Top 10 System Sellers
Top 10, Watchmojo, Video Games, System Sellers, Killer Apps, Goldeneye 007, Super Mario Bros, Grand Theft Auto III, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Halo: Combat Evolved, Pokémon Red and Blue, Wii Sports, Final Fantasy VII, Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Invaders,
Script written by Nick Spake
Sometimes it just takes one hit game to make a console fly off store shelves. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 System Sellers.
For this list, we’re taking a look at exclusive video games that were so desirable, that many gamers brought a brand new console just to play them. “The Last of Us” for PlayStation 3 may have been a best seller, but we had to rule it out because it was released way too late in the system’s lifespan to sell new hardware, especially since the PS4 was on the horizon.
#10: “GoldenEye 007” (1997)
Although the Nintendo 64 showcased numerous titles that are now considered classics, “GoldenEye 007” was the console’s selling point for numerous gamers. Part of this is because of the game’s exceptional campaign, which took a more realistic approach to the first-person shooter genre. The real appeal of “GoldenEye,” however, lies in its revolutionary deathmatch mode. With a slick split-screen feature and guns galore, “GoldenEye” would remain the ideal multiplayer game and is most likely the reason you knew which of your controllers was the “best one”. As for “GoldenEye,” chances are you held onto your N64 just to pop in this bad boy every now and then.
#9: “Space Invaders” (1980)
Kids today might view “Space Invaders” as an ancient relic. This title deserves serious respect, however, for being the first system seller. Debuting as an arcade game in 1978, “Space Invaders” was made available on the Atari 2600 two years later. This version would quadruple the console's sales, becoming the first video game to sell one million copies. While this might not seem like much by today’s standards, it was a true milestone for the time that demonstrated the possibilities for gaming. It also exemplified that home consoles were the wave of the future and people would pay good money for a killer app.
#8: “Grand Theft Auto III” (2001)
The Playstation 2 had already had good sales at launch, but most of its sales could be attributed to its DVD playback. But then Rockstar’s unleashed it’s controversial 3D open world sandbox to the masses, and it became the hot new thing unlike anything players had ever seen. As a result, the GTA series as a whole was a substantial turning point for the PlayStation 2, with San Andreas becoming its best selling game. The game’s monumental success additionally motivated us to buy a PSP so we could return to Liberty City for more bloodshed. Sometimes sex and violence sells.
#7: “Sonic the Hedgehog” (1991)
The 16-bit era was decades ago, but millennials still argue which system was better: Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis. More people would likely lean towards the SNES if it weren’t for a certain blue hedgehog. With ads claiming to boast the system’s “Blast Processing”, we sawSonic speed across the Green Hill Zone for the first time, many gamers were included to believe this accusation. With colorful graphics and fast action, it looked like Sonic might leave Mario in the dust. While Sonic has since fallen from grace, his debut game did help ignite the first console war, showing Nintendo that they weren’t the only players in town.
#6: “Super Smash Bros. Melee” (2001)
As the sixth-generation of gaming approached, people weren’t too sure about Nintendo’s next console. Given the GameCube’s cartoonish design and emphasis on family-friendly content, many older consumers favored the more “mature” PS2 and Xbox. With “Super Smash Bros. Melee,” however, gamers were reminded why they’ll always love Nintendo. Improving upon its 1999 predecessor in everyway, this best seller packed in even more Nintendo all-stars for one of the most kickass fighting games ever. Although “Super Smash Bros.” has evolved into an immensely successful franchise, “Melee” is still the title people prefer to break out at competitive tournaments. So never sell those GameCube controllers!
#5: “Final Fantasy VII” (1997)
The Nintendo vs. Sega rivalry was heated, but it was the debut of the Sony PlayStation that had even more gamers split. If you were a fan of Japanese role-playing games, “Final Fantasy VII” likely played a huge part in your decision. The previous “Final Fantasy” titles had been released on Nintendo systems. For “FFVII,” though, Squaresoft moved the beloved series to the PlayStation because N64’s cartridges didn’t have the storage capacity. Encompassing one of the best stories in gaming, Cloud Stife’s journey took JRPGs to another level of popularity. The game was thus among PlayStation’s biggest hits, raising sales significantly.
#4: “Wii Sports” (2006)
“Wii Sports” might not be the most artistic or emotionally involving game ever made, but its impact can’t be denied. Even if you weren’t a fan of video games or sports, this launch title still drew you in with its groundbreaking motion controls and involving gameplay. It wasn’t surprising that “Wii Sports” quickly became a favorite among groups of friends. The fact that it actually brought families together, and got elderly people into gaming, was a true testament to its power. Showing off the full potential of the Wii, it not only became the console’s biggest hit, but the second best-selling video game of all time.
#3: “Pokémon Red and Blue” (1998)
Long before kids had their eyes glued to iPhones and iPads, there was the Nintendo Game Boy and its link cables. Although Game Boy had been showing a decline in popularity, “Pokémon Red and Blue” singlehandedly injected new life into the handheld console. This franchise simply took over the world, becoming the best-selling RPG ever and motivating kids everywhere to become Pokémon masters. Then once you caught all 150 Pocket Monsters, “Pokémon Gold and Silver” awaited you on the Gameboy Color. Even today “Pokémon” continues to dominate Nintendo’s handheld systems with each new installment pushing new hardware, and “Red and Blue” is the system seller that started it all.
#2: “Halo: Combat Evolved” (2001)
The PlayStation 2, the GameCube, and even the Dreamcast had their fair share of phenomenal exclusives, but you could only play that fancy new “Halo” game on the still unproven Xbox. For many gamers, this was reason enough to side with Microsoft. Even if none of the Xbox’s other exclusive’s interested you, it didn’t matter. With its pitch perfect first-person shooter mechanics and various other innovations, “Halo” was the only game you would want to play until “Halo 2” came out. Whether you were playing against friends on multiplayer or trying to master the campaign on Legendary, “Halo” proved to be an addicting force that put Xbox on the map.
Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
“Gears of War” (2006)
Xbox 360
“Tetris” (1989)
Gameboy
“Gran Turismo” (1997)
Playstation
“Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!” (2006)
Nintendo DS
“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” (2008)
Playstation 3
#1: “Super Mario Bros.” (1985)
Even when gamers begin to think that they’ve outgrown Nintendo, this Italian plumber always convinces them to stick with the Big N. While pretty much any “Mario” platform game could’ve been number one on this list, we have to single out the original 1985 classic. “Super Mario Bros.” is the very definition of a game changer due to its pioneering gameplay, as Mario not only made Nintendo a household name, but also saved the gaming industry. After the crash of 1983, everyone thought that video games would never recover. Once people laid their eyes on the Mushroom Kingdom, though, they were officially sold.
Do you agree with our list? What was the game that made you buy a whole new console? For more entertaining Top 10s published everyday, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
Top 10 System Sellers
Sometimes it just takes one hit game to make a console fly off store shelves. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 System Sellers.
For this list, we’re taking a look at exclusive video games that were so desirable, that many gamers brought a brand new console just to play them. “The Last of Us” for PlayStation 3 may have been a best seller, but we had to rule it out because it was released way too late in the system’s lifespan to sell new hardware, especially since the PS4 was on the horizon.
#10: “GoldenEye 007” (1997)
Nintendo 64
Although the Nintendo 64 showcased numerous titles that are now considered classics, “GoldenEye 007” was the console’s selling point for numerous gamers. Part of this is because of the game’s exceptional campaign, which took a more realistic approach to the first-person shooter genre. The real appeal of “GoldenEye,” however, lies in its revolutionary deathmatch mode. With a slick split-screen feature and guns galore, “GoldenEye” would remain the ideal multiplayer game and is most likely the reason you knew which of your controllers was the “best one”. As for “GoldenEye,” chances are you held onto your N64 just to pop in this bad boy every now and then.
#9: “Space Invaders” (1980)
Atari 2600
Kids today might view “Space Invaders” as an ancient relic. This title deserves serious respect, however, for being the first system seller. Debuting as an arcade game in 1978, “Space Invaders” was made available on the Atari 2600 two years later. This version would quadruple the console's sales, becoming the first video game to sell one million copies. While this might not seem like much by today’s standards, it was a true milestone for the time that demonstrated the possibilities for gaming. It also exemplified that home consoles were the wave of the future and people would pay good money for a killer app.
#8: “Grand Theft Auto III” (2001)
Playstation 2
The Playstation 2 had already had good sales at launch, but most of its sales could be attributed to its DVD playback. But then Rockstar’s unleashed it’s controversial 3D open world sandbox to the masses, and it became the hot new thing unlike anything players had ever seen. As a result, the GTA series as a whole was a substantial turning point for the PlayStation 2, with San Andreas becoming its best selling game. The game’s monumental success additionally motivated us to buy a PSP so we could return to Liberty City for more bloodshed. Sometimes sex and violence sells.
#7: “Sonic the Hedgehog” (1991)
Sega Genesis
The 16-bit era was decades ago, but millennials still argue which system was better: Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis. More people would likely lean towards the SNES if it weren’t for a certain blue hedgehog. With ads claiming to boast the system’s “Blast Processing”, we sawSonic speed across the Green Hill Zone for the first time, many gamers were included to believe this accusation. With colorful graphics and fast action, it looked like Sonic might leave Mario in the dust. While Sonic has since fallen from grace, his debut game did help ignite the first console war, showing Nintendo that they weren’t the only players in town.
#6: “Super Smash Bros. Melee” (2001)
Gamecube
As the sixth-generation of gaming approached, people weren’t too sure about Nintendo’s next console. Given the GameCube’s cartoonish design and emphasis on family-friendly content, many older consumers favored the more “mature” PS2 and Xbox. With “Super Smash Bros. Melee,” however, gamers were reminded why they’ll always love Nintendo. Improving upon its 1999 predecessor in everyway, this best seller packed in even more Nintendo all-stars for one of the most kickass fighting games ever. Although “Super Smash Bros.” has evolved into an immensely successful franchise, “Melee” is still the title people prefer to break out at competitive tournaments. So never sell those GameCube controllers!
#5: “Final Fantasy VII” (1997)
Playstation
The Nintendo vs. Sega rivalry was heated, but it was the debut of the Sony PlayStation that had even more gamers split. If you were a fan of Japanese role-playing games, “Final Fantasy VII” likely played a huge part in your decision. The previous “Final Fantasy” titles had been released on Nintendo systems. For “FFVII,” though, Squaresoft moved the beloved series to the PlayStation because N64’s cartridges didn’t have the storage capacity. Encompassing one of the best stories in gaming, Cloud Stife’s journey took JRPGs to another level of popularity. The game was thus among PlayStation’s biggest hits, raising sales significantly.
#4: “Wii Sports” (2006)
Wii
“Wii Sports” might not be the most artistic or emotionally involving game ever made, but its impact can’t be denied. Even if you weren’t a fan of video games or sports, this launch title still drew you in with its groundbreaking motion controls and involving gameplay. It wasn’t surprising that “Wii Sports” quickly became a favorite among groups of friends. The fact that it actually brought families together, and got elderly people into gaming, was a true testament to its power. Showing off the full potential of the Wii, it not only became the console’s biggest hit, but the second best-selling video game of all time.
#3: “Pokémon Red and Blue” (1998)
Gameboy
Long before kids had their eyes glued to iPhones and iPads, there was the Nintendo Game Boy and its link cables. Although Game Boy had been showing a decline in popularity, “Pokémon Red and Blue” singlehandedly injected new life into the handheld console. This franchise simply took over the world, becoming the best-selling RPG ever and motivating kids everywhere to become Pokémon masters. Then once you caught all 150 Pocket Monsters, “Pokémon Gold and Silver” awaited you on the Gameboy Color. Even today “Pokémon” continues to dominate Nintendo’s handheld systems with each new installment pushing new hardware, and “Red and Blue” is the system seller that started it all.
#2: “Halo: Combat Evolved” (2001)
Xbox
The PlayStation 2, the GameCube, and even the Dreamcast had their fair share of phenomenal exclusives, but you could only play that fancy new “Halo” game on the still unproven Xbox. For many gamers, this was reason enough to side with Microsoft. Even if none of the Xbox’s other exclusive’s interested you, it didn’t matter. With its pitch perfect first-person shooter mechanics and various other innovations, “Halo” was the only game you would want to play until “Halo 2” came out. Whether you were playing against friends on multiplayer or trying to master the campaign on Legendary, “Halo” proved to be an addicting force that put Xbox on the map.
Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
“Gears of War” (2006)
Xbox 360
“Tetris” (1989)
Gameboy
“Gran Turismo” (1997)
Playstation
“Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!” (2006)
Nintendo DS
“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” (2008)
Playstation 3
#1: “Super Mario Bros.” (1985)
NES
Even when gamers begin to think that they’ve outgrown Nintendo, this Italian plumber always convinces them to stick with the Big N. While pretty much any “Mario” platform game could’ve been number one on this list, we have to single out the original 1985 classic. “Super Mario Bros.” is the very definition of a game changer due to its pioneering gameplay, as Mario not only made Nintendo a household name, but also saved the gaming industry. After the crash of 1983, everyone thought that video games would never recover. Once people laid their eyes on the Mushroom Kingdom, though, they were officially sold.
Do you agree with our list? What was the game that made you buy a whole new console? For more entertaining Top 10s published everyday, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
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