From the original Game Boy that launched a revolution to the Steam Deck's PC-powered portability, handheld gaming has produced some of the most beloved devices in tech history. Vote for the greatest handheld gaming console ever made.
1Nintendo Game BoyThe 1989 original that launched mainstream portable gaming, selling 118 million units with a legendary four-AA-battery battery life.
2Game Boy AdvanceNintendo's 2001 ARM-powered powerhouse with a landscape form and an incredible library of RPGs, platformers, and ports.
3Nintendo DSThe dual-screen revolutionary handheld that sold 154 million units and introduced touch controls to mainstream gaming.
4Nintendo 3DSNintendo's 2011 glasses-free 3D clamshell with a massive first-party library spanning Pokemon, Mario, and Zelda.
5Nintendo SwitchThe hybrid home-and-portable console that redefined the category, becoming Nintendo's best-selling system ever.
6PlayStation Portable (PSP)Sony's 2004 sleek widescreen powerhouse that brought console-quality graphics and media playback to portable gaming.
7PlayStation VitaSony's underrated 2011 powerhouse with dual analog sticks and an OLED screen that built a devoted cult following.
8Steam DeckValve's 2022 PC gaming handheld that runs the full Steam library, bringing desktop game performance to a portable form.
9Game Boy ColorThe 1998 vibrant color upgrade that bridged the original Game Boy and GBA eras with backward compatibility.
10Sega Game GearSega's 1990 backlit full-color rival to the Game Boy, offering a rich library at the cost of legendary battery drain.
11Atari LynxThe 1989 first color backlit handheld console, technically impressive for its era though hampered by battery life.
12Neo Geo Pocket ColorSNK's underrated 1999 gem featuring a tactile clicky joystick and an excellent library centered on fighting games.
13Nintendo Switch LiteNintendo's 2019 streamlined handheld-only Switch variant offering a lighter, cheaper dedicated portable experience.
14TurboExpressNEC's 1990 impressive portable that could play HuCards from the TurboGrafx-16 home console on the go.
Comments 1
Fourteen handhelds on the list and not one of them is an Xbox. The DS alone sold 154.02 million, more than any Nintendo home console but the Switch: https://youpick.best/articles/playstation-vs-xbox-vs-nintendo-ranked
YP
ypb-teamAug 21
