Which video game system should you buy? – Part 4
While I think all game systems have their good and bad points, I think a lot of your decision-making should be based on how often you play video games and the types of games you like to play.
I want to discuss what I think are the positives of the Nintendo Wii, Sony's PS3, and the XBOX 360 from what I consider a "casual gamer" point-of-view. Obviously if you're seriously into video games my perspective may seem a little basic, which I understand. I mainly want to address parents who may not play video games or people like me who play them on occasion and just want a good system for their needs.
Nintendo Wii:
The Nintendo Wii is a lot of fun to play, especially in a group setting where people have various skill levels. This is the only system my husband and I don't own yet because they're in such high demand still that it takes some effort or extra money to currently find them. I have however played the included sports game, Zelda, and Super Mario Galaxy.
Once you get the hang of the controls on the Nintendo Wii, the game play is very natural. Plus it's a game system where you get a little exercise in the process of playing, which I think is good for kids. I also think it's the best system for people who've skipped a few generations of game systems and want to get back into playing something.
Sony's PS3:
My husband and I do own a PS3, which we use more for a Blu-Ray player than a game system just because we work a lot right now. What's fun with it is hooking it up to a projector that uses computer connections, creating an instant high-definition home movie theater on a budget if you have a blank white wall with good quality gloss paint. (It's fun playing games on that big of a screen as well.)
Probably our current favorite game with this system is called Rock Band, which comes with a drum set, guitar, and microphone. Depending on the people you're with, it can be extremely funny or mentally challenging. My husband likes games such as Call of Duty as well.
XBOX 360:
You can't talk about XBOX 360 without talking about the Halo game series, which I believe has been it's best-selling set of games. I'm honestly not a shooter-game person, but my husband liked all three of them. From my point-of-view I can definitely tell a lot of quality went into making them.
This system also has a wide selection of games and has reasonable prices on most of them now. Guitar Hero III is very popular right now and is similar to PS3's Rock Band guitar. (I don't believe it comes with the drums and microphone however.) I've also seen our nephew play Cars and Lego Star Wars, which both look like good games. The XBOX 360 also comes with a standard DVD playing capability, and I've heard a HD-DVD (Blu-Ray's competitor) attachment is also available.
A Note About the Blu-Ray/HD-DVD Debate:
Some people treat the whole Blu-Ray/HD-DVD debate more seriously than government politics, but just from a practical standpoint it just didn't make sense for us personally to have both since we already had a Blu-Ray player with the PS3. We haven't had any issues come up with our Blu-Rays to where we'd want to own two different formats.
I would just recommend doing some research into finding out which format would fit your needs better if you're looking for a high-definition format with your gaming system, since I admit I'm not as impartial in this area as just talking about the systems themselves.
I hope this review has been helpful to you, and best wishes in your search!
Console reviews: The Nintendo Wii – Part 3
The Wii is revolutionary in its interaction level and entertainment value. Instead of allowing players to just sit down and manipulate a character, many Wii games require players to stand up and get moving.
The Wii Sports program (a disk that came with my Wii), is absolutely amazing. I worked up a sweat practicing tennis, golf, baseball, bowling, and (my personal favorite) boxing. Wii Sports also has a feature that allows you to test your strength, stamina, and balance, giving you an approximate age to match your skill level. The closer one is to 20, the better are one's balance, strength, and stamina
Nintendo has managed to sneak exercise into their video games, and I couldn't be happier. Rather than shelling out thousands of dollars for boring exercise equipment, I am able to work out with my Wii, get my heart rate up, and burn calories.
Even better than the workout from Wii Sports is the Mii Channel. Players get to design up to 100 unique little three-dimensional avatars. With the "mingle" function activated, the Miis on one's Wii can interact with other Miis on Wiis contained within one's Wii address book. The Miis can even mingle together to form a Mii Parade and march to the Mii Plaza. Also, the Miis are the avatars that are used in several games, such as Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Mario Party 8.
In addition to the Mii Channel, every Wii is equipped to connect to an Internet provider. Once connected to the Internet, the Wii can be used to surf the Internet, download games from the Nintendo Store, vote in polls, send messages, and even view the latest news and weather through the News and Weather Channels.
The Wii is user-friendly, fun, and costs less than the competing console game systems. In addition, the Wii can also read and play Gamecube games (in spite of GCN disks being smaller than Wii disks), which gives one even more value for one's money. I am delighted with my Wii, and I don't regret buying it!
Which video game system should you buy?
The Wii is definitely the best video game system that should be bought when deciding out of any game systems. It gives you a good opportunity to be active and play games at the same time! The Wii is very effective and it beats out the Xbox 360 by a long run...I admit that for older gamers may enjoy the Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3 if they are looking for better graphics and some of the games are for a lot older people. However, the Wii is very fun and has games and graphics that children and grown-ups alike will all love. It brings all game systems into one big one and doubles the excitement! The only problem with the Wii is the low stock that are given to stores of them. Nintendo continues to hold them back and only releases them in stores about once a week. If you do happen to get a Wii then you are one lucky person! The Wii is very easy to connect and disconnect, move around (although you must be very careful when messing with any of the wireless bars,etc..on the Wii) and put in small spaces where the Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3 may not fit. Another wonderful thing about the Wii is the ability to play all old Game Cube games on it as well as Wii games (as long as you have the Game Cube remotes). Along with the Xbox 360 and other gaming systems that are out there right now, on the Wii you can set up and connect to your home Internet, which enables you to be able to buy games right when you are playing! The Wii also brings a unique feature of Weather, News, Photos, and Messaging. If you are connected to the Internet, you will be able to look at the weather, you will be able to see local news, and you will be able to download some of your photos onto the Wii which you can edit, send, and do many other fun things with them, that if you didn't have the correct equipment you may not even be able to accomplish with the computer! One of the things I enjoy on the Wii is the ability to send messages between other Wii systems. You can send game results and many other amazing things! Best of all the Wii brings out a whole new world called Miis. They are small characters which you can make from scratch, or start with basic things already set up for you. Once you are done creating the characters you can let them "mingle" in which they can travel around to different Wiis and make new friends. If you ever have to go through the decision of buying a video game system I would definitely without a doubt recommend the Wii. It is the best and I'm not sure if anything better will be able to be made. Get the Wii! It is great and it has been a lot of fun for me to work with!
Rent Video Game Online And Play All You Want!
John Caskey asked:
Renting video games online is the single best way to try video games before you buy. Rent video game online services keep costs down: With many game prices starting at $30 and going as high as $50 and even higher, paying such high prices for video games that might be less than what you expected can be just too big a gamble. Even though gamers can view "walkthroughs" screen shots online, and other online game samples are available to take a look at how a game works, there is nothing like actual hands on playing to find out whether it's something you will love, like or hate.
Just like movie rentals, video games are available to rent from many or most movie rental companies, along with some game stores and online as well. The big problem with renting form a local store, though, is that they rarely have a good selection, and it can be very expensive.
As a result, being able to rent video game online is making a big splash. Video game rental is the ultimate in convenience and cost savings. Video game rental means you don't have to buy a game for $30 or more, but you can try games before buying to make sure it's a game you want to keep. Just like services like NetFlix or Blockbuster's movie service through the mail, game rental companies are springing up too.
For teens and older gamers, trying before buying can keep from spending hard-earned money on games that turn out to be duds. Gamers can try nearly every game that's on the market. And many video game rental companies let you keep the game you want to buy at a discount.
As a parent, online video game rental can be a godsend. Even young gamers now have access to game systems like GameCube. If you have no idea about content of games or which games were any good, video game rental can be a great way to go. Renting games first, you are able to view games before allowing your children to play them, and find out if they are too frightening, or violent or otherwise not appropriate.
Even using the rating system set out by the gaming industry doesn't always help. One mom explained it this way: "We had one game called Super Smash Brothers that was rated E-10+ meaning better for older kids over ten. But we felt it was fine -just cartoon violence. But another game rated E-10+, the X-Men game, was so violent and bloody that if we hadn't been able to rent it first we would have been stuck with a game we were not going to let our son watch!" She saved about $50 in game purchasing costs by not having to buy!
The companies that let you rent video game online have incredible selections of games, and have them for every platform on the market - handheld game systems like the Game Boy or Nintendo DS, through GameCube, and the high end too like Xbox, Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. You have many games to choose from. It an be much cheaper than renting from the local store because you won't pay late fees or shipping; just send back the games when you are through (and you can send back the game that are really terrible right away!) But best of all, many game services offer credits that add up as you continue your subscription. These credits can be applied toward buying games. When you find a game you like, you can usually just keep it and they will send you the box and inserts, with free shipping. In just one sample of purchase pricing, a game that retails for $50 could be purchased for $27 after applying credits and discounts - a really great deal all around!
For gamers that have multiple game systems, such as console as well as handheld, it helps to be able to choose games for short rental periods when going on vacation for example. Most of the time, games are available for all game platforms. For the games you want to rent, you can add them to a "queue" or list, and when one is returned, the next one is sent out. A money savings and less hassle too.
Rent video game online service is a great way to try out games before spending the ever-higher prices to buy them, and can even let you purchase a game at a discount. Take a free trial today - save cash and play all the games you've always wanted to try!
Best Prices-Counter Strike