Video Game Console Buying Guide – Microsoft Xbox 360
Next up, the Microsoft Xbox 360.
The Xbox 360 is Microsoft’s second console and established Microsoft as an equal player in the console market. Let’s take a look and what it does well, and what could be done better.
The Facts:
- Price: $200 – $400
- Three models, the Arcade, Pro, and Elite
Microsoft has made it confusing by releasing several different versions of the Xbox. The main difference between them is hard drive space. The cheapest version, the Arcade, has no hard drive at all, and a limited amount of memory to save games. The middle version, the Pro, comes with a 20GB or 60GB hard drive depending on when it was released, and may come packed with a game or two, depending on the season. The high end version, the Elite, comes with a 120GB or 250GB hard drive, also depending on when it was released, and usually has special decorations and coloring.
While the Arcade is perfectly capable of playing most of the games that comes from the store, the online features are heavily dependent on the hard drive and many of the capabilities that you buy the Xbox for will be crippled without one. The hard drive is detachable, so if someone is unsure if they need one they can buy a hard drive separately later on, but this will cost more then buying the higher model in the first place. Therefore I recommend buying the Pro model or higher.
Most people will be fine with the Pro model, but if you find yourself storing a lot of material from the online store, or the black or game themed designs catch your fancy, the Elite is worth it.
Pros:
- Powerful. Though it was the first console of the group released, it remains essentially tied with the Playstation 3 for most horsepower. While it depends on the individual title, Xbox games tend to be graphically demanding and highly detailed.
- Library. The 360 has the widest variety in their lineup for the enthusiast gamer. The PS3 and Xbox share a large portion of their game library due to most third party game publishers porting their games between the two similarly powered machines, but the 360 had over a year’s start in building up games, has their own set of exclusives such as the Mass Effect and Gears of War games, and has worked aggressively to convince previously Playstation exclusive franchises, such as Final Fantasy and Grand Theft Auto, to come to the Xbox.
- Online. Xbox Live is the Xbox’s internet component, and has evolved to become a robust service no Xbox owner should be without. Besides offering multiplayer gaming, an owner can download game demos, videos, arcade games (smaller games that are available for download), and partake in a variety of services (Most of these are only available if you have a hard drive). You can connect to friends and browse the games they’re playing and what achievements they have (I’ll explain soon).
- Achievements. …Very soon. Achievements seem pointless at first, you can’t buy things with them or win prizes or anything, but they ingeniously use gamer psychology to add a new layer to the game playing experience. In addition to the game’s own game play, achievements are a separate set of optional goals that earn you points. These points accumulate in to a “Gamer Score” which can be displayed to all your friends. Players are free to ignore this if they want, but often chasing achievements within a game and comparing how well you did compared with your friends can be fun in itself. If the game developers design them well, achievements can extend a game’s life and introduce new dimensions of a game to a player.
- Not Games. The 360 has slowly become a little video powerhouse. The 360 can play DVDs, act as a Windows Media Extender which allows you play videos (in a wide range of formats) from your computers on your TV, and even stream Instant Watch movies from your Netflix queue. In addition, you can stream your music (even during many games, giving yourself a custom soundtrack), check Twitter and Facebook, listen to Last.fm, and rent movies from the marketplace. Even if you never played a single game on the 360 there is still plenty to do.
Cons:
- Unreliable Hardware. The 360 console has had an unprecedented amount of hardware failure. Microsoft is cagey about the exact failure rate and what is causing it, but it’s hard to run in to an 360 owner that hasn’t had some sort of difficulty. To their credit they’ve extended the warranty to three years for the most common problems and fix machines for no cost within that period, but it is still a hassle and is a problem that isn’t shared by their competitors with nearly the same frequency.
- Online. While Microsoft’s online is the most robust of the consoles, it has some disadvantages. First is that it costs money, $50 per year for the “Gold” Subscription, though you can often find a deal for cheaper. Microsoft offers a “Silver” subscription for free, which allows you to buy things from the store and download game demos and videos (though often delayed by a week), which may be just fine for many users, but to partake in the advanced features gamers have to pony up. Second is that by including a microphone with the console, it’s easy to discover that in the comforting anonymity of their homes some people feel free to be racist, misogynistic, abusive, and worse. Amusingly, these comments often come from the youngest and squeakiest voiced. It can be intimidating, and many players may not want to deal with it, or subject their children to it.
- Proprietary Accessories And Price Gouging. Microsoft lost a great deal of money on the original Xbox, and they seem determined to make up for it with the 360, mainly by charging for things that are free on other consoles and having huge markups on their accessories that only they offer. Let’s look at the specifics in the Hidden Costs section.
Hidden Costs:
Unfortunately, the Xbox 360 has many. If you get the Arcade model and want to upgrade your hard drive, or have a pro and what more room, the price of the proprietary drive is very high compared to the PC equivalent. A 60GB Starter Kit will run $100, while a 120GB Hard Drive will cost up to $140. Wireless connectivity, which is built in on the PS3 and even the Wii, comes separately and at almost $100, not cheaply either. If at all possible try to get a wired connection to the Xbox. The games are $60 MSRP, which is the same as the PS3 and $10 more then Wii, however they do seem to go on sale more quickly then the other consoles. An extra controller is normally $40, and the controllers are wireless and run on batteries, which means you will want to either pick up rechargable AA batteries and a charger or a Play & Charge Kit. As mentioned before, the Gold Subscription costs $50/year, or $8 a month if you prefer that way. You can occasionally find deals offering subscription cards for $35 (on Amazon!).
A note, the Xbox Marketplace uses MS Points instead of dollars for purchases. Unlike the PS3, which uses straight currency, and the Wii where the conversion is simple in the US (1 point = 1 cent), Each MS Point equals 1.25 US cents. 400 points equals $5, 800 equals $10, and 1600 Points (the most common amount sold in retail stores) equals $20. This is most likely done to make purchases feel cheaper then they actually are, 400 points seems cheaper then the 500 points a $5 game would cost if points were strictly 1 cent.
Recommendations:
Unless you are really hurting for cash and are absolutely sure you won’t use the online features, get a Pro model 360 for the video game enthusiast who wants to play a wide variety of games.
New Xboxes come with a one month trial for the gold subscription so try it out and if you want those features buy a subscription card from Amazon or another store (I recommend NOT using a credit card directly for two reasons, you can often find a deal for the card itself, and once you enter your card info Microsoft will auto renew your subscription until you call them and cancel, and they will talk your ear off to change your mind.) If you can’t run a network cable to the console get a third party wireless solution, there are several for much less then the official one. If your TV supports it, get the HDMI cable (again, a high markup, proprietary accessory) for the best picture quality. Here are the accessories I recommend:
Once you’re all set up, start up a Gamefly account and see what you like.
Video Game Console Buying Guide – Nintendo Wii
Let’s go over the main players in the video game market, their pros and cons, and the hidden costs that come with owning the system.
First, the Nintendo Wii.
This is the best selling video game system of this generation. This wasn’t always a given, many industry followers had major concerns about the Wii’s viability, but Nintendo took the combination of a family friendly system and innovative control scheme all the way to the bank.
The Facts:
- Price: $200
- Motion Controls
- Compatible with Gamecube games, can buy even older games from the online store.
Pros:
- Cheaper. Console prices have been creeping higher since the days of Nintendo’s first console, the NES, but Nintendo has made a conscious decision to make the Wii affordable. The games are $50 by default, which is cheaper then the $60 for the other consoles, and can often be found cheaper on Amazon or other retailers.
- Motion Controls. Nintendo’s control scheme is innovative and novel. Instead of a traditional controller with dozens of buttons, they created the Wii Remote
, which is simpler and responds to the player’s movement, as well as allowing the player to point at the screen. This allows people to interact with games in ways they haven’t before.
- Nintendo Games. Nintendo has the most extensive set of beloved characters and franchises that you won’t see on other consoles. Mario
, Zelda
, and friends won’t be seen on any other console.
- Family Friendly, Party Friendly. A large selection of the Wii’s library, including Nintendo’s own games, are kid friendly and can be played by everyone, even grandma and grandpa, without too much instruction. This is great for gatherings where a long list of instructions and complicated controls can be a buzz kill.
- Retro Gaming. For people who grew up with video games, Nintendo offers a wide selection of older classics on their online store.
Cons:
- Weak Under The Hood. The Wii is not nearly as powerful a machine as the Sony and Microsoft machines. Nintendo deliberately made a more modest system in order to keep costs down and the focus on creating fun games. It is not an HD console and has a slower processor which limits how visually impressive the games can be compared to its competitors.
- Multiplatform Games. Because the Wii hardware
and control scheme
- Underdeveloped Online. While the Wii has Internet capabilities and wireless built in, the system for playing other people online is clumsy and involves exchanging long “friend codes.”
Hidden Costs:
The console comes with one controller set, but because it is so suited for gatherings and parties you will want to pick up at least one extra Wii Remote
Recommendations:
Buy it
Once you have all your equipment and you get tired of Wii Sports (which is included), subscribe to GameFly and rent some Wii games to try. It’s like Netflix for games, and is a real deal when compared to buying everything.
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