Monday, November 23, 2009 East Central Illinois

Video Game Gift Guide, Part One: Achieving console clarity

By Joel Leizer
Monday, December 1, 2008 9:22 PM CDT

Video games – and video game consoles – are a great gift for the holidays, but the many choices on the market can make buying them a little confusing for the uninitiated.

In Part One of The News-Gazette's Video Game Gift Guide, we'll look at the ins and outs of the major systems – and the basic accessories you need to buy as well.

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Next week, in Part Two, we'll explore some games that are perfect stocking-stuffers.

(And here's a little tip to get you started: If you are having trouble finding that certain system you want, the big-box stores are most likely to have them in stock on Sunday mornings.)

PlayStation 3

From: Sony

A powerful, high-definition gaming console and multimedia device. You can watch high-definition movies on the Blu-ray drive (and also play regular DVDs and CDs), and copy music, videos and photos to the hard drive for easy playback. There’s also a built-in Web browser, and it can interact to a limited degree with Sony’s portable gaming device, the PSP. The built-in hard drive is user upgradeable. And most models have a built-in wireless Internet adapter.

Models: 80GB, $399; 160GB, $499 (with game “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” included). Some discontinued models may still be available.

Online: The PlayStation Network — the system’s portal for online gaming, communication and shopping — is free, but is still a work in progress. Games, demos, movies, TV shows and more are available for download on the PlayStation Store. And, eventually, a virtual world called PlayStation Home will allow players to interact in a unique online environment.

Gaming focus: A jack-of-all-trades, with major titles in a wide range of genres for all age groups.

Dirty little secret: Originally, the console was backward-compatible with almost all PlayStation 2 games, but that functionality has been completely removed from the newest versions of the system. Also, the newer versions have two fewer USB ports than the older ones.

Xbox 360

From: Microsoft

The Xbox 360 is a powerful, high-definition-capable gaming console with a focus on online interaction. It can act as a DVD/CD player and music storage unit (on a hard drive). It’s also backward-compatible with many titles on the original Xbox, but a hard drive is required for that functionality.

Models: Arcade, $199 (256-megabyte memory card included; no hard drive or headset). Pro, $299 (60-gigabyte hard drive). Elite, $399 (120-gigabyte hard drive; console is black). Some discontinued models may be still available.

Online: Xbox Live, the system’s well-developed online network, comes in two flavors: Silver is free, but online gaming and a lot of other content are off-limits; Gold, the all-access pass, is a pay service ($49.99/year; other subscription terms available.) TV shows, movies and some games can be purchased or rented, downloaded and played over Xbox Live; a new Netflix video-streaming service requires Xbox Live Gold and Netflix membership.

Gaming focus: Shooters, sports and driving. The Xbox 360 game library offers something for everyone. But although it has plenty of games for children and teens, most of its top-tier titles are for adults.

Dirty little secret: This console has had an incredibly high hardware failure rate since its launch. But new manufacturing processes may have helped ameliorate that problem.

Wii

From: Nintendo

A modest console in terms of capability, but its novel collection of controllers, including the motion-sensitive Wii Remote and the Wii Balance Board (sold separately), make up for what the system lacks in power. It has a limited amount of built-in memory for saving games and downloads, and an internal wireless Internet adapter. It is also fully backward-compatible with all GameCube games.

Models: Standard model, $249.99.

Online: So far, the console's online uses are limited and restricted, with friends having to exchange special codes for each Internet-capable game they want to play together. And few Wii games have such functionality. However, downloadable Wii channels allow you access to a fantastic Web browser, news aggregator and weather monitor. And the online Wii Shop channel is the storefront for a great number of classic games and new titles, called WiiWare.

Gaming focus: Casual players, children and people who want to be active indoors. While there are some great titles for hardcore gamers, the Wii's bread and butter is the young and the young-at-heart. Beware, though: Third-party developers have been shoveling out a bunch of unpalatable mini-game collections for the Wii.

Dirty little secret: Because the U.S. dollar has been so weak, Nintendo makes more money selling the consoles in other countries. That's one of many reasons the system can be hard to find here.

PlayStation 2

From: Sony

The workhorse of the last generation is still going, and games are still coming out for it. Its graphics are dated compared with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but it's still a lot of fun to play. Plus, since most PS3s aren't backward-compatible, it's nice to keep around for all the old games. And, yes, it still works as a DVD player.

Models: Slim PS2, $129.99. The original fat one has long since been discontinued.

Online: All slim PS2s have a built-in network adapter, so they can be connected to the Internet through any ethernet hub. But you're unlikely to find a lot of competition online these days.

Game focus: A lot of everything for everyone. Racers, sports, role-playing games, shooters, platformers: you name it, the PlayStation 2 has it available in spades. I'm not going to go into any great detail of recommendations for what you should buy for a PlayStation 2, because more value packs of great games have been released than I can begin to keep track of. I will tell you, however, that "Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories," ($29.99; E10+ for everyone 10 and up) a fully 3-D remake of the 2004 Game Boy Advance game, is slated for release Tuesday, and the next title in a long line of fantastic Japanese RPGs, "Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4" (M for mature; $39.99), is scheduled to come out Dec. 9. Both are definitely worth a look.

PlayStation Portable

From: Sony

A handheld gaming device and mobile multimedia tool, the PSP (which has an internal wireless adapter) can play games, video and music files, display photos, surf the Web, and tune into podcasts. The newer versions, the very latest of which has a built-in microphone, can also make phone calls over the Internet using software called Skype. And the PSP can be linked to a PS3, allowing the user to access the PS3 over the Web. Memory Stick Pro Duos are used for storage.

Models: PSP-3000, $169.99 on its own, $199.99 in game pack. Earlier versions, PSP-1000 and PSP-2000, have been discontinued.

Online: Many games support play directly between two or more PSPs, over the Internet or both. It also has Web functionality, though it doesn't render some sites too well. Games and demos can be downloaded through the PlayStation Store, directly through the PSP or through a PC or PS3.

Game focus: A little of everything. Even though this is a handheld, many games tend to be console-sized in scope. The PSP has one weakness, however. Because of a limited button scheme, it doesn't do very well with games where the player must control both movement and cameras at the same time, though developers keep trying.

Dirty little secret: Sony constantly upgrades the device's firmware, both to add new functionality and to prevent people from "brewing" their own games on the system – because pirates can use the same vulnerabilities as the homebrewers use.

DS

From: Nintendo

This handheld gaming device has two codependent screens, a normal one at top and a touch-screen on the bottom; a built-in microphone; an internal wireless adapter; and two special slots: one for DS games, the other for Game Boy Advance games and special adapters. And the assemblage is split in half by a very special hinge; when you close the “clamshell,” your game is paused in most circumstances (some games incorporate the feature into their mechanics).

Models: DS Lite, $129.99 (comes in many colors). The original DS was discontinued.

Online: Many games have some form of DS-to-DS functionality for competing with others; a few can be played over the Internet at any wireless hotspot. Some demos can be downloaded off a special Wii channel. And a Web browser is available for purchase.

Game focus: Something for everyone, but especially role-playing games, puzzles and platformers. A wide range of products, not just games, is also playable on the DS, including brain trainers, language coaches and interactive cookbooks.

Dirty little secret: A revamped DS, called the DSi, will be released in the U.S. at some point in the future; it’s already out in Japan. It will have a built-in browser and camera and improved screens, but no Game Boy Advance slot. Also, some current DS games won’t be compatible with it.

Personal computers

Hardcore PC gamers are a breed apart from console gamers, because computer games require something the other systems don't: constant upgrading of their hardware. The latest, greatest titles often require powers far beyond those of average machines if they are to be fully enjoyed.

Buying an appropriate gift for PC gamers can still be simple, however. Cut to the chase and give them cash. Yes, I suppose you could simply ask them what they want. It might turn out to be a game (maybe) or it could be a new processor, the latest graphics card or that watercooling system they've had their eye on. If that's indeed the case, give them cash; those other things are expensive.

This probably seems like a cop-out on my part, but recommending PC games is hard because there are many weird things to take into account. For instance, "Spore," a game where you build your own species piece-by-piece and send them out to adventure and grow in a universe filled with every other player's creations, is a good, fun title. But it contains digital rights management software that many PC users object to installing on their machines.

Essential accessories

PlayStation 3

— An extra DualShock 3 controller.

— A Bluetooth or USB headset, for chatting online.

— An HDMI cable, if you have a 1080p-capable television (full HD) with HDMI ports – or PlayStation 3-specific component video cables if your TV is high-def but not HDMI-capable.

— OPTIONAL: A USB hub, so you can plug more devices into the console.

Xbox 360

— An extra Xbox 360 controller.

— A charging kit or rechargeable AA batteries (for the controllers).

— An HDMI cable if you have a 1080p-capable television (full HD) with HDMI ports.

— Xbox Live Gold subscription, to take advantage of the console's online abilities.

— Some form of network adapter. You can plug the Xbox 360 into an existing network using an ethernet cable, but you'll need a wireless adapter (any will do; you don't have to buy the Xbox-branded one) to connect the console to a wireless network.

— OPTIONAL: An optical digital audio cable for connecting to a surround-sound system, if you don't use HDMI.

 

Wii

— An extra Wii Remote controller (the Wii Play game pack is a good deal) and an extra Nunchuk controller.

— A recharging station or rechargeable AA batteries (for the controllers).

— OPTIONAL: Wii-specific component video cables, if you want a slightly better than standard-definition picture and your TV supports them.

PlayStation 2

— An extra PlayStation 2 controller.

— A PlayStation 2 memory card, for saving games.

— OPTIONAL: PS2-specific component video cables, if you want a slightly better than standard-definition picture and your TV supports them.

Handhelds

— Carrying case, both for the system and any games you'd like to carry with you.

— Screen protectors, so you don't accidentally scratch the displays up.

— A DC-outlet (car) charger, so you can power/recharge your portable on the go.

— A comfortable set of earphones.

— PSP ONLY: A Memory Stick Pro Duo, for game, video, music and photo storage.

PC

— Surround-sound speakers, capable of supporting Dolby 5.1 at a minimum.

— An external hard drive, because you can never have too much storage space.

— A power protector (not a cheap surge protector). The best devices protect against power surges, regulate voltage and provide a few minutes of emergency electricity in the event of an outage.

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