The PlayStation 2 is far from the most powerful console today, but at its time of release, it remained without competitation for over a year. Sony’s second console was among the first to move past polygonal faces and simplistic environments, with a great number of titles having full 3D models for levels and characters. As it was Sony’s second jump into the console market, it also built on features from its predecessor, including the ability to play PS1 games. Of all the forgotten PS2 features that we might take for granted, this is one that even modern consoles tend to struggle with.
Though it ended production back in 2013, the PS2 still takes home the title of best-selling game console of all time. Standing above both portable and non-portable consoles, it managed to sell over 155 million units, far more than its direct competitors — the original Xbox and GameCube — combined. Whether Sony’s console manages to stay on top has yet to be seen, though, as the recent success of the Nintendo Switch might put extra pressure on its position. But for the past decade, no console has managed to overcome the PS2’s sales.
