The best handheld gaming consoles are devices with a lightweight design and built-in screen which can quickly play games in its library. Unlike a table-top or electronic handheld game, it is also capable of playing multiple games.
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Best Handheld Gaming Consoles 2023
The following table contains handheld gaming consoles that have sold at least 1 million units worldwide either through to consumers or inside retail channels. Few of them are also handheld consoles with built-in games.
| Platform | Type | Company | Released | Unit Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo DS | Handheld | Nintendo | 2004 | 154.02 million |
| Game Boy | Handheld | Nintendo | 1989 | 118.69 million |
| Game Boy Advance | Handheld | Nintendo | 2001 | 81.51 million |
| PlayStation Portable | Handheld | Sony | 2004 | 80–82 million |
| Nintendo 3DS | Handheld | Nintendo | 2011 | 75.94 million |
| Game & Watch | Handheld | Nintendo | 1980 | 43.4 million |
| Sega Game Gear | Handheld | Sega | 1990 | 10.62 million |
| PlayStation Vita | Handheld | Sony | 2011 | 10–15 million |
| WonderSwan | Handheld | Bandai | 1999 | 3.5 million |
| N-Gage | Handheld | Nokia | 2003 | 3 million |
| Steam Deck | Handheld | Valve | 2022 | >1 million |
| Atari Lynx | Handheld | Atari | 1989 | >1 million |
Early best handheld gaming console were preceded by tabletop and handheld game devices of the 20th Century. Mattel released their first handheld device with Auto Race in 1977.
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Later, several companies including Coleco and Milton Bradley, made their own single-game portable handheld gaming console. The oldest best handheld console of all the time with interchangeable cartridges is the Milton Bradley Microvision from 1979.
Nintendo is credited with popularizing the best handheld gaming consoles in market with their Game Boy release in 1989 and continues to be a major player in it.
