I have to say, putting this piece of the best-selling video game consoles together was a blast. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, video games were a big part of life for everyone I knew. Visiting a friend’s house usually meant sifting through their collection, searching for your favorites or games you’d always wanted to try and staring at the screen for hours. It wasn’t all that competitive, either—most of us hadn’t played every game or logged as much time as someone else. Instead, it was more about playing together, swapping tips, and sharing the little secrets or easter eggs we’d discovered.
I was a Nintendo kid through and through. My first console was the NES, followed by the SNES, before I eventually switched teams and adopted the PlayStation system—a loyalty that still holds strong today. But there was always that kid in the friend group who had a Sega Genesis with the unfamiliar controller and strange games. We’d argue about what the better console was.
But one thing that’s always intrigued me about gaming consoles is how they compare in terms of sales. Was the Super Nintendo really that much bigger than the Sega Genesis, or was that just my perception? It’s fascinating to see how these systems stack against each other and how our personal experiences shape our views of their success. So here are the 30 best-selling video game consoles of all time, in descending order.
30. TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: NEC
- Released: 1987
- Units Sold: 10 million
- Iconic Game: Bonk’s Adventure
29. Atari Lynx
- Type: Handheld
- Manufacturer: Atari
- Released: 1989
- Units Sold: >1 million
- Iconic Game: California Games
28. Dreamcast
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Sega
- Released: 1998
- Units Sold: 9.13 million
- Iconic Game: Sonic Adventure
27. Sega Saturn
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Sega
- Released: 1994
- Units Sold: 9.26 million
- Iconic Game: Nights into Dreams
26. Sega Game Gear
- Type: Handheld
- Manufacturer: Sega
- Released: 1990
- Units Sold: 10.62 million
- Iconic Game: Sonic Chaos
25. PlayStation Vita
- Type: Handheld
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Released: 2011
- Units Sold: 10–15 million (estimate)
- Iconic Game: Persona 4 Golden
24. Wii U
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 2012
- Units Sold: 13.56 million
- Iconic Game: Mario Kart 8
23. Oculus Quest 2
- Type: VR Headset
- Manufacturer: Meta
- Released: 2020
- Units Sold: ~20 million
- Iconic Game: Beat Saber
22. Nintendo GameCube
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 2001
- Units Sold: 21.74 million
- Iconic Game: Super Smash Bros. Melee
21. Xbox
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Microsoft
- Released: 2001
- Units Sold: 24 million
- Iconic Game: Halo: Combat Evolved
20. Xbox Series X/S
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Microsoft
- Released: 2020
- Units Sold: 28.3 million
- Iconic Game: Forza Horizon 5
19. Atari 2600
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Atari
- Released: 1977
- Units Sold: 30 million
- Iconic Game: Pitfall!
18. Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Sega
- Released: 1988
- Units Sold: 30.75 million
- Iconic Game: Sonic the Hedgehog
17. Nintendo 64
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 1996
- Units Sold: 32.93 million
- Iconic Game: Super Mario 64
16. Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 1990
- Units Sold: 49.1 million
- Iconic Game: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
15. Xbox One
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Microsoft
- Released: 2013
- Units Sold: ~58 million
- Iconic Game: Halo 5: Guardians
14. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 1983
- Units Sold: 61.91 million
- Iconic Game: Super Mario Bros.
13. PlayStation 5
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Released: 2020
- Units Sold: 65.6 million
- Iconic Game: Elden Ring
12. Nintendo 3DS
- Type: Handheld
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 2011
- Units Sold: 75.94 million
- Iconic Game: Pokémon X & Y
11. PlayStation Portable (PSP)
- Type: Handheld
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Released: 2004
- Units Sold: 80–82 million (estimate)
- Iconic Game: God of War: Chains of Olympus
10. Game Boy Advance
- Type: Handheld
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 2001
- Units Sold: 81.51 million
- Iconic Game: Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire
9. Xbox 360
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Microsoft
- Released: 2005
- Units Sold: >84 million
- Iconic Game: Halo 3
8. PlayStation 3
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Released: 2006
- Units Sold: >87.4 million
- Iconic Game: The Last of Us
7. Wii
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 2006
- Units Sold: 101.63 million
- Iconic Game: Wii Sports
6. PlayStation
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Released: 1994
- Units Sold: 102.49 million
- Iconic Game: Final Fantasy VII
5. PlayStation 4
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Released: 2013
- Units Sold: 117.2 million
- Iconic Game: God of War (2018)
4. Game Boy & Game Boy Color
- Type: Handheld
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 1989, 1998
- Units Sold: 118.69 million
- Iconic Game: Pokémon Red & Blue
3. Nintendo Switch
- Type: Hybrid Console
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 2017
- Units Sold: 146.04 million
- Iconic Game: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2. Nintendo DS
- Type: Handheld
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Released: 2004
- Units Sold: 154.02 million
- Iconic Game: Mario Kart DS
1. PlayStation 2
- Type: Home Console
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Released: 2000
- Units Sold: >155 million
- Iconic Game: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
From the cutting-edge PlayStation 5 to the timeless appeal of the Nintendo DS, each console on this list has left an undeniable mark on gaming history. At the pinnacle stands the PlayStation 2, a true icon that redefined both gaming and home entertainment. If you’re feeling nostalgic, take a trip back to where it all began with a look at the best-selling NES games of all time and the most valuable NES games ever released. And for a broader view of gaming’s golden years, don’t miss our roundup of the highest-rated video games of the late 1990s—a time when consoles and creativity were at their peak.