-
Magnavox Odyssey
Discontinued in 1975
(first generation) -
Period: to
First Generation
The first generation of consoles. Consoles released from 1972 to 1980. -
TV Tennis Electrotennis
Only released in Japan
(first generation) -
Atari Home Pong
First console released by Atari. Only plays Pong.
(first generation) -
Fairchild Channel F
First console to use cartridges for game storage. Only console released by Fairchild. (second generation) -
Period: to
Second Generation
The second generation of consoles. Consoles released from 1976 to 1982. -
Coleco Telstar Arcade
(first generation) -
RCA Studio II
Only console by RCA.
(second generation) -
Color TV-Game 6
First console released by Nintendo, only in Japan. Final console released in the first generation.
(first generation) -
Atari 2600
Originally known as the "Atari VCS" until 1982.
(second generation) -
Interton Video Computer 4000
(second generation) -
1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
Released by Audiosonic.
(second generation) -
Bally Astrocade
(second generation) -
APF-MP1000
Released by APF Electronics Inc.
(second generation) -
Magnavox Odyssey 2
Final console released by Magnavox. Released in the U.S in February 1979. (second generation) -
Intellivision
Released by Mattel. Originally test marketed in 1979. Sold off the INTV Corporation in 1984. One of the first consoles to have a speech synthesizer.
(second generation) -
Cassette Vision
Released by Epoch, only in Japan.
(second generation) -
SHG Black Point
Only released in Germany
(second generation) -
VTech Creativision
Only released in Hong Kong.
(second generation) -
Arcadia 2001
Released by Emerson Radio.
(second generation) -
ColecoVision
Final console released by Coleco.
(second generation) -
Atari 5200
(second generation) -
Vectrex
Released by the Milton Bradley Company (or Bandai in Japan)
(second generation) -
My Vision
Only console released by Nichibutsu, only in Japan.
(third generation) -
Philips Videopac+ G7400
Only released in Europe. A U.S release was planned (under the name "Odyssey 3") but was cancelled. (third generation) -
Period: to
Third Generation
The third generation of consoles. Consoles released from 1983 to 1990 (although a console with third generation technology was released in 1992) -
Family Computer
First notable console by Nintendo, only released in Japan.
(third generation) -
SG-1000
First console released by Sega. Only released in Japan and Australia (with a redesigned model seeing a release in Taiwan)
(third generation) -
Gakken Compact Vision TV Boy
Only console released by Gakken. Final console released in the second generation.
(second generation) -
Casio PV-1000
First console released by Casio, only in Japan.
(third generation) -
Super Cassette Vision
Last console released by Epoch, only released in Japan and Europe.
(third generation) -
BBC Bridge Companion
Only console released by the BBC, only released in the United Kingdom. (third generation) -
Zemmix
Only console released by Daewoo, only released in South Korea.
(third generation) -
Nintendo Entertainment System
First console by Nintendo to be released in the United States and Europe. Localized version of the Family Computer. (third generation) -
Sega Mark III
Only released in Japan.
(third generation) -
Telegames Personal Arcade
Only console released by Telegames, only in the United States.
(third generation) -
Family Computer Disk System
Add-on for the Family Computer. Unlike the Family Computer, it would never see a localized release outside Japan. (third generation) -
Atari 7800
First console to natively have backwards compatibility (the Atari 7800 can play any Atari 2600 game) -
Sega Master System
American/European version of the Mark III. Notably, this console is still sold in Brazil, along with its successor, the Genesis.)
(third generation) -
Action Max
Only console by Worlds of Wonder. One of the only consoles to use VHS tapes as storage. (third generation) -
PC-Engine
First console by NEC, only released in Japan.
(fourth generation) -
Period: to
Fourth Generation
The fourth generation of consoles. Consoles released from 1987 to 1994. -
VTech Socrates
First VTech console to be released outside of Hong Kong.
(third generation) -
View-Master Interactive Vision
Only console released under the View-Master name.
(third generation) -
Sega Genesis
First successful Sega console, known as the Mega Drive outside North America. Along with its predecessor, it is still sold in Brazil. (fourth generation) -
Turbografx-16
North American version of the PC-Engine.
(fourth generation) -
Turbografx-CD
Add-on for the Turbografx-16/PC-Engine. Also known as the "CD-ROM2" outside North America. First console/add-on to support CD-ROM discs. (Fourth generation) -
Amstrad GX4000
(third generation) -
Super Famicom
Successor to the Famicom, only released in Japan.
(fourth generation) -
Commodore 64 Games System
This console was notorious for removing the keyboard seen on the original Commodore 64, rendering almost every Commodore 64 game (which are compatible with the system) unplayable. One game meant for this console (Terminator 2 from Ocean) is unplayable due to it requiring a keyboard to play. -
Commodore CDTV
(fourth generation) -
SNK Neo-Geo
Originally an arcade system, later released as a video game console in 1991. (fourth generation) -
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Worldwide version of the Super Famicom. The console had many variants released around the world. (fourth generation) -
Philips CD-i
Unlike the other systems on this chart, this was not originally intended to be just a game console, but rather as a replacement for anything. It could replace things like your encyclopedia, VCR, or even your computer and game consoles. However, some of its games are infamous for their very poor quality. It also had internet support in the U.K from 1995 to 2000. (fourth generation) -
Sega CD
CD-based add-on for the Genesis. Also known as the "Mega-CD" outside of North America. (fourth generation) -
Dendy
Unofficial Famicom clone. Only released in Russia, and was the last console of the third generation. (third generation) -
FM Towns Marty
Only console by Fujitsu, only released in Japan.
(fifth generation) -
Period: to
Fifth Generation
The fifth generation of consoles. Consoles released from 1993 to 1999. -
LaserActive
A Sega Mega Drive/Genesis (or PC-Engine/Turbografx-16) console with Laserdisc and CD-ROM support. (fourth generation) -
Amiga CD32
Last console released by Commodore, only released in Europe, Australia, Canada and Brazil.
(fifth generation) -
3DO Interactive Multiplayer
Originally released by Panasonic.
(fifth generation) -
Atari Jaguar
Final console released by the original Atari company. While Atari claimed to use a 64-bit processor for the Jaguar, this is actually misleading. This console actually uses 2 32-bit processors (they cannot be combined to make a 64-bit console) (fifth generation) -
Neo Geo CD
CD-based version of the Neo Geo, and the final console of the fourth generation. (fourth generation) -
Bandai Playdia
Only released in Japan.
(fifth generation) -
Sega 32X
32-bit add-on for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.
(fifth generation) -
PC-FX
Final console released by NEC. Only in Japan.
(fifth generation) -
Apple Bandai Pippin
Only console released by Apple. No games came out for the system in Europe (although one medical software program was released there) (fifth generation) -
Sega Saturn
While this console was a success in Japan, it failed elsewhere. However, it was the first CD-based console to gain notable attention.
(fifth generation) -
Sony PlayStation
First console released by Sony. Originally conceived as an add-on for the Super Famicom. (fifth generation) -
Atari Jaguar CD
CD-based add-on to the Atari Jaguar. The add-on is known for malfunctioning very easily, and working units are very hard to find.
(fifth generation) -
Casio Loopy
Only released in Japan, and was one of the first consoles to be aimed at female gamers. (fifth generation) -
Nintendo 64
Only cartridge-based console of the fifth generation (if you don't count the Atari Jaguar with the CD add-on) and one of the first consoles to actually have a 64-bit CPU. (fifth generation) -
Period: to
Sixth Generation
The sixth generation of consoles. Consoles released from 1998 to 2004. -
Dreamcast
Final console released by Sega. One of the first mainline consoles to support Internet access (in the form of a web browser disc)
(sixth generation) -
64DD
Disk-based (not CD) add-on to the Nintendo 64, only released in Japan. It is also the lowest selling Nintendo console, only selling about 15,000 units. Final console/add-on from the fifth generation.
(fifth generation) -
Nuon
Only console released by VM Labs. The Nuon was a DVD-based console, and its games were built off of DVD discs, rather than the traditional CD-ROM discs. Some DVD movies also had "Nuon Enhanced Features" which could only be played on a Nuon-capable DVD player. (sixth generation) -
PlayStation 2
Highest-selling video game console of all time, selling over 150 million units worldwide. A "slim" model was released in 2004.
(sixth generation) -
Xbox
First console released by Microsoft. While it was successful in North America, it failed in Japan. Xbox Live support was discontinued in 2010. -
GameCube
First Nintendo console to use a disc-based format (although the format is based off of MiniDVD) (sixth generation) -
XaviX
Only console by SSD Company Limited. Designed by eight engineers who originally worked on the Nintendo Entertainment System. (sixth generation) -
V.Smile
Educational console released by VTech in 2004. Final console of the sixth generation. (sixth generation) -
Game Wave Family Entertainment System
DVD-based console meant for game show-themed games.
(seventh generation) -
Period: to
Seventh Generation
The seventh generation of consoles. Consoles released from 2005 to 2009. -
Xbox 360
Two revisions of the Xbox 360 were released in 2010 and 2013.
(seventh generation) -
V.Flash
Final console (on this list) from VTech.
(seventh generation) -
HyperScan
Final console by Mattel. Utilizes cards to unlock parts of games. The HyperScan failed, unlike its predecessor, the Intellivision. Some stores even sold it for as little as $20 dollars USD. (seventh generation) -
PlayStation 3
First console to use the Blu-ray format for games. A slim model was released in 2009, followed by a "Super Slim" model in 2012.
(seventh generation) -
Wii
One of the first consoles to use a motion control controller for gameplay. (seventh generation) -
JungleTac Vii
Chinese Wii clone, with clones of different Wii games built in.
(seventh generation) -
Zeebo
Only console released by Zeebo Inc. One of the first consoles to only support digital downloads. Only released in Brazil (although a release in Mexico would come in November of 2009) and the final console of the seventh generation. (seventh generation) -
Wii U
First console to support both a console mode and a handheld mode.
(eighth generation) -
Period: to
Eighth Generation
The eighth generation of consoles. Consoles released from 2012 to 2017. -
Ouya
Only console by Ouya, Inc. The Ouya was a digital only console that was crowdfunded in 2012 and released in 2013, but was a commercial failure, and in 2015 the Ouya was discontinued. The storefront was shutdown in June 2019, rendering the console unusable. (eighth generation) -
PlayStation 4
(eighth generation) -
Xbox One
First console to support UHD Blu-ray discs (only on the S and X models, however) (eighth generation) -
Nintendo Switch
Latest console from Nintendo. First console since the Nintendo 64 to use cartridges. A "lite" model, which lacks the ability to connect it to a television, was released on September 20, 2019, and an OLED model version of the original was released on October 8, 2021. Final console of the eighth generation. (eighth generation) -
Xbox Series X/S
Latest console from Microsoft. The Xbox Series S only supports digital purchases. (ninth generation) -
Period: to
Ninth Generation
The ninth (and current) generation of consoles. Consoles first released in 2020 (with some upcoming) -
PlayStation 5
Latest console from Sony. A digital only model was released the same day, and a "Pro" model is set to launch in 2023. (ninth generation) -
Atari VCS
First Atari branded console since the Atari Jaguar in 1993. Digital only. (not to be confused with the original name of the Atari 2600) (ninth generation) -
untitled Nintendo console (upcoming)
Trademarks for a new Nintendo console were discovered in 2022. Who knows what this one will be? (I put this here for future updates) -
Intellivision Amico (upcoming)
Upcoming console. Will feature modern remakes of games from the original Intellivision. Only games with an "E" or an "E10" rating will be allowed on the console.