them better than their original releases.
The NES dominated the third generation of gaming consoles thanks to many of the generation's top games being exclusive to the platform, including Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. Gaming as we know it today wouldn't be the same without the third generation of consoles, and it may very well be the most historically-significant console generation on this list.
5. Generation 8: PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox One
Notable Releases
- Bloodborne
- God of War
- Overwatch
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Super Mario 3D World
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
The most recent console generation has seen some major innovations in the industry, but it has also been missing new entries in some of the biggest franchises, like Grand Theft Auto, The Elder Scrolls, and BioShock. This generation also saw the rise of live-service style games, which have not all been well-received by the community. Despite these shortcomings and a rough start for the Xbox One, though, the eighth generation delivered high-quality gaming machines that are home to some truly impressive titles. If one counts the Nintendo Switch as part of this generation, then it would likely rank higher on this list, but for these purposes, we will only be counting the Wii U.
Regardless, the PlayStation 4 stood tall as the must-have console of the generation, with PS4 owners enjoying timed-exclusivity deals for content in some of the gen's biggest games, not to mention some of the most high-profile exclusive titles.
4. Generation 5: Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Sega Saturn
Notable Releases
- Crash Bandicoot
- Final Fantasy 7
- GoldenEye 007
- Gran Turismo
- Metal Gear Solid
- Resident Evil
- Super Mario 64
- Super Smash Bros.
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Tomb Raider
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Gaming made the leap from 2D to 3D with the fifth generation of gaming consoles, leaving developers to figure out a whole new way to present video games. Unfortunately, quite a few games from this generation have not aged well as a result, with some games clear examples of how developers weren't quite sure how controls were going to work in the 3D space. On the flip side of that, some of the games from this generation have preserved as some of the absolute best ever, and not only that, but this generation was huge for innovation. Besides the advancements in technology that 3D gaming provided, this generation also saw Sony take control of the marketplace with its PlayStation console.
3. Generation 7: PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
Notable Releases
- Assassin's Creed 2
- Batman: Arkham City
- BioShock
- Borderlands 2
- Fallout 3
- Gears of War
- Grand Theft Auto 4
- Grand Theft Auto 5
- Left 4 Dead
- LittleBigPlanet
- Mass Effect
- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
- Portal 2
- Super Mario Galaxy
- The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Wii Sports
The seventh generation of gaming consoles was considerably longer than most, mainly thanks to financial hardships that many faced at the time. Console manufacturers Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo attempted to keep consumers engaged with their consoles for the long-term, releasing consistently high-quality titles throughout their lifespans and releasing new motion control peripherals. This generation saw motion controls take center stage, but it also was when online gaming really took off in a big way, changing the landscape of the industry forever.
In terms of high quality releases, the seventh generation is hard to beat, and may arguably be the best. However, the reason it doesn't rank higher on this list is due to some anti-consumer practices that this generation introduced. This included things like online passes and predatory microtransactions, and while online passes were eventually phased out, microtransactions have remained a big issue in the industry today. This generation also struggled with some major hardware defects, with the most notable being the Xbox 360's dreaded Red Ring of Death.
2. Generation 4: Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, TurboGrafx-16
Notable Releases
- Chrono Trigger
- Donkey Kong Country
- John Madden Football
- Mortal Kombat
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Street Fighter 2
- Super Mario World
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
- Super Metroid
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Riding high off the momentum of the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo aimed for the sky with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Games from the SNES era have aged considerably better than those released on the NES, with crisper visuals and far less frustrating game design. The Super Nintendo further established some of gaming's biggest franchises and is home to many games that are considered to be some of the "best" ever made.
The Super Nintendo's chief rival, the Sega Genesis, was nothing to scoff at either. The Genesis was home to a slew of high-quality games as well, sometimes even having the superior version of third-party multiplatform games. Both consoles have an extensive library of high-quality, timeless games that have truly stood the test of time.
1. Generation 6: GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox
Notable Releases
- Final Fantasy 10
- Forza Motorsport
- God of War
- Grand Theft Auto 3
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Half-Life 2
- Halo: Combat Evolved
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
- Metroid Prime
- Resident Evil 4
- Shenmue
- Sonic Adventure 2
- SoulCalibur
- Super Mario Sunshine
- Super Mario Bros. Melee
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Tekken Tag Tournament
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox era reigns supreme as the absolute best generation of gaming consoles. 3D gaming really came into its own, hugely groundbreaking titles were released, and the PS2 stands as the best-selling video game console made to date. Online play became a factor, and Microsoft entered the marketplace with its original Xbox console. Like previous generations, massively successful new video game franchises were established, and older series received critically-acclaimed new entries. With some of the most impressive libraries of games, the sixth generation of video game consoles stands out from the rest.