NES (Famicom)

The Nintendo Entertainment System rescued the video game industry after the 1983 crash, selling 62 million units and launching franchises like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Mega Man, and Castlevania. No single console has had a more transformative cultural impact than the NES, which is 40% older than the average competitor on this list yet remains foundational. Its cartridge-based library set standards that persist today.