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Anh Tuan Huynh (Blog) - December 28, 2006 2:56 PM

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77 comment(s) - last by SacredFist.. on Jan 26 at 9:02 AM

My thoughts after two weeks of Wii ownership

Nintendo’s Wii was launched over a month ago and has been selling out at most retailers around the country. While this is typical with most holiday launches, the Wii is still in short supply post-Christmas. Sony’s PS3 on the other hand hasn’t been well received. It’s not that hard to obtain a PS3, at least in Washington State where I live.

A walk through Fry’s showed two unsold PS3 60GBs sitting there locked up without anyone caring. GameStop gets a few in every now and then but are able to keep them in stock for at least a day. There are no lines forming for the PS3 anymore while people will still camp out for a Wii. Nevertheless, enough about the Sony PS3 talk I want to talk about the Nintendo Wii and its appeal to gamers and non-gamers.

I managed to obtain a Nintendo Wii two weeks ago. After the initial parade of “Wii” jokes the overall experience has been positive. While the console is no graphics powerhouse it doesn’t bother me too much as game play is key here. After years of writing reviews, playing with the latest graphics hardware and running game benchmarks, the search for ultimate eye candy has gotten a bit old—especially when the games look good but the game play is terrible.

I managed to pickup three additional Wii remotes and four games including Trauma Center: Second Opinion, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super-Swing Golf and Call of Duty 3. The experiences with the games have been good. Single player games like Trauma Center: Second Opinion and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is quite enjoyable with the Wii remote. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is currently my favorite game right now. Although it has Game Cube-esque graphics, the game play and story line has kept me hooked longer than any Xbox 360 game I’ve owned. It’s hard to put the game down.

But single player games on the Wii are really no different from the Xbox 360 and PS3, aside from the fancy new controller. Nevertheless, the Nintendo Wii does a few things better than the Xbox 360 and PS3—offline multiplayer and is easy to get into.

Offline multiplayer is one thing the Xbox 360 and PS3 haven’t gotten down. It would seem Microsoft put too much effort in Xbox Live that it forgot about offline multiplayer. Sure it’s fun to yell obscenities at some 12 year old kid on Xbox Live in Gears of War, but it’s no fun when you have friends over. This is where the Nintendo Wii beats out the other two consoles. While most Xbox 360 games are limited to two player tops, with the exception of a few abysmal four player titles, the Nintendo Wii is a blast with offline multiplayer games.

It’s easy to invite three friends over and get a couple rounds of Wii Tennis or Wii Bowling going. Everyone has fun and gets entertainingly competitive. Super-Swing Golf is also a blast with the Wii remote as well, you actually get to swing the remote and it works according to how you hold it, angle, how hard you swing it, etc… Upcoming titles such as Super Smash Brothers Brawl and the next Mario Party should be a blast.

Nintendo’s Wii is also very easy to get into in addition to the fun offline multiplayer game play. Wii Sports is by far one of the easiest games to play and get into. It’s a game people of all ages can get into. It was also a major hit during Christmas with my family. Adults and kids of all ages were able to play without any problems; I mean it’s a pretty simple concept, swing the Wii remote. This isn’t to say the Xbox 360 and PS3 don’t have family appeal, but unless your family is composed of gamers it’s pretty hard to teach everyone to play Gears of War or Gran Turismo.

In addition to the game play the Nintendo Wii also has two nifty novelty features—a web browser and the Wii Weather Channel Live. While they’re both novelty features they do come in handy at times. The web browser is very well designed for the Wii remote and TV displays. It works great with YouTube for those lazy moments where you don’t want to get off the couch and go to the computer to be entertained by YouTube.

The Wii Weather Channel is entertaining for a few moments, although you can only spin the 3D globe around so many times to look up weather reports for random destinations. It’s a nice novelty feature for those moments where you want to check the weather on the TV and impress non-techy friends and family.

Nintendo got it right this time around with the Wii. It’s a fun console for you can enjoy with family and friends whereas the Xbox 360 and PS3 are more or less consoles you enjoy by yourself or playing online with random people online. The novelty features are entertaining too.

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Finally hearing about other games

By Legolias24 on 12/29/2006 9:22:31 AM , Rating: 3

I think this is the first general review of the Wii that someone talked about other games and not just about Wii sports (although they talked about that too). I was beginning to wonder if there were any other games! :P

I've read a couple reviews about Red Steel that were...well less than kind. Anyone have any anecdotal (sp.) experiences they'd like to share?

Also, I was surprised to find Call of Duty 3 made its way over to the Wii, anyone care to comment on the graphics and game play? I mean I know the graphics won't be able to compete with the 360 or PS3, but I'm curious just how good graphics can get with this system.

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By Theo7 on 12/29/2006 11:14:25 AM , Rating: 2

The graphics are on par with the 360-or at least have the potential to be so.
But honestly, there is no link between good graphics and a good game. The two are mutually exclusive phenomena in the video game world. Some of the best games have had terrible graphics in comparrison to todays standards. You can ingnore this all you want, but I think everyone knows in their hearts that its true. My roommate can sit for hours playing Halo and Call of Duty 3 on his Xbox, but he usually sits alone--or arguing with deleveling teenage A$$holes online. The entire time, not one smile crosses his face...he almost looks dead. It's amazing the response i get when I have people over and I break out the ol' NES. The entire room is getting into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (even though Im convinced the game is impossible). Those older games brought out real emotion. I just think too much weight is given to graphics. It's a GAME it should bring out fun and excitement...if I wanted realistic graphics and experience I would join the Army and see the world. I don't.... I want to be entertained in front of my TV with my friends, ha.

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By zombiexl on 12/29/2006 12:08:13 PM , Rating: 4

quote:
The graphics are on par with the 360-or at least have the potential to be so.

What are you smoking? I have both and the Wii's graphics look alot worse than the 360. The gpu doesnt have the horsepower of the PS3 or 360 so saying the graphics are or could be on par is a completely insane statement.

Maybe if you are playing on an old SD crt or something they might compare, but the 360 and PS3 are the only 2 that are really nextgen when it comes to gfx. The Wii is nextgen strictly on innovation..

That said, i've had more fun playing the wii than the 360 and I almost bought a 2nd one earlier this week so i could have one in the gameroom and one in the livingroom. Then I realized its small enough that if i buy another power, av, and sensor bar (about $50 from nintendo.com) I can just move it when I want and kepp my $200 for games.

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By sowhat on 12/29/06, Rating: -1

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By CoolC on 12/29/2006 12:55:58 PM , Rating: 2

Alright, well, seeing as how the games don't matter, let me put down all of my one decent PS3 title. Well, now I certainly don't have much to do, so let me just try and boot up a PS2 game, since that was last gen, and I certainly can't compare the games of this generation; that's just prejudice. Oh wait, what's this? It doesn't work! Well, that's kind of lame. Let me just reboot and go to the menu. Hmmm, now what's this here? It refuses to... ohh, I get it, yeah, the system just froze. Thank god Sony put in a fool-proof way to make it so gamers don't play too long at demo stations! I wonder how the PS3 is doing sales-wise... too bad Sony has yet to release any sales records for the PS3. Oh wait, it's Sony, now I remember: they go off how many consoles they've shipped. Oh, that PS3, it has everything going for it, don't you think?

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By sowhat on 12/29/06, Rating: -1

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By Zeal on 12/30/2006 7:53:21 AM , Rating: 2

dumba$$ he was being sarcastic... read the NY times... http://megagames.com/news/html/console/newyorktime...
PS3 is an ok system, but a bad idea... games only use half of the technology at this high demand time... on top of that you have to buy the remote for the blu ray player if u want the real "player" experience. it costs sony about 200 bucks more to make the console, even with the cheap labor... thats 4 games minimum for sony to break even... wii costs nintendo 150 bucks to make, they make 100 bucks minmum from each console sale, not to mention it's the best multiplayer console so they'll rake in millions from the controller sales... plus o yeah i almost forgot the games... that are mainly from NINTENDO... sony relies for alot of it's games from 3rd party... sad isn't it? sony was stupid making/releasing the ps3 and your even stupider for buying it... who cares if it's got a blu ray... xbox BTW comes with it's own remote... and the blu ray player doesn't work unless you buy the high output HD cable which i dunno like 60 bucks... inorder to even watch blu rays... the remote 50 bucks, the cables another 50, thats 100 bucks plus the 650 for the PS3... plus taxes... maybe shipping... all im gonna say is blu ray players will have better out put options, out puts to connect to your receiver(which you should have if your watching blu rays, need sound) and you won't have people laughing at you when they wake into your house and see you have a gaming console instead of a high definition blu ray with progressive scan and many other options that are not included on the PS3's player. and BTW PS3 says it's max resolution is 1080p... but no game has that resolution plus no game will considering the frames per second will suck, but the processors and graphics cards in blu ray players support 1080p to it's fullest :) PS3 doesn't play blu ray to it's full 1080p resolution, look it up... it can only read blu rays and play at highest resolution that it's shitty graphics and CPU can support look it up!

and thats why your an idiot.

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By nurbsenvi on 12/30/2006 2:19:47 PM , Rating: 2

"....but no game has that resolution plus no game will considering the frames per second will suck,...."

uh... no

List of 1080p games:
Lair, Mobile Suit Gundam , Virtua Tennis 3 , Gran Turismo HD , Ridge Racer 7 and NBA '07

"....PS3 doesn't play blu ray to it's full 1080p resolution...."

uh... not true
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,127892-page,1/ar...
PS3 offers 1080p at both 24fps and 60fps

PS3 20gb version which is $499
plus HDMI cable $50
still costs less than some blu-ray players and offers same level of functionality and quality.

Zeal are you a Wii zealot by any chance?

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By sowhat on 12/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By collinc on 12/30/2006 4:48:57 PM , Rating: 2

Alright here's an intelligent argument against the PS3. It's more than I need. I don't have a T.V. with 1080p, or even 720p. I have an old regular definition Television. It's not mounted on my wall with full surround. It sits in my den. It's a big screen, and does exactly what I need. As a soon to be college student it is not something I prioritize financially. PS3 has blu-ray? Guess what? That does nothing for me. Blu-ray has yet to sell me as to why I need it. I have seen the difference between DVD and Blu-ray, and it is vast. But it's not necessary. Or at least not worth the cost. I just recently got rid of my VCR. I'm not about to make that switch again.

Besides that, I have yet to be consold by any game. I don't think there is a killer app out yet. Zelda consold me my Wii, but I have found what an amazing I have, and will continue to enjoy it.

To those with a PS3, I hope you enjoy them greatly. I'm sure they will be a lot of fun. Just not my thing.

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By sowhat on 12/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By Merry on 1/3/2007 11:42:56 AM , Rating: 2

I was trying to put an argument like that to someone considering spending £500 on a ps3, and then playing it on a 14" portable standard definition screen. He didnt seem to understand that it was a waste of money citing that the graphics will be 'shinier'

This is why I can understand the Wii not going for hi def. Mainly because a lot of people dont have hi def tvs, indeed i'm certainly not going to spend another £500 for a cheap and nasty hi def tv and then the same again for a ps3, however, i will pay the £179 for a Wii (and I usually wait till consoles drop till around £100 till I buy one. I think some gamers are getting 'lost in specs' and forgetting that many of us simply dont have the equipment to warrant such an outlay.

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By ScythedBlade on 12/31/2006 9:52:57 AM , Rating: 2

Problem with PS3 is Blu-ray is pretty much nearly useless. Truthfully, having 50 GB capacity, which nearly 70% of it is left unused seems like a stupid idea. And, in a previous one, they lost the most money not because of CELL but for some "emotion processing unit"

For a second thing, there isn't any actual good content in your argument. So don't go off ranting. Jeez, you remind me of hellokitty ... except worst.

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By collinc on 12/31/2006 7:19:37 PM , Rating: 2

What the hell are you talking about? I'm saying that I don't want a PS3, and you're telling me that my argument is wrong, and that the PS3 in fact sucks. But I'm saying that the PS3 sucks. So are you on crack or something?

And I'm worst than this hellokitty person? Really?

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By SacredFist on 1/26/2007 9:02:28 AM , Rating: 2

Its TechReport's troll for fake conroes XD

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By sowhat on 1/3/07, Rating: -1

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By Theo7 on 12/31/2006 7:53:05 PM , Rating: 2

Alright, fighting online is like the special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still a retard.

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By sowhat on 1/3/07, Rating: -1

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By Korvon on 1/4/2007 11:34:46 AM , Rating: 2

Get Voted down much?

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By VIAN on 12/31/2006 1:34:56 PM , Rating: 1

Actually, Sony only earns 10 bucks per game sold, so it would be 20 games just to break even. And that's assuming it's only 200 bucks they're losing. Don't forget, a majority of consoles sold are the 60GB version, in which IIRC, they are losing 300 bucks. So they'll have to sell 30 games per console to break even.

We know there is no way the PS3 will sell 30 games per console within the next year. But what we do know is that Sony makes tons of profit from the PS2 and PS2 games. The sale of PS2 games will keep the Sony breaking even with the PS3, especially since sales are so low right now.

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By sowhat on 1/3/07, Rating: -1

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By jarman on 1/1/2007 3:50:33 PM , Rating: 4

quote:
...it's obvious you are all just blind and prejudiced...PS3 beats everything hands down...

LMAO. Hypocrisy pwns all!

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RE: Finally hearing about other games

By sowhat on 1/3/07, Rating: -1

RE: Finally hearing about other games

By Roy2001 on 1/3/2007 5:02:41 PM , Rating: 2

The graphics are on par with the 360-or at least have the potential to be so.
----------------------------------------
Do you know what you were talking about? Have you played both?

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Apples and Oranges

By cloakyjer9 on 12/29/2006 10:23:37 AM , Rating: 1

I applaud the Wii review in itself, but not it's comparison with the PS3 and 360. This is about the 1,000th review I've seen comparing the 3 and let's be honest, we're comparison apples and oranges. The PS3 and 360 should be compared side by side, but since the release of the Wii, the PS3 and 360 are in a different ballpark (note I didn't use the word "league" here) because they are totally different consoles and concepts. It's like saying the Honda Accord is better than the Toyota Rav4. One is a sedan, the other is an SUV. The Wii is a low budget entertainment console made for families, groups, and the casual gamer. It has no DVD functionality, wireless internet, or hard drive*(you know what i mean here.) The PS3 has DVD, blu-ray, wireless contollers, internet, replaceable/upgradable HD, etc. etc. etc. as the 360 has similar features. They are totally different consoles for totally different purposes. Both are great in their own right and both appeal to a different consumer. Are their some consumers who are going to buy the Wii instead of the PS3 or 360? Sure, we can argue the sales of each and how SOME consumers may be moved to change gaming styles, but you can't compare the consoles and the gameplay. Some people like to drive fast cars on highways, others like to drive SUV's off road. Some people like to swing a controller/tennis racket against their friends, others like to play 40 player multiplayer games online.

RE: Apples and Oranges

By Theo7 on 12/29/2006 10:58:58 AM , Rating: 2

I see your point, somewhat. These systems ARE very different as far as tech specs, but am I right in saying that they are all sold in the videogame dept. about 4 feet from each other and are both called viedogame consoles? Just because Sony and Microsoft poured so much development cash into graphics processors and seem to have forgotten user interface and gameplay doesn't mean that they are in some far-away league of non-comparrison and arent worthy of being mentioned in a review of the wii. Many reviews compare PC games to PS2 and Xbox games all the time and it's a just comparrison. The PS3 (in my opinion) is just a fusion of a PC within a standard console case. I am quite frankly getting tired of the graphics/processor/techspec fanboys making this arguemnt. Face it, dude. Nintento might just be pulling videogames back in the right direcion. Back to fun-filled social gameplay I used to experience back in the days of competitive excitebike racing, double dragoning and Dr. Mario duels. Kudos, Nintento, I have missed you so.

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RE: Apples and Oranges

By v3rt1g0 on 12/29/2006 5:33:48 PM , Rating: 2

You are missing a big point.

The PS3 and XB360 both have the capability to play HD movies. This was a huge selling point for me. If you are buying the console to play nothing but games, yes I can see myself choosing a Wii, but the PS3 I just bought (and yes, they are relatively easy to find now, here in WA state) will play movies at 1080p via HDMI to my 1080p capable LCD. The Wii will never do that.

The PS3/XB360 cost significantly more because they do more. They are designed to be media centers, not just game consoles. The standalone Blu-ray player, the Samsung BD-P1000 can be found for $599, the exact same price as the 60GB PS3, and the PS3 has the additional capability to play games, etc. The choice is obvious for someone wanting an HD movie player.

I can see myself getting a Wii in several months to a year, just because of the unique controller :)

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RE: Apples and Oranges

By CoolC on 12/29/2006 1:07:56 PM , Rating: 1

I agree, this is a very insightful argument. It stresses an idea I had yet to think of myself. The Wii is absolutely in a league of its own, and it is somewhat absurd to attempt comparing it to the PS3 or 360, at least beyond sales and numbers. It seems like a more intelligent approach, though, to stay away from the comparisons and criticisms altogether*. It's way too early to tell which will come out on top, and although this is quite the interesting console war (probably the most interesting that has yet to come) I'd rather sit back and watch than argue about distant possibilities.

*If you're going to nail me on this for one of my previous posts, I'll make my defense beforehand: I'm all for criticizing what has happened and what is in the present, not what might happen.

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RE: Apples and Oranges

By funnyduddy on 12/31/2006 9:13:27 AM , Rating: 2

Sorry to bud in, but this is interesting.

I know Wii is fun and the speculation is about the present, not the future.

But what if MS or Sony decided to challenge Nintendo with a similar device like the Wii-Mote?

(I just figured competing companies are copycat with a twist so to not infringe other copycats... does this make any sense? Nevermind.)

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RE: Apples and Oranges

By collinc on 12/31/2006 9:35:33 AM , Rating: 2

I think it's possible, but unlikely. The controllers as they are are in no way similar to the Wiimote. That means it would be a separately sold accessory. Separately sold accessories never do well IMO. Usually the accessory only works in about 1 in 200 games. Examples: Eyetoy, Guitar Hero Guitar, DDR mats.

Wii has it down. It's on almost every one of their games. It is what the Wii is about. Kinda like Xbox and Live. Xbox has the internet service down pat. They kick ass at it. Sony has the powerful hardware down. Everyone of the consoles has it's advantages, and those advantages will most likely stay as they are until the end of this generation. Who knows from there.

I just know I can't wait until the PS9. Did you guys see the commercials for that when the PS2 came out? Looks sweet.

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RE: Apples and Oranges

By Dragen on 1/2/2007 12:09:48 PM , Rating: 4

quote:
The Wii is a low budget entertainment console made for families, groups, and the casual gamer. It has no DVD functionality, wireless internet, or hard drive

What the hell are you talking about? Do you even own a Wii? It's very obvious that you don't. I don't mean to flame, but you're very mis-guided. While it's true the Wii doesn't have "DVD functionality", it DOES have Wireless Internet, as the whole unit is totally & completely wireless based. Every single controller is wireless (up to 4) and the unit itself connects to Wireless Access points for updates, Mii "mingling", the Weather updates, and downloading older console games from every Nintendo platform since 1985. And I do know what you "mean" by the Hard-drive comment, but it DOES have one. Albeit very small, and isn't used to store games like we could with modded Xbox1 consoles.

Try playing or buying one before you hand out misguided information.

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Wii....

By brute1248 on 1/13/2007 2:45:39 PM , Rating: 2

Wii own you

RE: Wii....

By brute1248 on 1/13/2007 2:46:44 PM , Rating: 2

Wii still own you

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RE: Wii....

By brute1248 on 1/13/2007 2:47:17 PM , Rating: 2

Wii own

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RE: Wii....

By brute1248 on 1/13/2007 2:47:53 PM , Rating: 2

Wii like Steve Jobs

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Wii

By DarkSlayer20 on 12/29/2006 12:01:31 PM , Rating: 1

360 owns all. Just look at the games that are coming out in the future, Forza 2, Halo 3, GTA 4, Crackdown, Blue Dragon, Mass Effect, Bioshock, also Gears of War the best game of next gen is only on 360. I dont even think the Wii is next gen it has improved on almost nothing. The graphics are horrible, and almost no games support online play. The only think it has improved on is a little bit of gameplay but that Wii mote thing is just a gimmick.

RE: Wii

By Anh Huynh on 12/29/2006 4:45:07 PM , Rating: 2

Forza 2 and Halo 3 are the only things I'm looking forward to for the 360. Not everyone likes online multiplayer. Yes I have a one year Xbox Live Gold subscription, however I've only used it about a dozen times or so. Sitting in the living room in front of my TV by myself just isn't as fun as having a bunch of people over and playing a multiplayer game of Wii Sports or Super Swing Golf.

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RE: Wii

By bdewong on 12/29/2006 6:42:11 PM , Rating: 2

I have to agree that the 360 will be coming out with a lot of good games in the near future and that the wii mote is a gimmick. At first I wanted the wii, and I still may get one, but I tried it out in the store and it was okay. The controller can't make a bad game good or a good game bad (well maybe if it is that bad). In the end it comes down to how well the games are made. I think that the graphics will be severely limited as it did look similar to the gamecube in my short time playing it. But after I turned on the 360 for the first time, I was amazed. I think the better graphics make the game more immersive than the control can. I think its a pretty exciting time for consoles as I haven't seen this much competition ever. Can't wait for some good japanese style RPG's like FF <= 7

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RE: Wii

By nurbsenvi on 12/30/2006 1:32:19 AM , Rating: 2

Hang on a sec...
360 and flow of good software?
I have to say 360 is a good machine but it still can't touch PS3 for upcoming games really
I'm not saying Halo and Forza is crap actually they are very good indeed but these games never made me think "Damn I should get 360 instead of PS3!"

Because I know that I will have these on my PS3:

Gran turismo 5
Metal Gear Solid 4 (may come to 360 later)
Final Fantasy series
Every single FPS games except for Halo and GOW
ICO 3
God of War

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Big moneymakers-Sims and World of Warcraft

By giantpandaman2 on 12/31/2006 2:16:37 PM , Rating: 4

What does this have to do with consoles and the Wii? Well, my point is that incredible graphics and sound matter to a small demographic-namely hardcore gamers. They're a small slice of the potential gamer market, and many of them spend huge chunks of money on their PC's rather than consoles. Some do both, but, well, you've got a huge split in money going every direction there. As numerous people have pointed out, the Wii has gone a different direction, and that's part of its appeal.

World of Warcraft, however, has worse graphics than Zelda: Twilight Princess, and I don't see anyone complaining or not going nuts about the imminent expansion launch. The very lack of high polygon counts has been a huge plus for the game. More money spent on bigger worlds and fun gameplay rather than smaller areas with incredible graphics. Which is exactly what will happen to Wii games, hopefully.

Now, back to The Sims, and, if I may add, games like Second Life. Graphics on both games? Absolutely horrible. Yet The Sims, and to a lesser extend, The Sims 2, were HUGE moneymakers. Second Life has a very large and thriving subscriber base. Yeah, it might be free, but people are spending a lot of money on that game. What's the "secret" about those games. Not graphics, more mass (re: women play them) appeal. Plus, a decided lack of up front complexity.

The third thing, and this is what I think the Wii is really missing, is the online social aspect of gaming. Yes, Wii has great offline multiplayer (I own one and it was a huge hit at parties), but it lacks the online multiplayer of World of Warcraft or Second Life. I think this is the next great challenge for the Wii if it truly wants to bring gaming to the masses. As much as I'm looking forward to the next installments of the Metroid and Mario franchises, for the Wii to truly be successful it has to create a mass market online game or mass market social game (like the Sims).

And Nintendo has it's work cut out for it to accomplish that, and, honestly, I don't think Nintendo is really looking to do it. Sadly. Can the X360 do it? To get to the mass market not only will they have to create a game like that (none are in the works as I see it) but they'll have to drop their prices by at least $100. Could the PS3 do it? Not anytime soon with their large price.

So to me, that's the big race. Create a game that makes people play daily, socially, and that appeals to both men and women. Polygon counts be damned. That only limits you to a small, if lucrative, market.

Now, I'd end my post there, but I know people will come at me about my graphics pronouncements. Well, I love graphics, I plan on getting a DX10 video card in the near future. But I know the games that use that video card will not have the mass appeal of games like World of Warcraft or the Sims. Quite simply-I'm in the hardcore demographic, but I'm at least willing to admit it and the relative smallness of the demographic I'm in.

RE: Big moneymakers-Sims and World of Warcraft

By jtesoro on 1/1/2007 5:29:01 AM , Rating: 2

I'd like to rate your post up but I've made comments already elsewhere in this article.

So I would just like to chime in and say good post.

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Skin

By CoreGamer on 12/28/2006 10:17:33 PM , Rating: 2

Where did you get that Wii skin?

RE: Skin

By Tuanies on 12/29/2006 1:34:30 AM , Rating: 2

www.decalgirl.com

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PS3's are NOT hard to find!

By SixDixonCider on 12/30/2006 3:31:06 PM , Rating: 2

Dude, I work at Fry's for the department that holds the PS3's in the cage. Three days before Christmas we had a shipment of 40 60GB and 15 20GB. We have sold an average of 2 a day. Last time we got the Wii, they sold out in 30 minutes.

RE: PS3's are NOT hard to find!

By Houdani on 1/3/2007 10:06:33 AM , Rating: 2

I'm not in the market for a PS3, but the last time I was in Fry's I saw they were bundling the 60GB version with nine games or so, maybe an extra remote, and slapping a $1300 price tag on it. If that's still the case, it would really explain the two per day you mention.

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Wii Channels

By zombiexl on 12/28/2006 4:12:39 PM , Rating: 3

I agree with much of what you said, but i prefer the 360 dashboard to the (slow loading) wii channel layout. I might not care so much if it didnt seem to take so long to load.

Some missing the point

By GSound on 12/29/2006 8:51:26 PM , Rating: 3

While we can all talk about graphics, performance, titles, HD compat, etc, what make Wii formidable is it's appeal to non-gamers.

Some have said that it's apples and oranges: apples = wii; oranges = PS3/360.

It seems Wii has found the video game system for most people who maybe put off by most video game titles: the older set and females. This has been the golden cup for many hardware and title manufacturers.

While video game manufacturer's do make video games/consoles for people who "game" a lot, if they can outsell Gears of War with something like Ms. Fluffy's Walk through Pinksville, they will - Comic Book Guy be damned.

Imagine a game comsole that is cheaper, predominately all ages, and gives the illusion of excercise? Mass market appeal for parents and a solid selling point for kids to ask for the console from their parents.

If you were to say each system is a movie, Wii is something from Pixar (rated G) and Xbox/PS3 is more PG-13/R. If the kids want to see a movie and the parents have the buying power, most parents will opt for the Wii (unless it's the cool uncle buying the tickets).

About the Wii

By uberfishyskillz on 12/28/2006 4:34:34 PM , Rating: 2

I would as well agree with this review......

I have personally beaten Zelda and its by far the best "console game" out in the past 5-6 years. yes it beats Ocarina of Time. ONLY reason being the controller and how much you feel like your Link. Every sword slash, every bow shot and then the hookshots. And the story is great. But Sorry I still love Final Fantasy 7 over this game.

Also to Anh Huynh -- best party game to date--
RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS
Talk about hours of fun... and the trash talking....

Mario party will be a great game.. but for now get RAYMAN I know you dont know me, but trust me RAYMAN > WII sports

drop me an e-mail uberfishyskillz@gmail.com if you want anymore picks !!!

to Wii or not to Wii

By KMJFNIGUY on 12/29/2006 6:32:41 PM , Rating: 2

I do not have a Wii I would be purchasing the Wii in the future, for one because I am a great fan of Nintendo from childhood to now. But I have to differ on a few things; I believe Nintendo did a great job with the Wii, by creating a house hold name in just a few months. I appreciate the fact that Nintendo is trying to appeal to the masses, and they will be slowing taking over the gaming world before you know it. The hand held market is theirs. But I am one for great graphics and audio plus great game play. But to be a great game it has to have all three. All great games of past and present have had these three components. For example, Mario 64, all Zelda’s, Nights or the sega Saturn, Meteoroid, F-zero, SSX tricky, Gears of War, God of War, just to name a few. Every one of these games had a few things in common they all had great graphics, great sound , and great game play, even games of the past share these same common traits for their time. I truly believe that if Nintendo invested some of their billions a little more into graphics then I thing we will be talking about something truly revolutionary. Because if I can have great visuals, great audio digital, and an interactive joystick, truly then will game immersion be taken to the next level. I believe Nintendo is taking gaming back to the fun old days.... but we are in the 21st century, where technology rules...case in point the Wii remote? I have a 360 and a playstation and a gamecube. I play my 360 more than I play my playstation3 because I have more games that are fun and I can have fun online where the playstation is truly lacking. But I know there will be a day that PS3 will have something totally mind-boggling that will put games to the next level its is only inevitable, and that will be due to its pure power. Nintendo has just open the door to the masses, and like everything that is entertaining they will want more....we as society have an excessive appetite for more gameplay, more special effects, faster computers, brighter pictures, we do not need to see our TVs in million colors shit we got to have see billions. So far I prefer the 360 because of live. My brother is in Germany and it is a great way to talk shit for cheap. When my friends come over we sit around playing Madden or NBA live. Final comment, they are all great systems with a great future and if you are a true gamer you should appreciate this moment in time... Heck you may not live long enough to be a part of something this socially life changing again. Live in your world play in ours!

I justt played a Wii

By Merry on 12/30/2006 5:35:45 PM , Rating: 2

For the first time... and the second I can get hold of one i'll buy it.

And thats coming from a person who only decided to get a PS2 a year ago.

Thanks Ahn!!!

By shilala on 12/31/2006 9:02:05 AM , Rating: 2

I've been shrugging my shoulders at the Wii since the first day I heard about it. Until now.
I have a 360 and a host of games that I got for the kids. It's been a real flop. Aside from my 10 year old daughter glitching cross-country with her buddy fartsniper, it's gone almost unused. For months she's sat on her computer playing runescape while talking to her friends on the 360. What a total waste of money.
Until last week.
I bought a steering wheel and Need For Speed Carbon.
The game is damn near wore out. Everyone who has come over has had fun playing it. My brother and I played it for hours, just like we were kids again. My gf and I planned to play yesterday, but her kids and my kids were over and we couldn't get near it. Someone was on the game all day, with others gathered around watching.
That's what makes games fun. Just like Atari when I was a kid. You needed friends to play if you wanted to REALLY have fun.
I'll be picking up a Wii in the future. I never thought I'd say that until I read this article. :)

All of them are good

By hecksign on 12/31/2006 8:05:24 PM , Rating: 1

Im not Wii, Xbox360 nor PS3 fanboy. And I think all consoles are good but very different than the others. But if someone start to write reviews for a console, he will start appraise the highly for the console he is writing in and started to talk bad at other consoles.
I agreed that Wii is good, but if you start to talk about the Wii is really really good while the other got nothing good on it compared to Wii, then the review started to be not interesting.

PS3 fair and balanced

By sowhat on 1/4/07, Rating: 0

By sowhat on 1/4/2007 4:22:59 PM , Rating: 0

Review: PS3 pricey but impressive
POSTED: 11:59 a.m. EST, January 4, 2007
Story Highlights
• PS3 is a versatile piece of home entertainment equipment
• First games aren't a major improvement over Xbox 360
• PS3 plays almost all PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 1 games
• $600 PS3 is one of cheapest Blu-ray DVD players available
By David Carnoy

(CNet.com) -- In the gaming world, being first to market has its advantages, but it also has some downsides. With its Xbox 360, Microsoft has staked itself a year lead over archrival Sony in the next-gen gaming wars and, just as importantly, the battle for living-room dominance--these powerful minicomputers also do double duty as digital media hubs. In those 12 months, Microsoft has managed to sell several million consoles, work through some hardware glitches, upgrade the system's internal software, and bring out a full selection of accessories as well as a few signature games, including the company's own smash hit, Gears of War. But that year has also given Sony time to polish its more ambitious--and pricier--PlayStation 3.

Like the 360, the PS3 is available in two versions. Both feature the brand new Cell processor, a built-in Blu-ray player, and HDMI video output. The baseline 20GB version retails for $500, while the step-up deluxe model--reviewed here--boasts a 60GB hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi, a multiformat memory card reader, and silver trim for $100 more. Even though its original specs included even more features--dual HDMI output, for example--what's left is still a lot to throw into a new system, and the final product, expensive though it is, is quite impressive.

The big question, of course, is whether the PS3 is $100 to $200 better than the Xbox 360. From a pure gaming perspective, the short answer is: no, not today. As with any new gaming system, you're going to have to wait at least a year before you see game developers really start to get the most out of the PS3, and right now, there really isn't a game out there that's able to beat anything on the Xbox 360. However, in terms of design and in-the-box features, the value is here: the two versions of the PS3 are well worth their respective $500 and $600 price tags. Now, the bad news: the system will be in such short supply in the early going, you probably won't be able to get one for a while, even if you wanted to buy one. The good news is by the time you get your hands on one, Sony will have already made some improvements and added new features, and the catalog of games will have begun to be expanded.
Design: back in black

Sony has been showing off prototypes of the PS3 for the last 18 months, and though the exact dimensions of the final unit were in doubt, the PS3's general shape and glossy finish have been set in stone for a while. Though it's been overshadowed in recent years by Apple's leading-edge MP3 players and computers, the PS3's sexy shape and futuristic look is ample evidence that the company's renowned design standards are alive and well. One look at its glossy exterior and touch-sensitive power and eject buttons on its face, and you can see why it might cost what it does.

Like the Xbox 360 (Read reviewexternal link) and Nintendo Wii (Read reviewexternal link), the PS3 can stand vertically or lie horizontally in an A/V rack, though because of its curved top, it's not meant to have any other components resting on top of it. We saw early prototypes in white and silver colors, but at launch, the PS3 will be available only in black--the 20GB version is all black, the 60GB version is highlighted with a chrome trim--and there's no way to customize its look as you can with Xbox 360's interchangeable, if overpriced, faceplates (Top Xbox 360 accessoriesexternal link). Judging from Sony's recent decision to bring out the PSP in more colors, we don't expect the company to stick to the black-only option for too long, especially since this system, like the PSP, is a fingerprint and smudge magnet. If you handle it at all, you'll end up having to wipe it off, so you'll probably just want to stick it in a rack and leave it there.

As for its dimensions, the PS3 measures 12.8 x 3.8 x 10.8 inches (WHL), which is roughly in line with the overall volume of the Xbox 360. That said, the PS3 does weigh a bit more--11 pounds to the 360's 9.9 pounds including power supply--so if you're going by heft alone, you're getting almost 10 percent more console. Most impressively, there's no external power supply for the PS3; you just plug the included power cable--it's the same standard 3-prong style you'll find on most desktop PCs--into the back of the unit and you're good to go. For those of us who own an Xbox 360, and have had to struggle with its massive brick of a power supply, this seems like a remarkable feat on Sony's part.

One obvious difference between the Xbox 360 and the PS3 is the way you load media. As opposed to the more typical tray loader, the PS3 has a front-slot-loading, Blu-ray optical-disc drive, which contributes to the unit's slicker appearance. Discs slide in and eject smoothly enough, so chalk one up for the PS3 here (how the mechanism wears over time, we can't say--but the odds of snapping off or damaging the Xbox 360's disc tray aren't exactly negligible).

Around back is where you'll find ports for Ethernet, HDMI output, optical digital audio output (SPDIF), and the proprietary PlayStation A/V output for analog audio and video. A composite A/V cable ships with the unit, and because it uses the same connector as the PlayStation 2, that system's S-Video and component cables should work with it as well (to get HD video, you'll need component or HDMI). That's all fine, but we would have liked to have seen at least one USB port on the back for peripherals such as a camera (the EyeToy is compatible) that spoil the PS3's otherwise clean lines by sticking obtrusively out of the front. (Early prototypes seemed to have a USB port on the back, but it hasn't made it in the final unit, which is disappointing.) On a more positive note, the internal hard drive is said to be user replaceable (there's a slot on the side of the PS3 that allows you to swap in a new hard drive). However, like the Xbox 360, the PS3 utilizes the smaller 2.5-inch SATA drive that's made for laptops. Alas, those drives are twice--or even close to three times--as expensive as the larger 3.5-inch hard drive that goes into a desktop computer.
Controller makeover

The single controller that comes with the PS3 is very similar looking to the traditional PlayStation 2 Dual Shock gamepad, but there are some notable differences. For starters, it's wireless. You can connect as many as seven (!) controllers via the system's built-in Bluetooth, which Sony's claims offers a 20-meter range (about 65 feet). Recharging the built-in battery simply requires connecting the included USB cable between the console and the controller. You can continue to play as the battery juices up (Sony pledges 30 hours of gameplay between charges), but the cable's somewhat short 5-foot length will put you right on top of the TV. That said, the controller has a standard mini-USB port similar to the one found on many digital cameras and PC peripherals, so swapping in a longer cable--or using a USB extender--shouldn't be a problem.) Unfortunately, the battery isn't removable, which means that if it dies--as inevitably it will someday--you'll have to replace the entire controller ($50) if you want to play wirelessly. By comparison, the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii controllers offer user-replaceable batteries: AAs or proprietary rechargeables for the 360, and AAs for the Wii.

As for the controller's design, Sony has made a few tweaks. The L2 and R2 trigger buttons are a bit bigger, and the increased depth in stroke offers players more subtle game control. Sony has also increased the tilting angle of the analog joysticks to give you more precise control and a wider range of motion. Those analog sticks are more sensitive as well. The PS2's Dual Shock controller had 8-bit sensitivity, while the PS3's controller has 10-bit motion detection. The big omission is force feedback support: the PS3 controller offers no vibration or rumble control, which is a bit of a bummer.

However, you do get something called SixAxis motion sensing, which means the controller's capable of sensing motion in six directions: up, down, left, right, forward, and backward. Game developers have incorporated it many of the new games in one form or another. For example, in 2K Sports' NHL 2K7, a quick thrust of the controller makes your defensive player perform a check. In Tony Hawk's Project 8, you can steer your skater and control his movements by tilting the controller from side to side and forward and back. Sony's NBA '07 also makes interesting use of the tilt feature, allowing you to control a player's moves and jukes on offense.

To be sure, some implementations of the tilt sensitivity are better than others. Furthermore, it's unclear if all the games that utilize motion sensitivity will require it--some are optional and can be switched off, and we could certainly see some folks not wanting to bother with them at all. Clearly, Sony wanted to steal some of Nintendo's thunder, and there's no denying that the Wii's motion-sensitive controllers are more central to that console's DNA. The Wii controllers are also more sophisticated, including the ability to measure actual motion (spatial movement) and acceleration, rather than just tilting--but unlike the Wii, the PS3 doesn't require a motion-sensor bar in front of the TV. (The current Xbox 360 controllers offer no motion sensitivity at all.) It's safe to say we'll see more innovative uses of the tilting sensitivity feature in future games--it definitely added an extra level of control when flying the eponymous attack vehicle in Warhawk (we played an early build at E3 2006, but the game isn't due until sometime in 2007).

Unlike the PS2 controller, the SixAxis controller has a centered Home button, which functions much like its counterpart on the Xbox 360 controller. You use it to return to the console's main menu screen, as well as to sync the controller to the console and start it up or shut it down wirelessly.

Familiar interface If you own a Sony PSP, you'll immediately notice the similarities between the PS3's interface and the PSP's cross media bar-style GUI (graphical user interface). You navigate horizontally through top-level selection categories such as users, system settings, and media options such as photos, music, videos, games, network, and friends. When you select a top-level category, a vertical list of sub options appears, and you can navigate down that list until you find the option you want. The interface is polished and generally user-friendly, but you do have to drill down a few levels to reach certain features, and getting to some functions isn't quite as intuitive as it should be. Still, the overall design is slick enough to be called Mac-like, and--at least from an aesthetic standpoint--is more appealing than the Xbox 360's Dashboard and Nintendo Wii's Channels interfaces.

Digital media hub The PS3's media features are extensive--enough so that the console could be a worthwhile purchase even for people who never deign to even fire up a game. For starters, the PlayStation 3 hits the shelves as the most affordable Blu-ray player you can buy--merely half the price of $1,000 to $1,300 models from the likes of Samsung, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, and--ironically--Sony. Before we delve into the PS3's HD movie prowess (see "movie watching," below), let's take a holistic look at the console's multimedia functionality.

In addition to the built-in memory card reader on the 60GB model (we applaud Sony for not subjecting us to a Memory Stick-only environment), the PS3 can read digital photos from a variety of USB-attached devices, including most digital cameras, the PSP, USB flash drives, and home-burned CD-Rs. (One caveat: the images may need to be placed in a special directory, such as DCIM or Picture, if they're not already there.) A few different slide show styles are available, including a unique "photo album" view that splays the images across a white work surface as if you'd dumped them there and spread them out. When stored internally on the hard drive (copying back and forth is easy), photos appear rapidly, and in the basic slide-show mode, you can advance your slides forward by simply pressing on the top-right shoulder button (the left shoulder takes you back a slide). Most JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, and PNG images should work just fine. By contrast, the Xbox 360 lacks both an internal media reader and the impressive photo album viewer, and the Wii--while including some cool and fun photo-viewing and manipulation functionality--includes only a built-in SD card reader.

As for music, the PS3 supports most of the major music-file types, including MP3, ATRAC, AAC, and WAV, and like the Xbox 360, has a built-in music visualizer. As with the photos, you can import songs from a flash memory card or a USB thumbdrive--again, you'll have to create a special Music folder--or rip songs directly to the hard drive from a CD. (Yes, unlike some Blu-ray players on the market, the PS3 can actually recognize and play CDs). While the PS3 even plays Sony's increasingly obscure SACD discs, it cannot play back music from attached iPods, nor can it stream from other music players that incorporate copy-protected music formats. Here, the 360 has a leg-up: it offers some iPod compatibility, and it can play back WMA music files as well.

On the video front, the PS3 plays Blu-ray discs in full high-definition as well as DVD movies. It also supports MPEG1, MPEG2, and MPEG4/h.264 video files from flash, USB, or disc-based media (reading from the "video" directory). If you transfer the videos to the PS3's hard drive, thumbnails on the video menu are shown as 15-second video clips, rather than just as still images of the first frame of the video. You currently can't stream files from your PC or over your LAN (local area network), but you can stream video from your PS3 to your PSP using the PS3's Remote Play feature. Sony hasn't yet provided for a way to convert videos you might download from its PlayStation Store to a portable size that can be automatically be transferred to your PSP. But we've been told to expect tighter--and better--integration with the PSP both offline and online in the future.

Sony's version of Web TV Taking a page out of the PSP's book, the PS3 also has a built-in Web browser, but the nice thing about the PS3 is that if you connect a USB keyboard, you don't have to type in URL addresses using the system's tedious virtual keyboard. Likewise, a USB mouse lets you point and click your way through a Web page, just as if you were on a PC. The system will eventually allow you to pair the PS3 with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, which is probably the ideal setup for living-room use. It's unclear whether all Bluetooth keyboards, past and present, will be compatible, but Sony assures us that many will. (We were able to pair a Plantronics Discovery 655 cellphone headset with no issues, so the Bluetooth function definitely works for third-party products.)

The browser appears to be pretty robust with the requisite Flash support, and it certainly is a nice convenience for those who to browse from their living room couch. That said, the sharpness of Web pages' appearance--and how readable they are-will depend on the quality of your TV and its size. For example, viewing Web pages on a 60-inch DLP set is going to be more of a challenge than say, looking at those same pages over a 20-inch computer monitor. And viewing Web pages on anything less than an HDTV at full resolution (720p, 1080i, or 1080p) will be decidedly eye-straining.

The PlayStation Network As of this writing, Sony hasn't turned on its PlayStation Network, so we can't say a whole lot about it other than it will be similar to Microsoft's Xbox Live service, including typical online gaming features along with community and messaging, as well as voice and video chat further down the road. Xbox Live Silver, Microsoft's free entry-level service, gives you access to some community options but to play online multiplayer games, you have to upgrade to Xbox Live Gold service, which runs $50 per year.

The promise of free online play is obviously a big plus in Sony's favor. That said, Xbox Live has been around for years and has had time to mature, and the majority of Xbox 360 games offer some form of online play. Not all of the initial PS3 titles will offer head-to-head online gameplay, but expect at least some online showcases: Sony's Resistance: Fall of Man is designed to handle online fragfests with as many as 32 players per match. (Nintendo will also offer free online play and communications for the Wii, as it does on the DS, but none of the initial Wii titles feature head-to-head online gameplay.)

Microsoft has its Xbox Live Marketplace, where you can download games, demos, video content--including, as of November 22, full-length movies and TV shows in high-definition--as well as game themes and additional game content. The PlayStation Store will offer similar options and functionality but it will most probably take several months to flush out and reach a level of richness approaching that of Xbox Live.

Also, keep in mind that despite the PS3 online play being ostensibly free, Sony and its third-party publishers--just like Microsoft and Nintendo--will be aggressively pushing "micropayment" transactions (additional levels, in-game extras, retro games, and other goodies) that will cost users. Instead of the points-based payment system found on Microsoft and Nintendo's networks, Sony says it will stick to dollars and cents--users can simply transfer cash to their PlayStation 3 Wallet via credit card or with prepaid gift cards. (International locations will likewise be denominated in their home currency--yen, euros, pounds sterling, Canadian dollars, and so forth.)
Cell inside

When final specs were released for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, not surprisingly, there was a big debate over which system was technically more powerful. The 360 uses more off-the-shelf PC components while The PlayStation 3's 3.2GHz Cell processor was built from the ground up just for the PS3. It consists of a single PowerPC-based core with seven synergistic processing units and is the result of a joint effort between IBM, Sony, and Toshiba, which is ironic, considering that Sony and Toshiba are in a deathmatch over Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

The key thing to know about the Cell is that it has the juice to run a new class of gameplay physics that will allow developers to create spectacular effects and eventually provide a whole new depth of realism to games. Paired with PlayStation 3's RSX Reality Synthesizer graphics-processing unit, a gargantuan 550MHz, 300-million-transistor graphics chip based on Nvidia's GeForce 7800 GTX graphics technology, and you're looking at a very high-end PC. The only problem, of course, is that it'll take developers years to learn to take full advantage of all that processing power and truly deliver on the graphical promise of the system. The same, of course, is true for the Xbox 360, but we suspect from our talks with developers that the PS3 may ultimately be declared the more powerful system. (Say what you will about increasing development times and rising costs for producing video games, but Blu-ray's 25GB to 50GB storage capacity--as opposed to 8.5GB for the Xbox 360's DVD drive--does give developers the chance to create huge games).

At the end of the day, as Microsoft learned, you can tout all the power you want, but if you can't keep your system cool--and fairly quiet--you're going to have some serious problems on your hands. What's impressive about this PS3, in fact, is that with all this power under the hood, the system runs as quietly as it does. After running for three hours straight, we found that we could still place a hand over the back of the unit and not get scorched--the system runs pretty warm, but not blazingly hot. While the 360's tendency to overheat has been exaggerated, its cooling fan and DVD drive are comparatively far noisier, sometimes to the point of distraction.

Play time The first thing we should be clear on is that for your $600, you don't actually get any games (the first round of systems will ship with a Blu-Ray movie, Talledega Nights). There's also only a single controller. With our review unit, Sony sent over retail copies of Resistance: Fall of Man, a first-person shooter that's arguably the system's most impressive title and Genji, a hack-and-slasher that's garnered only average reviews. At a couple preview events, we also played several other launch titles, the majority of which are also available for the Xbox 360.

In fact, it's very hard to tell the difference between titles that are already available on the 360 and their PS3 counterparts because they're ports of the same game. Where you start to see some of the promise is in Sony's in-house titles, such as Resistance: Fall of Man and NBA 07. The latter may not measure up to 2K Sports' NBA 2K7, but the game looks impressive, with crisp graphics and smooth 60fps high-def gameplay. Formula One Championship Edition is another title that really jumps out at you graphically; the game looks really impressive but won't be out until later next year. We're also waiting to compare the PS3 versions of EA's Fight Night 3 to its Xbox 360 counterpart to see if the company was able to make any improvements.

The long and short of it is that the PS3 clearly measures up to the Xbox 360 in terms of its graphics prowess and the added dimension that the tilt controller offers, is a new twist. That said, there really isn't anything available yet that's too unique or so far beyond what the Xbox 360 offers that you think, "I gotta get this system to play that game." The reality is, as usual, you're going to have to wait for that breakout title. (Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4, due in 2007, is currently getting a lot of buzz and will supposedly be a PS3 exclusive.)

Backward compatibility While you're waiting for that killer PS3 game, you can still fall back on hundreds, if not thousands, of PlayStation catalog titles. The PS3 is fully backward-compatible with nearly all PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 1 games. Just toss in a disc and the PS3 will create a virtual memory card on its hard drive to store saved games and preferences. We had no trouble running PS2 titles such as Shadow of the Colossus and Star Wars Starfigher. While we expect that a handful of older titles won't run on the PS3, Sony deserves kudos for near-universal backward compatibility. By comparison, Xbox 360 support for Xbox1 titles is limited to a set list of games with emulation profiles (Microsoft updates the list periodically, but it's still limited to less than half the number of the games available for the older console). Nintendo does better with the Wii: it plays all GameCube game discs.

Hardware and accessory compatibility is a mixed bag. You can't connect PS2 controllers to the PS3 because the new console lacks the older controller port, but because the PS3 control design is nearly identical, your older games will play just fine. Likewise, games that utilize any unique accessories that must plug into the PS2-style control port--such as Guitar Hero's mighty ax--won't work on the PS3. But USB accessories--such as the EyeToy--should be good to go. Have some old God of War saved games that you just can't part with? Invest $15 in a special card reader, and you can transfer any games from your PS2 memory cards to the PS3's hard drive.

Movie watching Before we got our hands on a retail unit, we'd been able to spend some time previewing the system, and while we had a pretty good picture of what it can do in terms of gaming and multimedia functionality, we hadn't been able to test it as a Blu-ray player. Sony, of course, is taking a big risk by attempting to go out with a new system that not only features a new processor but a new, unproven optical drive format. The company is making a heavy bet on the PS3 as a game machine, but it's also staking its Blu-ray fortunes on the system as well, and we were most curious to see how it delivered as a Blu-ray player.

Because we were more familiar watching Mission: Impossible III on the Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player, we decided to do our testing using that disc rather than Talledega Nights. Watching on one of the finest large-screen TVs available, the 60-inch Sony KDS-R60XBR2, we watched several scenes from the movie on the Samsung first, then switched over to the PS3. In case you're wondering, load times for the disc were essentially identical at 40 seconds on each player (we hit stop on our stopwatch when a picture appeared on the screen). That isn't terrible, but this is obviously an area where Sony can make some improvements down the road with a next-generation drive that's faster.

As for the picture, it was quite comparable to what we saw on the Samsung, and navigating the disc was a fairly zippy process. In other words, at first glance, the PS3 seems to stack up fairly well against Blu-ray players costing nearly twice as much ($1,000), which may obviate the need for those players to actually exist.

Furthermore, the PS3 is the first A/V device to hit the market to utilize the HDMI 1.3 specification. That doesn't mean much now--there's no corresponding HDMI 1.3 products to connect it to. But in the future--2007 and beyond--that should enable to PS3 to pass HD video and next-gen surround-sound audio (such as Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD) to compatible A/V receivers via a single HDMI cable. In the meantime, the PS3, like other Blu-ray and HD-DVD players, can pass 1080p HD video and uncompressed LPCM surround soundtracks to compatible A/V receivers and TVs.

If we had one complaint with the PS3, it was that it didn't upscale standard DVDs to HD resolutions, a feature that's standard on other Blu-ray and HD-DVD players. Instead, they default to 480p (progressive-scan). But that's hardly a deal-breaker, especially when you consider the competition: the Xbox 360 requires a clunky add-on drive to play HD-DVD movies (though downloadable high-def movies will soon be available via Xbox Live), and the Nintendo Wii doesn't play back movie discs of any type.

Accessing Blu-ray and DVD menus with the PS3 controller is functional, if awkward. Unfortunately, you won't be able to program a standard universal remote to control your PS3--it lacks an infrared port, so it needs to receive commands via Bluetooth. Not coincidentally, Sony offers a Bluetooth compatible remote for $25.

Conclusion Though not with out a few minor drawbacks--and we'll probably find a few more as we continue testing the system--the PS3 is a versatile and impressive piece of home entertainment equipment that lives up to the hype. As usual, the launch titles don't do all that much to sell the system, but that should start to change within the next six months as more impressive titles come to market. Whether you buy the PS3 today or whenever it becomes available in quantity, you can be sure you'll feel that you got your money's worth--from a gaming and a multimedia perspective.

Where do console critics come from

By 2PNK1STNK on 12/29/06, Rating: -1

By 2PNK1STNK on 12/29/2006 4:03:35 PM , Rating: -1

Sorry didn't read any of the rants below, just wanted to comment to the author of this article. You are clearly Japanese. Only a seven year old who has only played old school atari would think that the Nintendo Wii has something to offer the gaming world. Thats the only explanation for your some what positive outlook on this dismal system.

More then likely you were paid by Nintendo to say these things, or you are really old and took this gig as a side job to pay for extra jello shots at the bar. Either way please realize that your audience, the gaming audience, is usually pretty astute, and ignorant reviews like this one will be read and flamed emphatically.

So with that being said thank you for wasting my time. When I saw the title for this on google clips I thought it would be more entertaining and at least some what objective, but no lets lie about a dieing company, thats surviving on its past revenue from the early 90's.

Please sir/madame go back to technical writing. Or at least do QoS writing, that way at least you will be tethered to objectional writing by law.

RE: Where do console critics come from

By Anh Huynh on 12/29/2006 4:42:55 PM , Rating: 3

I'm actually Vietnamese, in college and own an Xbox 360. The Nintendo Wii offers something the other consoles don't and its offline multiplayer. I don't know about you but when friends come over we prefer to play games that everyone enjoys, with the Xbox 360 there isn't much besides Gears of War. The Wii is simple, entertaining and something people of all ages can play.

However, you are entitled to your own opinion, as am I. This was never a review, it is a blog which is simply my opinion on the console. I'm sorry I can't be as much of a hardcore gamer as you are. I enjoy the console as its intended, with friends and family with up to four people...your gaming intentions might differ.

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RE: Where do console critics come from

By nurbsenvi on 12/30/2006 4:57:24 AM , Rating: 2

Don't bother replying to those crap Mr. Huynh
You just wasted your time.

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RE: Where do console critics come from

By sowhat on 12/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: Where do console critics come from

By collinc on 12/29/2006 4:46:54 PM , Rating: 3

Wow, this has to be the most useless post I have seen in quite some time. You give no reasons as to why the Wii is such a horrible system. The only arguments I have seen against the Wii (you didn't make these arguments, you just did senseless idiotic fanboy bashing) are it doesn't have a developed on-line multi-player, and the graphics aren't on par with the other two systems. As far as that it concerned, yes I wish very much so that it had internet. The day I start wanting a game for graphics, or choosing one game over another because of graphics, I feel that is the day I should give up gaming altogether. I feel that way because I don't play games to look at them. I play games to enjoy them.

It's the reason I started out hating the original Xbox. When it first came out, there were absolutely no decent games out for it. I refused to buy the system until a good game came out for it. Everyone who had one always boasted about the graphics, and how much better they were than the PS2. It wasn't until KOTOR came out that I finally bought an Xbox. In case anyone is wondering, KOTOR was worth the purchase completely. Not for it's amazing graphics, or killer cut scenes, or it's shadows and shading but because it had a great story and it was fun to play.

That is what I love about the Wii. Every time I play it, I have fun. Sure, I can't play Gears of War on-line. But who cares? I can spend time with my real friends and play Wii bowling for hours with real people. Nintendo is also getting on-line gaming. I have heard the next Super Smash Brothers will be on-line. I doubt the Wii on-line will be anywhere near as good as Live, but then again the PS3 on-line is crap too (don't try and defend it, everyone knows it's crap)

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PS3 can easily be found..

By sowhat on 12/29/06, Rating: -1

RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By Russell on 12/29/2006 2:56:39 PM , Rating: 2

Yesterday I saw 2 60GB and a 20GB at the Wal Mart near here. If they're still there, I'll grab you a 60GB for $800CAD shipped - but you have to pay cash up front.

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By sowhat on 12/29/06, Rating: -1

RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By zombiexl on 12/29/2006 4:08:06 PM , Rating: 2

I've seen them sitting in walmart, gamestop and best buy for more than a day.

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By sowhat on 12/29/06, Rating: -1

RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By Anh Huynh on 12/29/2006 4:37:42 PM , Rating: 2

They're pretty easy to get a hold of. PS3's on eBay are barely selling for retail so people are returning them to the stores. There isn't enough demand for them.

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By sowhat on 12/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By jtesoro on 1/1/2007 5:09:44 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
...show me...

Take a look yourself and you'll find that PS3s are hardly going for more than retail. All you've got to prove your point are old videos that do not reflect the market at this point.

quote:
this is a Blu Ray player and THEN a game console

If you absolutely want a BluRay player then the PS3 would be a great deal. But it appears people don't care much for BluRay at this point now do they? In the future maybe, but not now.

I'm eagerly awaiting your fool-proof rebuttals along the lines of:

quote:
U must be a proud wii holder the dumb one you are...

...typical wii holder with NO CLUE ...

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By thegrimreaper3 on 1/2/2007 3:12:55 PM , Rating: 2

dude, your killing me here with ebay. Dont sit here and say they are selling for more than retail when they clearly are not. Look it up! I had 5 ps3's on launch day. The first ones sold quick untill paypal froze my account for "scamming people" by the time they unfroze me i had 2 left and it was past black friday. They sold for a measly 700. Now ive seen PLENTY not sell on ebay with a starting bid at 650 and no reserve and $40 shipping (which btw is what it cost to ship, i should know). So why dont you stop trying to act smart, stfu and sit down.

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By zombiexl on 12/30/2006 2:32:25 AM , Rating: 2

I'm fully aware of PS3 pricing on ebay, i've known a few people who barely broke even recently once you add in the ebay and paypal fees.

I dont care if you believe me. I've seen them, I wasn't blind or stoned so I'm pretty sure I know what I saw.

Oh and just a point about E-Bay, people are idiots and buy (and list) stuff on there over retail all the time. That includes things that aren't in short supply, so you can hardly use that as a benchmark for demand.

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By Aikouka on 1/2/2007 12:29:13 PM , Rating: 2

They had (and probably still have) 5 60GB PS3s at the local Target. I was in Wal-Mart yesterday and they have a 20GB model sitting there. They aren't selling because of the eBay influx and the lack of a real killer app. I thought about picking one up, but I simply won't buy any games for it, because none interest me. If I'm spending $600 on a game console, I better damn well have at least 2 games that I want for it!

Maybe I'll eventually buy one, but it seems some vendors are either going cross-platform or at least talking about the possibility. So, my XBOX 360 and/or my PC may be enough.

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By sowhat on 12/29/06, Rating: -1

RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By collinc on 12/29/2006 4:56:11 PM , Rating: 2

No, really. They aren't going for much over retail on Ebay. One is ending in 4 hours, 60gb, and it's only $449.44. A lot of them aren't even selling.

Don't believe me? Check for yourself.

http://listings.ebay.com/_W0QQa14Z43932QQalistZa14...

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By sowhat on 12/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By thatswhat on 12/30/2006 12:14:31 AM , Rating: 2

those clips are all from novemeber.

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By sowhat on 12/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By Zeal on 12/30/2006 7:33:05 AM , Rating: 1

god damn your stupid, get real i saw like easily 15 that i was watching sell for under 700... screw the reserve whats the seller gonna do when he can't sell after 3 auctions? return or settle for lower price, auction value is high for PS3s, EBAY is making a killing!!! almost 20 bucks an auction. not to mention as they said the ebay final auciton fee and paypal fees. look at this, 600 bucks buy it now 320066106682 or this site
http://cgi.ebay.com/PS3-Sony-PlayStation-3-Console...
has 4 available... sad how you can be so stupid

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RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By sowhat on 12/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: PS3 can easily be found..

By collinc on 12/30/2006 4:31:52 PM , Rating: 2

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-PlayStation-3-60GB-Factor...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Factory-Sealed-Sony-PlayStatio...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-Sealed-Sony-PlayStat...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Playstation-3-PS3-60GB-Ne...

That last one is my favorite. Went for $610. If you go into completed items, all you see is (reserve not met) on every auction over 700.

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