Are you a video game lover and searching for a portable gaming system? Which will keep you engaged and entertained for hours; then, you can stop your search right here.
Following are the top 10 best selling handheld video game consoles that our team has compiled for you.
A recent report by Statista shows how Sony has always been leading the video game console market. Yet, with all the significant success with its home consoles, the company has yet to achieve the kind of dominance similar to handheld consoles.
Rest assured, we’ve done the research and compiled this list based on global sales figures, so you can trust its credibility. In this list, you can find something for every game enthusiast out there.
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Top 10 Handheld Video Game Consoles of All Time
The below consoles have truly captivated gamers worldwide with their exceptional and groundbreaking designs, vast and diverse game libraries, and an undeniable charm that continues to endure and resonate with gaming enthusiasts of all ages. Go ahead and get a peek!
1. Nintendo DS
Worldwide, Nintendo DS has 154 million units sold. This is one of the main reasons you have Nintendo topping this list. One of the best-selling handheld gaming consoles of all time.
This was launched in 2004 with two screens, touch controls, and a library of popular games like Mario Kart and Animal Crossing.
It is the best option for casual gamers to hardcore video gaming fans. However, Nintendo isn’t only about gaming.
When it offers you a vast range of features that any video game must have, in the DS, you can discover a built-in microphone, and it also has a camera and Wi-Fi connectivity. Not only that, it also offers you web browsing options.
Nintendo DS is not only a versatile device. It is also best for socializing, and you can stay connected on the go. With a long-lasting battery and compact design, it can turn into anyone’s favorite video gaming console.
2. Game Boy & Game Boy Color
Launched in the late 1980s, the original GameBoy was followed by Game Boy Color in the early 1990s. Both games combined sold over 118 million units across the world.
In this portable gaming device, you can find all the addictive games, and do not forget its iconic yet simple design. Because of its unique gaming experience, both GameBoy and GameBoy Color were able to bring this nostalgic factor into your life.
Just because it was released in the late 80s doesn’t mean you didn’t have vast choices inside this gaming console library. These gaming consoles not only featured classic games like Tetris and Pokemon.
But also Super Mario Land and The Legend of Zelda. Portable and with a long-lasting battery, it was every gamer’s choice.
3. Game Boy Advance
This one was launched in 2001, with over 81 million units across the globe. Game Boy Advance gained popularity amongst youngsters quickly due to its remarkable game library and smart design.
The best part about this gaming console was its powerful processor and impressive graphics. GBA provided its users with an unforgettable and unbeatable experience.
The GBA library offers you some of the most exciting games. Here you can play Metroid Fusion, Super Mario World, and The Legend of Zelda. The GameBoy Advance was not only portable and arrived with a long-lasting battery.
The built-in E-Reader helps you connect with other GBA consoles for a whole new level of gaming experience.
4. PlayStation Portable
Launched in 2004, PlayStation Portable (PSP) has made over 80 million sales to date. PSP featured a massive high-resolution screen enhancing the gaming experience for gamers.
The PSP library also offers you some of the most popular games, with names like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, God of War: Chains of Olympus, and Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core on the list.
All of these are made more enjoyable with features like built-in stereo speakers, Wi-Fi connectivity, and even a USB 2.0 to transfer data.
You were not only able to play games on the PSP but also play videos, music, display images and browse the web. In a way, PlayStation Portable changed the gaming industry and became a worldwide phenomenon.
5. Nintendo 3Ds
Launched in 2011, Nintendo 3DS has made over 75 million sales, thanks to the new Nintendo 3DS portable gaming experience. Glasses-free 3D technology was quite revolutionary.
You can play games like Super Mario 3D Land and The Legend of Zelda when you come to this library. You can directly download the ones that you prefer from the Nintendo eShop. With its long-lasting battery life, you were able to play unlimited games for non-stop hours.
Last but not least, Nintendo also had great features like StreetPass and SpotPass functionality. StreetPass helped you transfer data from one Nintendo 3DS to another. Where with the help of SpotPass, you were able to download new games and updated features.
6. Game & Watch
It was Nintendo that came up with the Game & Watch series in the 1980s, rapidly selling over 43 million units across the globe.
Game & Watch featured easy yet quite entertaining LCD games like Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. Game & Watch had 59 different games, and every single one of them was sold separately and in a million units.
In Gamer & Watch, you have one of the best-selling handheld video game consoles of all time, having sold over 43 million units, making it.
Today, these charming devices are highly sought after by collectors and remain a nostalgic symbol of the early days of portable gaming.
7. PlayStation Vita
PlayStation Vita was launched in 2011 and has, since then, made over 16 million sales. Reasons behind the PlayStation Vita’s popularity were its large 5-inch OLED screen and its gaming library providing a wide variety of popular games, including Persona 4 Golden and Uncharted: Golden Abyss.
With that, are features like dual analog sticks, front and rear cameras, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS, making it the smart handheld gaming console it is today.
PlayStation Vita arrives with a cross-platform play function, which helps players to play any selected games of their choice with other players on the PlayStation 3 as well as PlayStation 4.
8. Sega Game Gear
Sega Game Gear was released in 1990 and has since then, sold over 10 million units worldwide. The console offers you a full-color screen and a library filled with popular games, including Sonic, Hedgehog, Mortal Kombat, and Shinobi. Soon it became quite a hit among kids.
With a larger screen than GameBoy and a built-in speaker for stereo. Sega Game Gear’s popularity never lessened even though with its six AA battery necessities which only lasted for 3 to 5 hours.
Anyhow, Sega Game Gear’s short-term battery life never affected its popularity.
9. N-Gage
This one was launched in 2003, having made over 3 million sales across the globe. Not only that but with mobile-like features and capabilities and a gaming library filled with quite popular games, including Tomb Raider.
Since N-Gage had all the phone features, gamers were able to use it to make phone calls, send messages and play games on this portable gaming device. Moving on to the design of N-Gage, it was unique in itself.
It arrived with a screen introduced horizontally. There was also a keypad beside the screen to dial numbers while making calls. Back in the day, they attempted to make futuristic mobile gaming devices.
However, it ended up getting criticized for such efforts. Later on, In 2005, Nokia decided to discontinue N-Gage because it was performing poorly in the market, and the sales went downhill.
Still, no one can come close to the features that Nokia tried to introduce to its customers inside a handheld gaming console.
10. Atari Lynx
Launched in 1989, Atari Lynx sold over 3 million units. Its full-color screen and gaming library were filled with popular games like California Games and Blue Lightning, adaptations of arcade classics like Gauntlet, Rampage, and Paperboy.
Atari Lynx was the first ever portable gaming console that arrived with a color liquid-crystal display. It was powered by a 16 MHz 65C02 8-bit CPU and a custom 16-bit blitter.
This gaming console arrived with interesting and inventive gameplay features. Gamers were also able to rotate the screen 90 degrees while playing certain games. Along with that, one can even connect 17 gaming consoles to play multiplayer games.
Wrap Up On Best Selling Handheld Video Game Consoles
For decades handheld video game consoles provided kids as well as young adults a good source of entertainment. Kids had unlimited choices to take their pick from.
These portable gaming devices will follow you everywhere, and their compact size makes them popular, as they are easy to carry and keep you engaged for hours.
FAQ: Best Selling Handheld Video Game Consoles
We have compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked questions that might be of interest to you. So let’s take a look!
Q1. Is there a best-selling handheld video game console?
Ans: You can consider Nintendo DS as one of the best-selling handheld video game consoles that you have today. Nintendo DS sold over 154 units across the world and became popular. Because of the vast options in the game library, long-lasting battery, and portable design, it also arrived with a camera and allowed you to browse the web.
Q2. Is there a most popular handheld video game console in the current market?
Ans: Right now, Nintendo Switch Lite is a popular handheld video game console and has become a youngster’s choice. Launched in 2019, Nintendo Switch Lite sold over 10 million across the world.
Q3. Are handheld video game consoles still popular?
Ans: To answer your question. Yes, handheld video game consoles are still in trend, and gamers always go Gaga over new models. You have millions of these handheld video game consoles sold in millions across the globe each year. Due to their portable design, it is any video game lover’s dream come true.
