With each new generation of gaming comes a brand-new series of consoles to power it. In recent decades, the console juggernauts have remained mostly unchanged, with PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox functioning as the primary systems we use to play our favorite games outside of PC. The latest generation of consoles has been available for quite a few years now, each of them offering unique features, exclusive titles, and a specialized gaming experience. In this catalog, we’ll explore the best games on the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S, as well as some of the best games in the most popular genres on each console.
How We Determine Our Ranking
Narrowing down the best games by console, as well as the best games by console in each genre, is a contentious task in even the most ideal conditions — so we wanted to take a moment to walk you through how we determine our ranking before we dive into our collection of winners.
As can be expected, each gamer has their own unique experience, perspective, and preferences, so to ensure all current-gen console and PC games are represented and considered fairly, we put it to a vote, sending a survey to our entire team for input on which games should be considered in each category. Once we have all nominations accounted for, we will then rank each game within its category by the percentage of the total vote it received. In the case that two games received the same percentage of votes, we will then have the entire editorial team vote to break the tie.
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Best PlayStation 5 Games
Since its release in 2020, the PlayStation 5 has more than doubled the total units sold of its closest competitor, the Xbox Series X|S. This is mostly due to its competitive performance, expansive list of exclusive titles, and the most advanced and immersive controller ever made – the DualSense. In addition to a slew of fantastic cross-platform games available on the console, some of the best games of the modern era can only be played on PlayStation, including God of War Ragnarok, The Last Of Us, Final Fantasy VII, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. But of all the games available on the PS5, here are the best of the best, the ones every PS5 owner should prioritize playing immediately.
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Best Nintendo Switch Games
Although the Nintendo Switch came out in 2017, a whole three years prior to the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, it still continues to be the best selling current-gen console year over year. The Switch delivers a completely unique gaming experience with its integrated motion controls, seamless handheld and docked experience, and incredible line-up of exclusive titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Mario Odyssey, and Super Smash Bros. And over the past few years, top-tier cross-platform games have also made their way to Switch, creating even more opportunities for Switch owners to enjoy titles that were previously restricted to the more technically savvy competitor consoles. If you haven’t played these titles yet, you should definitely make time for them in 2024. Here are the best Nintendo Switch games of all time.
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Best Xbox Series X|S Games
Despite the Xbox Series X|S not winning on any “most units sold” fronts, it still provides an incredible gaming experience, largely due to its technical prowess, handful of must-have exclusive titles, incredible online multiplayer offering, and its best selling point of all – Xbox GamePass. The Xbox Series X|S is certainly the console where you’ll get the best bang for your buck, with a staggering lineup of GamePass games – some that are even Day 1 releases – providing countless hours of fun for a monthly subscription fee. After reviewing the expansive list of cross-platform and console exclusive hits, here are the best games available on the Xbox Series X|S.
