As I was trapped on campus over turkey break with nothing to my name but a poorly equipped, post-crash computer, one can of candied bitterness and a severely out-of-date PlayStation 2 that whirs and spits dust every time a disk is inserted, I realized from what source my holiday cheer is derived. Apparently, my version of happiness is an outlet, lots of cash to spend and a noncommittal connection to others via screen. Clearly, I'm referring here to seventh-generation gaming consoles PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii, three contraptions we jaded, pre-finals eggheads should investigate so as to momentarily forget about PowerPoints and PDFs.
And since from now until January bilking culturally confused parents is both encouraged and condoned, here are some delightful tidbits to aid in your personal quest for pixilated holiday joy.
Last Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of the North American release of the PlayStation 3, the latest entry in the line of highly popular consoles made by Sony Computer Entertainment. In North America, two of the original four incarnations of the PS3 are in stock -- the 40-GB, which goes for about $399, and the 80-GB, which costs $100 more. An expected feature, but still a plus, is a backward compatibility rate of 97 percent, which means that almost any previous PlayStation title can work on the PS3 (Long live Crash Bandicoot and Tekken!).
Advertised as the ultimate piece of home recreational multimedia, the PS3 features four USB ports, an Ethernet port for connection to the PlayStation Network, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface and a Blu-ray Disc playback rate of the maximum 48 mbps, a bit rate exceeding that which is offered by many standalone Blu-ray Disc players and equates to the kind of visual glory that PlayStation aficionados have been dreaming about since Final Fantasy VIII's elaborate FMV sequences of years long past. And speaking of Final Fantasy, longtime followers of the top-selling series sadly have no recourse but to continue their proud geek streak on the PS3, as that is where Square Enix has confirmed the series' 13th and 14th installments will be exclusively available.
Still, the heavily hyped graphics of Sony's newest child are both a boon and a detriment. One e-zine echoed a popular sentiment when it said in 2007 that promotional harping on visuals had transformed the PS3 from a much-anticipated gizmo "into a hate object reviled by the entire internet." And it's probably also a bad thing that the PS3 landed a spot on PC World's Top 21 Tech Screwups of 2006, where it was derided as nothing more than an overpriced supercomputer.
The Xbox 360, ingenious Microsoft invention No. 12,702 and king of the seventh generation of gaming consoles, practically needs no introduction, especially to the millions of American males between ages 18 and 34 who in all likelihood recently killed someone to get their hands on Halo 3. Originally unveiled over two years ago on MTV, the 360 is known for its bustling, revolutionary Xbox LIVE online community that pwns PlayStation Network like a n00b -- apparently everything from scoring touchdowns to wreaking nonspecific havoc is more fun when done against another living human being.
Comparisons between the Xbox 360 and the PS3 are inevitable, as the two are ostensibly archenemies. While the PS3 boasts an unrivaled graphics interface and supports seven wireless controllers simultaneously -- three more than its rival -- the 360 presents fluid, high-def resolutions that are excellent in their own right. Problems with backward compatibility used to plague the 360, but by early December a new feature called Xbox Originals will allow LIVE users to download unaltered Xbox games straight to their 360 for 1200 Microsoft Points, which is about $15 -- much less than the cost of any old PS2 game that might be worth buying. But the unbelievable kicker is that for $50 less, the 360 offers 40 GB more memory than the PS3, a bargain not lost on 13.5 million people worldwide.
Frequently bringing up the rear in conversations about seventh-generation consoles is the Nintendo Wii, and it must be said that this is not because the Wii isn't totally fabulous and charming, but rather because the last time that Nintendo had any industry pull, Sonic had his own television series and was being voiced by the guy who played Steve Urkel.
With surprising ease the innocuous Wii succeeds in a vicious arena of bigger-name competitors. Anyone with a GameCube controller can play any official GameCube software on the Wii, meaning the console is fully backward compatible. And as for online connectivity, the Wii boasts many different channels on which users can chat and game with others in a system that is just marginally secondary to Xbox LIVE in terms of popularity, but equal to it in addictiveness and practicality.
Though sporting only 88 MB worth of memory, the Wii is not designed for games that would cause heavy memory usage. And besides, at the price of $300 and dropping, several unique features such as the Wii's ability to get online through both Ethernet and Wi-Fi and to connect to its company's handheld (a Nintendo DS) with no accessories whatsoever, make it quite possibly the coolest living room console ever. Cross-demographic appeal is the reason why the Wii is a mere half-million sales behind the Xbox as of September this year. Logically, the desire to play a Wiitar Hero victory song after you've throttled your loved ones at Wii Sports' signature doubles tennis just transcends age, gender, race and religion.
So trust a fellow game geek here. Pick your favorite, drop hints to the 'rents and get a console underneath that menorah, kinara or pine-needle tree. You'll be glad you did, and so will that insufferable Dartmouth brain of yours.
