If I were to buy every console but only get one game for each...

Edit: So with the responses to this thread so far, It's safe to say SMB3 is clearly the game to get to show off your NES (surprisingly beating out both Zelda and SMB). Halo CE is also a clear winner when it comes to the xbox (KOTOR seems to be a solid runner-up). Sonic 2 is the game for the Genesis. Seems like RE4 wins the gamecube and Ocarina edges out Mario on the N64. Metroid and Mario are too close to call on the SNES (7 to 7). Crazy Taxi takes it on the Dreamcast and FFVII takes PS1.

What would those games be. I'm talking the absolute best of the best the console has to offer. I'm talking about things you plug into your TV and play with a controller when I'm talking about console and I want only one game to show off the awesomeness of said device. Name me the best games on each of these consoles:

• Atari 2600-
• NES- Super Mario Bros. 3 (New in Box: $499.99 USD)
• Sega Master System-
• Atari 7800- Food Fight (In Box: $21.00 USD)
• SNES-
• Sega Genesis- Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (New in Box: $99.99 USD)
• Neo Geo-
• N64- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (New in Box: $4999.95 USD)
• Sega Saturn-
• PSOne- Final Fantasy VII (New in Box: $4999.99 USD)
• Sega Dreamcast- Crazy Taxi (In Box: $2.99- $9.99 USD)
• PS2-
• Gamecube- Resident Evil 4 (New in Box: $59.99 USD)
• Xbox- Halo Combat Evolved (New is Box: $199.99 USD)

You don't have to name one for each but contribute whatever you want. I only ever had a N64 as a kid so I'm not well versed in the history. I know I omitted stuff like the Jaguar and Turbo GFX (or whatever it's called) but that's only because I want the major staples. I would also be interested to see how much all of this would cost me sans tube TV & PS2 & Xbox. If I ever decided to build the ultimate game room in my house it would be nice to have this list as a refence and I trust nobody more that you guys and gals when it comes to this stuff.

N64 - ocarina of time
Ps one - time crisis
Gamecube - super smash bros melée
Xbox - crimson skies

NES - Super Mario Brothers 3
SNES - Super Mario World
Genesis - Sonic 2
PS1 - Resident Evil
N64 - Ocarina of Time
PS2 - Grand Theft Auto 3
GameCube - Wind Waker
Xbox - Halo

These are not nessecarly the "best" games for each console but they all had a huge impact when released, and for the most part hold up to the test of time. If you wanted to focus on the best split-screen multiplayer games this list would change quite a bit.

• NES - The Legend of Zelda
• SNES - Donkey Kong Country
• N64 - Mario Kart 64
• GC - Eternal Darkness
• Xbox - Knights of the Old Republic
• PS2 - Shadow of the Colossus or MGS3

My personal favorites on these consoles

NES - Mario 3

SNES - Zelda 3

64 - Mario 64

PS1 - Castlevania Symphony of the Night

PS2 - Dragon Quest 8

Gamecube - Metroid Prime

Xbox - Halo 1

• NES - Super Mario Bros 3
• SNES - Super Metroid
• Mega Drive - Gunstar Heroes
• N64 - Ocarina
• PS1 - Final Fantasy IX
• PS2 - Resident Evil 4 (although I could list about ten other games here)
• Xbox - Jet Set Radio Future

• NES - Super Mario Bros. 3
• SNES - Super Mario World
• Sega Genesis - Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• N64 - Ocarina of Time
• PSOne - Final Fantasy 7
• Sega Dreamcast - Soul Calibur
• PS2 - Final Fantasy X
• Gamecube - Smash Bros. Melee
• Xbox - Halo

• NES - Legend of Zelda
• SNES - Donkey Kong Country
• N64 - Mischief Makers
• PSOne - Metal Gear Solid
• Sega Dreamcast - Shenmue
• PS2 - GTA: Vice City
• Gamecube - RE4
• Xbox - Morrowind

I won't mention anything for consoles I haven't owned or games I haven't played. But here we go I guess. Also you didn't include the newest consoles, but I'm gonna use them anyway.

• Snes: Super Metroid
• Megadrive: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• N64: Ocarina of Time
• PSX: Symphony of the Night
• PS2: Final Fantasy X
• Xbox 360: Bayonetta
• Wii: Rhythm Heaven

Don't pay attention to all of these being made in Japan. Purely coincidental I assure you.

Added some systems to the list, removed others

• Atari 2600 - Combat
• NES - Super Mario Bros 3
• SNES - Super Mario Kart
• Sega Genesis - Sonic 2
• N64 - Majora's Mask
• PSOne - Xenogears
• Sega Dreamcast - Skies of Arcadia
• PS2 - God of War 2
• Gameboy - Donkey Kong
• GBA - WarioWare
• DS - Picross 3D
• Gamecube - Twilight Princess
• Wii - Mario Galaxy
• Xbox - Jet Set Radio Future
• Xbox 360 - Shadow Complex
• PS3 - Shadow of the Colossus/Ico Collection
• PSP - Persona 3 Portable
• Vita - (A Preemptive) Persona 4 Golden

• PC - Crysis
• PS3 - inFamous

• PS2: Persona 4
• PS3: Tales of Vesperia
• Xbox: Ninja Gaiden Black (Sorry JSRF, but NGB is the best game ever, so...)
• Xbox 360: Bayonetta
• N64: Majora's Mask
• Gamecube: Smash Bros
• Wii: Mario Galaxy 2

Game Boy - Zelda Link's Awakening
SNES - Final Fight
N64 - Quake 2
GC - Resident Evil 4
Wii - Metroid Prime Trilogy
GBA - Metroid Fusion
DS - Contra 4
3DS - Resident Evil Revelations
PSP - Capcom Classics Collection Remix
PS1 - Resident Evil
PS2 - Silent Hill 2
Saturn - Sonic Jam
PC - Team Fortress 2 
Wii U - Probably Aliens Colonial Marines for now.

• NES - Super Mario Bros 3
• Atari 7800 - Food Fight
• SNES - Super Mario World
• Sega Genesis - Sonic 3 & Knuckles
• N64 - Super Mario 64 (such a cop out... but I really can't think of a better game for the 64).
• PSOne - Final Fantasy Tactics
• Sega Dreamcast - Shenmue
• PS2 - Persona 3 FES
• Gamecube - The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
• Xbox - Halo (is there any other Xbox game?)

And a bonus:

• Gameboy - Pokemon Red/Blue/Green/Yellow. Make me choose? Yellow.
• Gameboy Advance - Golden Sun (can it be two games? Because Golden Sun is incomplete without its sequel)
• Nintendo DS - Pokemon Black/White. Make me choose? Fuck, I really don't care which.
• PSP - Lumines

I am doing the same thing, basically, but just starting.

Collecting consoles with my favorite games from each

PS2 - Gran Turismo 3

PSOne - Final Fantasy Tactics / Wipeout XL

N64 - Ocarina of Time

Dreamcast - Phantasy Star Online

Super Nintendo - Super Mario World / Star Fox (And a Super Gameboy)

Sega Genesis - Sonic 2 / Altered Beast

Sega CD - Sonic CD / Sewer Shark

NES - TMNT / Tetris

Atari 2600 - Combat

Gameboy - Tetris / Pokemon

Gameboy Color - Link's Awakening DX / Power Quest

• Atari 2600 Phoenix
• NES Dr. Mario
• Sega Master System Wonder Boy in Monster Land
• Atari 7800 Xenophobe
• SNES Super Metroid
• Sega Genesis Star Control
• Neo Geo King of the Monsters
• N64 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
• Sega Saturn Dead or Alive
• PSOne Final Fantasy VII
• Sega Dreamcast Seaman
• PS2 Katamari Damacy
• Gamecube The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
• Xbox Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

@Vinny_Says said:

• NES - Mario 3
• SNES - Super Metroid
• N64 - Super Mario 64
• Sega Saturn - Any FMV game
• PSOne - Vagrant Story
• Sega Dreamcast - NFL 2K
• PS2 - Valkyrie Profile 2
• Gamecube - Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
• Xbox - Kingdom Under Fire: Crusaders

For the last generation of consoles get each of the following: San Andreas, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Resident Evil 4

• Atari 2600: Space Invaders
• NES: Super Mario Bros. 3
• SNES: Link to The Past
• Sega Genesis: Sonic 2
• N64: Paper Mario
• PSOne: Final Fantasy IX
• PS2: Silent Hill 2
• Gamecube: Super Mario Sunshine
• Xbox: KotOR

• Atari 2600 - ET
• NES - River City Ransom
• SNES - Super Metroid
• Sega Genesis - Sonic The Hedgehog 3
• N64 - WWF No Mercy
• PSOne - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
• Sega Dreamcast - Crazy Taxi
• PS2 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• Gamecube - Resident Evil 4
• Xbox - Halo

• NES - Super Mario Bros.
• SNES - Chrono Trigger
• Sega Genesis - Sonic the Hedgehog. I guess.
• N64 - Super Mario 64 (sorry, OoT. I don't like you as much as everyone else)
• PSOne - Crash Bandicoot
• PS2 - Ratchet and Clank Up Your Arsenal
• Gamecube - Metroid Prime
• Xbox - Halo Combat Evolved

• NES: Super Mario Bros.
• SNES: Super Mario World
• N64: Zelda: OoT
• PS1: Final Fantasy IX maybe
• PS2: DMC3
• XBox: Halo 1 or 2
• Gamecube: Zelda: Wind Waker
• Dreamcast: Crazy Taxi or Soul Calibur

@Vextroid said:

Atari 2600 - Pitfall

NES - Super Mario Bros. 3

Sega Master System - Alex Kidd

Atari 7800 - Dunno

SNES - Super Mario World

Sega Genesis - Sonic The Hedgehog 2

Neo Geo - Metal Slug 2 or KOF '98. Probably Metal Slug 2.

N64 - Banjo Tooie

Sega Saturn - Fighters Mega Mix

PSOne - Metal Gear Solid

Sega Dreamcast - Crazy Taxi

PS2 - Metal Gear Solid 3

Gamecube - Resident Evil 4

Xbox - Halo

Awesome job on answering almost all consoles :)

• Atari 2600 - Dolphin
• NES - Mega Man 2
• Sega Master System - Ys: The Vanished Omens
• Atari 7800 - Ninja Golf
• SNES - Super Metroid
• Sega Genesis - NBA Jam Tournament Edition
• Neo Geo - Metal Slug 3
• N64 - Super Mario 64
• Sega Saturn - Saturn Bomberman
• PSOne - Metal Gear Solid
• Sega Dreamcast - Jet Grind Radio
• PS2 - Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
• Gamecube - Resident Evil 4
• Xbox - Halo: Combat Evolved

NES - Shatterhand
SNES - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Sega Genesis - Contra: Hard Corps
Neo Geo - Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001
N64 - Super Mario 64
PSOne - Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
PS2 - God Hand or Okami
Gamecube - Resident Evil 4 or F-Zero GX
Xbox - Ninja Gaiden Black

PC - System Shock 2

What? Of course PC is a console...

NES - Super Mario Bros. / Duck Hunt - You have to make sure to get the dual cartridge with both games =)

SNES - Super Mario World

N64 - Super Mario 64 or WCW vs. nWo: World Tour (Still the best wrestling game to date)

GameCube - Resident Evil

Wii - Xenoblade Chronicles

Genesis - Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart's Super Off Road

Saturn - Virtua Fighter

Dreamcast - Soulcalibur

Playstation - Final Fantasy VII or Resident Evil (whichever suits your tastes more)

Playstation 2 - Gran Turismo 4

Playstation 3 - inFamous

Xbox - I honestly can't think of any games to list. I hate Halo so I guess I will leave this as a wild card.

Xbox 360 - Forza Motorsport 2

PC - Any of these: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

surprised nobody said Nights into Dreams for Saturn

therefore:

Saturn - Nights into Dreams (preferably with 3D controller)

i'll do the others if I feel like it

Well I honestly haven't owned a huge number of consoles in my life but I've played my fair share of games on many of them. My list would look something like this:

Atari 2600: Pong

SNES - Super Metroid

Genesis - Comix Zone

PS1 - Metal Gear Solid

Xbox - Ninja Gaiden Black

PS2 - Shadow of the Colossus

X360 - Bioshock

PS3 - Journey

• Atari 2600: Pitfall
• NES: Super Mario Bros. 3
• SNES: Zombies Ate My Neighbors
• Sega Genesis: Sonic 2
• N64: WWF No Mercy
• PS1: Resident Evil 2
• Sega Dreamcast: Crazy Taxi
• PS2: Resident Evil 4
• Xbox: Halo 2
• Gamecube: Animal Crossing
• Xbox 360: Bioshock
• PS3: Uncharted 2
• Wii: Super Mario Galaxy 2
• PC: Call Of Duty
• GameBoy: Tetris
• GBC: Pokemon Yellow
• GBA: Warioware: Twisted
• DS: Picross 3D
• PSP: Patapon

Ps2 - GTA San Andreas

NES - Bubble Bobble

SNES - Earthbound

N64 - Ocarina of time

Gamecube - Windwaker

Wii - No More Heroes 2 : Desperate Struggle

PS1 - FF IX

PS2 - Silent Hill 2

PS3 - Shadow of the Colossus HD

PC - Team Fortress 2

GBA - Mother 3

PSP - Persona 3 Portable

DS - SMT: Strange Journey

NES: Legend of Zelda

SNES: Chrono Trigger

Sega Genesis: Sonic 2

N64: Golden Eye 007

Sega Saturn: Command and Conquer

Playstation: Final Fantasy 7

PS2: Champions of Norrath

Gamecube: Super Smash Bros Melee

Sega Dreamcast: NFL 2K

Xbox: Whacked!

@sawtooth: Just when Mario 64 was tipping the scales, you bring in ocarina of time back into the equation. Do you just prefer the 3D zeldas over the NES and SNES era ones?

@Vinny_Says said:

@sawtooth: Just when Mario 64 was tipping the scales, you bring in ocarina of time back into the equation. Do you just prefer the 3D zeldas over the NES and SNES era ones?

Link to the past is probably number two for me on the SNES, but I'm an Earthbound man, both figuratively and literally.

• Sega Genesis- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• N64- Ocarina of Time
• Sega Saturn- Fighters Megamix
• PSOne- Medal of Honour
• Sega Dreamcast- House of the Dead 2
• PS2- Final Fantasy X
• Gamecube- Super Smash Bros Melee
• Xbox- Halo: Combat Evolved (though KoTOR 2 and Burnout 3: Takedown equally good choices)

Unless you are rich and use money as toilet paper because it's so insignificant to you, don't go wasting your money buying the originals of these on ebay. Most, if not all of them, have been re-released in one form or another and if you really like these games then buying them on some digital platform supports the actual makers of game. Paying ridiculous Ebay prices only wastes your money and benefits only these people over charging for these things.

@crusader8463 said:

Unless you are rich and use money as toilet paper because it's so insignificant to you, don't go wasting your money buying the originals of these on ebay. Most, if not all of them, have been re-released in one form or another and if you really like these games then buying them on some digital platform supports the actual makers of game. Paying ridiculous Ebay prices only wastes your money and benefits only these people over charging for these things.

As a collector myself, I highly disagree. Although I will say, maybe avoid buying New/Sealed copies. I perfectly happy with complete, used copies.

Dreamcast_ Skies of Arcadia ;)

@crusader8463 said:

Unless you are rich and use money as toilet paper because it's so insignificant to you, don't go wasting your money buying the originals of these on ebay. Most, if not all of them, have been re-released in one form or another and if you really like these games then buying them on some digital platform supports the actual makers of game. Paying ridiculous Ebay prices only wastes your money and benefits only these people over charging for these things.

This thread is for ballers only, git out if you ain't making them dollaz on the daily.

• Atari 2600- Space Invaders
• Sega Master System- Double Dragon
• Atari 7800- Xevious
• SNES- Super Metroid
• Neo Geo- King of Fighters '98
• N64- Definitely Mario 64.
• Sega Saturn- Virtua Fighter 2
• PSOne- Final Fantasy VII
• Sega Dreamcast- Grand Theft Auto III, for the PS2, 'cause fuck the Dreamcast, you want this game.
  ...okay, fine, it's Chu Chu Rocket.
• PS2- Metal Gear Solid 3: Peace Walker
• Gamecube- The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

Based on what we already have done, I feel pretty good about that set. Alternatively, could see swapping Super Metroid for Chrono Trigger or FF VI so long as you also swapped FF VII with Symphony of the Night.

DOOM. DOOM for everything.

@dekkadekkadekka said:

DOOM. DOOM for everything.

Like DOOM 3? HA!

NES - Super Mario Bros 3
Game Boy - Link's Awakening
SNES - Earthbound
GBA - Wario Ware
N64 - Ocarina of Time
Playstation - Final Fantasy Tactics
Dreamcast - Skies of Arcadia
Gamecube - Resident Evil 4
Xbox - Ninja Gaiden
Playstation 2 - Metal Gear Solid 2
DS - Picross 3D
PSP - Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
Playstation 3 - Valkyria Chronicles
Xbox 360 - Bayonetta

I'll just filter out the ones you've all ready put up there.

• Atari 2600 - Kaboom!
• Sega Master System - The Ninja all though Vampire: Master of Darkness is pretty cool as well
• Atari 7800 - Either Galaga or Food Fight
• SNES - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Neo Geo - Metal Slug but I can't really choose one.
• N64 - Mario Kart 64 only because I had the most fun with that one due to multiplayer
• Sega Saturn - Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition
• PSOne - Metal Gear Solid
• Sega Dreamcast - Crazy Taxi
• PS2 - Amplitude
• Gamecube - Resident Evil 4

• Atari 2600 - Pitfall
• Atari 5200 - Frogger
• NES - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II
• SNES - Super Mario World
• Sega Genesis - Star Control
• Turbografx-16 - Devil's Crush
• NEO-GEO - Baseball Stars Professional
• Gameboy - Tetris
• Game Gear - Castle of Illusion
• Sega Saturn - Daytona USA
• N64 - Super Mario 64
• PSOne - Wipeout
• Sega Dreamcast - Toy Commander
• PS2 - Shadow of the Colossus
• GBA - WarioWare
• DS - Super Mario Kart DS
• Gamecube - Super Smash Bros Melee
• Wii - Wii Sports Resort
• Xbox - Star Wars Battlefront II
• Xbox 360 - Minecraft
• PS3 - Just Cause 2
• PSP - GTA: Vice City Stories
• 3DS - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
• Vita - Zen Pinball

Wii - Wii Sports Resort

(and Nights for Saturn but I had mentioned that already)

edit: if I were to try and do more consoles:

• Saturn - Nights into Dreams (with 3D controller)
• Wii - Wii Sports Resort
• Gamecube - SA2B (maybe F-Zero?)
• Dreamcast - Space Channel 5 (to avoid picking SA2 again)
• PS2 - Ace Combat 4
• PS1 - Mega Man X4
• Genesis - either Sonic 1 or Sonic & Knuckles
• SNES - Mario All Stars + Mario World
• NES - one of the Mega Mans I guess (to avoid picking Mario since I picked them for SNES. And I can't think of anything better. Metroid is too boring and Castlevania is too hard. I've never played the original Zelda.)
• N64 - Blast Corps
• PSP - my favorite system but oddly I can't decide what to pick, I guess all the games are too good. I might at one point have said Crisis Core but its been too long since i played that, I need a 2nd opinion on it. But whatever the OP said not to include handhelds, what a hater!

PS1: Tony hawk 1

N64: Golden eye

Gamecube:RE4

Ps2:Star wars Battlefront 1

PS3: Demons souls

To me, there are only 3 good games for the N64: Castlevania 64, Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time. If I have to choose one, my vote goes to Ocarina :]