Some consoles, like the PlayStation and Wii, are instant hits, selling out in stores across the globe and becoming defining moments in pop culture history. However, not all consoles were lucky enough to get the love they so rightly deserved upon release. Some consoles had to wait years...or even decades...for their brilliance to be realized by the public.

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Fortunately, thanks to the internet, resale shops, and dedicated fan groups, many consoles have been gifted a newfound love and appreciation from gamers. For some of these consoles, their posthumous legacies are far stronger than they ever were during their lifespan on store shelves.

Fairchild Channel F

An old print ad for the Channel F features the console with its controllers

In 1976, the Channel F revolutionized gaming. It was the first console to have a microprocessor and the first to use game cartridges. It was a true technological marvel. However, the Atari 2600 was released the following year and the public lost all interest in Fairchild's game system.

Sales quickly plummeted and by the early 80s, Fairchild had completely exited the gaming industry. In more recent years, however, the gaming community has come around to appreciate and recognize the console's groundbreaking technologies.

Atari Flashback

A box for the original Atari Flashback featuring the console from 2004

Plug-and-play retro consoles have recently boomed in popularity, with Nintendo's NES and SNES Classic consoles selling over 10 million units. Sony and SEGA have also gotten in the game with their own mini consoles, and earlier in the decade, Neo Geo released the X, a dockable/handheld mini console comprised of popular Neo Geo favorites like Metal Slug.

But years before any of those, Atari had the first plug-and-play retro console back in 2004. Though largely overlooked at the time, the Flashback saw much greater success in recent years, resulting in numerous new Flashback versions and even spurring Atari to launch its new VCS hybrid console.

Wii U

A Wii U gamepad sits in front of logos for famous Wii U games

The Wii U was Nintendo's worst-selling console of all time. During its short lifespan, the console only sold 13.56 million units. Customers were largely confused by the concept. Many wondered if it was merely a Wii peripheral or an updated version of the console, similar to the way PlayStation released the PSone and the Xbox 360 received the S and E models.

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Due to the confusion, many avoided the console, as well as its wide array of fantastic games. Luckily, Nintendo has ported numerous Wii U titles to the Switch, giving gamers the ability to play the console's library of outstanding titles. Because of the ports, the Wii U has since seen a revival in popularity.

Turbografx-16

A hand holds a Turbografx mini console

Turbografx-16, also known as the PC Engine, was relatively successful in Japan for a short period of time. It never achieved any amount of success in North America, however, since it was released within days of the SEGA Genesis.

The console did have some exclusive titles though that got gamers interested. It had numerous exclusive Bomberman titles and even its own game in the Castlevania franchise. In 2010, the console received a new wave of attention with the GameBox app for iPhone, which allowed users to play old Turbografx games. In 2021, a mini plug-and-play console was released.

SEGA Saturn

A box for the SEGA Saturn sits next to games Virtua Fighter and Nights into Dreams

In the mid-90s, SEGA was convinced they were about to rock the gaming world with their new 32-bit console, the Saturn. It was specifically designed for platformers and arcade ports and provided bright colors, smooth movements, and CD-quality music; but then Sony released the PlayStation a few months later and the world of gaming changed instantly.

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Furthermore, Sony declared the PlayStation would be $100 cheaper than the Saturn and would launch with more games. However, nowadays retro gamers have come to love the Saturn for its outstanding titles (that hardly anyone played) like Panzer Dragoon Saga, Nights into Dreams, Clockwork Knight, and more.

Atari Jaguar

An Atari Jaguar sits in front of its box next to two controllers

The 90s were hard on SEGA, but they were even harder on Atari. The gaming giant had fallen from grace in the 80s and never recovered in the eyes of consumers. Atari was hoping to change that in 1993 with their Jaguar console, which they claimed was 64-bit (though it was actually two 32-bit chips).

Despite its graphical improvements, the Genesis and SNES continued to dominate the market, and things only got worse with the release of the PlayStation. But the Jaguar has since become a prized collectible for retro gamers and retrospectives have praised some of its truly groundbreaking titles like Alien vs. Predator and Rayman - a franchise that many are unaware originated on the Jaguar.

Neo Geo AES

The Neo Geo box next to a scene from Metal Slug

1991's Neo Geo AES was an at-home version of the popular Neo Geo arcade cabinets. Though the console sold poorly, it had an extraordinarily long lifespan, lasting over a decade. Nowadays, the console is lauded for being ahead of its time and for being the first at-home console where gamers could play famous franchises like Metal Slug, Fatal Fury, Samurai Showdown, King of Fighters, and more.

The Neo Geo has become so prized among the gaming community that used consoles are selling for upwards of $1,000 on Amazon and eBay.

SEGA CD

A SEGA CD console is surrounded by a collection of games

Before SEGA unveiled the Saturn, it tried to keep the Genesis/Mega Drive relevant for as long as possible. This included the introduction of its two peripherals - the 32X and SEGA CD. While the 32X is still considered a failure by many, the SEGA CD has seen a lot of fanfare in recent years.

The disc-based add-on allowed for bigger games, better music, and the ability to handle full-motion video. Initially, this hurt the console as it became known for its endless array of tacky, low-budget, and dull FMV games. But in retrospect, critics and gamers have discovered that the SEGA CD had tons of phenomenal games, like Sonic CD and the Lunar series.

GameCube

A purple GameCube and controller sit in front of GameCube game cases

Until the Wii U, GameCube was Nintendo's worst-selling console, with both PS2 and Xbox selling more units. The GameCube used mini discs and therefore couldn't play CDs or DVDs like the other two consoles, and it wasn't backward compatible like the PS2. Because of this, the GameCube developed a reputation for being a kid's console that no serious gamer would invest in.

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However,  the GameCube did have some significant moments, like being the launch console for Resident Evil 4 and introducing Nintendo franchises like Pikmin and Luigi's Mansion. But most notably, the console has become legendary thanks to Super Smash Bros. Melee, which is still considered by many to be the best in the franchise.

Dreamcast

A SEGA Dreamcast floats in front of a beach scene

No other console has had the redemption story the Dreamcast has. It was hailed as a groundbreaking marvel upon release with cutting-edge launch titles like Sonic Adventure and SoulCalibur but, once again, Sonycame in and ruined it all by announcing the PlayStation 2. After a fantastic 1999 holiday season, sales quickly plummeted, and in two short years the Dreamcast was dead and SEGA left the console market for good.

But fans never gave up. The Dreamcast has a die-hard fanbase that loves the console's unique games like Chu Chu Rocket, Phantasy Star Online, Shenmue, and more. In fact, new games are still being made and released for the Dreamcast to this very day. Indie releases like Intrepid Izzy, Sturmwind, and Xeno Crisis prove that the dream is still alive and that fans love the Dreamcast more now than ever.

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