The Last Video Games Officially Released for Consoles, Ranked

By now, it is a well-known fact that video games aren’t like other media. Unlike movies or TV shows, which can be watched almost anywhere, video games require specific hardware to play. Unfortunately, consoles don’t last forever, and every system, from the NES to the PlayStation 3, eventually reaches an expiration date

Some consoles have managed to go out with a bang, but others ended with more of a whimper. It’s a little bittersweet that games, like the NES’s Wario’s Woods and the PS3’s Shakedown: Hawaii, serve as fitting final titles for their respective systems, but at least some consoles managed to go out on a high note.

10 Just Dance 2020 Was an Expected End for the Wii

Release Date – Nov. 5, 2019

• Other Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One

The Wii marked a successful comeback for Nintendo after a decade of stagnation with the Nintendo 64 and GameCube. While the console was significantly underpowered compared to its contemporaries, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, that very simplicity helped it stand out. Its lower cost and accessible design led to massive sales, and many developers found creative ways to work around its limitations, giving the Wii a surprisingly long and successful lifespan.

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As a testament to how long the Wii’s life really was, the console’s final game, Just Dance 2020, skipped its immediate successor, the Wii U, in favor of releasing on the Wii and Nintendo Switch. Granted, a title like Just Dance 2020 being the Wii’s last official release isn’t all that surprising given the obviously casual nature of Just Dance.

Just Dance 2020

Released

November 4, 2019

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+

Developer(s)

Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft

Publisher(s)

Ubisoft

9 The Chamber of Secrets Isn’t a Secret Final Game Boy Color Game

Release Date – Nov. 15, 2002

• Other Platform(s): Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Mac OS X, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Windows, Xbox

The Game Boy Color was Nintendo’s last 8-bit video game console, home or handhel, and served as a color upgrade to the original Game Boy, which was famously monochrome. While it was definitely an improvement, it was more of a stopgap between the previous handheld and the upcoming Game Boy Advance. As a result, it left little room for originality, often feeling like the middle child of Nintendo’s handheld lineup.

Even so, the Game Boy Color built up a sizable library, much of it made up of licensed titles. The final game released for the system proves that point: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, based on the novel and film of the same name. For what it’s worth, the game is a surprisingly enjoyable action-adventure title that echoes elements of The Legend of Zelda.

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

Systems

Released

November 15, 2002

ESRB

E // Violence

Developer(s)

EA UK, Eurocom, Argonaut Games, KnowWonder, Griptonite Games

Publisher(s)

Aspyr, Electronic Arts

Engine

unreal engine 2

8 Retro City Rampage Made the PlayStation Portable Feel Retro

Release Date – July 19, 2016

• Other Platform(s): Android, 3DS, iOS, Linux, MS-DOS, OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Switch, Wii, Windows, Xbox 360

The PlayStation Portable was one of the best competitors Nintendo ever faced in the handheld space and proved to be a worthy rival to the DS. In many ways, it was a smartphone before smartphones took over, offering multimedia features like the ability to play full-length films via Universal Media Discs, or UMDs. That said, the PSP also delivered a solid lineup of games, many of which gained a dedicated niche following.

Retro City Rampage was the last game released for the PSP and was a Grand Theft Auto-style title modeled after the series’ early entries. It was also released on a wide range of platforms, including retro hardware like MS-DOS machines. In a twist of irony, Retro City Rampage ended up making the PSP feel like a retro console itself.

Retro City Rampage

Systems

Released

October 9, 2010

Developer(s)

Vblank Entertainment

Publisher(s)

Vblank Entertainment

7 Frogger Is a Pleasantly Surprising Last Sega Genesis Game

Release Date – Circa 1998

• Other Platform(s): Myriad

The Genesis was Sega’s most successful and most popular video game console, often the first that comes to mind when Sega is mentioned. It not only competed successfully against the Nintendo Entertainment System but also held its own against the Super Nintendo. The Sega Genesis was known for its powerful processor, graphics chip, and sound chip, all of which delivered tense and energetic 16-bit gameplay.

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However, despite all of that, the Genesis had a rather quiet ending with Frogger, which was released for the console in 1998. The game may not fully showcase the Genesis’s capabilities, but it’s a solid port of the arcade classic, directly based on the original version. It’s also a fitting send-off, considering Frogger was originally distributed by Sega when it first hit arcades in 1981.

Frogger

Released

November 3, 1997

6 Magic Knight Rayearth Marks a Magical End to the Sega Saturn

Release Date – Dec. 11, 1998

• Other Platform(s): N/A

The Saturn was Sega’s follow-up to the Genesis, the console that had made them a household name in video gaming. Unfortunately, the Saturn fell far short of matching the Genesis’s success. Part of the problem stemmed from Sega prioritizing flashier 3D titles for the U.S. market while sidelining many of the system’s stronger 2D offerings.

Ironically, the last Sega Saturn game released in the United States was the 2D Magic Knight Rayearth, which had already launched in Japan three years earlier. It’s no surprise that a 2D game focused on substance over style would outshine many of the system’s 3D titles, which often emphasized flash over depth. In that sense, Magic Knight Rayearth serves as a more fitting final chapter for the Saturn than the console ever expected.

5 Sonic the Hedgehog Speeds off the Sega Master System

Release Date – Circa Nov. 1991

• Other Platform(s): Game Gear

The Master System wasn’t Sega’s first video game console (that title belongs to the SG-1000) but it was the first to release outside Asia and Oceania, aimed at challenging Nintendo’s dominance in the console market. It didn’t find much success in the United States, though it carved out a strong niche in Brazil, where Master System consoles and games are still produced today.

In the U.S., the final game released for the Master System was Sonic the Hedgehog, not to be confused with the more popular 16-bit version on the Sega Genesis. Surprisingly, this version isn’t much slower, with Sonic still moving at an impressive clip. It’s a smart and stylish showcase of how far the Master System’s hardware could be pushed.

4 Shakedown: Hawaii Shook Things Up On the PlayStation 3

Release Date – Aug. 20, 2020

• Other Platforms(s): 3DS, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Vita, Switch, Wii, Wii U, Windows

The PlayStation 3 was Sony’s attempt at innovating upon their groundbreaking PlayStation 2, which itself built on the success of the original PlayStation. Its original model was packed with features that, while interesting, did more to drive up the console’s price than boost its sales. That said, the PS3 eventually found its footing and managed to outpace its chief competitor, the Xbox 360.

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Many people don’t realize how long the PS3 stuck around, with its final game, Shakedown: Hawaii, releasing in 2020. The game is the sequel to Retro City Rampage, which also happened to be the PlayStation Portable’s final game. Like its predecessor, Shakedown: Hawaii is a Grand Theft Auto clone, though it leans into that influence more heavily. It also does a lot to make the PS3 feel like a retro console.

3 Jet Set Knights Set the Sun on the PlayStation Vita

Release Date – June 21, 2023

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• Other Platform(s): PlayStation 4, Switch

The PlayStation Vita was Sony’s follow-up to their fairly successful PlayStation Portable handheld video game console. In contrast to the PSP, the PS Vita made use of cartridges like the Nintendo 3DS, its chief competitor. Also unlike the PSP, the PS Vita failed to make a significant dent against its competition, becoming Sony’s biggest failure in all of video gaming.

Still, the PlayStation Vita was too much of a cult classic to ignore, and the console continued to receive games far longer than expected. For example, the final PS Vita game is Jet Set Knights, released just two years ago on June 21, 2023. It was published by EastAsiaSoft, who clearly saw more value in the PS Vita than most.

2 Wario’s Woods Will Forever be the NES’ Swan Song

Release Date – Dec. 10, 1994

• Other Platform(s): Super Nintendo Entertainment System

The Nintendo Entertainment System was Nintendo’s foreign export name for their Family Computer video game console in Japan. Following a slow yet notable start, the NES quickly dominated the American video game market. More people saw value in the NES compared to the aging Atari 2600 and the myriad of home computers, with video games like Super Mario Bros. leaving a strong impression.

In its later years, the NES became known for its puzzle titles, making it fitting that the last game released for the system would be one. Wario’s Woods holds the honor of being the last NES game as well as being the only title on the system to receive an ESRB rating. It’s an incredibly fun puzzle game, making it a fitting end for the seminal video game console.

1 Pokémon Yellow Was the Game Boy’s Dying Yellow Light

Release Date – Oct. 19, 1999

• Other Platform(s): N/A

The Game Boy was the first truly handheld video game console, at least one specifically made to fit in a pocket. A successor to Nintendo’s earlier Game & Watch line of handheld video games, the Game Boy wasn’t exactly known for being the most powerful console. However, it was known for having great games that worked well within the system’s limitations.

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The Pokémon series debuted on the Game Boy and helped extend its lifespan, culminating in Pokémon Yellow, which is the best final video game any console could ask for. Part of the Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow series, Pokémon Yellow has the player tailed by an extremely powerful Pikachu. It’s a grand way to end the original Game Boy’s time in dominance.

Pokemon Yellow

Released

October 18, 1999

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

Game Freak

Publisher(s)

Game Freak