|
by Dan Costa
Another year has passed and the game console market remains pretty much unchanged: Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony all continue their slow, steady battles for domination. The Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii look exactly the same, and although Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) has slimmed down some, it's not vastly different from the system that launched years ago. On the inside, however, each platform continues to evolve. Microsoft launched a new and improved interface for Xbox, the PS3 also received a minor facelift and added Netflix streaming this year, and while the Wii changed the least, it continues to add more titles all the time. The most noteworthy change: 2009 brought price reductions on all three systems. There are more reasons than ever to get in the console game. And if you're looking to game on the go, you've got solid options there too.
Nintendo Wii
At its launch back in 2005, Nintendo took some heat for its Wii, since it was woefully underpowered compared to the competition. Turns out that its simple gameplay, innovative motion-based controller, and affordable price was a winning combination. Today, the Wii leads both the PS3 and Xbox in worldwide sales. It remains the best system for children, families, and casual gamers, but our testing shows that it requires too many trade-offs for serious gamers.
That said, there is still a lot to like about the Wii. The recent release of Wii Sports Resort builds on the Wii Sports franchise by adding sports like archery, fencing, and wakeboarding. The package comes with a small sensor that attaches to your Wii remote and provides increased motion sensitivity. Emerging technology like Microsoft's Project Natal may collect TechEx awards, but the Wii has the best motion-sensitive controls available today. And it remains a crowd pleaser.
Microsoft Xbox 360
With Xbox 360 you have a couple of variations to consider. The flagship model is still the $300 Xbox 360 Elite, which ships with a 120GB hard drive, an HDMI port, and a wireless controller. Like Sony, Microsoft has also added video streaming, including Netflix support. All Xbox game titles—and there are plenty—are rendered in at least 720p high definition.
The entry-level $200 Xbox 360 Arcade gives Microsoft a leg up on the PS3. This is the most affordable Xbox you can get, and we found it packs the same graphics punch as its premium sibling. Hitting that price point forced Microsoft to remove the internal hard drive—which is a major sacrifice. Still, if you want to play Xbox games and take advantage of the excellent New Xbox Experience, the Arcade is the least-expensive way to do it.
Sony PlayStation 3
This year, Sony launched the PlayStation 3 120GB (PS3 Slim)—a thinner, lighter, more energy-efficient version of the original. It remains the only game console with an integrated Blu-ray player, the hard drive is easily accessible for upgrades, and you get Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and DLNA support. Better still, the price has finally dropped to a reasonable $299 (from its exorbitant $500 initial price). And now you get Netflix streaming in the bargain. Although the PS3 still can't match the Xbox's stellar online gameplay experience, there's no denying that Sony has the most full-featured console on the market today.
It should also be noted that the PlayStation 2 is still available, priced at just under $100 these days. It can't play newer games, but there's a massive catalog of nicely priced PS2 titles so it remains a viable option for bargain shoppers.
Portable Gaming Devices
Oddly enough, Apple, with its iPhone and iPod touch, has become a major player in the portable gaming market this year. While handhelds from Nintendo and Sony have the upper hand when it comes to replicating the console experience in portable form, Apple devices offer a huge variety of games and they're a lot less expensive.
Although the PlayStation Portable is still available, this year Sony released the slimmer, more pocket-friendly PSP go. What the PSP go gains in portability—largely by removing the UMD optical drive—it loses in functionality, but it's still a solid on-the-go game machine. The Nintendo DSi remains the affordable option for casual gamers, but we haven't seen many exciting new titles lately.
Another year has passed and the game console market remains pretty much unchanged: Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony all continue their slow, steady battles for domination. The Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii look exactly the same, and although Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) has slimmed down some, it's not vastly different from the system that launched years ago. On the inside, however, each platform continues to evolve. Microsoft launched a new and improved interface for Xbox, the PS3 also received a minor facelift and added Netflix streaming this year, and while the Wii changed the least, it continues to add more titles all the time. The most noteworthy change: 2009 brought price reductions on all three systems. There are more reasons than ever to get in the console game. And if you're looking to game on the go, you've got solid options there too.
Nintendo Wii
At its launch back in 2005, Nintendo took some heat for its Wii, since it was woefully underpowered compared to the competition. Turns out that its simple gameplay, innovative motion-based controller, and affordable price was a winning combination. Today, the Wii leads both the PS3 and Xbox in worldwide sales. It remains the best system for children, families, and casual gamers, but our testing shows that it requires too many trade-offs for serious gamers.
That said, there is still a lot to like about the Wii. The recent release of Wii Sports Resort builds on the Wii Sports franchise by adding sports like archery, fencing, and wakeboarding. The package comes with a small sensor that attaches to your Wii remote and provides increased motion sensitivity. Emerging technology like Microsoft's Project Natal may collect TechEx awards, but the Wii has the best motion-sensitive controls available today. And it remains a crowd pleaser.
Microsoft Xbox 360
With Xbox 360 you have a couple of variations to consider. The flagship model is still the $300 Xbox 360 Elite, which ships with a 120GB hard drive, an HDMI port, and a wireless controller. Like Sony, Microsoft has also added video streaming, including Netflix support. All Xbox game titles—and there are plenty—are rendered in at least 720p high definition.
The entry-level $200 Xbox 360 Arcade gives Microsoft a leg up on the PS3. This is the most affordable Xbox you can get, and we found it packs the same graphics punch as its premium sibling. Hitting that price point forced Microsoft to remove the internal hard drive—which is a major sacrifice. Still, if you want to play Xbox games and take advantage of the excellent New Xbox Experience, the Arcade is the least-expensive way to do it.
Sony PlayStation 3
This year, Sony launched the PlayStation 3 120GB (PS3 Slim)—a thinner, lighter, more energy-efficient version of the original. It remains the only game console with an integrated Blu-ray player, the hard drive is easily accessible for upgrades, and you get Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and DLNA support. Better still, the price has finally dropped to a reasonable $299 (from its exorbitant $500 initial price). And now you get Netflix streaming in the bargain. Although the PS3 still can't match the Xbox's stellar online gameplay experience, there's no denying that Sony has the most full-featured console on the market today.
It should also be noted that the PlayStation 2 is still available, priced at just under $100 these days. It can't play newer games, but there's a massive catalog of nicely priced PS2 titles so it remains a viable option for bargain shoppers.
Portable Gaming Devices
Oddly enough, Apple, with its iPhone and iPod touch, has become a major player in the portable gaming market this year. While handhelds from Nintendo and Sony have the upper hand when it comes to replicating the console experience in portable form, Apple devices offer a huge variety of games and they're a lot less expensive.
Although the PlayStation Portable is still available, this year Sony released the slimmer, more pocket-friendly PSP go. What the PSP go gains in portability—largely by removing the UMD optical drive—it loses in functionality, but it's still a solid on-the-go game machine. The Nintendo DSi remains the affordable option for casual gamers, but we haven't seen many exciting new titles lately.
