Taken from Dawn Sci-Tech World
With all the next-generation consoles available in the market, the gaming world and gamers at large are finally at peace. With so many consoles and handhelds, one has the power to choose the platform on which to play games like never before.
So which one should you buy? Confused? Have no fear, Sci-tech is here. In this article we will review all the consoles available out there. How much cash you will need to buy and what can you expect from the console you might be planning to buy. The prices that I quote here are just estimates and not the definite prices. It is quite possible to get a better deal than what I have mentioned below. So let’s get on with the show.
Consoles
Sony PlayStation 2 (PS2):
Price: $130
Cash budget required: Rs10,000
Sony PlayStation 2 (PS2):
Price: $130
Cash budget required: Rs10,000
With over 100 million units sold worldwide, the PS2 by Sony was clearly the leader and winner in the console race between PS2, Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo’s Gamecube. Available for around Rs.8000 the PS2 should be your first and only choice if you are new to gaming or have Rs10, 000 cash in hand. For Rs8, 000 that you will spend, and will get a PS2 slim version available in three attractive colours that is; black, silver and pink plus one controller. The console itself has two USB ports, one modem for online gaming, two memory card slots and two controller slots.
But with rest of Rs.2, 000, you can buy an additional controller for multiplayer gaming, an eight MB memory card and of course for some games to get you started with.
Even though, the PS3 has been released which is the successor to the PS2, the PS2 is still a safe investment because it has the largest library games available right now. Not only are the games in great variety but they are also the cheapest in the market as compared to games available on other consoles. One game of PS2 will cost you around Rupees 60 to 80. Plus new games for the PS2 will be available for most of this year but big games series such as the Grand Theft Auto and Final Fantasy series will not be released on PS2.
And that’s not all the PS2 is backwards compatible. This means that the PS2 can also play PSone games as well.
Finally, the PS2 can also play DVD movies. So if you don’t own a DVD player, buying a PS2 will automatically make you the proud owner of a DVD player as well. But if you are not in a mood of spending Rs.10, 000 you can also get a re-conditioned PS2 for much less. The re-conditioned PS2 is mostly the older bulkier version of the slim one and does not have a modem in it.
XBOX 360:
Price: $ 400 (Premium Version)
Cash budget required: Rs. 30, 000
Price: $ 400 (Premium Version)
Cash budget required: Rs. 30, 000
Weighing in about 3.5 kg the Xbox 360 is the first next generation console or can be said the first console of its seventh generation and also the successor of the Xbox. Competing with Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s Playstation 3, the Xbox 360 is the best console to have right now from among the three. Firstly, the Xbox 360 has been around for one year longer than it’s rivals. As a result developers are now used to the hardware of the console and in a much better position to fully utilise the console’s power and make truly next generation games. Secondly, Xbox 360 games are available at lots of places and cheap as compared to the Wii and PS3. One game of the Xbox 360 will cost you Rs. 200 - 250.
Again, you will be able to get the console for about Rs. 24, 000 and you will need the extra money to buy an extra controller, controller charger and some games. For the 24, 000 bucks that you will spend to get the premium version of the console. This version includes the Xbox 260 with a detachable 20 GB HDD, three USB ports, two memory card slots, one wireless controller, Ethernet cable for online gaming via a DSL connection, and a headset for chatting and communicating.
The extra controller will cost you around Rs. 2, 500 and the charger will cost you around Rs. 600. Wireless controllers of the console require either two size AA alkaline batteries or charger to run.
Just like a mobile phone controllers need to be charged when they are running low on power. So the choice is yours whether you use batteries or buy the charger. If you play games for about 35 hours a week or even more than that, I would recommend that you should buy a charger.
The Xbox 360 is more than just a console. It is rather a multimedia centre as you can do more with the console than just play games. Pictures and movies can be uploaded into a console with the help of a USB and watch them at your leisure. You can also save music on the hard drive and listen to it while you play games or whenever you feel like it.
The console can play DVD movies and also Xbox games. The possibilities are almost limitless with what you can do on the Xbox 360.
Nintendo Wii (standard version):
Price: $250
Cash budget required: Rs. 18, 000 to 28, 000
Price: $250
Cash budget required: Rs. 18, 000 to 28, 000
The Wii (pronounced as ‘we’) is the latest console by Nintendo and the follow up to the Gamecube. The most unique feature of Wii is its wireless controller known as the Wii Remote. This remote can identify motion and rotation in 3D and connects with the console via Bluetooth.
As a result games on a Wii become more interactive than on a console that has regular controllers. With the remote you also get one Nunchuk sort of device that is combined with the remote making it up as a tool, with which you can play games on the Wii. Since, the remote can detect motion and rotation, while playing games you have to swing and move your arms around to perform actions.
The console comes bundled with one remote and nunchuk, two AA batteries, some other normal stuff and most importantly a copy of Wii Sports. This is a compilation of various sports games that take full advantage of the Wii remote. The price quoted in one of the local magazine was Rs. 28, 000, but I am sure you can get it for much less. The reason is that some shopkeepers will gladly get you a console from abroad at the retail price of $250, which comes to be around Rs. 18, 000. They might charge you a small fee but you will still get it for much less than Rs.28, 000.
The Wii doesn’t support the DVD format, thus games of the console are available on Wii optical discs. Since Nintendo products don’t do well here, you will hardly find games of the console in the market. Again, you can order the games, which will cost you around $50 per game.
The Wii is backward compatible with the Nintendo Gamecube and also supports wireless connectivity with the Nintendo DS.
The motion-sensing controllers are no doubt a very innovative idea but before buying the console you have to ask yourself one question. Will you be able to move and swing your arms around while gaming from about two or three years down the line? A console usually has a life of five to six years and some analysts are of the opinion that the novelty of using motion-sensing controllers might run out sooner than that. I guess only time will tell.
Sony Playstation 3:
Price: $ 600 (premium version)
Cash budget required: Rs. 36, 000
Price: $ 600 (premium version)
Cash budget required: Rs. 36, 000
Undoubtedly, the most advanced and the most powerful of all the three, the seventh generation consoles is the little brother of the PS2, Sony’s Playstation 3 commonly known as the PS3. With also the best hardware of the three, the PS3 is a tech geek’s dream machine. Again there are two versions of PS3 also; the basic and the premium version.
The premium which is also available here comes with an internal 60 GB hard drive, Wi-Fi connectivity, multiple flash memory card readers (SD/MultiMedia Card, CompactFlash, Memory Stick), four USB ports (for both models) and a chrome-coloured trim. Most importantly both models contain the Blue-ray drive, which is capable of playing games and movies on the Blue-ray format.
The Blue-ray format allows for much better image quality and more space than the DVD format. The PS3 is also backwards compatible and it can, not only play PS2 games but also those of the PSone. This also means that the PS3 supports the DVD format among other formats. The console can also connect with the PSP if you or your friend has one.
You can also store different user profiles, explore photos, play music and movies from the hard drive. The PS3 is also compatible with a USB keyboard and a mouse, and has a complete Internet browser and a Friends menu. Also, the PlayStation 3 gives you the ability to multitask, such as listening to music while surfing the web or looking at pictures.
The PS3 also has wireless Bluetooth controllers similar in design to controllers of the PS2. The new controller is known as the SIXAXIS controller and has motion-sensing capabilities like the Wii Remote. Unfortunately, the new controllers don’t have the vibration function anymore.
The cash budget mentioned above is only for the console package and nothing else. There are only a handful of games of the PS3 available in the market right now. Each game will cost you around Rs. 3, 500 I don’t know if any additional PS3 peripherals are available in the market right now or not. After a console has been launched it is best to wait one year before buying that console. One year can give you a good idea about how the console is doing in the market, what games are available etc. But if you can’t wait and want the PS3 right now then be ready to spend a big stack of cash on this console.
Handhelds
Sony Playstation Portable:
Price: $ 150
Cash budget required = Rs12,000 –18,000
Price: $ 150
Cash budget required = Rs12,000 –18,000
The Playstation Portable, commonly known as the PSP is the first handheld console by Sony. If you like mobile gaming then PSP is a thing that you will love to grab at first. The PSP has a screen of 4.3 inches and like the PS3; it has a lot of features and options.
The PSP comes equipped with a camera and a GPS (Global Positioning System). You can watch movies, view images, browse the Internet and listen to music on the PSP. You can also play PSone games on the PSP and transfer files from a PC to the handheld via a USB drive. The handheld also has Wi-Fi connectivity; as a result you can connect to other PSPs for multiplayer gaming or with a PS3 in many ways, including in-game connectivity.
The games of the PSP cost around Rs.100 (without a disc) and there are a lot of games available in the market. You will need to buy a memory stick for the PSP for storing games. Memory stick price varies with the storage capacity of the memory stick. A 1 GB memory stick for example, will cost you around Rs. 4000 – 5000. If you want, you can also purchase original PSP games available on UMDs (Universal Media Discs). These will cost you around Rs.1500- 2500, depending on the ‘hotness’ of the title you purchase.
Nintendo DS:
Price: $ 130
Cash budget required = Rs10,000 -15,000
Price: $ 130
Cash budget required = Rs10,000 -15,000
The Nintendo DS is the latest handheld by Nintendo. The ‘DS’ stands for Dual Screen as the handheld has two LCD screens. The lower portion of the Nintendo DS has a touch-sensitive screen, which accepts input from a stylus (a plastic pen of sorts), or a curved plastic thumb tab. The touch screen gives players the ability to interact with games more directly than by pressing buttons. The Nintendo DS also features stereo speakers that provide virtual surround sound.
There is also a built-in microphone in the handheld. It has a variety of purposes, including speech recognition, chatting online between gameplay sessions in some games, and minigames requires you to blow or shout into the microphone.
Nintendo consoles are the least popular of all consoles over here. As a result you might not find the DS games in many shops. But still, if you like the idea of having a handheld that allows greater interactivity with games then the DS is just what the doctor ordered.
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