PLAYSTATION 2

■ Sony’s second console is still the best-selling games console of all time. That on its own wouldn’t qualify it for inclusion on this list, but what does is how it got there. Part of it was the massive pre-launch anticipation, and another part was undoubtedly the great games that it hosts, but plenty of people bought one just because it represented a reasonable way to watch The Matrix. The PS2’S inclusion of DVD movie playback as standard was a major selling point over its rivals, and its success proved that there was strong demand for non-gaming features in games consoles. Providing a great gaming experience was no longer enough – console manufacturers now had to produce a box that could service all of your screen-time needs.

For Sony, the hope that lightning would strike again influenced its release of the PSX, a Japan-only PS2 with digital video recording capability, as well as the PSP’S sophisticated multimedia functions. The next generation was clearly influenced by the PS2’S success too – Microsoft dabbled with HD-DVD and Sony integrated a Blu-ray drive in the PS3. But by the end of the generation online streaming was the hot ticket and consoles could be used for Netflix, Spotify and more. Even Nintendo allowed the BBC iplayer on the Wii. Today’s consoles still have all of those apps as well as 4K Blu-ray disc support, and it’s the PS2 that started us down this path.

“PS2 REALLY WAS THE GOLDILOCKS CONSOLE – NOT TOO MUCH TO HANDLE AND A GOOD RETURN FOR THE TIME INVESTED IN IT. I THINK THAT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT BECOMING THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CONSOLE OF ALL TIME” MARK CERNY, RETRO GAMER 216