The 90s was arguably the last time where the term "console wars" could have actually been applied accurately. Competition was a real thing and the differences between the competing consoles was, graphics-wise, actually noticeable.
It wasn't always about the graphics, though, since consoles had their own strengths when it came to exclusive titles—much like these days with the current generation of consoles—which was a big selling point for the customer.
Companies like Sega, Nintendo, and Sony were the ones that were helping define what modern gaming is, and a recent study by NPD group analyst Matt Piscatella reveals which titles were the top-selling games of each of the consoles from the mid to late 90s; from the Sega Saturn releasing in 1995, to the Sega Dreamcast in the late 90s.
The Sega Saturn is where Piscatella begins, given that this console was the first to be released right in the middle of the 90s, and the console's best selling game is Madden NFL 97—which, oddly enough, isn't a Sega-developed title. The second place is Nights into Dreams, which was developed by Sega's very own Team Sonic.
For the Sony PlayStation, the best-selling game is the then-console-exclusive Crash Bandicoot developed by Naughty Dog with Gran Turismo Racing coming in at the second place. Some other heavy hitters like Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, and Tekken 3 were also able to make the Top 10 of best selling games.
The Nintendo 64's best-selling game is, unsurprisingly enough, Super Mario 64; which is a game that set the standard for 3D gaming as a whole. Following Super Mario 64 we have Rare's Goldeneye, which is another title that helped define a whole genre of games: the first person shooter.
Moving onto the Game Boy Colour, surprisinging absoutely no one, we have 5 Pokémon titles in the Top 10 of best selling games for that console. With Pokémon Silver and Pokémon Gold in the first and second place, respectively.
And last but not least, the best selling title on the Sega Dreamcast is NFL 2K, with Sonic Adventure sitting in a comfortable third place, and other Sega classics like Shenmue and Crazy Taxi also making the Top 10.
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