There are three manufacturers fighting for top spot in the console market; Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, and their most recent offering of next generation consoles are certainly nothing to be ashamed of. However are they truly the ‘next gen’ consoles that we were expecting? If you look back to the 70s it is amazing to see how far gaming has come but it was not until the release of the Playstation in 1995 that the games industry really exploded.
Known as the Playstation generation, gamers today want more and more from the games they play; pushing console manufacturers to make systems that will be able to cope with the demands of users. The latest offerings from Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft have certainly not let us down, the Playstation 3, the Wii and the Xbox 360 are all amazing consoles, packed full of technology for gamers to savour. However are they really ‘next-gen?’
This is difficult question to answer with the quality of the consoles on offer; however the Wii is completely different to the PS3 and Xbox 360. It is seemingly the only true next-gen console, breaking the mould for the gaming industry. Its motion sensor controller is something that has never been done before, and involves the user a lot more in the games; it feels as if you actually have the racket in your hand when playing Wii games such as tennis. Whilst the Xbox 360 and the PS3 have hard drives and high-definition graphics are processor and video card upgrades really the way forward for the next generation; surely they are just getting closer and closer to being home PC’s, especially with the online connectivity and media storage. What’s important is the way users interact with the games that they are playing and Nintendo seem to be the only company to have realised this.
This is also clear when you have a look at the handheld consoles on offer; obviously Microsoft hasn’t invested in this market but the PSP and Nintendo DS are both very good systems. Aimed at giving users home console entertainment on the move, the PSP offers a widescreen display, more in-depth games, graphics rivalling those of the PS2 and multimedia storage. Whereas Nintendo has taken a different approach to the DS; with two screens (one of which being touch sensitive) and voice recognition it aims to involve the user more in the gaming experience. Nintendo DS games are also better for quick play, which is what a portable console should be!
All three companies offer a fantastic gaming experience however it only the Wii which should be truly labelled as ‘next-gen.’
Get your hands on all three consoles from asda-entertainment.co.uk or game.co.uk.