Magnavox Odyssey (other then PC/ the first always has to be metioned cause without it this industry would not be)

NES (simply set the stander for great games and the company behind the greatness is the only one from the second, third, and forth gens to still stand)

N64 (with Legend of zelda being as open as it was with the environment you'd haft to mention this one, it was the first to introduce the 64 bit chip, and it had more buttens then you can shake a anolog stick at)

sega genesis(honorable mention)

PS2 (this console showed us what a console could sell and do. with some of the most notable games being played on this console, having the largest library of all times, and sells to top al others before and possibly after it. PS2 set the stander for all future consoles. and its dual anolog controler introduce a new way to play all games)

PS3(PS3 has given us wow graphic's, some of the Best games this gen, a publisher thats dedicated to bringging its gamers new IP's, and the ability to bring there ideas to life(LBP/MNR)they also proved that if you have a dedicated fan base you can sell technological advacnement at any price. sony has published more exclusives for its console then any other console manufacture this gen. every yr PS3 has been out sony has given its gamers new ip's)

Xbox (if it weren't for this console the 7th gen would be a one legged horse race. i can credit this console with making the seventh gen the most competative ever!)

Xbox 360 (RROD was actually a good thing. Microsoft has spent billions of dollars to fix the problem and has extended its warranties for those efected. that shows dedication to me. and thats one of the few things you don't haft to ask a console manufacture to do. because they will without you asking. in addition great games have found there way to this console.)

Wii (has been showing us how to do it. if the big three has one thing in common it would be this. core gamers. the virtual console brought most of us 6 gen's back to the nes. no other console will ever take you back 6gen's. well wii2 will take you back seven. this is nintendo's 6th gen in this indusrty and from what i can tell they arn't going anywhere. motion controles have taken this gen by storm and like sony: Nintendo has created its own genre to. casual! this has been the driver of software for this gen and hasn't slowed down yet. this console has not only broken records. it has shattered them. this console has broken all of its predecessors records and more and it only has one more to brake. so watch out PS2. the Wii's coming for you.

PC (simply king. it was the first to game (other then olympians). i consider it a console and with a few renditions and modificationsits the biggest selling console of all times. i was a PC gamer before i picked up the NES. PC had the first joy stick and was the first to give you the choice of keyboard, joy stick, or controler. i've always veiwed home consoles as CPU'S without monitors. or for a better use of words; A portable CPU. i don't know if this is ten but these are the best consoles of all times. they all did something the consoles that came with or before them didn't do.)

the 360 is also a socceeful theif. stilling what was once exclusives to sony and bringging them to there platfom. i don't realy thing thats the case but it makes for a good heading.

XDXDXD I love this, as if the PS3 came first... The 360 was out a year before the PS3, and the PS3 isn't on the list because the 360 paved the way for the home media center/gaming console BEFORE the PS3 had a chance to. The PS3 was also NOT the first to offer an HD media or Wifi, although they are not built in, the 360 offered a wifi adapter and an HD DVD drive. 

I own both a 360 and PS3 but they're not under my name because I haven't got around to updating my game list. He's probably in the same situation?

My list, just based on importance and impact (i.e. NOT best game library, etc):

6.  Atari 2600

5.  Sega Genesis

4.  Playstation 2

3.  Wii

2.  Playstation

1.  Nintendo Entertainment System

i don't consider any of this important for one reason and thats because a console is all about gaming and the title of this thread is about consoles not multimedia devices.

come on man. PS3 is the only console (other then PC debatable) to bring a variety of games from almost every genre. being published by the manufacture.

Only one eh? lol

Genesis was more important than the 360. it led the 16 bit revolution when the market was content with 8bit and forced Nintendo to make the Super Nintendo, and its brilliant sports games created the sports games industry that EA built from. 

Exactly.  Welcome to the VGChartz community...