Choosing a new video game console or portable device can be a difficult exercise. Consoles seemingly become obsolete after just a couple of years, and finding out which one is going to be the next big thing can be frustrating. Today, the market has stabilized and three major consoles and two portable units have seized the lion's share of the market: the Nintendo Wii, the Microsoft Xbox 360, and the Sony PlayStation 3, and the portable Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable.
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Nintendo Wii – Fun for Everyone
The Nintendo Wii is currently the most popular game console in the world. Geared toward a broad demographic of casual gamers, families, and children & adolescents, the Wii offers a vast library of titles, accessories, and support services. The Wii offers full online play free of charge.
The Wii also offers a unique and wildly popular wireless controller interface, the famed Wii Remote, which detects movement in three dimensions. Wii games are typically very active, and players act out the motions of what they would like to do onscreen in the game world. For example, the game Wii Sports includes golf, tennis, and bowling, and in each of these games players must swing the remote like a golf club, a tennis racket, or mimic the motion of rolling a bowling ball. In other Wii games, you may be called upon to use the Wii Remote to swing a sword, throw punches at a opponent, or drive a car.
An added advantage is that the Wii is backward compatible with the Nintendo GameCube, and gamers who upgrade can keep and play their favorite titles from the older platform. Many classic titles from even older platforms are available to play online at the Wii website.
Microsoft Xbox 360 – Gamer's Paradise
The Xbox 360 has been embraced by avid gamers and fans of online play. The Xbox 360 is the only platform to play games from the wildly successful Halo series, and the Xbox 360 has distinguished itself among fans of first-person shooter games and sports titles. The Xbox 360 is available in three distinct models:
- Xbox 360 Arcade – This is the entry level version, and includes a wireless controller and five free games on a single disc: Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Uno, and Pac-Man Championship Edition.
- Xbox 360 Pro – This model includes everything from the Arcade version, and adds in a detachable 60GB hard drive loaded with additional games and content, and an upgraded motherboard.
- Xbox 360 Elite – The Elite features a 120GB hard drive, and various game bundles that include Halo 3, Fable II, Lego Indiana Jones, and Kung Fu Panda.
Xbox Live is the online component of the Xbox 360 gaming experience, and offers both free and subscription account services. Xbox Live also allows users to download television shows and movies from an extensive content library. The Xbox Live Arcade service provides access to classic games from a number of different platforms.
The Xbox 360 is backward compatible with the original Xbox, and supports the full range of older games. The Xbox can also be the centerpiece of a multifunctional entertainment system – it can play DVDs, and is HD and HDMI compatible.
Sony PlayStation 3 – The Blu-ray Advantage
The primary distinguishing factor of the PS3 is that it supports the Blu-ray Disc format. Not only do the games look more vivid and realistic, but you can play Blu-ray movies as well, making the PS3 the most versatile of the game consoles. For consumers looking to combine gaming with an entertainment center in one convenient package, the PS3 is a popular choice.
The Sony PS3 has more titles than any other gaming system, and users have responded enthusiastically to the wide range of available games and entertainment. Popular titles include games of the Final Fantasy series, Metal Gear Solid, and Assassin's Creed. The PlayStation Network offers online play to PS3 users, free of charge. Older PS and PS2 titles can be downloaded for a modest fee.
The PS3 currently offers limited backward compatibility with the PS and PS2 – some older games work, others do not. Sony has pledged to make the PS3 completely backward compatible with forthcoming software updates. In September 2009, Sony launched a new version of the PS3, the PS3 Slim, which is 33 percent smaller, 36 percent lighter and more energy efficient than previous models, and features an upgradeable 120GB hard drive.
Nintendo DS – The World's Most Popular Portable
The Nintendo DS is a portable gaming device with broad demographic appeal. Like the Wii, the DS features a unique input device (in addition to the standard buttons): the DS Stylus, a pen-like device that allows you to manipulate sprites and enter information on the touch-sensitive screen. The DS has limited Internet capability via an add-on cartridge. The DS also has a built-in microphone that can be used for speech-recognition, online chat, and other game applications.
The Sony PSP has met with acclaim and enthusiasm from the hardcore gaming crowd because of its robust technology that allows a portable gaming experience that is the graphical and gameplay equivalent of console performance. The PSP uses optical discs, and has advanced multimedia functions that include a photo, music & video organizer, Internet microbrowser, VoIP access, and remote play.
As the PlayStation Vita was first shown at E3 2011 and released in February 2012 in North America, Europe, Australia and Latin America. It was previously codenamed Sony NGP (Next Generation Portable). The PlayStation Vita is easily the most technologically advanced handheld to date, with dual quad-core processors, an 5-inch OLED touchscreen display, front and rear facing cameras, optional 3G connectivity, a rear touch panel, and a built-in accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a digital compass.
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