I think we can all agree that the so-called ‘Console Wars’ is, or should be, a thing of the past. The old saying “a high tide rises all ships” applies here: a good year for Xbox is a good year for gamers overall. Same thing applies to PlayStation and Nintendo. Where it gets old is when people try to diminish someone else’s enjoyment of a system simply because it is not the system they prefer to play on. Those arguments, which can get nasty quick, need to be something we leave in the past. However, there is something to be said for healthy competition; a console having a better year than other ones only breeds more innovation and drive to do better in the next year. Therefore, looking at all of 2021, which console dominated the year?
Looking at Nintendo first, it had a relatively quiet but nevertheless great year. This year alone saw major releases, including Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, New Pokemon Snap, the underrated Game Builder Garage, Mario Golf: Super Rush, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, WarioWare: Get it Together!, Metroid Dread, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, including Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, Monster Hunter: Rise, Shin Megami Tensei V, and the release of the Nintendo Switch OLED. While none of those games except for the excellent Metroid Dread set the world on fire, it was a year filled with regular releases and fantastic additions to an already stellar library of games.
Though PlayStation 5s are still difficult to find in the wild and they got a bit of a slow start, PlayStation saw the release of several amazing games including Returnal, Deathloop, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, to name a few. Admittedly less games than Nintendo, but the quality of the games were honestly second to none.
In my opinion, Xbox had the absolute best year not only for consoles, but arguably for Xbox overall. Though, just like with the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X consoles are still difficult to find, the tired complaint that Xbox doesn’t have games can officially be put to rest. This year saw the release of Psychonauts 2, Halo: Infinite, and Forza Horizon 5, all of which were available day one with Xbox Games Pass. It’s baffling how Xbox stands to make any money with Games Pass, but it brings so much value to the gamer and is one of the best ways to experience next-gen games at a low monthly cost.
Overall, one would argue that the winner this year was gamers–we were treated to a veritable buffet of phenomenal games, and 2022 looks to deliver even more amazing experiences. What do you think? Which console had the best 2021? Share your response below or join the conversation on Boss Rush Discord!
Featured Image Source: Twinfinite
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