I Own All 8 Nintendo Consoles, and Here is My Official Ranking

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Nintendo revolutionized the video game world when it released the NES in the mid-1980s, and the company has consistently created groundbreaking consoles ever since. As a longtime Nintendo fan who has played every one of their home consoles extensively, I decided to rank them all, but with a unique approach.

I’m ranking Nintendo consoles based on what they offer today, not how good they were when they first came out. I’m mostly looking at how many great games are available on each one. If you’re thinking about getting a Nintendo console, here’s how I’d recommend prioritizing them, considering which ones still hold up and offer the best value.

8. Wii U

  • Release Year: 2012
  • Highest-Rated Game: The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild (96)
  • Units Sold: 13.56 million

The Wii U is widely considered one of the most quickly outdated consoles. Many of its best original games are now available on other systems, often with improvements, and the few exclusives left are usually updated versions of older titles.

The Wii U once stood out thanks to its Virtual Console, but that service, along with all online features, is now gone. It can still play original Wii games, and it’s actually a really easy way to do so on modern HD TVs. While the Wii U GamePad wasn’t a huge hit, it was enjoyable in games like Nintendo Land and ZombiU. However, with so few games exclusive to the system, it’s hard to recommend owning a Wii U in 2026.

7. NES

  • Release Year: 1983 (1985 in North America)
  • Highest-Rated Game: N/A
  • Units Sold: 61.91 million

The original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is where many iconic video games first appeared, like the original Super Mario Bros. trilogy, the first two Legend of Zelda games, and the beginnings of the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series, just to name a few. Being Nintendo’s very first home console, it’s naturally the oldest system, but it still boasts a huge collection of games, even though many of the best ones are now available on other consoles.

6. Nintendo 64

  • Release Year: 1996
  • Highest-Rated Game: The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time (99)
  • Units Sold: 32.93 million

The Nintendo 64 boasted some truly exceptional games, including The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, often considered one of the best games of all time. However, great games were relatively rare on the system. Luckily, most of the N64’s biggest titles are now available on modern consoles. One of the things that makes the N64 fun to revisit is its focus on 4-player multiplayer, with classics like Mario Kart 64, GoldenEye 007, Super Smash Bros., and WWF No Mercy still offering a great experience today.

5. SNES

  • Release Year: 1990 (1991 in North America)
  • Highest-Rated Game: N/A
  • Units Sold: 49.10 million

Some Nintendo fans might be surprised to see the SNES ranked so low, but it’s because many of its best games are now available on other consoles. The SNES has incredible titles like Chrono Trigger, Super Mario World, the Donkey Kong Country series, and A Link to the Past. However, those games – and many others – have since been released on newer systems.

Although the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) couldn’t play original NES games directly, you could play almost any Game Boy game on it with the Super Game Boy add-on. This significantly expanded the number of games available for the SNES.

4. GameCube

  • Release Year: 2001
  • Highest-Rated Game: Metroid Prime (97)
  • Units Sold: 21.74 million

Nintendo is now offering some GameCube games on its newer systems, but there are still plenty of exclusive titles that make owning a GameCube appealing. If you buy the Game Boy Player accessory, you can also play almost every game from the original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance, significantly expanding the console’s game collection. Like the N64, the GameCube has four controller ports, making it perfect for classic multiplayer experiences in games such as Mario Kart: Double Dash and Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

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Your Order

Results

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3. Wii

  • Release Year: 2006
  • Highest-Rated Game: Super Mario Galaxy (97)
  • Units Sold: 101.63 million

Some people might hesitate to say the Wii is superior to the GameCube, but the Wii can play all GameCube games. In many ways, the Wii is a GameCube that offers even more titles. While many of the Wii’s best games have been remastered and re-released, the Wii still offers a special and enjoyable experience thanks to its motion controls. Although the Wii library includes a lot of low-quality games, it also features incredible titles like the Super Mario Galaxy games.

The Wii once let players download and play classic games from older consoles using a service called Virtual Console, but that service is no longer available.

2. Switch

  • Release Year: 2017
  • Highest-Rated Game: The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild (97)
  • Units Sold: 155.37 million (So Far)

Following the disappointing sales of the Wii U, Nintendo faced a lot of pressure to deliver with its next console. No one really predicted the huge success of the original Switch, a unique system that could be played both at home and on the go. It’s now poised to become the best-selling video game console ever. Since its release in 2017, the Switch has also gained an impressive collection of games, including several critically acclaimed titles you won’t want to miss.

What truly makes the Switch a standout Nintendo console is its incredible library of both new and classic games. With Nintendo Switch Online, players can enjoy a fantastic collection of retro titles from systems like the NES, SNES, and N64. Combined with updated versions and ports of popular games, the Switch is the perfect console for revisiting and enjoying franchises like Super Mario and Zelda.

With the release of the Switch 2, the original Switch might seem outdated, but it still offers a fantastic library of games from previous Nintendo consoles. Plus, its online services are still running, which makes it a surprisingly appealing option.

1. Switch 2

  • Release Year: 2025
  • Highest-Rated Game: The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (95)
  • Units Sold: 17.37 million (So Far)

The Nintendo Switch 2’s biggest strength is that it’s fully compatible with almost all existing Switch games. Even though it’s a new console, you can still play your old favorites, and many of them actually run better with improved performance on the new system.

The Switch 2 will also feature classic Nintendo games, and access to certain GameCube titles through Nintendo Switch Online will be limited to owners of the new console.

The Switch 2 is compatible with almost all games from the original Switch, and it also features brand-new, exclusive titles. While the selection of exclusive games is still growing, the Switch 2 has already launched with hits like Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Kart World, and Pokemon Pokopia, with many more games planned for the future. Because it lets you play most of your old Switch games and offers fresh experiences, the Switch 2 is currently the best way to enjoy Nintendo games.

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2026-04-11 20:35