| There are three major player in the console | | | | outstanding and it came with a free month of |
| wars this Christmas, the Nintendo Wii, the | | | | Xbox Live Gold, which I just extended another |
| Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) and the Microsoft | | | | 13 months for $59. Xbox Live and Halo 3 may |
| Xbox 360. Each console has it's own niche | | | | be the Xbox 360's distinguishing features, |
| advantages and minor disadvantages, but the | | | | Xbox Live allows you to download demo's of |
| one major difference between choosing a | | | | games, video clips and of course play multi |
| console in 2007 is that there is no bad | | | | player games online. There are many other |
| choice. There may be no wrong choice, but | | | | great games for the Xbox like Gears of War |
| there are choices which are more "right" than | | | | and BioShock, in fact as of this Christmas |
| others, this is mainly dependent on the types | | | | the Xbox 360 probably has the best library of |
| of games you and your kids enjoy. | | | | great games of all three systems, with the |
| | | | Wii in second and the Playstation 3 third. |
| If you had told me a year ago that I would be | | | | |
| standing in a room, playing video games with | | | | The Sony Playstation 3 is the most expensive |
| people old enough to be my parents (and in | | | | of the three systems, it was also the last |
| some cases they were my parents) I would have | | | | one to hit store shelves. The Playstation 3 |
| told you that you were crazy, but that's what | | | | features include the best graphics subsystem |
| the Nintendo Wii brings to the table. | | | | of any of the consoles and of course the |
| | | | Blu-Ray DVD player which is built in. If you |
| The Wii is different than the other consoles | | | | have a high def TV and want a Blu-Ray player, |
| and that difference is due to the new motion | | | | then the Sony Playstation 3 is the right |
| sensitive controller which ships with the | | | | choice for you. |
| console. Imagine that you're playing a golf | | | | |
| game, typical controllers would have you push | | | | The Playstation 3 was delayed many times and |
| a thumb switch back, then forth to mimic a | | | | because of that it has the least number of |
| golf swing. The Wii on the other hand would | | | | games for it of all three systems, but if the |
| have you stand up, draw back the controller | | | | new price reductions of the system are any |
| (like a golf club) and swing. Ok, maybe | | | | indication (you can get a 40GB version for |
| you're not a golfer, how about bowling? If | | | | $399) then the Playstation 3 will make up |
| you could have seen my 79 year old mother | | | | lost ground quickly in 2008. I don't |
| using the Wii controller to bowl and my 8 | | | | personally have a Playstation 3, so can't |
| year old son laughing his head off then you | | | | really comment on first hand knowledge of the |
| would make your decision to buy a Wii right | | | | system, but I know that Sony will not give up |
| now. The Wii comes with a package called Wii | | | | it's position as market leading in the video |
| Sports which features bowling, golf, baseball | | | | game console wars without a fight. |
| and boxing. | | | | |
| | | | So, will it be the funky remote, the most |
| In some games, like bowling or baseball, the | | | | games, or the Blu-Ray player and the promise |
| Wii controller makes playing the game easier | | | | of future dominance? Your decision is not an |
| than a standard controller. However in some | | | | easy one, but I believe that there are no |
| more traditional games it can make games | | | | loosers in this race. All three systems will |
| harder to play. For instance, Mario Strikers | | | | have an excellent library of games, amazing |
| was one of my favorite games on the Gamecube, | | | | graphics and sound and none of them are going |
| but on the Wii I find the new version | | | | anywhere for a few years. Choose the fun and |
| difficult to play (my eight year old seems to | | | | cute Wii with it's revolutionary controller, |
| have the hang of it though). In any case, | | | | the sure footed and proven Xbox 360 with it's |
| the Wii makes an excellent party system, sure | | | | library of exciting games (mostly aimed at |
| to be enjoyed by kids of all ages and is the | | | | teens and young men) or the ultra powerful |
| least expensive of the three systems, | | | | Playstation 3 with it's Blu-Ray player. |
| although the other two are coming down in | | | | |
| price rapidly to try to compete. | | | | While I don't think that you should buy a |
| | | | system based on backward compatibility it is |
| The Xbox 360 is the safe middle ground of the | | | | worth mentioning that all three gaming |
| three systems. It will play DVD's if you | | | | systems mentioned have some degree of |
| desire that functionality and can hook up to | | | | backward compatibility. This may be |
| your HDTV via included component video cables | | | | important to you if you don't already own a |
| (note that the low end $299 Xbox 360 Arcade | | | | system and are interested in picking up some |
| does not come with the hookup cables for | | | | inexpensive older games, beware however that |
| HDTV). Halo 3 and BioShock type games should | | | | not all older games will play on these |
| be your yardstick for whether or not you want | | | | systems. I believe the Wii is the most |
| an Xbox 360. For us, my son could not live | | | | backward compatible of the three (with the |
| without his beloved Halo 3, so off to the | | | | Gamecube), but I do not have any hard/fast |
| store we went to get the Xbox 360. | | | | numbers. |
| | | | |
| I've been very happy with the system, the | | | | Pick a system and have fun, after all isn't |
| graphics on our 42" plasma HDTV are | | | | that what gaming is all about? |