Consoles With The Most Games In Metacritic's Top 200 List, Ranked

When defining the different eras of video games, traditionally the community follows the standard of "console generations." Although the standard has some flexibility, this measure has worked to help define evolutions in technology. The console generations span as far back as the original home Pong systems and up to the recent PS5 and Xbox Series X. Consoles are important in helping to mark the development of gaming and when the community can evaluate a "peak" in quality.

While development time increases have certainly reduced the number of "masterpiece" games on recent consoles, there are still plenty of incredible titles. Metacritic has documented the best-reviewed games of all time since the site's inception, based on titles with more than seven critic reviews. With over 100 of the total listed games belonging to consoles, which ones have the most games in Metacritic's top 200 list?

Updated October 6, 2023, by Alexandra O'Leary: The world of gaming is an ever-changing, evolving landscape where every game sets a new standard. Consoles are at the heart of this growth and change, since they, too, are always evolving and upgrading to best facilitate the brilliant games created for their platforms. Because of this, Metacritic's best games list is always changing, and as new consoles come and go, new games rise through the ranks. Updates have been made to reflect this, and also to include some of the other consoles that deserve recognition.

12 Nintendo 64 – 5

While it floundered in sales compared to the disc-based PlayStation, Nintendo 64 owners had no shortage of great games. It'd be more accurate to say that N64 owners just had a shortage of games in general. That, and one of the most bizarre controllers constructed for human hands.

The N64, despite its legacy as an underperforming console, may be home to some of the most revolutionary games of the era. Iconic titles like Goldeneye 64 and Perfect Dark - which is listed at the tenth-best game on the list – paved the way for first-person shooters on console. The N64 is also home to the number one game on Metacritic's top 200: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Although it may not have been the most successful at the time, its games left a grand, undefeated legacy.

11 Game Boy Advance – 5

The Game Boy Advance is a much-beloved console of many people's childhoods, with over a thousand licensed games. This landscape handheld console was the predecessor to the now widely recognized Nintendo DS, its buttons on either side of the screen soon becoming a staple of the publisher's handheld consoles (the DS, 3DS, Wii U, and Switch).

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This wonderful device was the platform for dozens of familiar titles, many of which hold up well enough to be featured in Metacritic's Top 200 games of all time. These games include installments from iconic franchises, like Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Final Fantasy 6 (initially released in North America as Final Fantasy 3), Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past and Four Swords.

10 Nintendo Wii – 6

The Nintendo Wii revolutionized home consoles, making them incredibly accessible and advertising them as a console for the entire family. It was a sleek, thin design compared to Nintendo's previous somewhat chunky and obtuse consoles, and was created to not draw attention. It also featured completely wireless remotes, paving the way with games like Wii Sports and introducing the now highly recognizable Mii avatars. It's undeniable that this console was huge in popularizing video games and bringing consoles into the mainstream crowds.

It's no surprise, then, that the Wii would have several appearances on Metacritic's list. Some of the Wii's games are critically acclaimed to this day, including Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2, which are listed as number 9 and 5 out of all 200. The Wii's other listed titles include Super Smash Bros Brawl, Cave Story (WiiWare), and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

9 Sega Dreamcast – 6

The Dreamcast was Sega's last "hurrah" as a console manufacturer. Although it was first to market, it was quickly outpaced and replaced by the PS2. It lived a shorter life than most consoles, but that life did include some of the best ports and exclusives. Sega may not have been great with consoles, but they were right at home with games.

The console was home to early additions of modern sports game juggernauts such as NBA 2K1 and NFL 2K1. In addition, it hosted a collection of iconic exclusives. Skies of Arcadia provided one of the most sublime JRPGs of that time period, coming in at 132 on the list. Jet Set Radio is a cult-classic that is fondly remembered. As well as this, there was Resident Evil Code: Veronica, which is another one of Metacritic's 'must play' games.

8 Nintendo Switch – 8

The Nintendo Switch will likely be the most familiar Nintendo console to gamers, particularly since Nintendo has created a lot of incredibly popular titles for it. This phenomenal platform combines the best of console gaming by being both a TV plug-in console and a handheld console. It's evident from the Wii U that Nintendo knew what direction they wanted to head, and they certainly achieved it with the Switch.

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By  Alexandra O'Leary

Nintendo Switch titles have had no trouble finding themselves in Metacritic's list, with Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild taking two of the top 10 spots. This means four of the top 10 best games are Nintendo games, which gives them serious bragging rights. As well as this, Tears of the Kingdom, Celeste, and Super Smash Bros Ultimate are featured in the top 200.

7 PlayStation – 10

The original PlayStation, also known as the PSOne, was Sony's first step in the console market. It was a smashing success, utilizing disc-based technology with a collection of devoted third-party developers. The biggest studios of the era – SquareSoft, Capcom, Konami, and others – made some of their finest titles on PlayStation. Sony delivered as well, with some classic, unforgettable experiences.

On the third-party side, SquareSoft experienced a new golden age with both Final Fantasy 9 and Chrono Cross, both of which are in Metacritic's top 100. Castlevania re-invented itself and started a whole new subgenre with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The console was also home to Metal Gear Solid, the breakout hit for game director Hideo Kojima. Despite all of that, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 tops them with a bronze medal on Metacritic's top 200 games.

6 PlayStation 3 – 10

The PlayStation 3 struggled against its counterpart, the Xbox 360. In the early days, the development costs and price point made it so that few could get involved. However, as time passed, more and more classic games were added to the platform. By the end of its life, The PS3 would end up surpassing the 360 sales thanks to an incredible games lineup.

The seventh generation of consoles was home to a number of great multi-platform titles, which means not all games that players associate with the PS3 are rated highly on this console. Sony delivered when it came to amazing exclusives like Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3, and The Last of Us, which showed the best of developers Naughty Dog, while Little Big Planet helped to spark creativity in young creators with easy-to-use tools. There are other iconic titles listed under PS3, including God of War 3 and The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection.

5 Nintendo GameCube – 12

In sales, the GameCube was another struggling Nintendo console and only managed to outperform the Dreamcast in the sixth generation. The company finally transitioned to disc-based media, and the controller is considered one of the finest designs. Despite problems, it's home to so many beloved titles that even within the top 200 games of all time, there are games that are notably absent.

Featured in Metacritic's list is a collection of notable multi-platform titles, but also some grand exclusives. Super Smash Bros. Melee may not have made the cut, but that's forgivable since a few other games in the series did. Viewtiful Joe and Eternal Darkness are two featured, third-party titles that were off-beat from the popular trends. The console was also home to two incredible The Legend of Zelda titles: Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. The highest-ranked GameCube title is Metroid Prime, a shift in the franchise that many people are still waiting to see return for a fourth installment.

4 Xbox – 12

The OG Xbox was Microsoft's first foray into the console business. Despite having a smaller base than Nintendo, Xbox was able to eclipse sales of the GameCube and create somewhat decent competition for Sony. It may have had a bizarre controller at launch, but that didn't stop gamers from getting attached to the console that felt the most early-2000s.

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The Xbox architecture allowed for some cross-pollination with the PC space, which was a novelty for the time. Knights of the Old Republic 2 is one of the top Xbox titles. Along with that, two Splinter Cell titles made gamers fans of Sam Fischer. Ninja Gaiden returned in a big way with tough-as-nails gameplay in Ninja Gaiden Black. The most iconic title is, of course, Halo: Combat Evolved, which brought console FPS games to a new height.

3 PlayStation 4 – 17

The PlayStation 4 is home to exclusive titles that defined the eighth console generation. Using Microsoft's poor marketing as a springboard, Sony launched into the lead and never dropped it. The company's focus remained squarely on high-quality games, particularly single-player titles. There's a reason so many fans are devoted to their PS4 even with the new consoles on the market. Well, beyond the lack of PS5's actual availability.

The PS4 had great multi-platform titles, and it certainly overshadowed the Xbox One in terms of exclusives. Bloodborne was a smashing success that helped to further cement FromSoftware as a visionary. Uncharted 4 was a grand conclusion to a long-running franchise. God of War (2018) helped to reignite interest in a classic character. The PS4's swan song is considered to be The Last of Us Part 2, a game that will live in the hearts of gamers for years to come. As well as this, The Last of Us Remastered is also featured, listed a few spaces above the original PS3 edition.