saxybeast418
CAGiversary!
First of all, good luck to everyone entering this contest!
Second, since CAG asked me to make this post a good one, allow me to go over what I like and dislike about every console being offered.
1. Xbox 360: The Xbox *is* western gaming. The Xbox 360 is the comfortable home of the console FPS; if you want to play games like Halo and Call of Duty, then this is the console for you. The CoD series does play brilliantly on other consoles, but Xbox live offers a massive playerbase, and odds are, your friends are playing CoD on Xbox live as well.
Xbox has a stable of great racing, sports, music, and shooting games as well. Less well-represented are the RPGs, with Fable and the Behtesda offerings.
As for the Kinect... well the jury is still out on it. Not a must-buy until they make some games for the bloody thing.
Also, if you want to play online (and believe me, you want to), you need to shell out 60 bucks per year... that is, if you don't pay attention to CAG forums
2. PS3: Ah, the PS3. She had a shaky start, but this leviathan has come into her own. The number and quality of PS3 exclusives simply dwarf those on its rival console, and while lacks the robust online player base of xbox live, there is no beating the price: free online service. The connections tend to be very stable, and I have not had to deal with as many jerks playing online on the PS3.
The PS3 is also a Blu-Ray player, and blu-ray is awesome.
The PS3 is probably has the most well-rounded library of all of the consoles; Xbox might have an edge with its Forza racers, but with Gran Turismo 5 coming out soon (maybe? they are taking their time with that one), the balance will turn towards the PS3.
The problems? Well, since coding for Xbox 360 and the PC versions of any given multiplatform title are essentially the same thing, the Xbox version tends to get programmed first. Which means that code has to be ported to the PS3. Which means that the PS3, despite its arguably more powerful hardware, tends to look and/or play worse than its rival. This problem has been mitigated to a large extent, but the fact remains: 360 versions of multiplatform titles tend to edge out PS3 versions.
The Move is excellent; the technology is much better at motion sensing than the Kinect, although buying all of those controllers, sub controllers, chargers, and what-have-you is a pain that kinect owners do not have to deal with. Still, it serves as nothing more than a Playstation Wii HD, which doesn't necessarily make it better.
We need games for these things!
3) The Wii: Ah, Nintendo, you sly fox you. The Wii is an excellent console. The cheapest and most successful of this generation popularized motion gaming while expanding the video game market by leaps and bounds. If you have not played a Wii, you have been living under a rock.
The controls work well when they are implimented correctly. If not, then you get another pebble in the mountain of Wii shovelware.
Wii has a handful of great, must-play first party games. From Mario to Metroid, this system has incredible stuff. There are also a (small) handful of 3rd party games that really shine: No More Heroes, Okami, Goldeneye, and Resident Evil 4 immediately come to mind.
The shooters on this console are few and far between. Ports of Call of Duty are competent, but do not light the world on fire. Metroid Prime Trilogy and Goldeneye really shine here, and should serve your needs.
Also, avoid Conduit.
Surprisingly, not a lot of RPG love has come to the console. Monster Hunter Tri is not to my liking. With Dragon Quest X on the horizon, that may change, however.
Also, Rock Band and Guitar Hero come for this console. Nuff said.
Other than that, it has Netflix, which is always nice, and even a darn good browser, but it really doesn't have the multimedia capability of its competitors. Storage for downloadable titles and DLC is problematic, but certainly doable.
Be warned however: a lot of stuff made for the Wii is crap. Be saavy about what you buy.
NEXT!
4) PSP: This is a great system. The graphics are beautiful, and the power that is packed in this thing is phenominal. There are some games, like Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker and Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, that just have to be played.
The main problem with this system is that the software pickings are rather slim compared to its competitors. It has a bit of everything, even a fantastic shooter in Resistance: Retribution.
The main draw, however, is the homebrew scene.
Yeah, it is frowned upon, and associated with piracy and all that garbage, but the hackability of this console is something to behold.
One other thing: the PSP go. The very *concept* of this piece of crap is offensive. Everything the PSP go does, the earlier models do as well. Shopping online? Check. 16 gb of memory? If you get a relatively inexpensive memory stick, then yup, check.
And it doesn't even play games that are on a disc! If you want to lend or sell these, well, then, you are screwed.
If they sold it as a budget PSP, then I would be a little more sympathetic, but the PSP go has no right to exist. If I had unlimited money, I would buy them all just to throw them in a volcano.
Screw you, Sony.
NEXT!
5) Nintendo DS: Aaaah, Nintendo DS. This console is awesome. Surprisingly powerful, this thing has an incredible library of must-own games. First party offerings are sublime, and third party offerings can be fantastic. Based on the shear number of games made for this most successful of consoles, you have a lot of shovelware, but there is plenty of good stuff, so avoid this is not a problem... mostly.
Shooters are difficult, if not downright impossible, to pull off here. Everything else? Represented in spades. Not a ton of capability outside of gaming, but you don't buy a DS to do things other than games, whether they are puzzle games, brain training games, or game games.
Great console, great price, great library.
NEXT!
6) The iPad is another device that has no right to exist. No, I'm sorry, but this thing sucks. Yes, it is cool. Yes, it can do a lot of great stuff. But so can the iPod touch!!! It gains nothing by being bigger. It does not function well as a tablet, and it will set your eyeballs on fire if you try to read on it for long periods of time.
iPod Touch is great. Lots of cheap, fun apps to be had. Music is always nice. No dealing with At&t either, although your internet is limited to wifi hotspots, so no GPS for you!
Gift cards are always nice.
Wow, that was way too long. Sorry guys! Feel free to ignore
Second, since CAG asked me to make this post a good one, allow me to go over what I like and dislike about every console being offered.
1. Xbox 360: The Xbox *is* western gaming. The Xbox 360 is the comfortable home of the console FPS; if you want to play games like Halo and Call of Duty, then this is the console for you. The CoD series does play brilliantly on other consoles, but Xbox live offers a massive playerbase, and odds are, your friends are playing CoD on Xbox live as well.
Xbox has a stable of great racing, sports, music, and shooting games as well. Less well-represented are the RPGs, with Fable and the Behtesda offerings.
As for the Kinect... well the jury is still out on it. Not a must-buy until they make some games for the bloody thing.
Also, if you want to play online (and believe me, you want to), you need to shell out 60 bucks per year... that is, if you don't pay attention to CAG forums
2. PS3: Ah, the PS3. She had a shaky start, but this leviathan has come into her own. The number and quality of PS3 exclusives simply dwarf those on its rival console, and while lacks the robust online player base of xbox live, there is no beating the price: free online service. The connections tend to be very stable, and I have not had to deal with as many jerks playing online on the PS3.
The PS3 is also a Blu-Ray player, and blu-ray is awesome.
The PS3 is probably has the most well-rounded library of all of the consoles; Xbox might have an edge with its Forza racers, but with Gran Turismo 5 coming out soon (maybe? they are taking their time with that one), the balance will turn towards the PS3.
The problems? Well, since coding for Xbox 360 and the PC versions of any given multiplatform title are essentially the same thing, the Xbox version tends to get programmed first. Which means that code has to be ported to the PS3. Which means that the PS3, despite its arguably more powerful hardware, tends to look and/or play worse than its rival. This problem has been mitigated to a large extent, but the fact remains: 360 versions of multiplatform titles tend to edge out PS3 versions.
The Move is excellent; the technology is much better at motion sensing than the Kinect, although buying all of those controllers, sub controllers, chargers, and what-have-you is a pain that kinect owners do not have to deal with. Still, it serves as nothing more than a Playstation Wii HD, which doesn't necessarily make it better.
We need games for these things!
3) The Wii: Ah, Nintendo, you sly fox you. The Wii is an excellent console. The cheapest and most successful of this generation popularized motion gaming while expanding the video game market by leaps and bounds. If you have not played a Wii, you have been living under a rock.
The controls work well when they are implimented correctly. If not, then you get another pebble in the mountain of Wii shovelware.
Wii has a handful of great, must-play first party games. From Mario to Metroid, this system has incredible stuff. There are also a (small) handful of 3rd party games that really shine: No More Heroes, Okami, Goldeneye, and Resident Evil 4 immediately come to mind.
The shooters on this console are few and far between. Ports of Call of Duty are competent, but do not light the world on fire. Metroid Prime Trilogy and Goldeneye really shine here, and should serve your needs.
Also, avoid Conduit.
Surprisingly, not a lot of RPG love has come to the console. Monster Hunter Tri is not to my liking. With Dragon Quest X on the horizon, that may change, however.
Also, Rock Band and Guitar Hero come for this console. Nuff said.
Other than that, it has Netflix, which is always nice, and even a darn good browser, but it really doesn't have the multimedia capability of its competitors. Storage for downloadable titles and DLC is problematic, but certainly doable.
Be warned however: a lot of stuff made for the Wii is crap. Be saavy about what you buy.
NEXT!
4) PSP: This is a great system. The graphics are beautiful, and the power that is packed in this thing is phenominal. There are some games, like Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker and Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, that just have to be played.
The main problem with this system is that the software pickings are rather slim compared to its competitors. It has a bit of everything, even a fantastic shooter in Resistance: Retribution.
The main draw, however, is the homebrew scene.
Yeah, it is frowned upon, and associated with piracy and all that garbage, but the hackability of this console is something to behold.
One other thing: the PSP go. The very *concept* of this piece of crap is offensive. Everything the PSP go does, the earlier models do as well. Shopping online? Check. 16 gb of memory? If you get a relatively inexpensive memory stick, then yup, check.
And it doesn't even play games that are on a disc! If you want to lend or sell these, well, then, you are screwed.
If they sold it as a budget PSP, then I would be a little more sympathetic, but the PSP go has no right to exist. If I had unlimited money, I would buy them all just to throw them in a volcano.
Screw you, Sony.
NEXT!
5) Nintendo DS: Aaaah, Nintendo DS. This console is awesome. Surprisingly powerful, this thing has an incredible library of must-own games. First party offerings are sublime, and third party offerings can be fantastic. Based on the shear number of games made for this most successful of consoles, you have a lot of shovelware, but there is plenty of good stuff, so avoid this is not a problem... mostly.
Shooters are difficult, if not downright impossible, to pull off here. Everything else? Represented in spades. Not a ton of capability outside of gaming, but you don't buy a DS to do things other than games, whether they are puzzle games, brain training games, or game games.
Great console, great price, great library.
NEXT!
6) The iPad is another device that has no right to exist. No, I'm sorry, but this thing sucks. Yes, it is cool. Yes, it can do a lot of great stuff. But so can the iPod touch!!! It gains nothing by being bigger. It does not function well as a tablet, and it will set your eyeballs on fire if you try to read on it for long periods of time.
iPod Touch is great. Lots of cheap, fun apps to be had. Music is always nice. No dealing with At&t either, although your internet is limited to wifi hotspots, so no GPS for you!
Gift cards are always nice.
Wow, that was way too long. Sorry guys! Feel free to ignore
