I am torn in this discussion. I feel the NES has to be #1 based off of many factors:
It single handedly saved the home console market in NA.
It's library is huge and has all sorts of great games.
It's popularity was so huge that 3rd party developers were willing to do whatever it took to get on the system (including all of the unlawful stipulations Nintendo required).
Nintendo's marketing in this era was amazing.
Long lifespan that only finally ended because of Nintendo's next generation system.
It was easy for a casual gamer to pick up and play.
Other than the aged 72 pin issue on toasters, the hardware itself is damn reliable.
Where I have regret for the NES is this. Although, it my have saved the industry it also stifled it. Just imagine a NA library for TurboGrafx if 3rd party developers ported nicer looking games to TurboGrafx at the same time they were released on Nintendo's console(s).
I have to agree that PS2 is right up there. Just think, if Nintendo would have just let Sony finish development and release a disc drive for the SNES, would Sony have ever ventured into the home console market?
There's no denying the success of the SNES but, I have a better connection to the Sega Genesis. I like cheering for the underdog and, at the time, no one had come close to beating Nintendo in the North American market.
As far as a top 5 list of best home consoles based on sales, public opinion, support etc. Here's mine:
1.) NES
2.) PS2
3.) SNES
4.) XBOX 360
5.) Genesis
As far as a current list of my personal favorite home consoles would probably look like this:
1.) NES
2.) TurboGrafx/ PCE
3.) Genesis
4.) XBOX 360
5.) GameCube
With all of this said, one of the main reasons I purchased my PS2 was that it played DVD's. I thought the GameCube might be better but no DVD play and constantly getting burned by the N64's lack of allowing developers port popular games to it. Oh yeah, they did finally release RE2 on N64 about 67 years after it first came out on PS1.
As far as the Neo Geo discussion goes. Was it a success? I think so, it did exactly what it set out to do. Fill a higher end niche market with exact arcade ports. Why is it not on my list? It had a major impact in that it was the first home console to have the exact same game as found in an arcade but that's not enough for me. It's cost made it not popular because few could afford it (still) and it was never marketed or sold to compete in the mass market. Home can you compare that? It's like comparing a Toyota Camry to the Bugatti Veyron. Are there a shit ton of people that want both? Sure.. out of that shit ton how many can buy the Veyron? Out of those 2 cars which keeps the company that sells it afloat and profitable? Just because the Veyron (like the Neo Geo) was the most powerful piece of hardware ever released to the public at that time, does that make it the greatest of all time?