Are you still undecided on the best game console to buy? Having been exposed to several generation of different game consoles, I can pretty much give an advice on what kind of game console is right for you. However, I won’t give specific advice on which game console you will buy… That is up for you to decide!
Types of Game Consoles
First, it is important to note that there are several kinds of game consoles. Handheld game console such as the likes of Sony PSP and Nintendo DS for example has been pretty popular lately. The ones that are not so portable we will refer to as classic game console types… And yes, that goes for the PS3 and XBox 360 as well.
So when choosing the right video game console keep the following things in mind:
Price – Of course, the game console you will be able to buy would entirely depend on your budget. Cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better.
Games – What are the currently available games and what games are currently lined up? Look for game releases for the next 3 to 6 months just to see if you will have the right value for your money by investing on a game console device. You wouldn’t want to invest on game consoles that only have 2 final games to be released do you?
User – Who will use the game console most of the time? I understand that some parents might decide to buy a Wii for their children but then we all know that the Wii lacked some more mature games… So when it so happens that the parent actually play more games than the kids, he gets frustrated and wish he bought a PS3 or XBox 360 instead! So choose carefully based on the most frequent user.
Area or Place- Where will the the game console be used? For example, I travel a lot… So the best console to buy for myself is a portable game console the likes of PSP or DS. For those of you who just like to play games and relax at home, the classic game console type might just fit your needs. If you sleep in a coffin, you wouldn’t want a PS3… Buy a PSP instead!
So as of the time of this writing, the following is a list of latest game console for you to buy. Choose carefully, and do some research first before you hit your head on the wall!
How To Decide On The Best Video Game Console To Buy
Which Video Game Console is Right for You?
There are six major video game consoles available at retailers right now; Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, and Nintendo DS. It can be hard to choose which one is right for you. And after you add in the old consoles too, it makes the choice even more overwhelming. Don’t worry too much though. Just ask yourself a few simple questions outlined below and you can easily decide which system is right for you. The points to consider are price, graphics, game selection, and other capabilities.
Price – Probably the single biggest factor for someone choosing a video game console is the price they have to pay to purchase the system itself. Prices range from $599 for the Playstation 3 down to $129 for the Nintendo DS. And if you really want to save money you can buy past generation consoles like Playstation, Nintendo 64, and Super Nintendo and spend no more than $20 for a used system. The prices for games should also be factored in when making your choice. PS3 and Xbox 360 games are usually $59.99 new, while Nintendo DS games sell for $29.99 new. Games for old systems are hard to find at regular retailers, but they are usually quite a bit cheaper if you buy them online.
Graphics – The graphics are always improving with the newer video game consoles, so the newer systems will always have the best graphics. The Xbox 360 and PS3 have the best graphics and can display in High Definition if you have a TV that can display it too. The Wii does not have the same graphical capabilities as the other two, though many casual gamers will not be disappointed. The Nintendo DS and PSP lack the graphical power that the home consoles have because they are portable. And the PSP can display graphics quite a bit better than the DS.
If you are considering older systems, each generation is roughly at the same level graphically no matter which system you choose. Playstation and Nintendo 64 are about the same, as are Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. But Nintendo 64 will be quite a bit better than Super Nintendo, which is better than original Nintendo.
Game Selection – The main reason you buy a system is for the games, so you have to be sure the games you want to play are on the system you choose. Some systems have very wide selections of games because they were so popular, like Playstation 2, Playstation, and Super Nintendo. With these systems you can almost always find a game in the genres you like. If you really like a particular series of games (Mario, Halo, Final Fantasy, etc) you need to be sure to pick the system that those games come out on. Mario games are only on Nintendo systems, N64, Gamecube, Wii, Nintendo DS, and Super Nintendo to name a few. Halo is only on Microsoft’s systems, Xbox and Xbox 360. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy has changed systems. You can only find the newest Final Fantasy games on Playstation 2 and you can find older ones on SNES, Gameboy Advance, and Playstation.
Other Capabilities – Many systems have features unique to them that might be important to you or change game play dramatically. For example, the Wii uses motion-sensing controllers so all of their games use a different style of game play compared to the other systems with a regular joystick. Likewise, the Nintendo DS has one touch screen, another screen above that, and is portable too. If portability is important to you be sure to choose one of the portable systems PSP, Nintendo DS, Gameboy Advance, or Gameboy. If online play is an important feature, you should probably choose the Xbox or Xbox 360. They have the most capable online features.
After considering all these questions you can decide which features are the most critical for you and choose the system that best meets that criteria. If you are on a tight budget but want a wide selection of games to play, you should choose Playstation or Super Nintendo. The systems and games are very cheap now and thousands of games were made for them. If you want the best graphics and online games, you should probably choose the Xbox 360. It has some of the best graphics and the best online setup.
Once you have weighted all these options you should be well on your way to choosing the best system for you. Now go buy it and start enjoying your gaming purchase.
Recent And Upcoming Special Collector’s Edition Video Games
Most forms of media these days simply aren’t content with releasing products on just a standard basis. Music CDs come in deluxe editions that offer additional tracks or are packaged with DVDs that contain bonus materials. Movie and television show DVDs that come in special or collector’s editions provide viewers with extra features not contained on single-disc standard sets. And now video games are taking incredible advantage of a collector’s market that thrives on extra challenge maps, bonus characters or incredible amounts of exclusive swag contained solely within special edition releases.
Generally, these collector’s editions will drive the price up significantly. While most PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 games will run $59.99, those consumers that want more can expect to pay anywhere from $20 to almost $100 more for special collector’s edition sets of their favorite titles.
Here are a few recent and upcoming special edition sets for some of the hottest video games hitting the market:
Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector’s Edition (Released on August 25, 2009 for PS3 and Xbox 360, MSRP $99.99): After a full cast of Batman games over the recent years have failed to live up to expectations, a great amount of hype surrounded the release of the very first next generation title for the caped crusader. Batman: Arkham Asylum was released on Aug. 25 to rave reviews and was instantly labeled one of the best superhero video games ever. Adding flair was the release of a collector’s edition for the game, which contains many notable extras to the standard game itself. Accompanying the game is a plastic 14″ replica batarang with attached stand, a 50-page character Arkham Doctor’s Journal in an embossed leather dust jacket, a downloadable challenge map and a bonus DVD or Blu-Ray – all housed in a batarang shaped hard case.
Tekken 6 Limited Edition (Release Date of October 27, 2009 for PS3 and Xbox 360, MSRP $149.99): When it comes to fighting games, the Tekken franchise is one of the elite within the industry. Highlighted by the largest cast of characters in the game’s history and the King of the Iron Fist Tournament, Tekken 6 is sure to be a hot seller for the upcoming holiday season. For those hardcore Tekken fans, an extra $90 can score you a limited edition fight stick controller designed by Hori and a collectible art book with the Tekken 6 Limited Edition bundle.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition (Release Date of November 10, 2009 for PS3 and Xbox 360, MSRP $149.99): Perhaps the single greatest first person war shooters of all time, Call of Duty has been an incredible successful franchise especially on the next generation Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. The next installment of the series will be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which will come in three distinct editions. The standard game will sell for $59.99. The “Hardened Edition” will retail for $79.99 and come with a steel book, art book and download for the original Call of Duty. And then there’s the “Prestige Edition,” which will cost a whopping $149.99 and come packaged with everything included in the other versions, as well as a set of night vision goggles with a 50-foot range and an individually numbered collector’s stand to hold the goggles.