What is the best selling handheld gaming system ever?
Partager
The best-selling handheld gaming system ever is the Nintendo DS series, specifically the Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi models, which collectively sold over 154 million units worldwide.
Key Details about the Nintendo DS:
- Release Date: November 21, 2004 (Nintendo DS), March 2, 2006 (Nintendo DS Lite)
- Units Sold: Over 154 million (across all versions, including DS, DS Lite, DSi, and DSi XL)
- Game Library: Over 1,000 games, including major hits like Pokémon Diamond/Pearl, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, New Super Mario Bros., and Animal Crossing: Wild World.
- Dual Screens: The DS featured a unique dual-screen design, with one of the screens being a touchscreen, which was revolutionary for portable gaming at the time.
- Backward Compatibility: The system was compatible with Game Boy Advance games, which helped attract a larger audience.
The Nintendo DS is often cited as the most successful handheld gaming console in terms of both hardware sales and game library diversity, establishing Nintendo's dominance in the handheld market for a long time.
Other Notable Handheld Consoles:
- Nintendo Switch (Over 125 million units sold as of 2024) - While the Switch is a hybrid system (can be used as both a handheld and a home console), it has become one of the most popular and best-selling handheld consoles.
- PlayStation Portable (PSP) (81.5 million units sold) - Sony's handheld, which provided a more powerful system compared to the DS, had a strong game library and multimedia features.
- Game Boy/Game Boy Color (118 million units sold) - One of the earliest successes in portable gaming, featuring classics like Pokémon Red/Blue and Tetris.
- PlayStation Vita (Over 16 million units sold) - While not as successful as the PSP or Switch, the Vita gained a strong following due to its impressive hardware, especially for indie games and multimedia options.
However, the Nintendo DS remains unbeaten as the top-selling handheld gaming console in history, with its innovative design, massive game library, and significant cultural impact.