The PS2 sold 155+ million units worldwide, and no, it wasn’t because the polygon count was out here doing the most.
If you’ve ever gotten trapped in a “my console was better” argument that lasted longer than the actual console generation… hi, welcome, you’re among your people. But here’s the thing I wish someone had yelled over the cafeteria table in 7th grade:
Hardware power rarely decides the winner. Games do.
(Also: vibes. Vibes matter. Fight me.)
So instead of a spreadsheets and screaming match, let’s walk through each era and talk about what actually made a generation legendary—and which one deserves the crown.
First: What Makes a Game Library “Legendary” (AKA: My No BS Checklist)
If we don’t set some ground rules, we’re just chanting “GOAT!” at our childhood like it’s going to start paying our bills.
When I’m judging a console era, I’m looking at:
- Exclusive impact: The “you had to be there” games that moved the culture
- Genre range: Not just good at one thing—good at lots of things
- Longevity: Does it still feel good to play, or does it control like a shopping cart with one busted wheel?
- Bench depth: Not just the top 10. The whole library has to show up.
- Developer friendliness: Tools, costs, and how easy it was to actually make games for the thing
- Can you play it now without selling a kidney: Availability matters (sorry, collectors)
Keep that in your back pocket, because it explains basically every “upset” in console history.
The Great Lie: “The Most Powerful Console Wins”
This is where the spec sheet warriors may want to sit down and sip some water.
Over and over, the “stronger” machine loses to the one developers can afford to make games for and players can actually buy games on.
Classic example: N64 cartridges vs. PlayStation discs.
Cartridges were expensive to manufacture (think: real money per unit), while PS1 CDs were cheap. That one decision snowballed into: more third party support → more games → more console sales → more support. It’s the industry’s favorite feedback loop.
Also, when Final Fantasy VII needed multiple discs… the choice kind of made itself.
Catchphrase truth: Specs don’t sell systems games do.
The “Gaming Got Its Life Together” Era: NES → SNES vs. Genesis
The NES basically dragged console gaming back from the dead after the crash and set the template: Mario, Zelda, tight controls, clear rules, fun that didn’t need an instruction manual the size of a phone book.
Then the 16 bit era showed up like, “Okay, but what if everything was louder and cooler?”
If you force me to pick a winner here: SNES, by a hair.
Not because Genesis was bad—Genesis had swagger. But SNES had an all timer lineup in the genres that age beautifully:
- RPG/story heavy stuff (Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI)
- Iconic action/platforming (Super Metroid basically raised people)
- And yes, Street Fighter II mattered more than any “blast processing” debate
Genesis absolutely owned its lane with arcade energy: Sonic, Streets of Rage, and a shooter lineup that made it feel like your living room was an actual arcade (minus the sticky floor).
This is also the era that birthed playground console wars. A beautiful, chaotic time.
The “So… We’re Doing Polygons Now” Era: PS1 vs. N64 vs. Saturn
This generation is the clearest example of “pick your flavor.”
PlayStation (PS1): the library monster
PS1 absolutely ran away with sheer volume and variety. It became the default home for huge third party games and especially JRPGs. Cheap discs + dev support = a tidal wave of games.
N64: fewer games, but HEAVY hitters
N64 didn’t have the biggest library, but it had moments that permanently rewired gaming:
- Super Mario 64 set the 3D platforming blueprint
- Ocarina of Time still gets whispered about reverently
- GoldenEye 007 proved shooters could work on console
- Couch multiplayer was basically a lifestyle (four controllers, one TV, and at least one friendship tested)
Saturn: the cool kid for 2D fighters
If you were deep into arcade fighters, Saturn had those “arcade close” ports that still look and feel amazing. It was niche, but sharp.
Winner of the era (overall): PS1.
But N64 probably owns your nostalgia if you grew up in a “split screen is family bonding” household.
The Actual Golden Age (Sorry, I Don’t Make the Rules): PS2 / GameCube / Xbox / Dreamcast
If console generations were potlucks, this one was the year everyone accidentally brought their best dish.
This is the generation where it felt normal to say:
“Ugh. Fine. I guess I need another console.”
Why this era wins:
- Ridiculous genre coverage
- Multiple consoles with truly irreplaceable exclusives
- Games that still play well today
- And an overall level of competition that forced everyone to be better
PS2 was the juggernaut (DVD player, early momentum, massive PS2 era essentials library, backward compatibility with PS1 basically cheating).
GameCube was smaller but so high quality, with Nintendo first party firing on all cylinders.
Xbox brought the shooter era home with Halo and gave us big, ambitious Western RPG energy.
Dreamcast didn’t live long, but it left a crater in the fighting game scene (and I will always have a soft spot for it, like a doomed teen romance).
Overall winner of “best generation”: the sixth generation (PS2 era).
It’s the rare moment where almost every type of player had a “yes, this is for me” option.
The HD Era: Nobody Won, Everybody Yelled (Xbox 360 vs. PS3 vs. Wii)
This one is fascinating because it didn’t have one clean champion—it had three different “best answers,” depending on what you wanted.
- Xbox 360: owned online shooters and multiplayer infrastructure (party chat changed people, okay?)
- PS3: eventually became the home for big narrative single player and prestige exclusives (Uncharted 2, The Last of Us, Demon’s Souls)
- Wii: brought in millions of people who didn’t even consider themselves “gamers” (and somehow turned living rooms into tennis courts overnight)
Also: the Red Ring of Death deserves its own villain documentary. Your console can’t win if it lives at the repair shop.
Verdict: No single winner. The era split into camps.
PS4 + Switch: Proof That “Most Powerful” Isn’t the Same as “Most Played”
The PS4 era felt like the industry collectively remembered:
“Hey… maybe we should just make a lot of really good games.”
PS4 dominated with consistent exclusives (Bloodborne, God of War 2018, Spider-Man, Ghost of Tsushima…). It was the safe bet if you wanted big, polished single player.
Then the Switch showed up, underpowered and unbothered, and dropped Breath of the Wild like it was nothing. Turns out playing anywhere makes you stick with games longer. Who knew convenience was powerful? (Everyone. Everyone knew.)
Verdict: This era rewarded quality and identity, not raw horsepower.
PS5 vs. Xbox Series: The “Winning Is Weird Now” Era
Right now, the old “which box is stronger” argument is… kind of tired. They’re both beasts. The real split is how you buy and access games.
- PS5 is still the “big cinematic exclusives” home base (story first, blockbuster energy)
- Xbox is increasingly about the ecosystem + Game Pass (and honestly, if you have a gaming PC, the Xbox console can feel optional—which is either liberating or mildly existential)
So “who’s winning” depends on whether you value owning games vs. subscribing to a giant library, and what exclusives you actually care about.
Pick your platform the way you pick pizza: based on what you’ll actually play on PC with emulators, not what sounds impressive in theory.
Okay, So What Should You Buy? (Follow the Fun)
If you pick a console based on some imaginary “overall winner,” you’ll overthink yourself into a nap.
Do this instead:
- If you love Nintendo platformers and couch play: you already know it’s Nintendo. Don’t fight your destiny.
- If you love JRPGs and story heavy single player: PlayStation has historically been the safest bet.
- If you love online shooters and multiplayer infrastructure: Xbox has had long stretches of being the cleanest experience.
- If you love fighting games and arcade roots: you’ll end up on PlayStation a lot, but Dreamcast/Saturn are legendary if you’re going retro and a little unhinged (respect).
My quick “strategy” picks:
- Want the best overall retro era to build around? PS2 generation. Start there.
- Want fewer exclusives, higher hit rate? GameCube or PS4 (smaller lists, a lot of bangers).
- Want value without spiraling? Decide what you’ll play this month, not what you might play “someday” (your backlog is already a museum).
Because truly—the best console is the one that gets turned on.
The Big Takeaway (The One You’ll Pretend You Knew All Along)
Console history keeps teaching the same lesson: the “winner” is the platform with the games you can’t stop thinking about. Not the one with the loudest spec sheet.
If you want my final verdict?
The sixth gen (PS2/GameCube/Xbox/Dreamcast era) is the strongest overall generation for exclusive variety, genre coverage, and games that still hold up.
But your personal winner is simpler:
The real champion is the console that makes you say “one more hour”… and you mean it.
