Which video game console system should you buy

12 Jul, 2007 Games Consoles

There’s just so much choice these days, it’s not an easy task anymore knowing the best place to spend your money. And if you’re looking for one of these systems, you really are going to need to spend some money.

The Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is currently running at about $400, Sony’s Playstation 3 comes in at $500 and the Wii from Nintendo is in the region of $350.

So the question we need answers to is: Should it be the high-definition PS 3, the highly interactive Wii or the computer derived Xbox 360?

Well, here’s my take on it, based on what you’re looking for…

If you’re like me, you’re a committed video game fanatic, and seriously into pixels and graphics – the natural choice is the Xbox 360. The 360 is essentially a computer, it can be easily upgraded, so you’re also buying into an upgrade process. You can pretty much guarantee Microsoft will be releasing some pretty neat upgrades over the coming months and years, not to mention the vast realm of third party vendors out there.

So with the Xbox 360 you’re buying gaming power and longevity.

If you’re more of a weekend warrior, and already have the Xbox or PS2, my recommendation would be to upgrade to the Xbox 360. As this baby has been around the longest, it has the biggest selection of games available, and at the best prices. Games for the PS3 are still in the $50 - $60 bracket, where as many Xbox 360 games are now hitting the discount shelves in the region of $20 - $30.

The technology behind the 360 isn’t far behind the PS 3, and in many areas it’s ahead of it. You can always buy the PS 3 in a year, when the price drops and more games are out but keep your Xhox for original Xbox games. I’ve discovered that the 360 doesn’t truly play many, of the original Xbox games, which can be very frustrating. And if you’re watching the pennies, you can still buy used and classic Xbox games for less than $20.

If you’re a parent looking for good clean fun for your kids, get the Nintendo Wii or a handheld Nintendo DS Lite. Wii games are appealing to blood-squeamish moms and dads. That’s not to say there won’t be adult level games, but Wii will host the kid-friendly world of Mario.

If the truth be known, I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the Wii more than I did my PS 3, simply because it has the built-in interactivity. That remote-control wand will read your actual movements and translate that to actions on the screen. So if you have a baseball game for example, the Wii wand will be your baseball bat, so you could hit a home run right from your living room.

If you’re just looking for a great games console to play games on now and again, you can’t go wrong with the original Xbox. It’s better than a PS 2 are very reasonably priced - they retail now for about $130.

Or if you’re looking for a hand-held, go with Sony’s PSP – currently priced at around $200. It really does look as good as a Playstation 2, which is a great achievement for a handheld system, and you can play it anywhere.

Whetever option you choose, I can’t recommend enough getting away from the PS 2 and moving up to an Xbox (original or 360) or PSP. I know PS 2’s are still popular, but then so is Friends!