Top 10 Console Exclusive Franchises of All Time

Depending on what your interests are, Greek Mythology can either be interesting or very boring. There's hardly any debate however, about how awesome the first entry on our list is. This franchise stars Kratos, a Spartan warrior hell-bent on killing the Greek gods after he is tricked by Ares into killing his family. His astronomical rage leads him to take on the gods in some very impressive boss battles. It also leads to some of the goriest death scenes ever put on a console. The rapid moving storyline combined with the fast paced action means there’s never a dull moment in this franchise.

What do you get when you combine the platforming of Super Mario, the adventure-like feel of Legend of Zelda, and a plot inspired by the Alien movie series? You get a legendary space bounty hunter named Samus Aran who protects the universe from aliens across the galaxy. This franchise started what is known as the “Metroidvania” genre, which led to classics such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night – the vania half of Metroidvania. Despite its revolutionary gameplay, Metroid is not afraid to switch things up a bit. This can be seen in the highly acclaimed Prime trilogy which only solidified Samus’ place in gaming history.

Normally, part of what makes video games so great is their ability to absorb us into a world of fantasy. That's not the case for Gran Turismo, where its popularity comes from its ridiculously realistic feel. Although the Forza Motorsport series bears this similarity, it simply hasn't had the same impact. Gran Turismo is known for featuring countless vehicles that can be driven and tuned using simulator like gameplay and a realistic physics engine. Every new entry is fantastic and reminds everyone what real racing should look like. Sony’s highest selling franchise, Gran Turismo is here to stay and we couldn’t be happier about it.

This next entry on our list inspired many shooters to come with its extraordinary gameplay and grand cinematic like scale. When the first Gears of War game was released, it was immediately apparent that it was something special. It integrated a cover system that while it wasn’t anything new, became very popular as a mechanic in future games. Its gritty feel and epic storyline spanning across four entries keep the player immersed in its world while the always improving gameplay keeps things intense. Getting to wield a machine-gun with a chainsaw bayonet is also preeeetty sweet.

From its release, this franchise was destined to be a smash. Super Smash Bros. puts some of Nintendo’s most beloved characters in a fighting game with stages inspired by their own classic games. With fighting controls that are easy to learn but difficult to master, and almost endless amounts of unlockable content to find The Smash Bros. games are already entertaining to play on your own - but the multiplayer is where this franchise shines brightest. Whether you’re owning your friends as Mario or slashing through them as Link, the fun factor never gets stale and every entry is almost equally exciting to play. This is why this franchise has become a staple in every Nintendo fan's collection.

If you’ve ever wanted to be like Indiana Jones, the games in this entry might be for you. In the Uncharted series, you play as treasure hunter Nathan Drake as he travels around the globe with his friends in order to find, spoiler alert: treasure. Borrowing heavily from Indiana Jones and the early Tombraider games, Uncharted delivers enormous action set pieces and pulse pounding action unlike anything else out there. Plus, the engaging characters make the down time just as much fun as when things are blowing up and falling apart.

Throughout the years Link has been portrayed as a boy abandoned in the forest, a ranch hand, a solo sailor, a …(Shows CD-I Link) NO NO! We don’t talk about THAT ONE. Oh sorry! Now in its 30th year, The Legend of Zelda has been a franchise that stays true to its formula, while at the same time isn’t afraid to experiment with new themes and gameplay mechanics, no matter how controversial they appear on paper. Zelda is by far the most critically acclaimed series on this list, though its sales aren’t as strong as the following entries.

Whenever one thinks about some of the greatest shooters, there’s a reason that the Halo games always come to mind. Halo weaves a story of one man’s journey to save mankind from annihilation by one of 2 different alien factors. Master Chief, the hero of the franchise, bears armor that makes him superhuman and also the last of his kind. But even if you aren’t into it for the beautiful skyboxes and space opera themes, then the multiplayer will surely keep you hooked for years – or at least until the next iteration comes out.

The second most successful video game franchise also managed to nab the second spot on our list. Pokémon or Pocket Monsters as it’s known in Japan, is a series of RPG games where a player travels to different towns, collects creatures known as Pokémon, and battles with other players. The aspect of collecting and trading cool monsters combined with the option of battling with them against other players make the Pokémon games popular to people across all age groups and from all walks of life. Its monster popularity has also led to it garnering success outside of the gaming world, seeing the likes of TV shows, movies, and obviously, trading cards.

Before we fan boy over our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions…

“Sly Cooper” series (2002-)
Sony
“Little Big Planet” series (2008)
Sony

“Ratchet and Clank” Series (2002-)
Sony

“Kirby” Series (1992-)
Nintendo

“Fire Emblem” Series (1990-)
Nintendo

Was there ever any doubt? The most successful videogame franchise and everyone’s favorite plumbers could not have fit anywhere else on our list. Responsible for fantastic spin-offs such as Mario Party and Mario Kart, not only are Mario’s games regarded as some of the greatest games of all time, they’re also responsible for some of the greatest milestones in gaming. From singlehandedly reviving the g industry from a devastating crash, to being the pioneer in 3D gaming Evolving itself within each generation of consoles, the Super Mario games can be picked up by anyone and they’ll have a blast for hours.

Do you agree with our list? Which franchise has you anticipating for its next release? For more gaming top 10s make sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com.