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Choosing the best gaming console in 2022 is easy. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are incredible, and their specifications are fantastic.
On the other hand, the Nintendo Switch has less powerful hardware, but its video games are unique and have a different target audience.
Going with either Sony's or Microsoft's consoles is a great choice. Many video games have crossplay and cross-progression enabled, which narrows the gap between consoles.
This article looks at the five best gaming consoles of all time ranked according to the total number of units sold as of August 13, 2022.
These are the best gaming consoles in history
5) Nintendo Switch - 111.08 million units sold
The Nintendo Switch is the perfect gaming console for casual gamers. It's a hybrid console, meaning gamers can use it at home and while on the move. This is what makes it very unique and very popular.
The most popular titles on the Switch are:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Pokémon Sword and Shield
The Nintendo Switch is the newest gaming console on the list, released in 2017. However, it's achieved lots of success in almost every part of the world, which is why readers can expect it to keep moving up the list.
Nintendo's gaming console may not have the best hardware, but it's still one of the best gaming consoles, with more than 111 million units sold in its first five years.
4) PlayStation 4 - 117.2 million units sold
Sony turned the PlayStation 4 into one of the most popular gaming consoles ever. It had many incredible features at its launch and came with a fantastic controller that featured a light bar, speakers, touchpad, and more.
Another thing that makes the PlayStation 4 one of the best gaming consoles of all time is its access to exclusive video games. Here are the most popular titles on the console:
- God of War
- Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Marvel's Spider-Man
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Its main competitor, the Xbox One, has only around 50 million units sold, which makes the PlayStation 4 a clear winner of the last-generation gaming console war.
Winning this race gave Sony a huge advantage with the current generation of consoles, since many players decided to upgrade to the PlayStation 5 and keep their digital games.
The gaming console is still on the market, and as of August 2022, it's had more than 117 million sales. Considering that the amount of sales increased by a few million in 2021, fans can expect it to move up the list very soon.
3) Game Boy - 118.7 million units sold
The Game Boy is the oldest gaming console on the list. It was first released in 1989 and has become the second-best handheld console of all time.
The most popular Game Boy titles are the following:
- Pokemon
- Tetris
- Pokemon Gold, Silver, Crystal
- Super Mario Land
- Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
It was also developed by Nintendo, while its successor, Game Boy Color, arrived in 1998. With only four buttons and a directional pad, the handheld console brought joy to millions of people globally.
It is no longer on the market, but its sales figure of 118.7 million ranks it at the third spot on the list. The PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch are right behind and may surpass it in the next few years.
However, the Game Boy will always be remembered as one of the best gaming consoles.
2) Nintendo DS - 154 million units sold
Nintendo has created many amazing handheld consoles; this is their third device on the list. The Nintendo DS is a successor to Game Boy Advance, released in 2004.
The console holds the record for the most selling handheld console of all time, and many of its titles have been extremely popular:
- New Super Mario Bros
- Nintendogs
- Mario Kart DS
- Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!
- Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
What makes Nintendo DS one of the best gaming consoles of all time is its addition of a touch screen and wireless online gaming. These things are common in 2022, but they were groundbreaking around two decades ago. Additionally, the gaming console has stereo speakers and even a microphone.
The Nintendo DS is no longer on the market, but its 154 million sales mark ranks it way ahead of the Game Boy, the PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch. Unless the company releases another groundbreaking handheld console, this one will remain the king of handheld gaming.
1) PlayStation 2 - 155 million units sold
Sony's PlayStation 2 is still the best gaming console of all time. With 155 million sales, it ranks at the top of the list. It's no surprise it had so many sales, considering how impressive the gaming device is.
These are the most popular titles available on the gaming system:
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
- Gran Turismo 4
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Final Fantasy X
The Grand Theft Auto series was incredibly popular on the PlayStation 2. Furthermore, Sony has achieved mssive success with the Gran Turismo series, a PS exclusive.
The PlayStation 2 was not only popular among gamers, as its built-in DVD player made it popular among a wider audience. Sony even released a Linux system for the gaming console that allowed advanced users even more control over the system.
Throughout the years, Sony has released different versions of the system, and its slim variant has achieved much success. The console was discontinued in 2013, but not before reaching the record mark and ranking at the top of the list of best-selling gaming consoles of all time.
