The one you like and because you like it.

The steam deck is a portable pc that looks like a handheld console.

i'm gonna get downvoted for this, but the one i already have handy all the time: my phone.

The Ouya, obviously.

Super Nintendo because it's super.

Sega Dreamcast. It was ahead of its time, at the time. GD-ROM (1.2Gigs of data in an era of CD), Dual pressure sensitive triggers, modem, ethernet adapter. Even the memory card was a portable minigame device.

For me it is the Gamecube, it was the first console I bought new and got invested in.

Mario Kart Double Dash is also the best Mario Kart.

I sold mine way too early, but a decade later I bought a good used one with MK:DD and Bomberman

I think I'm in the minority, but PS3. It was the most powerful console of its time, it released The Last of Us, Uncharted, Gran Turismo and a ton of other classics and the PSN was free to use.

It also had my favorite game of all time on it - Littlebigplanet 2. The custom levels people made were insane.

GameCube. Because I have fond memories of it in my childhood. I prefer it over PS2 because it properly supports 4 player games (without any extra gadgets).

Smash Bros. Mario Kart. TimeSplitters. All excellent couch multiplayer games. Even Metroid Prime 2 had quite fun multiplayer.

And Soul Calibur 2 got Link.

Intellivision because the controller has an insert with labels for what the buttons do for each game.

You got it backwards. Is a portable pc that’s like a console.

pc

Really depends on your definition of best. I think the PS2 and the Xbox 360 were the last great consoles, they're the best in my book but they obviously aren't too common anymore.

I would say the Xbox 360, tho I never really owned one. I feel it was maybe the most polished modern console, the most friendliest, worked offline (obviously), was easy to hack and MS didn't really made a fuss about it. an x360 was accessible for everyone, even for the less fortunate peeps around here central-eastern and eastern europe. hacked or not, ms had a nice market here and the xbox brand was pretty stable.

The PS2, the og Xbox (though it really was a PC), the Game Cube, Wii, Wii U, and of course the 8 and 16 bit era consoles are also great candidates one by one.

The only one I ever had for myself was the Wii U. Awesome idea that was never fleshed out.

I had a DVD player and some DVDs came with playable games it was the best.

Actually, the most realistic gaming console is this universe

Retro pi

The gaming console is one you own or the one with the games you want to play. PC is also a good option.

Take your pick between PS2, OG Xbox, GameCube, Dreamcast, or SNES. I just think those are the consoles with the strongest libraries.

NES. Zelda, Mario, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear (kind of), Dragon Quest, etc.; it was the beginning of many great franchises.

The one you enjoy most. In my childhood it was NES, SNES, Gameboy. When got older it was the XBOX then the 360. I enjoyed the Wii as a yound adult for the party factor. My kid got gifted a switch from grandparents and we enjoy it as a whole family. We got the kiddo a PS5 last year because they love Spiderman. That works really well and has about every game I'd want to play. I also stream games from my PC to my TV. I'm spoiled for choice, I don't think any one of them is significantly better than the other. Consoles do have a big price edge these days thanks to GPU price gouging.

PlayStation 2 due to it's game library.