The following consoles on this list all excelled with their offering of games right of the bat, ensuring that day one console buyers had plenty of games to sink their teeth into right from the word go. For the sake of consistency, this list will look at the games that were available at launch in North America, as Japan and Europe often had different lineups.

5 Nintendo GameCube

All-Star Baseball 2002 Batman: Vengeance Crazy Taxi Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 Disney’s Tarzan Untamed Luigi’s Mansion Madden NFL 2002 NHL Hitz 20-02 Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader Super Monkey Ball Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 Wave Race: Blue Storm

The GameCube’s launch lineup raised a few eyebrows, to say the least, as there was a distinct lack of any Super Mario game. The NES launched with Super Mario Bros., the SNES launched with Super Mario World, and the Nintendo 64 launched with Super Mario 64, three of the best and most revolutionary platforming games of all time. Consequently, the GameCube was off to a bad start in the eyes of many gamers before it had even launched.

However, players would soon change their tune after getting their hands on the Nintendo console. Although there wasn’t a SuperMariogame - nor Legend of Zeldagame for that matter - the launch lineup was still extremely strong, with Luigi’s Mansion leading the way and Super Monkey Ballbeing a surprise hit that would eventually become one of the console’s most beloved releases. The console also featured a solid range of sports releases on launch and the utterly bizarre and hilarious racing game Crazy Taxi.

4 Sega Dreamcast

AeroWings AirForce Delta Blue Stinger CART Flag to Flag Expendable The House of the Dead 2 Hydro Thunder Monaco Grand Prix Mortal Kombat Gold NFL 2K NFL Blitz 2000 Pen Pen TriIcelon Power Stone Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Sonic Adventure Soulcalibur TNN Motorsports Hardcore Heat Tokyo Xtreme Racer TrickStyle

It may surprise some people to see the Sega Dreamcast on this list, considering that it was Sega’s last console before they called it quits, admitting defeat to Nintendo and PlayStation.

However, the Sega Dreamcast fully deserves its spot on this list, as it came out of the gates swinging with Sonic Adventure, which is still considered to be one of the best entries in Sega’s flagship franchise and the first “true” 3D title in the series. The console also launched withSoulcalibur, which was regarded by some as the best fighting game of all time upon release, exemplified by its whopping 98 Metascore, making it the joint-second highest game in Metacritic’s history.

3 Nintendo Wii

Avatar: The Last Airbender Call of Duty 3 Cars Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Excite Truck The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy GT Pro Series Happy Feet The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Madden NFL 07 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Monster 4x4: World Circuit Need for Speed: Carbon Rampage: Total Destruction Rayman Raving Rabbids Red Steel SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam Trauma Center: Second Opinion Wii Sports

It’s easy to forget now, but many people expected the Nintendo Wii to be a complete and utter failure when it was announced. The console’s announcement came just a short time after the PlayStation 2’s EyeToy had struggled to impress, leading people to think the Wii would suffer a similar fate. However, the Nintendo Wii would be a booming success, as it managed to succeed in its marketing goal of appealing to every member of a family, regardless of age or gaming background.

While The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princesswas the console’s standout title in terms of critical acclaim, Wii Sportsis the game that sold many people on the console and its motion controls. While Wii Sports doesn’t compare to some of gaming’s best launch titles in terms of sheer quality, when comparing launch titles by how well they promoted their console, it has to be considered one of the best of all time.

Games like Call of Duty 3and Need for Speed: Carbonwere also important for showcasing the Wii’s motion controls, by showing that they could work in standard AAA titles that weren’t exclusive to the console.

2 Xbox

4x4 EVO 2 AirForce Delta Storm Arctic Thunder Cel Damage Dark Summit Dead or Alive 3 Fuzion Frenzy Halo: Combat Evolved Mad Dash Racing Madden NFL 2002 NASCAR Heat 2002 NASCAR Thunder 2002 NFL Fever 2002 NHL Hitz 20-02 Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee Project Gotham Racing Shrek Test Drive Off-Road Wide Open Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2X TransWorld Surf

With Sega bowing out of the home console market and Sony’s PlayStation 2 proving to be a huge success, it was clear that there was space for another home console to make its mark. Microsoft jumped at the opportunity, releasing the Xbox in November 2001.

To say that Xbox had an uphill battle on its hands would be an understatement, as Nintendo and PlayStation were leading the way as two trusted and beloved brands. Microsoft’s home console needed to hit the ground running to stand any chance in the home console market, and it did just that with the release of Halo: Combat Evolved. The first game in Xbox’s flagship franchise was considered one of the best first-person shooters of all time upon release and, as the name suggests, offered a futuristic style of combat that was unlike anything else at the time.

Project Gotham Racing was another exclusive release on the console that immediately proved to the gaming industry that the Xbox was ready to be a major player.

1 Nintendo Entertainment System

10-Yard Fight Baseball Clu Clu Land Duck Hunt Excitebike Golf Gyromite Hogan’s Alley Ice Climber Kung-Fu Pinball Soccer Stack-Up Super Mario Bros. Tennis Wild Gunman Wrecking Crew

The Nintendo Entertainment System is one of, if not the most important console release of all time. The gaming industry crashed in 1983, with many people believing that home consoles were never going to be a success. However, by advertising the NES as an entertainment system instead of a games console, Nintendo were able to sneak home consoles back into places that had previously rejected them. Once the console was there, it dazzled gamers with its incredible launch lineup that was, of course, led by the legendary platformer Super Mario Bros. It’s no exaggeration to say that the NES’ launch lineup was imperative in reviving the gaming industry, as more games like E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial would have crushed consumer-hope once again.

Along with Super Mario Bros., racing game Excitebike was also a hit for its simple yet addictive gameplay. Meanwhile, sports games with titles like Soccer, Tennis, and Golf may sound painfully generic today, though they were revolutionary home console releases at the time and helped cement the NES as the next generation in gaming.

More: Interesting Facts About The NES’ Development