What kind of games do you play on your console? Are they fun or boring The gaming industry has changed drastically over the years. From simple arcade games to complex 3D graphics, consoles have evolved into powerful devices capable of playing almost anything.
Today, there are hundreds of different types of video game consoles available. Some are designed for casual players, while others are geared towards hardcore gamers. If you want to get started, check out our top ten picks below.
10. Nintendo 64
The Nintendo 64 was released in 1996. Like its predecessor the NES, the N64 was a game console developed by Nintendo. It had several improvements over the first generation consoles, including the addition of two shoulder buttons (instead of four) and analog sticks.
Nintendo 64 launched with eight launch games. Three of these were exclusive to the Nintendo 64 platform; Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64, and Goldeneye 007. Other titles were ported from previous systems, such as Super Punch-Out!! Another feature of the Nintendo 64 was three dimensional graphics, which allowed players to look down on their opponents while playing. In many cases, this was done without the use of special glasses.
The Nintendo 64’s unique controller design allowed for a comfortable grip even if the player held the system in certain ways. To play games on the Nintendo 64, players would insert a GameCube or original Game Boy Advance cartridge containing a memory card with data stored on it. When inserted, the card would communicate with the console using infrared signals, and would allow the player to access bonus content, save games, and transfer data between cartridges. The Nintendo 64 was discontinued after ten years, in 2004.
9. PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) was released in 2000. It was Sony’s first home video game system designed primarily for consumers rather than professionals. It was introduced at CES 1999 and went on sale in Japan on November 11, 2000. The PS2 featured CD-ROM drives, a DVD player, high definition graphics, and stereo speakers. The PlayStation 2 was originally developed under the code name “Project Morpheus”. It was intended to compete with Nintendo 64 and Sega Dreamcast consoles.
There were over 1,300 games released for the PlayStation 2. These included the following genres: Action, Adventure, Sports, Simulation, Role Playing Game, Fighting, Puzzle, Driving, Music, Strategy, Shooter, Platforming, Racing, First Person Shooter, and Real Time Strategy. Most games were published by major publishers including EA, Namco Bandai, Capcom, Square Enix, Konami, Eidos Interactive, Ubisoft, THQ, Take Two Interactive, Koei Tecmo, Atari, Microsoft, Disney Interactive Studios, Sega, Sega AM2, and others. Many games were ported to PS2 from previous systems like the PlayStation, Super Famicom, Nintendo 64, PC Engine, and Saturn. Other games were exclusive titles for the PlayStation 2.
The hardware of the PlayStation 2 was based around technology developed for the original PlayStation, which had been sold since 1994. In addition to the CD-ROM drive, the PS2 added several features including two controllers, DVD playback capabilities, higher resolution graphics, and surround sound audio. The PlayStation 2 could play DVDs, CDs, and BluRay discs. DVD playback was accomplished using MPEG-1 Layer III compression, while CDs and BluRay discs utilized newer formats. The PlayStation 2 could read data stored on both CDs and DVDs, although only DVD players could record data onto them.
The PS2 was capable of playing multiplayer games via a network connection. A wireless LAN adapter was included with the system and enabled users to connect their PS2 to local area networks and access Internet services. Multiplayer games played over the Internet were known as Online Play. Users could also create online communities called Clubs.
The PlayStation 2 came bundled with a controller and software disc. Software discs could be inserted into the CD-ROM drive of the console to install additional content. To download patches and updates, users would insert a memory card into the console. Memory cards allowed users to save games or progress in games to a computer or portable device. Various accessories for the PlayStation 2 were produced after its release, including a variety of cases, stands, headphones, and power supplies.
Sony stated that the PlayStation 2 supported approximately 200 different types of equipment. Only models manufactured after January 2001 were compatible with the PlayStation 2. Older models could not be upgraded to PS2 compatibility.
The PlayStation 2 uses a 9V battery pack to operate. The battery pack is replaceable and contains six AA batteries.
8. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), released in 1985, was the first video game system released for home use and remains one of the best-selling consoles of all time. The NES featured two controllers, each containing eight individual buttons. Four face buttons were located at the four corners of the controller. Two shoulder buttons were located near the top center of the controller. A start button was located near the bottom left corner of the controller. In 1987, Nintendo released Super Mario Bros., one of the greatest games ever made, exclusively for the NES.
While the NES was initially successful, after its initial release it failed to achieve sales success compared to rival systems such as the Sega Genesis and Sony PlayStation. On July 15, 2001, Nintendo announced the discontinuation of the NES, ending production of the console. The last model produced before the discontinuation was the Nintendo Entertainment System – Game Boy, which would go on sale in Japan in March 2002 and worldwide in September of that year. When the NES ceased production, 8 million units had been sold throughout North America alone.
In 2012, Nintendo launched New Nintendo 3DS XL, an upgraded version of the original New Nintendo 3DS, with updated graphics capabilities, faster processing speed, and improved battery life.
Despite not being officially supported anymore, some third party consoles were able to emulate the NES, including GameCube, Super Famicon, and GBA SP.
The NES is considered a cult classic among gamers and collectors of retro video games. Many games have been rereleased both digitally and physically on modern platforms including the Virtual Console service of Nintendo’s Wii U console. These releases include many iconic titles such as Super Mario Bros., Metroid, Mega Man 2, Castlevania II, Final Fantasy III, Earthbound, Contra, and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. However, these games were not originally created for the NES, but were instead ported over from arcade machines.
As of 2018, an estimated 27 million NESes were still selling today.
Nintendo is rumored to be planning to launch a successor to the NES called the Nintendo NX, due out sometime in 2017.
7. Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch Console uses a hybrid technology that combines the power of a traditional home video game system (controllers) with portable devices (mobile phones). The device consists of two screens; the first screen is a touch-sensitive 6.2 inch display while the second is a 5.5 inch touchscreen display. In addition, it includes a USB port that supports both controllers, mobile phone charging, and HDMI ports. The Nintendo Switch is similar to the original Wii U console, however, it added a smartphone docking station that allows users to play their favorite games on the go. Users can play any Nintendo handheld games, including the NES Classic Edition and Game Boy Advance games on the Nintendo Switch.
It comes with two different types of controls, namely the JoyCon controller and Pro Controller. Both have motion sensors and buttons. You can connect them together to make a single wireless controller. There is also a separate battery pack included that can hold all these controllers and charge your Nintendo Switch simultaneously.
The Nintendo Switch also comes with built-in charging, which means you don’t need to buy an additional battery or charger anymore. Also, the system includes a small battery pack to store data between playing sessions.
The Nintendo Switch displays at 720p resolution on both screens while having a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz. However, the touch screen doesn’t support multitouch gestures.
The Nintendo Switch consumes approximately 15 watts of power per hour.
In total, the Nintendo Switch has 32 GB of internal storage space and 64 GB micro SD card slot.
You can use the Nintendo Switch to play games like Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, Zelda Breath of the Wild, Dragon Quest XI, Minecraft, Super Smash Bros., etc. The Nintendo Switch also offers a library of over 1000 games.
6. PlayStation 4
The Sony PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released in Japan on November 15, 2013, in North America on February 10, 2014, and in Europe on March 17, 2014. It succeeded the previous generation PlayStation 3.
It comes preloaded with several games including Killzone Shadow Fall, Knack, Infamous Second Son, DriveClub, Destiny, and Titanfall. These titles were chosen by Sony’s marketing team, who felt that they would appeal to core gamers and younger audiences.
The PS4 features a redesigned controller called the DualShock 4. It is smaller than its predecessor, and includes two touchpads. In addition to these changes, the controller has been updated with a Share button and improved rumble feature.
The PS4 uses Ethernet networking technology, making it compatible with existing broadband Internet connections. It supports both wired and wireless LAN networks. The system does not have built-in Wi-Fi connectivity; instead, users need to connect their own Wi-Fi adaptors.
The PS4 runs at a 1.84 TFLOP graphics processing unit. The GPU is based on the AMD Jaguar architecture and is manufactured using 32 nm FinFET processes. The GPU contains 8.9 billion transistors. The GPU also has 2GB of GDDR5 memory. The GPU is capable of rendering 1080p HD content.
The PS4 comes with 500 GB of internal storage space. However, some models of the PS4 offer additional storage options. A 250 GB version of the system was released alongside the original model. An 80 GB version of the system became available later in 2015.
The battery life of the PS4 is approximately 5 hours longer than the battery life of the PlayStation 3. The power consumption of the PS4 is rated at 9 watts, compared to 14 watts for the PS3.
5. Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was released in Japan in 1986 and later in North America in 1988. It was the first 16-bit video game console developed for home use, featuring advanced graphics and audio capabilities. Its controllers were widely accepted by gamers at the time, especially due to their compact size and excellent design. In addition to its powerful hardware, SNES games featured innovative gameplay mechanics such as cooperative multiplayer modes, challenging difficulty levels, and high quality soundtracks.
Nintendo’s SNES line of consoles began in 1983 with the release of the Family Computer (Famicom). However, the release of the NES in 1985 brought about great success for the company. When the SNES was announced, many people were skeptical of how well it would do compared to the NES. Because of this, Nintendo had to work hard to convince consumers of the benefits of the new console.
The SNES’ design differed greatly from its predecessor, the Famicom. Instead of having a monochrome LCD display, the SNES sported a color picture tube. The controller was redesigned to have two buttons instead of four, making it easier to control. The cartridge slot was moved to the side of the console, making room for a power button.
Games for the SNES included classics like Donkey Kong Country, Mario Kart, Super Metroid, and Chrono Trigger. Many different genres were represented including action-adventure, platforming, racing, puzzle solving, fighting, role playing, and sports. Some of these titles even allowed players to join together for cooperative play.
Despite being introduced after the NES, the SNES sold over 100 million units worldwide. By comparison, the PlayStation 2 sold only 40 million consoles throughout its lifetime. While the Xbox 360 surpassed both systems in sales, the SNES still holds a strong position as one of the best selling consoles ever.
4. Xbox
The Xbox is a video game console manufactured by Microsoft Corporation. It was first released in 2001, becoming their second-generation of consoles after the original Xbox. It was preceded by the Xbox 360, released in 2005. Its successor, called the Xbox One, was announced at E3 2014, and released worldwide on Friday 29th November 2015.
Xbox games are playable via any compatible XBox-branded controller (including the Xbox 360 wireless controllers) or its Kinect motion sensor peripheral. A wide range of titles have been developed for the system, including sports titles such as NFL 2K12, FIFA 13, NBA 2k13 and NHL 12; action titles such as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Gears of War 3; platformers such as Super Mario Galaxy, Portal 2, Sonic Adventure 2, Bionic Commando Rearmed, Rayman Origins and Ninja Gaiden Black; puzzle games such as Tetris Effect, Lumines and Cut the Rope; racing titles such as Need for Speed Most Wanted and Gran Turismo 6; role-playing games such as Fallout New Vegas and Mass Effect 3; family friendly games such as Minecraft, LittleBigPlanet, LEGO Batman, and Lego City Undercover; and many others.
Xbox Live is a digital distribution service for Xbox video games and accessories. It provides online multiplayer gameplay for users who purchase downloadable Xbox Live Arcade games, as well as free games and demos. Games require a valid Gold membership in order to play online. Games purchased from retail outlets do not need a gold membership subscription, nor does the Game DVR feature in some games.
Microsoft’s Xbox Live features include achievements, leaderboards, friends lists, message boards, trading cards, avatars, and profiles for gamers to share information about themselves. Gamers can also manage their profile settings, download game updates from Microsoft, view their Xbox Live activity history, find out how much time they’ve spent playing particular games, and set up alerts for new content.
On 20 June 2013, Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One as their fourth-generation home console. It uses a modified version of Windows 8 OS which is designed to work seamlessly with Kinect, a motion sensing camera accessory. In addition to being backwards compatible with previous Xbox 360 games, it also includes a number of exclusive features. The Xbox One offers additional functionality compared to its predecessor, the Xbox 360. It features a larger hard drive than the 360 and unlike previous systems, the Xbox One does not require discs to boot up. The Xbox One supports HDMI 1080p output and is able to store over 500 GB of data on the internal hard disk. In terms of hardware, the Xbox One is built around two custom AMD Jaguar CPU chips, each containing eight cores running at 1.75 GHz. Each CPU chip is paired with 8 GB DDR3 RAM. The system employs an ATI Xenon GPU for rendering graphical outputs. The Xbox One also contains a Blu-ray player that supports BD-XL discs.
The Xbox One is backward compatible with existing Xbox 360 games as long as they were originally sold using disc. On launch day, customers could buy a voucher code to download the latest Xbox 360 games onto their system. It is possible to transfer save files from the original Xbox 360 games to the Xbox One system, however, the save file size limit is only approximately 50 MB per save file.
In May 2017, Microsoft added the ability to play any previously downloaded Xbox 360 game to the Xbox One in what was known as ‘Backward Compatibility’.
Kinect
The Kinect is a motion sensing device that enables voice control. It was introduced alongside the Xbox 360 in 2010, and was widely criticized due to privacy concerns and high cost. There are several models of Kinect currently available, with various capabilities and price points. All versions of the Kinect use a proprietary infrared technology that scans body movement and detects gestures made by users in front of the camera. The Kinect works with both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One console. It has since become a staple accessory for the Xbox One, and has been included in numerous third party products such as the PlayStation 4 Eye Camera.
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3. Sega Genesis
Sega Genesis is a home video game system released in Japan by Nintendo in 1989 for the Japanese market. It was later released in North America on November 21 1990 under the name Sega Mega Drive (often abbreviated as SEGA Genesis). In 1991, Sega launched the Mega Drive in Europe and Australia as the Sega Mega-CD. Its predecessor was the Sega Master System.
The Sega Genesis games were originally designed for the arcade version of the Master System; however, due to the popularity of these titles, they were ported over to the handheld hardware. The Sega Genesis was discontinued in 2001 after 16 years of production.
The Sega Genesis was one of the first consoles to utilize CD-ROM technology, which allowed users to add additional memory to store games and data. The Sega CD unit also had built-in stereo speakers, which enabled players to listen to music while playing certain games.
The Sega Genesis was often criticized for its poor quality of games. Most of the games featured simple graphics and simplistic gameplay. However, some of the early Genesis titles introduced innovative concepts and were praised for their innovation.
The Sega Genesis became popular among children who grew up watching cartoons, especially those of the Saturday morning television block. These shows included Power Rangers and ThunderCats.
The Genesis’s success helped spur the creation of several third party video game publishers and developers. These companies continue to thrive today.
The Sega Genesis was considered by many to be one of the best video game systems ever created. The console sold over 100 million units worldwide.
Despite its immense popularity, the Genesis did not sell well in the United States. Its price was much higher than competitors’ systems, and the American market was already saturated with 8-bit platforms. To make matters worse, Sega could only produce about 1,000 units per day, and had difficulty fulfilling demand.
The Sega Genesis is seen not just as a console, but rather as a cultural icon. Many classic games still hold relevance today. This includes Sonic the Hedgehog, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter II, NBA Jam, and many others.
The Sega Genesis is one of the most successful video game systems of all time.
2. PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 is the latest in the line of PlayStation consoles. It was announced at the 2018 E3 conference, and is set to be released in late 2020.
The major new features of PlayStation 5 are its upgraded hardware and software capabilities. It boasts a more powerful CPU and GPU as well as faster GDDR5 memory, making it capable of running more realistic games and videos. In addition, it has a redesigned user interface that makes it easier for users to navigate through the system’s features.
Sony also announced that PS5 will support 4K resolution and high-dynamic range (HDR) color rendering. These features make PS5 ideal for gamers who want the best visual experience possible. Finally, PS5 will come with a wealth of new exclusive games that won’t be available on any other platform.
1. Xbox Series X
Xbox Series X is a new range of consoles that are designed to offer an even better gaming experience than before. It features a new design with a sleek, sleek look and feel. It also has enhanced graphics that make gaming more realistic and immersive.
In addition, Xbox Series X has been specifically designed for streaming content, which makes it perfect for watching your favorite shows or movies on the go. You can also use it to play games online with your friends or share games with other members of your family.
Overall, Xbox Series X is an excellent choice for anyone who wants the best gaming experience possible. So if you’re in the market for a new console, be sure to check out Xbox Series X!
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