This article was taken from the September 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by <span class="s1">subscribing online.
In his new book Console Wars, author Blake J Harris chronicles the most famous rivalry in gaming: the early 90s battle between Mario-powered Nintendo and Sonic-fuelled SEGA. It's a rollicking tale, with more ups and downs than one of their 16-bit platformers (a film version produced by Seth Rogen is already in the works). "In the end, what brought down SEGA wasn't its console war with Nintendo, but rather a more subtle cultural war between SEGA of America and SEGA of Japan," says Harris. Here, Wired charts how the industry is still waging war today.
Nintendo Entertainment System vs SEGA Master System
1985
Rising out of the ashes of the early 80s video game "crash" (game over, Atari), the NES sold more than 60 million units thanks to blockbuster titles such as Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda -- many of which remain successful franchises to this day.
Winner: Nintendo
SEGA Mega Drive vs SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System)
1990
Although the SNES shifted more units worldwide, SEGA's 16-bit box actually outsold Nintendo's console in Europe and America following the ad-fuelled success of Sonic the Hedgehog and adult-oriented games such as Mortal Kombat and Streets of Rage.
Winner: SEGA Mega Drive
Sony PlayStation vs Nintendo 64, SEGA Saturn
1994
Although Sony's console lacked the star-studded franchises of Nintendo (remember Crash Bandicoot?), the more affordable PlayStation made up for it in sheer number of games, boosted by the hit titles Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid.
Winner: Sony PlayStation
PlayStation 2 vs SEGA Dreamcast, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube
2000
Sony's PS2 had backward compatibility and a DVD player but, most importantly, the games finally matched the hardware. Grand Theft Auto in particular became a global phenomenon - partly thanks to the "shocked" tabloids.
Winner: PlayStation 2
Nintendo Wii vs PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2006
Surprisingly, the Wii outsold the vastly more sophisticated PS3 and Xbox 360 through a combination of innovative motion control and social, family-friendly games such as Wii Sports (breaking a whole lot of TV screens in the process).
Winner: Nintendo Wii
PlayStation 4 vs Wii U, Xbox One
2014
It's still early days, but Sony's PlayStation 4 already has the upper hand in the latest skirmish, continuously outselling the Xbox One since launch -- no doubt helped by consumer-friendly prices and the bungled launch of Nintendo's Wii U.
Winner (so far): PlayStation 4
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
