The Basics: Video Game Consoles

Some of the biggest pieces of consumer news in a while have been the releases of the Sony PS3 and the Nintendo Wii to compete with the Microsoft Xbox 360 for dominance in the video game console market. While these releases made news, the story is one with a pretty good history.

Since the heyday of the Atari 2600 and its blocky-graphic ilk, video game consoles have allowed us to play games in the comfort of our own homes. These consoles used to be mere arcade imitators, but over the years their power and performance have supplanted arcades -- making video game consoles the platforms of choice for most game developers. Video game consoles connect to your TV and provide gaming in your living room or den. You'll usually get at least one controller with your console, and they may come with a few additional extras as well.

Video game console manufacturers have changed over the years. Vendors such as Atari, Intellivision, and Sega have come and gone on the hardware side of things, and right now there are the big three: Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. New video game consoles come out every few years from each of these manufacturers, and each new iteration brings with it sharper graphics, more powerful performance, and more diverse functionality.

This goes for both living room consoles as well as their portable counterparts. The handheld arena has been dominated for a decade by Nintendo and their GameBoy series of consoles, but Sony has given them a run for gamers' money with their PlayStation Portable (PSP) and Microsoft is rumored to be looking for a way into the scaled-down video game console market.

Online gaming has been incorporated into video game consoles, driven originally by Microsoft's broadband-only Xbox Live gaming service that debuted with the original Xbox. It's also a part of handheld console gaming as well, with the PSP and Nintendo's DS both letting you play against your friends via wireless connections.

The most recent generation of video game consoles has started to converge with traditional home theater functions. Both the Xbox and PlayStation 2 could play DVD movies and the newer consoles will soon feature TiVo-esque abilities for recording television shows. Microsoft's new Xbox 360 can communicate with Windows XP desktop computers, letting you play multimedia files from your PC on your video game console and living room TV. And the handheld PSP serves as a movie-watching and Web browsing device on the go.

But, of course, the main focus of video game consoles is still on playing the games. Graphical capabilities and in-game physics have continually become more lifelike, letting you start to truly feel like you are in the game. And even without going online most video game consoles let you play with up to three other buddies, for a social experience that really adds to the gaming enjoyment.

Even the game play itself has started to change. Sony and Nintendo's new consoles, the PlayStation 3 and the Wii respectively, both offer motion sensitive controllers. Much of the Wii's game play employs this novel approach.

And those gaming consoles of yore? They have made quite a comeback with nostalgic video game consoles such as the Atari Flashback and others being released. These all-inclusive consoles have multiple games built right into the devices themselves -- all you need is a TV to plug them into and you're able to play all your favorite games of the '80s. There are even handheld versions of simple consoles that provide racing, fighting, and sports games on the go -- or connected to a TV for a larger view. They're a lot less expensive than the current generation of video game consoles and make great gifts for the retro gamer in your family.

How to Shop

If you want a next-generation console, the PS3 and, to a lesser extent, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii began their market run in short supply. Microsoft got a head-start on the competition, and their new video game console remains the one to beat. It has an incredible core power, excellent connectivity and the best-looking games. The full version of the 360 sells for $499, although you can get a scaled down Core version for $399 without a hard drive, headset or wireless controller.

If you're a Sony or Nintendo fan, you may face some shortages because of demand. Sony offers two versions of their PlayStation 3 as well, with price tags of $499 and $599 -- a pretty hefty amount to spend on a video game console. But the PS3 will do plenty more than just play games -- the new console has a Blu-Ray DVD drive (with up to 50GB of capacity on each disk), Bluetooth connectivity and a 20GB or 60GB hard drive (depending on the price).

Nintendo's Wii (pronounced "We") focuses primarily on gaming, and currently sells for $250. The Wii's motion sensitive controller is its biggest initial selling point, but Nintendo is planning on eventually making their entire library of video games available for the Wii via download -- a rather compelling selling feature from the makers of Mario.

With all the hubbub over next-generation video game consoles, the current generation machines are selling for excellent prices. If you don't need cutting-edge gaming performance or don't want to wait for Sony and Nintendo, you can get an Xbox, a PS2 or a GameCube for $100 to $150. Game developers are still making new games for all of these platforms, so you'll be guaranteed new content for at least the rest of the year, and the back library of budget games is extensive for all three consoles.

If you're in the market for a current-generation handheld video game console, you've got two main choices: Sony's PSP and Nintendo's twin-screened DS. Both are excellent gaming machines, but the PSP has more functionality than the DS -- and also a larger price tag (the PSP sells for $200 while the DS sells for around $130). You can game and browse the Web wirelessly with either device, but the PSP has a much sharper screen and movie playback built-in. Nintendo's DS Lite is smaller and more portable than their original DS.

Nintendo's fairly new GameBoy Micro is also a choice for portable gamers. Essentially a smaller GameBoy Advance, the Micro can play all the GBA games and is only about half the size. It's an extremely portable video game console that sells for under $100.

Kid-friendly Nintendo is always a good option for families with younger children. Their video game consoles feature more games oriented toward youth and most every kid is familiar with Mario and friends. One caveat about the GameCube: It won't play DVD movies like the PS2 and Xboxes can, so it's pretty much a gaming-only machine.

Teen gamers may be happier with a PlayStation 2 or an Xbox 360. The graphics and core processors of the Xbox 360 make it the best in terms of sheer gaming performance, but the PS2 still has the largest gaming library of any video game console out there.

And if you're just looking for some home entertainment and don't need all the graphical bells and whistles and online play, a retro gaming machine might be a good option for your household. If you're old enough to remember these games, it's a fun trip down gaming memory lane. And they're a blast for the next generation as well - the games and controllers are simple enough that even young kids can play them. And they're all rated E for Everyone.

Whatever video game console you're considering, take a look at the list of games available for it. While most games come out for a variety of platforms -- some titles are exclusive to one or another. The primary use for a video game console is game playing, so it's important that the console you buy is able to play the games that you want.