A Guide to Buying a Games Console

One of the main aspects of a games consoles performance is its graphics. Gamers want to be immersed in ever increasingly real environments, indeed many see video games as taking over from cinema as the place where people will seek to lose themselves in convincing worlds and absorbing narratives.

Graphics are key to this sense of realism and, when it comes to graphics the PS3 is king. Its graphics memory has 256MB. This is a lot higher than other competitors. However, as many games are multi-platform there aren’t many PS3 titles where the graphics are worlds apart from those offered by the Xbox 360, though they can be slightly better.

Nintendo, who created games such as Mario, are famous for making titles which are dependent on puzzle solving and fun rather than realism. As a result their console, the Wii, has relatively lesser graphics. Often the games look more like rudimentary cartoons than Hollywood blockbusters, but this suits their nature.

After all the Wii, unlike most consoles, is controlled by kinetic movement (you have to actually move around to guide the action on screen using a wireless “wand” controller ). It doesn’t make sense to develop a really convincing alternate reality if your’re to busy bouncing about having fun to take it all in!

Titles

Which games are available on which console is another big question when considering which to buy. This has become less of an issue in recent years. Many big name franchises, such as Grand Theft Auto and Assassin’s Creed are available on both PS3 and Xbox 360 (this makes sense for games manufacturers as it means more sales.)

However, there are some big name games that are only available on one platform. For example the Metal Gear Solid series can only be played on PS3, where as the now more popular Halo series is exclusive to Xbox. Check to see which consoles the games you’d want to play are available on before buying.

The Xbox has a wider range of games, however, due to the larger memory, PS3 games tend to be more expansive taking longer to complete, which you may equate with better value for money.

Unlike the PS3 and Xbox, the Nintendo Wii has its own unique set of games, designed especially to work with the control system which depends on physical movement.

This means its games are often aimed at people you wouldn’t normally put in the bracket of gamers. Whilst absorbing PS3 and Xbox games involve sitting down and being engrossed, Wii games require energy to play. As a result many are aimed at increasing fitness.

The Wii takes advantage of the fact that it’s games are normally a bit of fun rather than serious, drawn out narratives to appeal to families and groups of friends wanting entertainment for a social occasion, essentially providing a high-tech alternative to party games.

Online Gaming

Online gaming, where players use the internet to take part in multiplayer action with people around the world, is becoming more and more popular. In this field the Xbox 360 is considered to be the best console. It has much more developed online services than any other console and, as a result, a large online community for you to engage with.

The only draw back is that you have to pay £5 a month to use Xbox Live, where as PS3 has free online services, though they lack the depth and range of the Xbox where you can not only play against other people, but chat, try demos, listen to music and watch TV and films.

Another consideration is that you have to enter personal data to set up an online gaming account. The security used to protect this data is considered to be higher on the Xbox. Hackers have on occasion managed to steal PS3 user’s details from Sony.

Special Features and Other Considerations

The PS3 is the only console capable of playing Blu-Ray films, ideal if you are a movie enthusiast.

If you are tempted by the Wii because of the active nature of the kinetic controls, be aware that Xbox has launched a ‘kinetic’, an extra piece of technology that you can by to use in conjunction with an Xbox 360 which allows you to play games controlled by your body movements similar to those on the Wii.

The controllers for the both the Xbox and PS3 are rechargeable, however only the Xbox controllers allow you to remove the battery. This means when it comes to the end of its life and can no longer be recharged you can replace it rather than getting a new controller.

Price

Obviously, all of these features need to be considered within the context of your budget. The PS3 costs about £280, though you can get cheaper versions with less memory for as much as £50 less.

The Xbox 360 is cheaper, costing about £200. Again, cheaper versions with less memory can be purchased for £150 or so.

The Nintendo Wii is cheaper still and can be found for as little as £130.

Games for the PS3 and 360 cost about £40 at the time of release and this can drop by half within a year. Wii games tend to be a bit cheaper but there also more accessories you might want to buy. For example, as well the regular controller you can get a steering wheel, a bike, an exercise pad and a dance mat with which to play games.

Used games can be picked up for a fraction of the usual price on all consoles.

Older Alternatives

Now outdated models from the early 2000’s, such as the PS1, PS2, Xbox and Gamecube can be picked up from about £100 new, and can be found used for as little as £10-20 used. They can even be picked up on websites such as freecycle for nothing.

The same is true of consoles from the 1990’s such as the Sega Mega Drive, commonly found for less than £20.

Bundles

Whether you buy from the high street or online it’s highly recommended that you get a games bundle deal, where extras such as controllers and games are sold alongside the console at a significant discount.

It’s worth taking on a such a deal even if you don’t particularly need or want the extras, as you can sell them online very easily for close to their retail value.

Further Reading