Hamlet never was a king, unless you are referring to his father, whom we know only as "the Ghost." The Ghost, according to Hamlet, was a good king, a great father, and a terrific husband to Gertrude. The kingdom is mourning him when Gertrude marries Hamlet's uncle, and it is immediately clear that King Hamlet was a benevolent and beloved King.
If you're asking, would Prince Hamlet have made a good king, then, in my opinion, I would say perhaps, with time. Prince Hamlet is the epitome of a youth struggling with inner turmoil, indecision, and the deeper themes of life. While no one quite knows Prince Hamlet's age, scholars speculate he had to at least be in his late twenties (Yorick's decomposed skull being the clue). This is the age when many of us begin to delve into the mysteries of life, expressing ourselves with poetry, art, or other expressive forms.
Had Hamlet became King at the time of his father's death, we can certainly assume that his mind would have been consumed with the same questions he expresses throughout the play. He had a good head for revenge, but in the end he was not able to carry out his life's goals. This does not a good king make.
To further complicate Hamlet's hypothetical kingdom, his love for Ophelia and his rash actions would both hinder his level-headedness.
Had Hamlet lived, he may have grown into being a thoughtful and powerful King. That would have taken many years, however, for we meet Hamlet as he begins to ask life's difficult questions. Imagine if he had lived! Those questions, especially if we presume Ophelia had still died, would have only intensified.
It's very possible that Hamlet's experiences: losing his father, killing his uncle, the accidental death of his mother, the suicide of Ophelia, and his murder of Polonius - not to mention meeting his father's ghost! - would have filled his head with enough worry to truly drive him mad.
This is such a fascinating question, and I can imagine talking about the possibilities for hours! Harold Bloom's essays are indispensible for Shakespeare fans and students, and I recommend the link below.
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