This video is a really damned good example of what the 7th gen had to offer. At least on the console side. Handhelds would need a different video.

My collections for my Wii, PS3, and 360 add up to close to 100 games, and that's not even counting handhelds as I was never a portable kinda guy.

On 8th gen I only owned a Wii U and 3DS, and both were disappointing in my opinion.

Even if I count all the PS4/Xbone games that I bought for Switch and add those to my Wii U and 3DS libraries, I wouldn't own even close to as many 8th gen games as I do 7th gen games.

Again, 8th gen does indeed have its gems, but the sheer quantity of quality on 7th gen is overwhelming, not to mention how much of that content is fresh, original, and groundbreaking.

7th gen by a wide margin. I was just thinking about this the other day and the wealth of original content we got in gen 7 was outstanding.

Gonna have to go with 7th gen.

There was an excitement in the early years of that generation that I don't think has been recaptured since. The DS and PSP were doing things no handheld had done before. The PS3 and 360 were the first true HD consoles and the games seemed photo-realistic, while the Wii's motion controls seemed totally new and revolutionary. The shine started to fade on all of that by the end of 2008, but that 2-year period from the end of 2006 till then was something I don't think we'll ever see again in this industry,

7th gen.

If remastered and released games weren't a thing I would actually give a slight edge to the 7th generation.

If the only console in the 7th generation was the Xbox 360, it would still be the best generation of them all.

Reasons:
- 2 Elder Scrolls games
- 2 Fallout games
- 3 Mass Effect games
- 3 Dragon Age games
- 3 Risen games
- Bayonetta
- Guitar Hero/Rock Band
- Lost Odyssey

I could name more. The 8th gen did have some great games but was overall disappointing.

I agree with you that Generations 3, 5, and 7 are more innovative.  You can see by the poll that most people are preferring Generation 7 over 8.  Novelty is a big deal when it comes to being entertained (as long as that novelty is fairly well executed).  Gaming is better when developers try to make new innovative games.

Ironically though in every Generation 3 vs. 4 thread people overwhelmingly choose Generation 4.  Why?  Because most people on this forum didn't experience Generation 3.  It would be even better if they also experienced Generation 2.  Anyone who experienced Generations 2 & 3 knows just how innovative Generation 3 was.  But since most here didn't actually live through that time period they just see "8-Bit graphics, LOL", and then they think Generation 4 is better.

The other thing that made Gen 7 so great in my opinion is that devs and publishers were more willing to invest in ambitious new IPs.

Bioshock, Mass Effect, Uncharted, Xenoblade, The Last of Us, Gears of War, Bayonetta, Vanquish, Dishonored, Resistance, Assassin's Creed, Metro, Alan Wake, Crysis, Dead Space...

7th Gen (Wii/PS3/360/PSP/DS) unmissables.

Halo 3 and Reach, Red Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, Orange box, the good Assassins Creeds, the good Call of Duty's, Mass Effect, Alan Wake, GTA IV and V, TLoU, Uncharted 1-3, Gears 1-3, Dark Souls, Minecraft, Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, BioShock, Dishonored, Fallout 3, ... etc. etc.

8th Gen (Wii U/PS4/Xbone/Vita/3DS) unmissables?

Red Dead 2, Witcher 3. Bloodborne, God of War.

disclaimers
*remasters don't count for me