Starting on September 5th, 2008 Microsoft will officially start selling their xbox 360 consoles at a $50 price decrease. The prices are as follows:

Xbox 360 Arcade $199
Xbox 360 Pro (60gb HD) $299
Xbox 360 Elite (120gb HD, Black) $399

What does this really mean? Well, the console with the largest gaming selection and best online play is now also the cheapest. (The Arcade’s $199 price point compared to the $250 Nintendo Wii) At these lower prices, more people have an opportunity to jump in and play. I think this move is perfect for Microsoft. They now have the opportunity to draw in casual gamers and sell consoles to people upgrading from the previous generation. Even hard-core gamers who can’t afford a $400 system or don’t want to play party games all day, now have an option to frag their friends in halo 3 or slice them in half with gears of war all that a reasonable price.

This move is really tough on Nintendo. No longer is their console the cheapest and therefore casual gamers now have another option. When those people walk into a gaming store or their local big-box chain, they have the choice for a more powerful and cheaper console with a larger gaming selection to boot. People are still flocking to the Wii so it’s not a huge threat at this time, but it is something Nintendo needs to keep their eyes on.

As for the prices of the other consoles, I don’t foresee an immediate response. The Nintendo Wii, which is still in high-demand, is consistently outselling the competition. The PlayStation 3 is also selling well and has some great exclusives in the works. However, I think by the holiday season both companies will bight the bullet and lower their prices too. Honestly, this is great for the consumer whether you want a 360 or not.

Source

Above is an amazing 2 hours worth of gameplay footage of Mario Kart Wii. This is a Wii game so the visuals are nothing to run home about but overall it looks like a fun experience. As for controls, this make will ship with the ‘Wii Wheel’ but can also be plaid without the wheel, on a classic controller or using a gamecube controller similar to the multiple options that SSBB had. Take it for what it’s worth. Nothing extraordinary but it’s sure to be a great/fun game. Available April 27 for $49.99.

This time of year it’s hard to make a decision on which console you want to buy. It seems like everyone has their opinion, “PS3’s suck, get a wii” or “The 360 is pointless, buy a PS3”. What you have to decide is what features matter the most to you. Each console has attributes that make them great but using the knowledge you gain in this article, you should be able to pick one that matches what you want to use it for. With the holiday season coming to an end, you can use the money you got from family and friends to the console that’s right for you. For starters, let’s compare the basics for each console.

Wii: The Wii has a revolutionary controller which allows developers to create games that work your mind and body- not just thumbs. If you haven’t heard, your motions control the gameplay. For example, playing madden to throw the football you have to make throwing motions similar to those you would use to actually throw a ball. The Wii also has a nice price factor. Only $250 compared to the Xbox 360 starting at $280 and the PS3 starting at $400. However, the Wii lacks Next Generation Graphics. Out of the box the maximum output of the wii is 480i with the option of buying separate component cables allowing you to output at 480p (EDTV). This is pretty low compared to the 360 maxing out at 1080i and the amazing clarity of 1080p on the PS3. (Both of these are considered HDTV) Additionally, the controllers are expensive relative to the console. $40 for the Wii Remote, $20 for the Nunchuk and $20 for the Classic Controller.

Cost: $249.99

Xbox 360: The Xbox 360 is aimed more towards the hardcore gamer who enjoys his first person shooters. The Xbox 360 has nothing world-shattering like the Wii’s motion sensitive controller but it has great graphics (maximum output 1080i), three powerful CPU cores running at 3.2 GHz, and an amazing online play option. Because the 360 has been on the market for a few years now you can easily pick up a game you will enjoy. From Halo3 to Gears of War, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare to The Orange Box, there are great games available today for you to play. What also makes the 360 great is that for $180 you can buy an external HD-DVD drive which is the cheapest way to enter into the next generation of video playback. However, the HD-DVD drive is still expensive and is a lot to spend on something which may loose the Format Wars. Also, if you want to connect your xbox to the internet to play online you will need either a long Ethernet cable or for an additional cost a wireless adaptor to enable wireless connectivity (WiFi). This is my largest complaint: if the Wii can have built in WiFi, why can’t the Xbox 360?

Cost: $247.99-449.99 (For More on the different price options and what’s included in each click here.)

Playstation 3: The PS3 is a power house and that’s what you pay for. The PS3 features the cell processor running at 3.2GHz and also includes a Blu-Ray drive. Other Blu-Ray players start at around $300 so if you want Blu-Ray; this is the way to go. Graphics wise, the PS3 can output at a maximum of 1080p (True HDTV). Although this machine packs a punch the games currently available don’t take advantage of this power and in some cases look worse than the 360. This system has been out for over a year and still does not offer a solid lineup of games. There is no amazing game that’s only for the PS3 like Halo3 or Gears of War was for the Xbox 360. I’m sure there will be better games coming out in the future but right now the game selection is just ok.

Cost: $399.99-$499.99 (For a breakdown of the different models click here)

I’ve tried to be as least biased as I could writing the general comparisons however I feel it’s important to understand everyone’s views to get a sense of why you would buy a certain console. If you just read descriptions you will never learn how others feel and subsequently not make an informed decision. When you are buying a TV, you read user reviews to help you decide if that model is right for. It’s the same concept for video games; you need to understand other people’s views. So, here are mine.
Let’s start with the Sony Playstation 3. I have a good friend who loves his PS3. He loves owning it, playing it, and talking about it; however, I’ve played it on several occasions and feel there is no reason to own it. I had a PS2 but was never drawn into it like I was when I got my xbox. With the prices falling on PS3’s there is no longer a huge gap between the 360 (and wii even) and the PS3. So feature wise, it’s a better value to buy a PS3 because of all the multimedia you get which includes a blu-ray player. However, from a gaming perspective there is nothing available you can’t get on a 360 that tips the scales particularly if don’t love those few PS3 exclusives.

Next, the Nintendo Wii. Although the Wii recently received its best game to date in Super Mario Galaxy the game selection is a huge concern for Wii owners. Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Sports (which is included with every Wii) aside, there are no stellar or amazing games available for this system. Plus most of the games available and coming soon are party games designed for use with other people. This is not to say this won’t be different in 6-12 months, but right now this is the sad truth. Additionally, if you’re someone who doesn’t have a lot of friends or you are a hardcore gamer loving detailed graphics and tons of great shooters, I would suggest you either stay away from the Wii or purchase it as a second console coupled with an Xbox 360, Playstation 3, or a powerful gaming computer. But hey, at least it has built in WiFi.

Finally, the Microsoft Xbox 360. In my mind, this is the most rounded system on the market which led to my purchase of this console during the holiday season. Besides my utter disgust that this console does not have built in WiFi I have to say it is amazing. I opened my console on Christmas morning and by dinner I had beaten Halo3. I plaid a little Rainbow Six Vegas, which I didn’t really get into, and plaid some Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare as well. My point is the game selection is plentiful and any gamer is bound to find something they like because this console offers everything from amazing First Person Shooters (fps) to amazing Party Games including Rock Band which I got for Christmas but have not plaid yet. But the best part of the Xbox 360 is the amazing online play via Xbox Live. Not only can you text and voice chat, add friends and maintain a gamer profile for free, for a nominal fee you can get all those features plus the ability to play almost 100% of your games online. (I would suggest buying a 12 month prepaid card that way you pay the least amount of money per month and don’t have to give Microsoft a credit card number.) Plus, the 360 offers a ton of multimedia features allowing you to access you music and movies from your computer and the option of downloading content from the Xbox 360 marketplace.

In conclusion, this decision all comes down to you. If you’re a person who wants blue-ray and a load of multimedia features then you should buy a PS3. If you want a little of everything, and boy does this deliver everything superbly, then you should purchase an Xbox 360. But if you are a casual gamer who loves playing party games with friends the Wii is the way to go. Whichever you choose you won’t regret it and remember, there is no harm in buying more than one system!