Like every Christmas, this year a new game console tops the wish list of many children. The question for parents is which console is the right one for my children, do you know the answer? I’ll break down some of the main features of each console, the pros and cons, and in the end I hope to give you some of the information you need to make an informed decision.
The Wii has been the media’s favorite console this year and for good reason. The Wii has introduced gaming to a whole group of people who previously wouldn’t look twice at a video game console.
I have yet to meet a person who has not liked playing on the Nintendo Wii. I’m sure I’ve met some who say things like “I expected better graphics”, but every single person who has tried our Nintendo Wii has enjoyed the experience. Everyone from my mom to my daughter has enjoyed games like bowling, baseball, and boxing on the Wii. Even just watching the little Mii’s playful walk on the screen can be fun.
Take the Wii controller and try out games like bowling, baseball and see the difference a motion sensitive controller can make in a game. When bowling, use the motion you would do when bowling, same for golf, baseball, and other games. When driving, turn the controller sideways and use it as a steering wheel. It really is quite revolutionary and gives the Wii its own flavor.
If you have a teenager who likes online gaming, chances are good that they want an Xbox 360. The Halo series is one of the most successful of all time and is only available on Xbox360.
I’m very happy with the system, the graphics on our 42″ Plasma HDTV are outstanding and it came with a free month of Xbox Live Gold, which I just extended another 13 months for $59. Xbox Live and Halo 3 may be the features. Xbox 360’s hallmarks, Xbox Live, allows you to download game demos, video clips, and of course play online multiplayer games.There are plenty of other great Xbox games like Gears of War and BioShock, in fact, starting this Christmas, Xbox 360 probably has the best library of big games of the three systems, with Wii in second place and PlayStation 3 in third.
The Sony PlayStation 3 is the most expensive of the three systems, it was also the last to hit stores. PlayStation 3 features include the best graphics subsystem of any of the consoles and, of course, the built-in Blu-Ray DVD player. If you have an HDTV and want a Blu-Ray player, then the Sony PlayStation 3 is the right choice for you.
The PlayStation 3 has been delayed many times and so has the fewest games of the three systems, but if the new system price cuts are any indication (you can get a 40GB version for $399), then the PlayStation 3 will quickly make up lost ground in 2008. I don’t personally own a PlayStation 3 so I can’t comment on first-hand knowledge of the system, but I do know that Sony will not relinquish its position as the market leader in the video game console wars without Fight.
So will it be the funky remote, the most games, or the Blu-Ray player and the promise of future dominance? His decision is not easy, but I think there are no losers in this race. All three systems will have an excellent library of games, amazing graphics and sound, and none of them will be going anywhere for a few years. Choose from the fun and cute Wii with its revolutionary controller, the safe and tested Xbox 360 with its library of exciting games (mainly aimed at teenagers and young men), or the ultra-powerful PlayStation 3 with its Blu-Ray player.
All three systems have some level of backwards compatibility with games from their previous versions (Gamecube for Wii, Xbox for Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2 for PlayStation 3), but don’t buy a new system because it plays your old games, there’s no better platform for gaming that you own now than the system that was meant to play them. Buy your new system to play the new games, the ones not available on the old systems.